FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 15, 2026
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Yolanda Harris, [email protected]
CCDPH Launches “Every Vaccine Counts” Campaign to Help Protect Children From Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Back-to-school public awareness campaign encourages families to stay up to date on childhood vaccinations; free CCDPH vaccination clinics available through October
Suburban Cook County, IL – As students across suburban Cook County return to school, Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) today launched “Every Vaccine Counts,” a public awareness campaign encouraging parents and caregivers to make sure their children are up to date on vaccinations that protect against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases.
The campaign reminds families that vaccines save lives, are safe and effective, and protect not only individual children but entire schools and communities.
“Measles and other diseases can spread quickly in schools. With back-to-school season here, it’s an important time for parents to check their child’s vaccination record and make sure they are protected,” said Dr. Kiran Joshi, chief operating officer of Cook County Department of Public Health. “Vaccines have prevented countless illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths. Every vaccine protects against a serious disease, and staying up to date is one of the most effective things parents can do to protect their children.”
The campaign comes at an important time. Nearly 12,000 students remain unprotected against vaccine-preventable diseases, almost double the 6,408 students who were unprotected in the 2014–15 school year.
Declining vaccination coverage increases the risk that diseases once rarely seen in the United States can return and spread. Measles is one example. The highly contagious disease has re-emerged in communities across the country as vaccination rates have fallen. Maintaining high vaccination coverage is especially important for measles, which can spread rapidly when introduced into an under-vaccinated community.
The Every Vaccine Counts campaign will reach parents and caregivers throughout suburban Cook County with information about routine childhood vaccines, why staying up to date is important and the extensive safety monitoring behind vaccines.
The campaign will highlight vaccines that protect children against diseases including measles, mumps and rubella; whooping cough; polio; hepatitis; chickenpox; meningitis; pneumococcal disease; HPV-related cancers and other serious illnesses.
Vaccines are among the most carefully studied and monitored medical products available. They are evaluated for safety before approval and continue to be monitored after they are in use. Most vaccine side effects are mild and temporary, while the diseases vaccines prevent can cause hospitalization, long-term complications, disability or death.
Free Back-to-School Vaccination Clinics Available Through October
To make it easier for families to get their children vaccinated, CCDPH is hosting free community back-to-school vaccination clinics throughout suburban Cook County through October.
CCDPH has already hosted 60 back-to-school vaccination clinics this season, with additional clinics planned in communities where vaccination rates are lower and families may face barriers to accessing care. Vaccine clinics can also be requested by community organizations and schools. Vaccination clinics are made possible with funding from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Families are encouraged to first contact their child’s healthcare provider to check vaccination records and schedule any needed vaccines. Families who need access to vaccination services can also attend a CCDPH community clinic.
The clinics offer vaccinations for eligible children ages 6 months through 18 years. Families should bring their child’s vaccination record, if available, so providers can determine which vaccines are needed.
“Getting children vaccinated shouldn’t depend on where a family lives or whether they can easily get to a doctor’s office,” Joshi said. “By bringing vaccination clinics directly into communities, we are working to make it easier for families to get the protection their children need.”
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to check their child’s vaccination record now rather than waiting until a vaccine is required for school. Staying on schedule protects children during the ages when they may be most vulnerable to serious illness and helps prevent outbreaks in schools, childcare settings and communities.
To find a free CCDPH vaccination clinic, learn more about childhood vaccines and find information about staying up to date, visit everyvaccinecounts.com
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Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH):