Tacoma resident Rebecca Hendricks was recently featured in an article in the
LA Times after losing her daughter to influenza in 2014. Check out the important work her nonprofit organization,
The End-FLUenza Project, is doing in our community!
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| The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met on February 21st and voted to recommend the re-inclusion of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV; FluMist) on the immunization schedule for the 2018-2019 flu season. |
| Need help differentiating between the flu and the common cold? Check out Seattle Mama Doc's blog post. And don't forget, it's not too late to get vaccinated! |
Flu activity remains elevated, with 200 lab-confirmed flu deaths in Washington. Check
here weekly for an updated epidemic curve of influenza in our State.
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| Vaccinate Your Family has prepared a second annual State of the ImmUnion report to examine how strong our defenses truly are against vaccine-preventable diseases and what we can do as public health advocates and legislators to make our country stronger and more resilient in the face of emerging health threats. |
| The CDC released an infographic showing the journey of a vaccine, from development, approval, and manufacturing, to ACIP recommendations, to ongoing safety monitoring. |
| In light of the 20-year anniversary of Andrew Wakefield publishing false research about the MMR vaccine, the Vaccine Confidence Project chimes in: "Reluctance and refusal to vaccinate reflects deeper issues around public trust in government, anger about vaccine mandates and resistance to medical treatments that are perceived as 'not natural.'" |
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 2018 are:
- Increase vaccine confidence by being a trusted source of timely information about immunizations;
- Monitor legislation and advocate for policies that promote and maintain access to immunizations;
- Improve awareness of adolescent immunizations
- Develop data-driven resources and educational materials for providers who work with underserved communities.
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QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
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Contact Izzy Brandstetter
, MPH, Community & Systems Coordinator
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For more information about the Immunization Action Coalition of Washington:
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February was packed with immunizations in the news, especially with changes/updates to the CDC/ACIP immunization recommendations released and the flu continuing to persist across our country and state. We hope that this month's newsletter can serve as an "at-a-glance" to help you stay up to date on all of this important immunization information!
Thanks for reading,
Izzy Brandstetter, MPH
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IMMUNITYCOMMUNITYWA.ORG
RESOURCE OF THE MONTH |
We share a new image each month in our IACW monthly newsletters, but did you know that all of these "viral images" are archived on our website?
The goal of these "viral images" is to share positive immunization messages and facts about immunizations to get the conversation started. You can easily share these seasonally appropriate "viral images" on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, and ask your friends to like, comment, and share!
Most recently, we had lots of fun designing some "viral images" for the 2018 Winter Olympics and the release of the Black Panther movie. Do you have an idea for a new viral image in English or Spanish? Email us! |
| 2018 IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULES AVAILABLE TO ORDER |
The 2018 recommended immunization schedules for children and adults are available to order! You can find versions for providers and the public at CDC's website, or get quickly up to speed with a summary of the changes for this year in the MMWR.
The Immunization Action Coalition of Washington creates our own durable, convenient format of the recommended childhood schedule. Laminated and pocket-sized, they are handy to refer to over and over again throughout the year, and are free for providers in Washington. Last year we distributed all of the copies we printed, and we are very likely to do so again this year, so don't wait. Order yours today by filling out this form. We will begin distributing the 2018 version in a couple of weeks.
Please note that these are intended for healthcare provider use only; if you are looking for materials for patients, we'd be glad to send you alternative resources.
We owe a HUGE thanks to our expert reviewers who made sure these schedules are clear, comprehensive, and accurate: Susan Babcock of the Snohomish Health District, Trang Kuss of the Washington State Department of Health, and Mindy Huntington-Frazier of Public Health-Seattle & King County. Finally, thank you to the Momentum Fund of Group Heath Foundation for making this valuable resource possible.
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VACCINES & IMMUNITY:
IT TAKES A COMMUNITY |
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Open until Summer 2018!
Your IACW friends (Mackenzie and Izzy) finally had a chance to visit this awesome exhibit in February, and got to try their hand at Chickenpoxing! Our favorite part was the simulation showing the rate at which measles spreads through the community when different vaccinate rates are achieved. It's not every day you can visualize community immunity in action (and in child-friendly way, too!)
To learn more about vaccines, community immunity, and amazing Seattle institutions leading the way in vaccine innovations, visit the exhibit inside The Studio, located in Wellbody Academy at Pacific Science Center. Click
here for more information on the exhibit.
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SAVE THE DATE(S): 2018 IACW QUARTERLY MEETINGS
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All meetings will be held at the
Tukwila Community Center, Meeting Room A, from 12-2pm. We also have a remote option available for those who are unable to attend in-person. A registration link for the April meeting will be distributed in the April IACW Express.
- April 25
- July 18
- October 17
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| DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS HIRING! |
| The Health Promotion and Communications Section in the Department of Health's Office of Immunization and Child Profile is looking for a Health Educator to plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion activities related to childhood and adolescent immunization. The ideal candidate will be a skilled communicator, experienced at educating the public, and target audiences about healthy behaviors and positive choices. This self-starter would demonstrate initiative, creativity, and integrity in their approaches to health promotion. The position is open until March 14. If interested in more information or to apply, click here. |
New! E-Course on Vaccine Training for Medical Assistants
We understand that the knowledge and skills of entry-level medical assistants widely differ, as there is no standard vaccine training curriculum for Medical Assisting schools. Register and take this course to learn more about best practices for vaccinations, including storage & handling, locating vaccine schedules, rights of administration, and guidance on how to administer vaccine properly to various populations. This program has been approved by the American Association for Medical Assistants (AAMA) for 1 Clinical CEU, and a certificate will also be provided if you would like to submit to a different professional accrediting body.
Immunization Records Management Toolkits: These toolkits, designed for both schools & childcares, respectively, are intended to assist both medical and non-medical staff establish immunization record-keeping and documentation workflow processes, or modify existing processes.
Mobile Immunizations 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 here.
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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