A publication of the Immunization Action Coalition of WA (IACW) and WithinReach
November 2021

Greetings!

Happy November! As we get ready to gather around the table, we are grateful for a safe and healthy community! The flu vaccine is available now throughout the winter. Learn more about getting a flu vaccine this season on Washington State Department of Health's website.

As of October 21, the CDC has expanded eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots for all three vaccine types. For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster: Adults 65 and older, residents in long-term care facilities, people ages 18-64 with underlying health conditions, and people ages 18-64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission due to their occupational or institutional setting. For those who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are recommended for everyone 18 and older who were vaccinated two or more months ago. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose.
 
This month's newsletter includes important community vaccine announcements, webinars and vaccination news. Please feel free to share this newsletter with your networks.

Stay safe, healthy and protect your community!

WithinReach
Flu Zone

The Ad Council, the American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the CDC Foundation are continuing the second year of their “No One Has Time for Flu” campaign to encourage Americans to get vaccinated against flu. New resources will be made available for partners to use and share to promote influenza vaccination, including TV and radio PSAs, customizable social media graphics and more. 



As COVID-19 continues, but preventive measures like masking and social distancing have relaxed, public health experts worry this flu season could be serious. That’s why, for the 2021-2022 flu season, Vaccinate Your Family is clearing up some misconceptions about the flu and flu vaccination in their blog.

Community Opportunities
This position is an exciting opportunity to work in a creative, collaborative multidisciplinary research environment focused on improving health and health care. The faculty member will join an interdisciplinary team to carry out health services and applied science. KPWHRI is looking for an individual who will focus on patient and stakeholder engagement in the design of health interventions and the conduct of scientific work.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Collaborative is a community engagement initiative launched by the DOH to ensure an equity and social justice lens is incorporated in the agency’s vaccine planning and implementation. The Collaborative centers the needs, requests and recommendations of communities and sectors that have been most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. If you are interested in joining the Collaborative, please fill out an interest form or register for the next meeting. 

Upcoming Webinars & Events
November 15, 2021, 9:00 - 10:00 am ET  
Influenza immunization rates have historically been well below Healthy People 2020 goals. COVID-19 vaccine coverage rates have reached historical highs compared with other adult immunizations, however, vaccine coverage rates still need to increase to help better control the spread of COVID. This webcast will review inequities in influenza and COVID-19 immunizations and how providers and public health advocates can address these inequities in their practices and programs. 


November 19, 2021, 9:00- 12:20 ET

The 2021 virtual symposium celebrates the work of the 2021 Dr. Paul Janssen Award winners – Katalin Karikó, PhD, and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD. In this symposium, attendees will hear directly from the award winners, and learn more about their pioneering work. Presentations will also be delivered by other leaders in the field.

Archived Webinars

Thank you for joining our October 2021 IACW Meeting! Please fill out this survey to help us improve our upcoming and future meetings.

News

Stacker used online resources from the National Institutes of Health, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Cornell Law School to put together a timeline of important events in the history of vaccines and vaccine mandates in the U.S.


An expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend booster shots for people who were vaccinated with the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, leaving wide leeway for people to select the booster shot of their choice.


The Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory committee on Tuesday overwhelmingly endorsed a smaller dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11, a key step in getting shots to the 28 million children in the age group.

Resources
Free E-Courses
Check out our free immunization e-courses on our Immunity Community website! These courses can be started and completed at any time. Courses are available for professionals who work in the immunization field.

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.