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"This administration is committed to ensuring that all children from all backgrounds are receiving the immunizations that can protect them against serious illness," said Secretary Shalala. "Young children are particularly vulnerable to infectious disease, and this new public awareness campaign will help us inform parents and caregivers about the importance of giving children a healthy start to life."

Immunization rates for the most commonly recommended childhood immunizations have reached a record high of 80 percent, and the gap between children of all racial and ethnic groups for the most critical vaccines is much narrower than it was a generation ago-when it was as wide as 26 points. But while 83 percent of non-Hispanic white children (19-to-35-month-old) have received the most commonly recommended series by age 2, only 74 percent of black children and 77 percent of Hispanic children are fully vaccinated.

Released to kickoff NIIW, the Spanish-language materials are part of a nationwide effort to create and distribute educational materials that are culturally appropriate to help raise Hispanic immunization rates to the national average. The television PSA, entitled "Hero" and featuring a firefighter, is designed to reach Hispanic males with children under age 2. The radio PSA will be distributed to over 250 Spanish-language stations in the top 25 Hispanic markets. The posters will be distributed to community centers, community leaders, churches, schools and healthcare facilities.

In 1994, President Clinton officially proclaimed "National Infant Immunization Week" to be recognized in April every year to focus attention on the need to vaccinate infants and toddlers. This year, communities across the nation will be participating in outreach activities during the week of April 16. Today, Secretary Shalala and Jose Cordero, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Program, participated in immunization outreach activities at a Washington, D.C., day care center. On Saturday, April 15, CDC's National Immunization Program Director Dr. Walter A. Orenstein participated in immunization awareness activities in Houston, an area with low immunization coverage rates and a high Hispanic population.

"We have achieved high immunization rates, but some communities need improvement," said Dr. Orenstein. "According to our most recent data, cities like Houston, Chicago and Newark have immunization rates well below the national average. We also need to encourage parents to ask their health care providers about newer vaccines, like the one available to prevent chickenpox. While coverage for some vaccines is as high as 93 percent, the national immunization rate for chickenpox is only 43 percent."

Approximately 900,000 children under age 2 still have not received all of the most commonly recommended immunizations. In addition, minority children still lag behind white children when overall vaccination rates are compared. To help close these gaps, President Clinton included immunization in his Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Initiative to eliminate disparities by 2010. As part of this effort, CDC has awarded $9.4 million to 32 community coalitions in 18 states to help address racial and ethnic disparities in the United States.

Since 1993, the Clinton Administration's Childhood Immunization Initiative has raised childhood immunization levels for the most commonly recommended series of vaccinations to an all-time high of 80 percent, has made significant progress toward eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in childhood immunization rates and reduced rates of vaccine-preventable disease to record lows. In 1997, President Clinton announced that the nation had exceeded its childhood vaccination goals for 1996, with 90 percent or more of America's toddlers receiving the most critical doses of vaccines for children by age 2.

A toll-free information service refers callers to local immunization providers and offers information in both English and Spanish. The toll-free number for English is: 1-800-232-2522, and the number for Spanish is: 1-800-232-0233.

Note: Audio of Surgeon General Satcher discussing the importance of infant immunization is available on the internet at: www.os.dhhs.gov/news/press/2000pres/immuniz.wav.

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