June 16, 2022

Network News – June 16, 2022

Webinar/Biennial Meeting

Register now for the National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships to be held in person September 13–15, 2022, in Minneapolis, MN

Immunize.org and Voices for Vaccines are co-sponsoring the 15th National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships (NCICP), which is planned as an in-person meeting in Minneapolis/St. Paul at the Radisson Blu Mall of America on September 13–15, 2022. The NCICP is the only conference solely dedicated to collaboration and partnership to improve immunization uptake, educate our communities, and prevent the spread of disease. The conference addresses immunizations and public health challenges by sharing successful strategies that strengthen the work our coalitions and partnerships do.

Nominate your colleagues for an Immunization Recognition Award at the National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships; deadline is June 30!

The 15th National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships (NCICP) is excited to announce the first Immunization Recognition Awards. There are five award categories: Immunization Leadership, Equity in Immunization, Excellence in Immunization Advocacy, Excellence in Immunization Collaboration, and Emerging Leader. If you know an immunization champion who is passionate about vaccines and has worked to increase immunization rates in their community, you may nominate them for an award by filling out the brief nomination form. If you would like to nominate more than one person or nominate the same person for multiple awards, please re-submit the form for each nomination. Self-nominations are welcome. More nominations in the equity category are needed!

Awards will be given out at the NCICP in Minneapolis on September 13–15. The awards luncheon is tentatively scheduled for September 13 at 12:30 (CT). Winners do not need to be present to accept their award.

Nominations will be accepted through June 30 in order to give the selection committee plenty of time to select and notify the award winners.

If you have any questions about the nomination form or the awards, please email heather@immunizear.org.

Submit an award nomination.

Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions highlights the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, one of the newest immunization coalitions!

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions would like to welcome the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) to the network! ICAAP promotes and advocates for optimal child, youth, and family well-being, as well as access to quality healthcare while supporting its members. ICAAP’s activities include advocacy on behalf of children, families, and health professionals in Illinois; the provision of CME and resources for pediatricians, pediatric specialists, and other healthcare providers; and collaboration with state organizations/agencies on programs that improve the health and well-being of children and families. ICAAP supports committees on immunizations, school health, CME/QI, children with disabilities and chronic illness, child development, and mental health.

ICAAP hosts monthly webinars on immunizations designed for pediatric and adolescent healthcare providers who practice in private or public settings. The webinars cover best practices on relevant immunization topics with subject matter experts. ICAAP’s next webinar will feature TikTok sensation, Zachary Rubin, MD, a double board-certified pediatrician specializing in allergy and immunology. Register for Where We Are Now with Routine Pediatric Vaccination Coverage and view past ICAAP webinars on ICAAP’s website.

Other organization activities and resources include a National Adolescent Immunization Action Week social media toolkit and a National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) social media toolkit. ICAAP also offers a planning and communication toolkit in preparation for COVID-19 vaccinations for children age five and under, with handouts and social media images.

Additional provider resources can be found on the ICAAP Immunization Resources for Clinicians web page.

In September 2021, ICAAP and its partners, the Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO-Chicago) at the University of Chicago and the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians (IAFP), launched Illinois Vaccinates Against COVID-19 (I-VAC). The goal of I-VAC is to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available as part of routine patient care across the state. I-VAC supports healthcare organizations, primary care clinicians, and non-medical staff involved in COVID-19 vaccine programs through:

Foundational training through COVID-19 vaccine boot camps on topics such as foundational knowledge and skills on COVID-19 vaccine enrollment, storage and administration, and increasing vaccine uptake at a local level, among others
Learning Collaborative Sessions which provide a forum for pediatric, adult, and pregnancy healthcare providers to engage with peers and subject matter experts to help solve challenges related to COVID-19 testing, mitigation, vaccination, and management
Implementation support with over twenty-five doctors and nurse practitioners serving as peer coaches and resources for clinicians throughout the state
Outreach materials to help normalize COVID-19 vaccines which are crucial to the successful integration of COVID-19 vaccines into routine clinical workflows. I-VAC has developed and gathered outreach collateral, such as this poster, that clinicians and organizations can use for these efforts.
A do-it-yourself toolkit that is specifically designed to aid clinicians and healthcare organizations in developing effective tactics for the incorporation of COVID-19 vaccination into routine clinical workflows
I-VAC’s Beyond the Needle podcast where primary care clinicians tackle the real-world barriers to COVID-19 vaccination uptake and share experiences with implementation.

I-VAC will continue to work to help ensure clinicians are able to make strong recommendations to all eligible patients and their families to get vaccinated and stay up to date with their vaccinations as COVID-19 continues to spread.

Learn more about I-VAC at www.illinoisvaccinates.com.

