"Sesame Street" Star Promotes Vaccines

"Sesame Street" actress Sonia Manzano has teamed up with the National Association of School Nurses for "Give Your Kids a Boost," a vaccination campaign aimed at preteens and teens.

Manzano, who has played the role of Maria Figueroa-Rodriguez on the children's show since 1971, is helping NASN to raise awareness about the importance of updating kids' vaccinations as they get older.

"Kids are never too old for a check-up," Manzano said in a statement. "Taking our preteens and teens to the doctor and asking if their shots are up to date is an easy thing we can do to set them up for a healthy school year.

The "Give Your Kids a Boost" campaign follows on a recent telephone survey of 1,000 parents of preteens and teens, conducted on behalf of NASN. The survey found that even though 83 percent of parents agree their kids should receive booster shots to further protect them from serious diseases, less than half say they actually received those shots.

"Many parents don't realize that some childhood vaccinations wear off over time, leaving preteens and teens at risk of getting the diseases from which they were once protected," said Amy Garcia, executive director of NASN.

Manzano has dedicated her 30+-year career to helping children learn and grow, and extending her attention to adolescents through this new nationwide campaign is something about which she is content.

"I'm pleased to be working with (NASN) to help make sure children stay healthy as they grow up, so they have the best chance of succeeding in school," she said.

By Eric D'Orazio