SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO—Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro and County Council passed legislation to recognize Child Support Awareness Month and Immunization Awareness Month, two annual campaigns that recognize the importance of child support and immunization in keeping our families and communities strong and healthy.
First observed in 1995 on the 20th anniversary of the Child Support Enforcement Program, Child Support Awareness Month reiterates the importance of child support in ensuring children and their families receive the resources they need to live heathy, happy lives. In Summit County, the Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh’s Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) collects nearly $76 million annually and serves over 48,000 children. Collecting and distributing financial support to children involves longstanding partnerships between county, state, and federal agencies as well as between parents, employers, healthcare providers, legislators, judges, advocacy organizations, and many others. CSEA’s leadership in this process makes a difference in the lives of countless children and families. To show their support, residents are encouraged to wear green on Wednesday, August 3.
August is also Immunization Awareness Month, an annual celebration of the millions of lives saved by vaccines across the globe and a call to stay up to date on immunizations. Since their inception, vaccines have contributed to the eradication or decline of polio, mumps, measles, rubella, pertussis, diphtheria, rotavirus, hepatitis, and many more dangerous diseases. Thanks to the willingness of communities across the country and the world, these diseases have been drastically mitigated or eliminated.
As Summit County continues to face the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains imperative that residents review their immunization status and get the shot! While 63% of county residents have started the COVID-19 vaccine, including 73% of residents 18 and older, there is still room for improvement. Since their deployment, vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson have reduced the risk of infection and severely reduced the risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.
“The importance of vaccines in fighting this pandemic cannot be understated,” said County Executive Shapiro. “I extend my gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of residents who received a vaccine and encourage those who have not to consider getting vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible! We are in this together!”
Summit County Public Health (SCPH) offers COVID-19 vaccinations daily for individuals six months and older at its W. Market St. location. To find out if and when you can receive a COVID-19 booster and how to stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, residents can visit https://bit.ly/3d2ban9 or call their physician. Residents can schedule an appointment at scph.link/gettheshot or by calling 330-375-2772.
SCPH offers other essential immunizations for children, teens and adults. To view immunization recommendations and to schedule an appointment visit https://www.scph.org/immunizations/appointments or call 330-375-2772.
