Gwinnett Daily Post

Wednesday marks the end of August and National Immunization Awareness Month, a time period aimed at increasing awareness about the importance of immunizations for everyone, including adults.

The Georgia Department of Public Health recommends vaccinations to begin at infancy and continue through adulthood to "keep our communities free from disease." Effective vaccines for potentially life-threatening diseases like tetanus, diptheria, meningococcal disease, hepatitis, shingles, measles and rubella are stressed for both children and adults.

According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, about 50,000 Americans die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases or their complications.

Georgians can visit http://health.state.ga.us for more information.