A publication of the Immunization Action Coalition of WA (IACW) and WithinReach
October 2018
Greetings!

With leaves crunching under our feet and the smell of pumpkin spice wafting in the air, October is a busy time for those of us in the immunization field making sure that everyone gets their annual flu shot. We hope to see you at our IACW quarterly meeting on October 24th (note the date change).

Get your flu vaccine
before H a l l o w e e n
so you can say B O O
to the flu!

Immunity Community Highlight of the Month:
Quarterly Meeting Archives
Did you know that most of our IACW quarterly meetings are archived and available for download? Check it out!
FLU-ZONE
Did you hear the joke about the flu?
Well, I'm not telling you because I don't want to spread it around!
Pictured above: WithinReach staff practicing what we preach and getting immunized against the flu!
Seattle's own Mama Doc Wendy Sue Swanson teamed up with Boston Children's to help keep families in the loop about the flu this season with a new Alexa App!
Early detection and early response are very important in preventing the spread of disease. Report your symptoms in real-time and visualize if there are flu-like symptoms in your neighborhood!
NPR's Morning Edition breaks down the five most common flu shot misconceptions and explains why you, too, are vulnerable!
In Remembrance of Lynn Bozof
President of the National Meningitis Association
Lynn, who lost her son Evan to meningococcal meningitis, founded the National Meningitis Association with four other parents 16 years ago. She passed away in September from pancreatic cancer.

She spent the last phase of her life fighting to ensure that mothers, fathers, siblings, and family members would never suffer the devastation of losing a child to meningitis. Many parents are now aware of this disease, and that is in large part due to the tireless advocacy and educational efforts of Lynn, and the many families who support the work of the National Meningitis Association.
HPV E-Course Available for King County VFC Providers
A team of researchers at the University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Public Health-Seattle & King County, and the Somali Health Board are still recruiting VFC providers in King County to take their e-course entitled: " HPV Vaccination: Framing the Conversation for East African Families ."

Developed with research funding from the CDC, the purpose of this e-course is to educate healthcare providers on the basics of HPV-related diseases and vaccination recommendations, explain cultural humility as it relates to the experience of immigrants and refugees in a healthcare setting, and share evidence-based strategies to increase HPV vaccination uptake that are relevant to East African communities. Participants will receive 0.75 continuing education credits as well as a $25 Starbucks gift card for completing the course, and feedback will be used to evaluate the course content.

To verify your eligibility and take the course, click here . Additionally, you can download the course flyer here .The course will be accessible by providers outside of King County upon completion of the research study.
FREE E-COURSES
FREE MATERIALS BY MAIL
2018 Laminated Childhood Immunization Schedules
The Immunization Action Coalition of Washington creates our own durable, convenient format of the recommended childhood schedule, and we distribute them free of charge to providers in Washington.
Please note that these are intended for health- care provider use only. If you are looking for materials for patients, we'd be glad to send
you alternative resources. 
2017 Adult Immunization Schedules

Our pocket-sized, convenient format of the  2017 recommended adult schedule for patients. The only differences on the
2018 schedule are the clarification on the
new shingles vaccine recommendations and division of Meningococcal vaccines into two separate lines (A,C,W,Y and B).
TOOLKITS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Are you coming to our October IACW Quarterly Meeting?
LOCATION
Tukwila Community Center

DATE AND TIME
10/24/18 12:00pm - 10/24/18 2:00pm

Join us for an interactive presentation on vaccine hesitancy by a researcher at Kaiser Permanente, DOH updates, and more!
Yes
No
Maybe
Not able to come in person? No problem! Sign up to dial-in to the meeting live here. And don't forget to review our Code of Conduct before participating.


WA LOCAL IMMUNIZATION COALITION QUARTERLY CALL
October 11, 10:00am - 11:00am
Email Izzy for more information


WA STATE PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
October 15-17
Wenatchee Convention Center


HPV TASK FORCE
October 24, 9:00am - 11:00am
Tukwila Community Center
Register Here: Attending in-person
Register Here: Dial-in


IACW QUARTERLY MEETING
October 24, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Tukwila Community Center


IACW QUARTERLY MEETING
January 16, 2019, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Tukwila Community Center

HPV TASK FORCE
January, 2019
Vancouver, WA
~details to follow~


NEWS
This school year, Spokane Public Schools have already seen an increase in student vaccination rates.
Sign-up to receive Voices For Vaccines' new weekly newsletter, " This Week in Vaccine Hesitancy."
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.
Izzy Brandstetter, MPH and Mackenzie Melton, MPH

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.