View I-VAC’s “Are You Up to Date with Your COVID-19 Vaccine?” poster in English and in Spanish.

Learn more about the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics at www.illinoisvaccinates.com.

Immunization coalitions collaborate to launch We the People Vax website; use their social media messages and resources to promote vaccination in your community

In 2019, to promote the patriotism of vaccinating to keep our communities healthy, We the People Vax was formed by four state immunization coalitions—Arizona, California, Indiana, and Wisconsin. This effort has reached thousands of people via social media campaigns that coincide with holidays throughout the year.

As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, We the People Vax launched their new website: www.wethepeoplevax.org. This website will allow you to download current campaigns or become a member or partner. Please help to spread awareness of the campaign by following them on social media and liking, sharing, and retweeting their messages.

Related Links

Immunize Kansas Coalition shares tips for a successful exhibit table and how to engage conference attendees

The Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) regularly exhibits at in-person and virtual conferences and has tips on how to build a successful conference exhibit, involve coalition members, and improve engagement with attendees. Tips include:

Setting up a conference/exhibit budget: Set up a budget at the beginning of every year and prioritize the conferences where you will get the most engagement, exposure, and the best value. If you don’t have the funding or capacity to exhibit at all conferences, try using a 2–3-year rotation for certain events. Also, ask the conference partners if they would consider donating exhibit space or if they have a nonprofit rate.
Volunteer Support: Recruit organization members to volunteer at conferences and exhibits and allow volunteers to take shifts at multi-day conferences. Ensure volunteers feel confident before the conference begins by giving them detailed instructions, including a suggested table layout, and providing quick talking points for attendee engagement. After the event, thank volunteers and ask for feedback.
Conference Customization: Customize each exhibit with resources and materials that target a specified audience.

Montgomery County Immunization Coalition and Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition launch the third phase of their COVID-19 vaccine bus campaign

The Montgomery County Immunization Coalition (MCIC) and Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition (PAIC) are launching phase three of their COVID-19 Vaccine Bus Campaign. Phase 3 focuses on encouraging 20- through 30-year-olds in the Black community to get their COVID-19 booster. Buses are wrapped in bright-colored advertising with positive design elements; the campaign message will be reinforced with interior bus ads. Ads will also be running for 10 weeks on platform digital displays at the Lansdale & Fort Washington Stations.

To support their bus campaign, MCIC has converted the bus ads into posters and social media images for education and outreach efforts that are available on the Montgomery County Immunization Coalition website.

The Arizona Partnership for Immunization offers free quarterly training on immunizations and disease prevention to health professionals who work with families of young children

The Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI) offers free quarterly training for those who work with families of young children. The training, 10 Things Parents Need to Know about Why We Immunize, discusses the fundamentals of immunization, the impact of vaccines on disease prevention, and the benefits to child health outcomes. The training covers preventive health strategies, how to protect the families and communities you serve, and how to answer parents’ questions about vaccines. This training is appropriate for community health workers, school nurses, social workers, vaccine coordinators, health educators, medical assistants, and those who work with parenting programs including pregnant and parenting teen programs. It can also be beneficial for those working in immunization practice settings.

CE is offered for social workers, registered nurses, and certified health education specialists.

View the recording of this training, handouts, and videos used during the training on the 10 Things Parents Need to Know about Why We Immunize web page.

Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition shares resources including a back-to-school toolkit, a new blog post on routine immunizations, digital resources, and a new immunization campaign

The Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition (PAIC) offers new resources to coalitions. These include:

An Immunization Champions Toolkit offers ways to increase routine childhood and adolescent vaccination rates in Pennsylvania and to reduce vaccine preventable diseases
The PAIC Blog offers its latest blog, Pennsylvania Routine Immunization Rates: Pre-Pandemic and Now (2018-2021), written by PAIC/PA-AAP intern Cait McCrory, MPH
PAIC social media posts that are created and shared weekly, including the latest COVID-19 information, routine immunization data and reminders, and quick facts. See the PAIC Google Drive folder to find posts to share on your own channels.

PAIC also uses posters to increase the rates of COVID-19 vaccination among children. Posters are being advertised at 25 convenience stores and small grocery stores throughout Berks County, Chester County, and Schuylkill County. The posters feature the messages “I Vaxxed My Kid,” which is designed to specifically increase the rates of COVID-19 vaccination among children, and “There is Unity in Immunity,” which is designed to reach all ages and convey a sense of community in receiving vaccinations and bolstering the immunity of all county residents. All posters feature the website helpfightcovid.com as a way to encourage viewers to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine online.

