Immunizations

Why it’s important

Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are vaccine preventable and hepatitis C can be cured.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A infection usually causes a mild, short-term illness. Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C

Most people with hepatitis B or hepatitis C do not look or feel sick. Getting tested is the only way to know if you have either virus and get treatment, which can prevent serious health problems including liver damage, liver cancer, and even death.

Although there is no cure for hepatitis B, treatments are available that can delay or reduce the risk of developing liver cancer.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, but curative treatments are available. Most people with hepatitis C can be cured with just 8–12 weeks of well-tolerated oral-only treatment. Testing is the first step.

The purpose of Hepatitis Awareness Month is to educate health care practitioners and the public about the importance of vaccination against hepatitis A and hepatitis B and the importance of testing and treatment for hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

May 19 is National Hepatitis Testing Day. The goal of National Hepatitis Testing Day is to help raise awareness about viral hepatitis and to encourage more individuals to learn their status. All adults aged 18 years and older are recommended to be screened at least once in their lifetimes for hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

2023 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report and 2025 Viral Hepatitis National Progress Report

In April 2025, CDC published the 2023 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report and 2025 Viral Hepatitis National Progress Report. These reports contain hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C disease trends that inform the nation’s viral hepatitis response and monitor progress towards national elimination goals.

For more information:

Get involved

Share the ABCs of Viral Hepatitis to help others learn facts about the three most common types of viral hepatitis in the US.
Register your testing services by visiting GetTested: CDC’s National HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Testing site and filling out the online form.

Get the word out

Share graphics and posts from our social media toolkit to promote Hepatitis Awareness Month and National Hepatitis Testing Day. We recommend using the following hashtags: #HepatitisAwarenessMonth, #NationalHepatitisTestingDay, and #HepAware.

Infant Immunization Week (April 21-28)

The AAP calls for the on-time, routine immunization of all children and adolescents according to its policy, Recommended Immunization Schedules for Children and Adolescents Aged 18 Years or Younger, United States.

Find more actionable strategies, resources, and data to support getting all Americans back on-schedule with their routine immunizations to protect everyone from vaccine-preventable disease and disability.

Immunizations: Spotlight on Measles

Resources Related to Measles Vaccine

The AAP measles toolkit can be found here.
The Georgia Public Health flyer, Should I test for measles? can be found here.
Our primer, Measles 2025 prepared by Christina A. Rostad, MD, FAAP Chair, Chapter Committee on Infectious Diseases, discusses the current outbreaks, management, and post-exposure prophylaxis treatment.
CDC’s Healthcare Providers: Stay Alert for Measles Cases, released on April 8, 2025, provides guidance to health care providers on early vaccination for measles and reporting cases.

Georgia Pre-Teen Vaccination Awareness Week

March 10-14, 2025

Preteens are at an age when there is more involvement on their part in making decisions about their health. These decisions will set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy choices.

March 10 – March 14, 2025 marks this year’s Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week. This week aims to raise awareness and encourage preteens to make smart, healthy choices by including the importance of defending themselves against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Below are some resources to share this week as we rally together to get the message out about the importance of immunizations and preventive health for preteens.

Vaccines for 11- and 12-Year Olds

Addressing Vaccination Anxiety in Adolescents and Adults

Adolescent Vaccination

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

National Influenza Vaccination Week

December 2-6, 2024

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is an annual observance in December to remind everyone 6 months and older that there’s still time to get vaccinated against flu. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications, including pregnant people and young children. Millions of children get sick with flu every year, and thousands will be hospitalized as a result. Pregnant people also are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications.

Since flu viruses are constantly changing and protection from vaccination decreases over time, getting a flu vaccine every year is the best way to reduce your risk from flu. A flu vaccine is the only vaccine that protects against flu and has been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death.

Together, we can use NIVW as a nationwide call to action to encourage everyone 6 months and older to get their annual flu vaccine, especially pregnant people, young children, and others at higher risk. The more people vaccinated against flu, the more people are protected from flu.