August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and the National Partnership for Immunization (NPI) kicked off the event this morning with a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Federal officials noted that the nation’s childhood immunization rates are at record high levels, with substantial increases in the newest vaccines—those for chickenpox and pneumococcal pneumonia—driving the overall level from 75% to 79.4%.

“A substantial number of children in the United States still aren’t adequately protected from vaccine-preventable diseases,” Julie Gerberding, MD, director of the CDC, explained during the media event. “The suffering or death of even one individual from a vaccine-preventable disease is an unnecessary human tragedy. Let us renew our efforts during National Immunization Awareness Month.”

“The only way to contain and ultimately eliminate deadly diseases like polio, measles, and chickenpox is through high immunization rates,” added David Neumann, NPI executive director. “This surge in rates is terrific news for the public and a tremendous victory for the entire public health community. But we must not let down our guard. Many vaccine-preventable diseases still exist in the United States and run rampant in other parts of the world. We must continue to expand immunization coverage to ensure that all children, teens, and adults are protected.”