Missouri Immunization Coalition hosts virtual event “Missouri Immunization Conference 2022” June 20–23; CE available

The Missouri Immunization Coalition will host the virtual Missouri Immunization Conference 2022 from 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (CT) June 20–23. The conference will bring together a diverse group of healthcare professionals, public health professionals, business leaders, parents, and community members to reduce the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases through immunization education, advocacy, promotion, and statewide collaborative partnerships.

View the promotional video.

During the conference, a virtual exhibitor hall will be available. Attendees can view all available exhibitors when they visit the virtual exhibition hall. Once a specific booth is selected, attendees can request a text conversation or a video meeting with the exhibitor, view exhibitor handouts or videos, and connect with exhibitors, allowing both exhibitor and the attendee to download contact information (like exchanging business cards). View the list of exhibitors.

CE is available for healthcare providers.

Register for the conference. If you do not get a confirmation email immediately after registration or you are having technical difficulties, please contact the Continuing Education for Health Professions (CEHP) team at cehp@missouri.edu or (573)-882-4105.

Montgomery County Immunization Coalition and CDC Foundation host “Optimizing Your COVID-19 Vaccine Community Outreach” webinar on June 21

The Montgomery County Immunization Coalition (MCIC), in partnership with the CDC Foundation, will host a webinar titled Optimizing Your COVID-19 Vaccine Community Outreach from 3:00–4:00 p.m. (ET) on June 21. Many community-based organizations and COVID-19 ambassadors are working to embrace a “new normal” to protect people from COVID-19. This effort requires navigating the constant flow of updates and adopting community-specific approaches to a range of challenges, from vaccines for children and boosters, to masks and vaccine hesitancy. Many questions are arising, and the most up-to-date information and tools are needed. This question-and-answer style discussion will give you the opportunity to listen and learn from others, as well as from four experts who will address your top questions and concerns, including:

Understanding and responding effectively to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
Background and overview of the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator
Live demonstration of the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator
Understanding the v-safe tool and how to spread the word about v-safe

Please submit your questions in advance using the box on the registration form.

Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

Voices for Vaccines will hold a “Debunking Boot Camp” on June 22 as part of their Vax Ambassador program

Voices for Vaccines (VFV) Made to Save’s “Vax Ambassador” program is conducting monthly training sessions and giving the Ambassadors social media assets to start conversations. The next training session, Debunking Boot Camp, will be held at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on June 22. During this training session, there will be a discussion about vaccine misinformation online, in the media, and on the ground to increase vaccine confidence and uptake.

Please invite friends, colleagues, and coalition members, including:

People in community-based organizations
Community members who support you
Local policymakers and legislators
Teachers, childcare workers, clinic front staff, and religious leaders
Your biggest fans on social media (via a private message)
Your non-expert staff

Please do not distribute widely or post on social media.

Related Link

VYF app in the Apple store and Google play

PA-AAP Pennsylvania Medical Home Program hosts part three of its three-part webinar series on provider communications with adolescents on June 22

The PA-AAP Pennsylvania Medical Home Program will host part three of its three-part webinar series titled Strategies to Improve Provider Communications with Adolescent Patients: Relationships and Rights. This webinar series includes teen speakers providing perspectives on their experiences and recommendations for healthcare professionals.

The final webinar, Transitioning Adolescent Patients to Self-Management of Healthcare, will be held on June 22 at 6:00 p.m. (ET). Learning objectives include:

Formulating mechanisms to introduce the six core elements (of transition) into your practice
Designing processes at your practice to assess the transition readiness of your teen patients
Equipping teen patients to assume heightened medical decision-making responsibilities (with particular focus on continuing immunization coverage)

Participants may be eligible for CME/CEU.

National Minority Quality Forum offers archived webinars and hosts webinar on cancer and vaccinations on June 24

The National Minority Quality Forum‘s (NMQF) Center for Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity (SHC) is exploring total health at the intersection of vaccinations in communities of color. SHC recognized the need to integrate total health education with efforts to increase vaccination uptake in communities of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interactive webinars based on various therapeutic areas that inform microsites, flyers, and infographics have been an innovative solution for disseminating timely public health education in a virtual/hybrid environment. SHC has partnered with the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) and their iREACH team to codesign each webinar and microsite.

So far, SHC and AIM/iREACH have hosted interactive webinars on:

Chronic Kidney Disease (Webinar, Microsite, English Flyer, Spanish Flyer)
Black Maternal Health (Webinar, Microsite, English Flyer, Spanish Flyer)
The Pandemic’s Toll on Mental Health (Webinar, Microsite, English Flyer, Spanish Flyer)

June’s webinar on cancer and vaccinations will be held at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on June 24.

Total Health topics left to explore include health and wellness, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung health, healthy aging, and HIV/AIDS.

