Working Together During Challenging Times
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Message from Headquarters
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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all. Not only is the virus itself responsible for illness and death on a large scale, but in nearly every community throughout the US, routine care has been delayed and rates of recommended childhood, adolescent, and adult vaccines have declined. If this problem is not addressed rapidly, we could see a triple threat this fall as COVID-19 and influenza (flu) may be circulating simultaneously, amidst possible outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Indeed, these are challenging times, but the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), along with many partners, is addressing these issues head-on through the dissemination of timely and accurate information including a new program, the
Schaffner Report, featuring a series of conversations with NFID Medical Director William Schaffner, MD.
NFID recently
launched a new partnership with PatientPoint® to bring credible education on COVID-19 and other infectious disease topics to patients and healthcare professionals in nearly 10,000 practices nationwide. On a global level, NFID joined the
Pandemic Action Network, a coalition advocating for policy changes and increased support and resources to ensure countries are better prepared to prevent, detect, and respond to pandemic threats, including COVID-19.
Although a vaccine for COVID-19 will likely not be available until 2021, annual flu vaccination can help protect individuals and prevent additional strain on an already overburdened healthcare system. NFID recently
submitted comments to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) noting the importance of flu vaccination
throughout the flu season.
Recognizing that no vaccine is effective unless it is used, NFID is a launching an emergency campaign,
Keep Up The Rates, to encourage healthcare professionals and consumers to take advantage of vaccines currently available in the US. NFID President-Elect Patricia N. Whitley-Williams, MD, shared practical strategies on immunizing during the COVID-19 pandemic in a
guest blog post and will further elaborate on these themes in a webinar planned during National Immunization Awareness Month this August.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shed new light on longstanding disparities in health outcomes, which have become even more evident based on the disproportionate numbers of illnesses and deaths among African-Americans and other minority populations. NFID has
expressed outrage and grief over the tragic death of George Floyd and other victims of systemic racism, and has called for additional research and continued education to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities.
These are challenging times for all, but working together, we are rising to the challenge and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Thank you all for your continued support. Stay safe this summer, #WashYourHands, and be sure to #GetVaccinated to help #FightFlu during the upcoming season!
Marla Dalton, CAE
NFID Executive Director & CEO
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Annual Conference Goes Virtual
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Originally scheduled as a live event in March 2020, ACVR was instead held
virtually
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the exciting discussions in the
ACVR News Round-Up.
NFID is currently evaluating plans for the
2020 Clinical Vaccinology Course
, and will be launching a summer webinar series to educate healthcare professionals about shared clinical decision-making on the use of recommended vaccines. Details will be available at
www.nfid.org
once finalized.
COVID-19 Webinar Series Available On-Demand
NFID continues to collaborate with partners on a series of complimentary webinars to educate healthcare professionals about the impact of COVID-19 on college students, older adults, and adults with chronic health conditions including heart disease and diabetes.
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We’re All In This Together
NFID joined the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) for an
episode of their Allies in Infection Prevention Podcast
series on collaborative efforts to address COVID-19, featuring NFID Medical Director William Schaffner, MD, and NFID Director Sara Cosgrove, MD, MS, both past presidents of SHEA
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COVID-19 Resource Repository
The Immunization Action Coalition has developed a
repository of resources
to help state and local health departments, professional societies, immunization coalitions, advocacy groups, and communities in their efforts to maintain immunization rates during the COVID-19 pandemic
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From Lab To Jab: Accelerating Safe Vaccine Development To Prevent COVID-19
The Adult Vaccine Access Coalition (AVAC) has developed an
infographic
comparing the process for developing vaccines during infectious disease pandemics, like COVID-19, to the standard vaccine development process
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Aging And Immunity
A new
fact sheet
from the Gerontological Society of America highlights the pathway to COVID-19 vaccine development and explains why older adults are particularly susceptible to diseases like COVID-19
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Coronavirus Impact On Clinical Trials
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is conducting a
survey of patients
on the impact of COVID-19 on the ability of patients to participate in non-COVID clinical trials
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NFID Awards: Recognizing the Heroes of Public Health
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Still Time to Submit a Nomination!
From scientific research, to developing new vaccines and treatments, to efforts to track and limit the spread of disease, to humanitarian initiatives bringing vital resources to vulnerable populations, their work helps protect us all. Help NFID honor the heroes of public health by nominating a friend, mentor, or colleague for the
2021 NFID Awards.
For more information, visit
www.nfid.org/awards.
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To stay up-to-date on NFID activities by following our blog,
NFID News
. Recent popular posts include:
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We cannot achieve our vision of healthier lives through effective prevention and treatment of infectious diseases without addressing racism and its role in driving health disparities.
Read More..
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5 Things You May Not Know About Meningitis
Each year, World Meningitis Day highlights the importance of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and improving support for those dealing with the potentially devastating after-effects of this deadly disease.
Read More…
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Schaffner Report: Hepatitis Edition
NFID Medical Director William Schaffner, MD, talks with NFID Executive Director and CEO, Marla Dalton, CAE, about the differences between hepatitis A, B, and C and steps that individuals can take to help protect themselves.
Read More ...
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The Importance of Preparing for the Next Pandemic
As the US grapples with one of the worst public health crises of our lifetime, the consequences of years of underfunding US healthcare infrastructure and research and development are becoming all too clear.
Read More...
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NFID Director
Cynthia G. Whitney, MD, MPH
, has been named principal investigator and executive director of
Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS)
, which collects and analyzes data to help identify the causes of child mortality. A physician and epidemiologist, Dr. Whitney was formerly a senior leader at CDC, where she worked on respiratory infections, surveillance, outbreak response, and vaccine policy and development and evaluation. She led CDC-wide emergency response task forces for SARS, Ebola in West Africa, and pandemic influenza. Dr. Whitney is a professor in the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Hubert Department of Global Health.
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Commitment to Excellence
Additionally, NFID met the criteria for membership in
Vaccine Safety Net,
established by the World Health Organization, in recognition of the credibility, content quality and quantity, and accessibility and design of the
NFID website.
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On behalf of NFID, a heartfelt thank you to all who have given so generously these last few months. Whether you donated with your registration for the virtual ACVR, or gave in support of the
NFID COVID-19 Campaign
—thank you. Through the generous support of its many donors, NFID continues to work towards our vision of healthier lives through effective prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
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Help Us Help You
Be on the lookout for an email from NFID this summer requesting that you update your NFID profile, to ensure that you receive relevant communications that best match your interests.
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