Although vaccination saves lives and reduces human suffering, vaccines are not effective unless they are used. Each year, the US spends billions treating diseases that could have been prevented through vaccination. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is committed to ensuring vaccine access for all through collaboration with partner organizations to increase uptake of recommended vaccines across the US population.

In May 2024, NFID launched es.nfid.org—a Spanish version of the NFID website to help the public and healthcare professionals find trusted information and resources about vaccine recommendations and other infectious disease prevention and treatment topics. NFID also recently implemented a tool to help make the NFID website more accessible to people with a range of abilities, making www.nfid.org among 3% of websites globally that include accessibility features.

To help empower state and local jurisdictions working to increase US vaccination rates, NFID launched a pilot project in April in collaboration with the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and technology company Fraym, to deliver hyperlocal data and insights to help guide resource allocation and customized strategies.

To improve adult immunization rates, in May, NFID convened a diverse group of stakeholders and experts from leading partner organizations to share insights and best practices for enhancing the uptake of all recommended adult vaccines. Reflecting these insights, NFID developed a summary of the discussions and submitted comments to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June. Additional materials, including a Call to Action, will be available this summer to address a range of barriers at the healthcare system, provider, patient, and legislative/policy levels with a focus on actionable and practical strategies to enhance vaccine uptake.

Recognizing that infectious disease experts can help advance public understanding of health-related issues by working with the media to improve the quality and accuracy of reporting, NFID joined hundreds of journalists and other organizations as a sponsor of the annual conference of the Association of Health Care Journalists in June. NFID Immediate Past-President Patricia N. Whitley-Williams, MD, presented a lightning talk, “Beyond the Headlines: Unveiling the Truth about Measles,” in which she shared facts and myths about measles and the role of accurate reporting in helping the public make informed decisions to help protect their health and prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease.  

Nearly 1,500 participants joined NFID for a recent webinar, Updates on Avian Influenza A(H5N1), also known as bird flu. The webinar, now available on demand, addressed the epidemiology of avian influenza, current guidelines, and strategies for disease management and prevention. To help educate the public, NFID also published an episode of Contagious Chronicles and has developed social media graphics with sample social media posts on bird flu.

Planning is now underway for what promises to be a busy fall respiratory season. We hope to see many of you in Washington, DC for the 2024 NFID Annual Flu Awareness Night at the Washington Nationals game on September 12, 2024, followed by the 2024 NFID Awards Gala and Silent Auction on September 19, 2024, and the annual NFID news conference with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on September 25, 2024.

Our work would not be possible without the support of NFID partners and donors. Thank you for promoting the NFID vision of healthier lives for all …

Marla Dalton, PE, CAE

NFID Executive Director and CEO