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November 2017 - In This Issue:
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Some of our esteemed guests at the Washington Vaccine Update on October 27th. Pictured above from left to right: Kay Knox, Chief Executive Officer,
WithinReach; Dr. Orin Levine, Director of Vaccine Delivery, Global Development Program,
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Patsy Stinchfield, Director, Pediatric Infectious Disease Services,
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota; Ahmed Ali, Executive Director,
Somali Health Board.
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Watch this webcast on the benefits of the influenza vaccine for adults 65+.
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| Paul Offit does a great job of explaining, in plain language, why we can't make a perfect flu vaccine. |
| The CDC just released flu vaccine coverage data for the 2016-2017 season stratified in many different ways. |
| Flu activity remains low in Washington State. Check here weekly for an updated epidemic curve of influenza in our State! |
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) just recommended a newly approved shingles vaccine (Shingrix) as the preferred vaccine for adults aged 50+. They also approved a 3rd dose of MMR in mumps outbreak situations.
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Rotary's 5th annual World Polio Day program was presented live at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. Celebrities and experts gave an update on efforts to end polio for good.
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| A letter published in JAMA attributes the rise in measles incidence to lack of vaccination. The Washington Post does a nice summary of the letter. |
| Georgia Tech put together a parent-friendly, catch-up immunization scheduler that customizes by child's birth date, vaccination history, and recommendations from ACIP, AAP, AAFP, and ACOG. |
Founded in 1994, the Immunization Action Coalition of Washington (IACW), a program of WithinReach, works to improve the health of the community by minimizing the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases through the optimal use of immunizations across the lifespan. Our priorities for 2017 are catching up toddlers by age three; be a trusted source of timely communication about immunizations; and work with non-traditional partners.
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QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
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Contact Izzy Brandstetter
, MPH, Immunization Coordinator at
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For more information about the Immunization Action Coalition of Washington:
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Dear IACW Member,
I was fortunate enough to attend the World Polio Day event co-hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Rotary International on October 24th. It was such an empowering experience to hear about all the work that is being done around the world to increase vaccine uptake by immunization champions like YOU! In 2017, there have only been 12 cases of polio - that's 12 cases away from eradicating polio once and for all. Smallpox is the only other disease that has been eradicated.
Sometimes we get so caught up in all of our day-to-day work that promoting immunizations can be hard or feel like we're in the minority. Take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back and recognize all the hard work that you have done and continue to do to make the world a healthier and safer place.
Thanks for reading,
Izzy Brandstetter, MPH
206-830-5175
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With over 300 attendees from all across Washington State, the Washington Vaccine Update was a jam-packed day of learning. We're so grateful for knowledgeable speakers and incredible turnout from you - the experts, practitioners, service providers, and partners who know that immunization is a profound tool in our pursuit towards a more efficient, effective, and equitable public health system.
If you weren't able to attend the event, don't worry - lots of the
slides are available on our website for your perusal! We also have some pictures from the event posted on our
Facebook page. Check it out!
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OUR IMMUNIZATION WEBSITE!
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Just in case you missed it,
ImmunityCommunityWA.org is a new WithinReach immunization resource for parents, healthcare providers, and community partners that provides information, tools, and resources to protect and educate our community from diseases that vaccines prevent. On this new hub, you will find all of our immunization resources in one beautiful, easy-to-navigate location. Here are a few things you can find:
We are always adding new content, so check it out regularly for immunization updates, news, and resources! We're so excited about this new resource and hope that you are, too!
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JOIN THE "KNOCK OUT FLU" THUNDERCLAP ON NOV. 7
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Show your support and raise awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated to protect against the flu by joining the Washington State Department of Health's
#KnockOutFlu Thunderclap campaign.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PARTNERS AT ICHS
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 International Community Health Services (ICHS) was selected as one of 10
HPV Vaccine is Cancer Prevention Champions across the country!
Led in partnership by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Association of American Cancer Institutes, and the American Cancer Society, the
HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion award program recognizes clinicians, clinics, practices, groups, and health systems that are effectively working to protect their adolescent patients against HPV cancers by achieving high HPV vaccination rates.
We recognize ICHS's hard work in obtaining a HPV series completion rate of 84% among their patients! For context, one of the Healthy People 2020 goals is to increase HPV vaccination coverage to 80%, but most of our State and nation have a long way to go in the next 3 years. |
| Our next IACW Quarterly Meeting will be held on January 17, 2018. Stay tuned for more details. |
Check out the following free resources from IACW and our partners!
Imm
s-to-Go Toolkit:
This toolkit is designed to help local health departments work with schools and healthcare providers to plan and host onsite immunization clinics in their schools or community. It was developed and piloted by the Spokane Regional Health District at 26 schools within 10 school districts in Spokane County. You can find the toolkit with its associated planning checklists on our new website!
Adult immunization schedules:
Our pocket-sized, convenient format of the recommended adult schedule for patients, update
d for 2017. Order yo
urs today
by emailing
with your name, mailing address, and desired quantity.
E-Courses on Vaccine Hesitancy & HPV Immunization:
V
isit our website to learn everything you need to know about vaccine hesitancy and the HPV vaccine series through two of our e-courses. Both courses are free, and you can register any time at:
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