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Immunization

giving a vaccination
Vaccines play an important role in keeping us healthy. They protect us from serious and sometimes deadly diseases.1

1. Vaccine Basics. 4/29/21.

Why It's Important

The increase in life expectancy during the 20th century is largely due to improvements in child survival; this increase is associated with reductions in infectious disease mortality, due largely to immunization. However, infectious diseases remain a major cause of illness, disability, and death.2

2. Immunization and Infectious Diseases Overview. Healthy People 2020. 2/6/22.

How It's Tracked

Immunization coverage is tracked at the national and state levels primarily through two CDC surveys: The New Jersey Immunization Information System (NJIIS) contains immunization histories for New Jersey residents of all ages. It is populated with birth records of infants and immunization records from public and private healthcare providers. Currently, provider participation in the NJIIS is only mandatory for practitioners who immunize children less than 7 years of age and/or who participate in New Jersey's Vaccine for Children Program. Therefore, data limitations may exist for state-level immunization data.

Other Data and Information Resources

New Jersey Department of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services