FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2015
Contact: Scott Salotto (845) 638-5645
               Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, DO, FAAFP (845) 364-2512

IT'S IMMUNIZATION AWARENESS MONTH -
HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOUR SHOTS?

NEW CITY, NY - - Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announce that August is National Immunization Awareness Month, a good time to remind residents that we all need shots (also called vaccines or immunizations) to help protect us from serious diseases.

“Talk with your doctor to make sure that you and your family are up-to-date with all your needed vaccines. They are among the safest and most important ways to prevent disease. Vaccines not only help protect you and your family, but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases like the flu, measles, and pertussis (whooping cough),” said Dr. Ruppert.

The Health Department  offers clinics where residents of all ages can get their shots, such as the  Adult Immunization and Foreign Travel Clinic and the Child Immunization Clinic, which provides immunizations for common childhood diseases for children/adolescents enrolled in elementary through high school. For more information call (845) 364-2520 or visit https://rocklandgov.com/departments/health/clinics-and-immunizations/.  For more information about what shots you and your family need and when to get them, talk with your doctor, or visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

Most health insurance plans cover the cost of recommended vaccines. If you need help paying for your children’s vaccines, a program called Vaccines for Children (VFC) can provide free or low cost vaccines for eligible children.  For more information about the VFC program or childhood vaccines, call (845) 364-2662, or visit https://rocklandgov.com/departments/health/programs-and-services/immunization-program/