A publication of the Immunization Action Coalition of WA (IACW) and WithinReach
November 2020
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Greetings!
As we approach the holidays, we reflect on what we are thankful for here at WithinReach and the Immunization Action Coalition of WA. We are thankful for all of you and the important work you do every day to ensure that our communities are safe and protected from the diseases that vaccines prevent; we are especially grateful to our frontline and essential workers who are fighting a global pandemic and risking their lives to keep us safe! We are thankful for the vaccines we have to prevent the many serious diseases that still exist, especially the flu vaccine that protects us from influenza!
WithinReach encourages everyone to get a flu vaccine and we need your help to spread the word and help protect our communities! Individuals and families can connect with us through our Help Me Grow Washington Hotline at 1-800-322-2588 or ParentHelp123.org website for help with finding a flu vaccine provider. Also, check out our Flu web page for more information and resources.
We wish you and your family very happy, safe and healthy holidays and please remember to...
Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Get the Flu Vaccine!
WithinReach
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As many as 45 million Americans get sick from the flu each season. Getting a flu shot protects you and those around you from the flu—which is more important than ever this year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Check out the Get My Flu Shot toolkit for social media messaging, graphics, PSAs and other helpful tips on engaging media and other partners in your community.
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Experts, clinicians and community leaders reviewed the status of flu vaccine equity and developed an action plan for protecting communities of color.
They found persistent racial and ethnic flu vaccine disparities. With the ongoing and heightened risk of COVID-19, they called for expanded efforts to increase flu vaccination in and with communities of color. There are growing racial and ethnic disparities in flu vaccination despite their increasing importance—but primary care teams, pharmacists, specialists, other care providers, community leaders and patient advocates can close the gap.
For more information and to view the communications toolkit to help educate your community, click here.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Response Planning |
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Our partners at the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) are working to plan and implement a COVID-19 vaccine response to be ready as soon as a safe and effective vaccine(s) is available. However, they need our help to ensure successful vaccine access, acceptance and uptake!
To prepare the public for the eventual release of a vaccine for COVID-19, DOH launched phase one of a statewide ad campaign. The campaign will have several phases over the course of the next two years. Phase one of the campaign aims to provide answers to common questions like how the COVID-19 vaccines are being made and how vaccines work in the body. To access all campaign materials as they go live, please click here.
Additionally, please click here for a letter from the Secretary of Health and the State Health Officer with information for health care providers on how to enroll to become a COVID-19 vaccine provider. Please share with your provider networks, lists or groups who may find it relevant.
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Vaccinate with Confidence |
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Child vaccination coverage remains high nationally, and most parents are confident in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. However, the spread of myths and misinformation has put some communities at risk.
When misleading information circulates, vaccination coverage can fall and increase the risk for outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
For more information about CDC’s new Vaccinate with Confidence framework, click here.
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Check out these job opportunities from our partners at Public Health - Seattle & King County and click below for additional details. Please share with your networks!
- COVID Vaccine Program Manager III - Acute care/outpatient specialist
- COVID Vaccine Program Manager III - Long-term care facility (LTCF) specialist
- COVID Vaccine Program Manager III - Non-healthcare
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Upcoming Webinars & Events |
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November 23, 2020 12:00 p.m. PST
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This one-hour webinar, which is part of the Hot Topics series, reviews how public health professionals can ensure accurate messages cut through an abundance of information and help steer the public conversation.
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November 17, 2020 11:00 a.m. ET
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Vaccination is considered one of the most important developments in modern medicine. However, despite unarguable success, vaccination is still one of the most debated issues in medicine. By some estimations nearly 30% of Americans will refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Pew Research Center has reported that vaccine confidence is lowest in Latino and Black communities, some of the hardest hit by COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy is one of the most critical challenges to fighting the war against COVID-19. What are the keys to restoring public confidence?
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For those who were unable to unable to join us on October 21, please click here for a recording of the webinar and links to the presentations.
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As has been the case with previous public health emergencies, the COVID-19 pandemic is exposing racial inequities that have long existed in the U.S. Racial and ethnic disparities also continue in vaccine access, due to contributing factors such as lack of access to health coverage and care and issues of distrust.
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Hosted by AMA physician leaders, each installment of this webinar series aims to gain fact-based insights from the nation’s highest-ranking subject matter experts working to protect the health of the public, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode provided a comprehensive overview of the CDC’s role in vaccine review and immunization programs.
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Hepatitis B Health Disparities in Refugee and Immigrant Communities
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Drop Your Assumptions and Pick Up the Evidence: Strategies for Communication with Parents About Vaccines
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4 Takeaways From the FDA Vaccine Advisory Panel Meeting
A committee of physicians, academics, disease experts and biostatisticians told the FDA that more data should be collected before a COVID-19 vaccine is approved.
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will advise the FDA in how it should approve a future COVID-19 vaccine.
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Work began in January with the deciphering of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. The first vaccine safety trials in humans started in March, and now 10 have reached the final stages of testing. Some of these trials will fail, and others may end without a clear result.
But a few vaccines may succeed in stimulating the immune system to produce effective antibodies against the virus.
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Facebook said on Tuesday it will ban anti-vaccination ads, following widespread pressure on the social network to curb harmful content.
Under the new global policy, the company will no longer accept ads discouraging people from getting vaccines; ads that portray vaccines as unsafe or ineffective; or ads claiming the diseases vaccines prevent are harmless.
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SHEA updated their guidelines on how hospitals, institutions and professional schools should manage health care personnel living with HBV, HCV and HIV. The new guidelines can help stop discrimination of healthcare students and personnel.
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Here is guidance on the reopening and operation of elementary and secondary schools for the 2020-2021 school year, to help districts and schools successfully navigate these complex decisions.
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To reduce vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S., vaccination coverage must be improved. The Society of Behavioral Medicine urges us to implement and strengthen vaccination-promoting policies and programs.
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QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
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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. |
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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.
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