Immunization Rates on the Rise

New reports indicate that nearly 81% of infants in the US receive all their recommended vaccinations before the age of 3. Health officials have announced that this is a record high, and slightly exceeds the goal of 80%, set by a federal health agency called Healthy People 2010.

These impressive statistics have resulted in several serious diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio no longer naturally occurring in the US. The challenge now is to maintain these high vaccination rates in the coming years, so as to prevent these and similar diseases from making a comeback.

Another goal that must be addressed in the future is increasing adult Immunization rates, especially among seniors, in order to combat influenza, pneumonia, and other vaccine-preventable illnesses. To do this, government health agencies will need to invest more time into educating adults about which vaccinations to get, and the benefits of getting them.