Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes proclaimed the week of April 20-27 as Infant Immunization and Awareness Week at a gathering at the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department on Friday morning.

The proclamation stated the importance of a scheduled and complete immunization of infants:

• Giving infants immunizations by age 2 is the best way to prevent 14 childhood diseases
• Vaccine preventable diseases still circulate in the U.S. and around the world, so continued vaccination is necessary to protect everyone from potential outbreaks.  Even when diseases are rare in the U.S., they can be brought into the country, putting unvaccinated children at risk.
• When people are unvaccinated, outbreaks of diseases like whooping cough and measles can – and do – return.
• It is important to vaccinate children on time, according to the childhood immunization schedule, to provide the best protection early in life, when babies are vulnerable and before they are likely to be exposed to diseases.

For information about immunizations and the proper immunization schedule, please contact the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department, located at 510 E. Lee Street in Brownwood or call 325-646-0554.

Pictured above are: Brownwood/Brown County Health Department Staff Alicia Long, Ashley Riojas, Ada Lopez, Donna Miller, and Jula Hill (sitting) along with  Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes after the proclamation.  They are pictured with bicycles and helmets to promote their bike helmet giveaway this month.

Below are emergency preparedness officials Roy Jones, Cliff Karnes , and Brent Bush.