A publication of the Immunization Action Coalition of WA (IACW) and WithinReach
April 2020
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Greetings!

WithinReach and the IACW hope you and your families are staying healthy during the current COVID-19 situation and protected from other vaccine preventable diseases as well. Although it is difficult to think of anything else right now, we would like to emphasize the importance of raising awareness about public health and disease prevention during this critical time. We want to take a moment to recognize our health care workers for their efforts and the responsibilities that the health care system continues to take on. We want to thank YOU for the hard work you do every day to keep families and communities healthy– we would not be here without you!

As a coalition, we have made the decision to host our April 29th quarterly meeting online . Please register here , we would love for you to join us. During this meeting, we will hear updates from DOH, presentations on the new school rule implementation and more!

This April newsletter includes a highlight of the month, upcoming webinars, e-courses and resources on COVID-19.
 
We look forward to seeing you in person soon, and on behalf of all of us, stay healthy and be well!
HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH:
STAND TOGETHER, STAY APART
Public health is considered a team effort. While health care workers are working diligently in order for us to get through the COVID-19 pandemic, you can help too. Vaccinating young children on time is the best way to protect them from vaccine preventable diseases.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) recommends that routine vaccination should continue and has created a handy resource guide .  This ensures that our communities remain free of vaccine preventable diseases and that individuals are as healthy as possible. If routine vaccination is postponed, we could be faced not only with a COVID-19 pandemic but an outbreak of vaccine preventable diseases, like measles. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has provided additional guidance on immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

If a practice can provide only limited well child visits, health care providers are encouraged to prioritize newborn care and vaccination of infants and young children (through 24 months of age) when possible . Center for Disease Control and DOH are monitoring the situation and may provide additional guidance in the future.

If health care facilities do close or decide to discontinue vaccination please contact the vaccine management team at wachildhoodvaccines@doh.wa.gov or call
(360) 236-2VAX.

For any other questions, please contact DOH Office of Immunization and Child Profile at (360) 236-3595 or (800) 525-0127.

For more information, please check here. Sign up for DOH e-newsletter to stay updated with the most current COVID-19, immunization and health news.
IMMUNIZATION RULE CHANGE
Immunization Rule Change- Conditional Status
 
The Washington State Board of Health (SBOH) made changes to the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) on school and child care immunization policy. Starting on August 1, 2020, the revised rule clarifies the term “ Conditional Status ” and how schools and child cares assign conditional status to students. 
 
For more details about conditional status and how it applies to your students or patients, please visit the rule change web page and see the  Conditional Status FAQ (PDF)  available in the Conditional status section of the School and Child Care Immunization website .
UPCOMING WEBINARS
April 29, 12:00-1:30 PM
Respecting the need for social distancing, the IACW quarterly meeting will move virtually. The IACW Awards have been postponed, please stay tuned for more updates.

April Meeting Agenda:
  • DOH Updates
  • Presentations on the updates to school and child care immunization requirements going into effect August 1, 2020
  • Hepatitis A outbreak in the incarcerated population

Please Register here !
The Washington State Department of Health is hosting a CDC Immunization Updates Webinar. The webinar will cover the 2020 immunization schedule and updates to vaccine recommendations.The intended audience for this webinar are nurses, medical assistants, physicians, and pharmacists. Continuing education will be offered.

April 22, 4:00-5:00 PM (EST)
The webinar speaker will be Greg Zimet, PhD. Dr. Zimet is an expert on how health care providers should make the HPV recommendation to patients, and he has spoken at several of the IIC's HPV Summits. Continuing Medical Education, Continuing Nursing Education and Pharmacy Credits will be awarded.

April 30, 8:00-9:00 AM (EST)
The webinar speaker will be Jessica Yesensky, MD, IU Health Physicians Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Yesensky will discuss HPV infection and its association with head and neck cancers. Continuing Medical Education, Continuing Nursing Education, and Social Work Credits will be awarded.

Past Webinar: March 3, 2020 Immunization Requirements Webinar
On March 3, DOH presented an Immunization Requirements Webinar which included information on the school and child care immunization rule change. If you missed the presentation, the recording, slides, and transcript available can be found on DOH's training page.
FREE E-COURSES
D rop Your Assumptions and Pick Up the Evidence: Strategies for Communication with Parents About Vaccines
NEWS

T he Seattle Flu Study has partners with Public Health — Seattle & King County to launch the Greater Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network or SCAN for short. Read more.

The U.S may end up with the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the industrialized world. This is how it's going to play out. Read more.
RESOURCES




Killing Germs? Cleaning can help prevent the spreading of infectious diseases. American Chemistry Council has compiled a list of products that have been
pre-approved for use against viruses and can be used during the COVID-19 outbreak. Learn more


Looking for durable, laminated copies of the 2020 Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule? The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) has them! Additionally, WithinReach and DOH created a 1-pager with information on where to access digital versions. Learn more


 As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread, adults, children and teens are trying to make sense of what the outbreak means for their families and communities. Those with anxiety disorders may feel more worry than usual. Learn more
QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
Contact us: ic@withinreachwa.org
Making the connections Washington families need to be healthy and safe. Promoting, protecting & supporting immunization as a vital part of the health and development of children and families.

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.