Utah's first lady, Jacalyn S. Leavitt, is kicking off next year's "Immunize by Two, It's Up to You" campaign - a drive to protect the state's littlest, most vulnerable residents.
An appropriate message for the holiday season, she said, "is to give the gift of protection and immunize your child on time." The first lady chairs a statewide task force working for improved rates of child-hood vaccinations.According to a national immunization survey carried out in 1996 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Utah ranks last in the nation for childhood shots. Nationally, 78 percent of children are adequately immunized by their second birthdays. In Utah, only 64 percent receive immunizations by the age of 2.
"Our purpose is to continue to educate and remind parents about on-time immunizations for their children and to motivate them to action," she said. "From birth to two, children are at a greater risk of complications from childhood diseases."
Parents can talk to specialists by calling toll-free at 1-800-275-0659.