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Many parents unaware of no or low-cost childhood vaccines during economic downturns Public Health Expert Available to Let Parents Know Their Children May Be Eligible for Recommended Vaccines at No- or Low-Cost www.cdc.gov and www.naccho.org/widget Vaccinations have been saving lives for centuries, but did you know that thousands of families are still devastated by vaccine-preventable diseases? Each year, an estimated 35 million children fail to receive at least one of the vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thousands of people die and many more are hospitalized each year because of diseases like meningitis, whooping cough, and influenza, commonly known as the flu, that could have been prevented by vaccination. Unfortunately, in these tough economic times, more families must choose between health care and other critical needs. In many cases, children and teens aren’t vaccinated because their families simply can’t afford health coverage, and can’t afford to pay for vaccines directly out of the family budget. Fortunately, there is a federal government program, Vaccines for Children (VFC), which provides vaccines to children and teens at no- or low-cost. This government program is designed to help ease the financial burden many families are now facing. With Vaccines for Children, even families with no medical insurance can access vaccines for their children through 18 years of age. Herminia Palacio, MD, MPH, Executive Director of …

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