June 2017 - In This Issue:

NEWS & RESOURCES


Did you know that only 68.6% of healthcare personnel received a flu vaccine in the 2014-2015 season? Read more about the latest national adult immunization surveillance in MMWR


The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is holding a webinar on addressing challenges in adult vaccine financing on June 7. Learn more and register here


Evidence is emerging that the HPV vaccine is beginning to protect unvaccinated people through herd immunity


The Vaccine Handbook, aka "The Purple Book," is available as a free app from the Immunization Action Coalition! 


The April issues of the Immunization Action Coalition's info-packed newsletters Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults contain helpful updates and resources. 


ABOUT US

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. 

 

QUESTIONS?
Contact Sara Jaye Sanford, MPH, CHES, Immunization Coordinator at 
or  206-830-5175
For more information about the Immunization Action Coalition of Washington:


Dear IACW Member,

We hope to see you at the HPV Roundtable on June 23, or at our next quarterly meeting on July 19! In the meantime, enjoy a safe and healthy summer! 

Thanks for reading,     

Sara Jaye Sanford, MPH, CHES
A FAREWELL MESSAGE FROM WITHINREACH'S IMMUNIZATION MANAGER  
photograph of ToddDear Colleagues,

After almost six years at WithinReach, I will be leaving my position mid-June to take a new position as the Director of the Department of Global Health's Undergraduate Program at the University of Washington. Besides deeply enjoying the work, I have been stretched and grown in so many ways, in large part because of the amazing network of smart, committed, and talented professionals who comprise my network. Besides being critical to our respective communities' health, the immunization work is endlessly fascinating, and I'll miss the creative thinking and brilliance of all of you who come together to advance our common cause. I also know that Mackenzie and Sara Jaye, who form the rest of the Immunization Team at WithinReach, will keep the work moving forward flawlessly.

Stay tuned for word from WithinReach about plans for management of this work. Please reach out with questions.

Take care,
Todd

HPV ROUNDTABLE ON JUNE 23! 
 
The American Cancer Society, Washington State Department of Health and WithinReach invite you to attend the Washington HPV Roundtable on Friday, June 23, 2017 at the Washington Academy of General Dentistry Training facility in SeaTac from 10:00am to 4:30pm. Our agenda features presentations and group discussions around best practices in provider education, community engagement and quality improvement across health systems. A significant portion of the meeting agenda includes developing a collaborative plan incorporating evidence-based strategies to achieve a HPV immunization rate of 80% by 2020.  Learn more and register here
MEASLES OUTBREAK IN MN SHOWS WA IS VULNERABLE TOO
Below is an except from IACW Chair Neil Kaneshiro's guest post on WithinReach's blog

Hennepin County in Minnesota is in the midst of a large outbreak of measles which is primarily affecting the Somali community there. There are over 60 cases at this point in time and the count is expected to rise because vaccination rates against measles in that community have plummeted from 92% in 2004 to just 42% in 2014. Measles is highly contagious and vaccination rates need to be well over 90% to prevent the spread of this horrible disease. It appears that the community was misinformed about the risks and benefits of measles vaccine by anti-vaccine celebrity Andrew Wakefield who visited there on several occasions. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence based medicine showing vaccines are safe and effective, pediatricians and family physicians are confronted every day with parents who question vaccine safety and delay, defer or refuse one or more recommended vaccines. Keep reading on our blog!

IMMUNIZATIONS FOR PATIENTS TRAVELLING TO THE HAJJ
Clip from Hajj flyer

The Washington State Department of Health developed an immunization flyer for U.S. travelers going to Saudi Arabia on Hajj or Umrah. This year's Hajj will take place August 30th - September 4th. We want everyone who is traveling overseas to know about vaccines and get their shots before they go. We are excited to share this information in order to help keep travelers healthy during their journeys.

Travel agencies, clinics giving vaccines, mosques, and other agencies and organizations can distribute this new flyer to Washington residents planning a pilgrimage or travel to Saudi Arabia. The flyer contains information on vaccination requirements, how to find a travel clinic, and a chart explaining 10 different vaccines and the 14 diseases they prevent. 

You can learn more at the Washington State Department of Health's Immunization for Travelers webpage, and save the date to share this information on June 6 from their Facebook and Twitter accounts!

SAVE THE DATE: OCTOBER 27
We are pleased to announce that we'll be hosting an exciting immunization event on Friday, October 27 in Seattle. Please stay tuned for further details and in the meantime, save the date! 

UPCOMING IACW MEETINGS  
We hope to see you at an upcoming meeting! You can view our full 2017 meeting calendar online

Quarterly Meetings: 
July 19, 12-2pm, Shoreline Conference Center
October 18, 12-2pm, Tukwila Community Center

Public Awareness & Education Committee Meetings: 
July 12, 12-1:30pm,  WithinReach   
October 11, 12-1:30pm, WithinReach  

Healthcare Provider Education Committee Meetings:   
July 19,  10-11:30am , Shoreline Conference Center
October 18, 10-11:30am, Tukwila Community Center

HPV Task Force Meetings: 
July 19, 2 -3:30pm , Shoreline Conference Center
October 18, 2-3:30pm, Tukwila Community Center

FREE RESOURCES FROM IACW 
Check out the following free resources from IACW and our partners! 

Laminated, pocket-sized childhood immunization schedules: Our durable, convenient format of the recommended childhood schedule for healthcare provider use, updated for 2017. Order yours today here, or if you need 50 or more, by emailing orders@withinreachwa.org with your name, email address, mailing address, and desired quantity.
 
E-course on vaccine hesitancy: "There Never Was An Age of Reason: Vaccines, Vaccine Hesitancy, and Vaccine Decision Making" Hear Dr. Edgar Marcuse on the history, current status, and impact of vaccine hesitancy on our vaccination rates and outbreaks of disease across Washington and beyond. The course includes tips on how best to approach parent conversations about vaccines, and is designed for nurses, medical assistants, pharmacists, physicians, health educators, public health staff, and others who work with immunizations. It is free, and registration is required at  http://www.withinreachwa.org/age-of-reason-register/.

CME course on HPV immunization: free online CME course on HPV immunization is available from WithinReach, Cardea, and the Washington State Department of Health. Learn everything you need to know about HPV vaccines - plus practical strategies to communicate successfully with patients and parents! We've recently updated it to cover the new two-dose schedule. The course is on-demand and can be taken any time. Register at www.cardeaservices.org/resourcecenter/you-are-the-key-to-hpv-cancer-prevention.  
Plain Talk

Plain Talk About Childhood Immunization: This booklet is one of the most in-depth resources available for parents who want detailed answers about immunizations, and is available in Russian as well as English and Spanish! To order unlimited free quantities from the Department of Health, click on the language you're interested in. It is also available online in a mobile-friendly format!
      

Todd Faubion, Mackenzie Melton, and Sara Jaye Sanford

 

Immunization Action Coalition of Washington 

WithinReach

 

 
Promoting, protecting & supporting Immunization as a vital part
of the health and development of children and families.