In order to keep a baby healthy, they should receive 14 vaccines over their first 18 months, according to the County Health and Human Services Agency.
National Infant Immunization Week is underway from Apr. 22 to 29, and the County Health Agency wants parents to make sure their children are up-to-date with immunizations.
"Vaccines offer the best protection against disease," said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer, in a statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hopes to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases through this special week.
"Parents should make sure their children start their shots on time and stay on schedule. Immunizations prevent disease, disability and in the worst cases, death," said Wooten.
The CDC recommends infants get shots at birth, age 2, 4, 12, 15 and 18 months of age in order to prevent measles, meningitis, whooping cough and many other diseases.
Vaccination coverage of kindergarteners in San Diego County is near an all-time high, according to County surveys. There were 1,059 out of more than 46,000 local kindergartners missing some or all recommended vaccines, said County officials.
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About 45,000 babies are born every year in San Diego County and need to be immunized on time to be healthy.
"No child, adolescent or adult should suffer from a vaccine-preventable disease," said Wooten. "Immunizations are the best thing parents can do to protect their children from serious disease."
But babies aren't the only ones who need to get their vaccines, said County officials. Parents, older siblings, grandparents and babysitters all need to get up to date.
