Reno, Nev.—Since the start of the new year more reports of vaccine-preventable disease cases are making national headlines – Measles outbreak in Colorado and Minnesota and the pertussis epidemic in California. Protecting the health of our communities, especially children, is the primary goal of the Northern Nevada Immunization Coalition (NNIC). In honor of Nevada Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 23 – 30, the non-profit organization is promoting healthy communities through FREE immunization clinics throughout northern Nevada.

NNIC is reaching out to families with children 0-18 years old to receive any needed childhood vaccinations. The following schedule outlines clinics throughout Northern Nevada’s rural counties.

Week if April 11 through April 16, 2011
· April 14 – 15: Hawthorne Primary School, 301 W 9th Street, Hawthorne – 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· April 16: Veteran’s Park (Earth Day), 10th and E Street, Hawthorne – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Week of April 18 through April 23, 2011
· April 21: Gabbs School, 511 East Avenue, Gabbs – 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
· April 23: Humboldt County Community Health Clinic, 102 E Haskell St. Winnemucca – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
· April 23: William Bee Ririe Rural Health Clinic, 6 Steptoe Circle, Ely – 9 a.m. to 2p.m.

Week of April 25 through April 30, 2011
· April 28: Carson City Health and Human Services, 900 E Long St, Carson City – 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Week of May 2 through May 7, 2011
· May 4: Battle Mountain Community Health, 150 Palmer St, Battle Mountain – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
· May 7: Silver Springs Health Fair – Silver Stage High School, 3755 W. Spruce Ave, Silver Springs – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Access to vaccines for Nevada’s children is vitally important to NNIC,” Heidi Hurst, director of NNIC, said. “Beating the back to school rush and taking care of vaccinations in the springtime is ideal for parents to ensure that their children get the required immunizations for daycare and school entry. NIIW also comes at a time where more cases of vaccine-preventable diseases are rising at a national level.”

For more information about NIIW and the community clinics, please visit www.ImmunizeNevada.org or call 775-770-6704.