It's National Immunization Awareness Month: Vaccinate for a Healthier Future

By Office of Communications & Marketing | Aug 13, 2025

For more than 200 years, vaccines have changed public health, turning deadly diseases like polio, measles, diphtheria, and smallpox into illnesses we can prevent or eliminate. The smallpox vaccine wiped out a disease that killed millions; polio, once a global threat, is now nearly gone thanks to coordinated vaccination campaigns, and the measles vaccine has prevented millions of deaths worldwide and continues to protect communities from dangerous outbreaks.

In the past 50 years, vaccines have saved 154 million lives. They protect individuals from serious illness and create “herd immunity,” which safeguards those who cannot be vaccinated due to age or medical conditions. This community protection is one of the most effective ways to keep families, schools, and neighborhoods healthy.

The COVID-19 vaccines, developed in record time, saved millions of lives during the pandemic and continue to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. They are part of an expanding toolkit that includes early childhood immunizations, adult boosters, the annual flu shot, and the RSV vaccine for older adults and infants, making immunization one of the most powerful, cost-effective medical tools.

Information is readily available to help you understand the benefits of protecting yourself and your loved ones.

We thank our healthcare professionals at Downstate who advance vaccine research, care for our patients, and connect with our communities to ensure everyone gets the vaccines they need to #KeepCareClose.

Tags: Downstate Health