If you have any questions or if you would like your organization to collaborate with NMQF/SHC and AIM/iREACH on a future webinar, please contact Kristen Hobbs at khobbs@nmqf.org.

Association of Immunization Managers invites nominations for Immunization Champion Awards through June 27

The Immunization Champion Award will return in 2022. Now hosted by the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), the expanded and streamlined Immunization Champion Award will honor one champion from each of the 50 U.S. states, eight U.S. territories and freely associated states, and the District of Columbia. Nominees can be recognized for their work in influenza, COVID-19, human papillomavirus across the lifespan, or routine childhood vaccination. Key weblinks include:

The 2022 Immunization Champion Toolkit – features resources to assist throughout the launch, selection, and promotion phases of the award
The nomination packet – includes important information regarding the nomination process, award criteria, and nomination submission
Frequently asked questions

Participating immunization programs will call for nominations until June 27. Please address questions to champions@immunizationmanagers.org.

National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit solicits nominations for 2022 NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards; deadline is July 15

The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS, aka The Summit) is soliciting nominations for awardees for the 2022 NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards. For the past two years, immunization stakeholders have gone above and beyond to serve the public health and healthcare needs of individuals and communities, and The Summit wants to recognize our heroes. The 2022 awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions towards improving vaccination access and delivery, health equity, and vaccine confidence within their communities during 2021–2022. The awards focus on individuals and organizations that exemplify the meaning of the “immunization neighborhood” (collaboration, coordination, and communication among immunization stakeholders dedicated to meeting the immunization needs of the patient and protecting the community from vaccine-preventable diseases). The NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards recognize contributions to influenza vaccination and adult vaccination. Unless an award is specifically focused on influenza, it is the intent of The Summit to recognize broader adult immunization activities. Of course, vaccination activities related to COVID-19 vaccination and/or other vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic can and should be highlighted in your nomination packet.

A National Winner will be selected for each award category. Where appropriate, an Honorable Mention recipient will also be selected. The winners will receive their awards at the NAIIS in-person meeting (tentatively scheduled for November 2–3, 2022, in Atlanta, GA). The national winner in each category will be invited to give a brief talk about their programs at the NAIIS meeting.

The deadline for nominations is July 15, 2022.

Access the 2022 NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards nomination form.

Resources

Vaccinate Your Family shares a new animated video on how vaccines work and a fotonovela, both available in English and Spanish

Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) offers a new video clip that explains how vaccines work by comparing them to a playbook that helps the home team (your immune system) prepare for the visiting virus (an infection). You don’t show up to the big game unprepared, and your immune system shouldn’t either. The video can be shared widely, can be reposted on social media, and is available in both English and Spanish.

In addition, Vaccinate Your Family and partner, Día de la Mujer Latina, created a fotonovela answering common questions and concerns about vaccines during pregnancy. A fotonovela is a short graphic novel with a social message illustrated with photographs, art, and text; this is a popular form of media in Latin American culture. The fotonovela can be accessed in both English and Spanish.

Voices for Vaccines releases podcast on helping the hesitant to become more confident in vaccinations

Voices for Vaccines (VFV) has posted a new entry in its Vax Talk podcast series: Getting Back to the Vax featuring Lydia Greene and Heather Simpson from Back to the Vax. A description from the VFV web page appears below.

Vaccine hesitancy can be exhausting for everyone involved. Those who are uncertain may feel badgered by well-meaning friends, and well-meaning friends may feel frustrated by combatting misinformation.

But we know that the hesitant can become confident because our two guests have been there. Join this fun conversation about how we can all talk to each other.

Voices for Vaccines is a national organization of parents and others dedicated to raising the level of the voices of immunization supporters. VFV invites everyone who values vaccines to become a member, use VFV tools in their own community, and get involved with VFV.

Related Links

Voices for Vaccines Tools main page
Voices for Vaccines podcast page

**VYF’s Shot of Prevention releases two new blog posts on providing information about COVID-19 booster doses and commemorating one million COVID-19 deaths**

Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) hosts a blog, Shot of Prevention, where people come to discuss news and views on vaccines. Check out the most recent blog posts on Shot of Prevention:

Everything You Need to Know about the Latest COVID-19 Booster Recommendations (5/24/22)
Commemorating One Million COVID-19 Deaths (5/12/22)

Subscribe to Shot of Prevention to get the latest blog posts delivered to your inbox.

ACOG shares a new training initiative, Inform to Empower: Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence One Conversation at a Time, for clinicians and a new podcast, Labor of Love: Stories of Vaccines, Variants and Parenting during COVID, for women dealing with motherhood and pregnancy during COVID-19

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is offering a new training initiative, Inform to Empower: Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence One Conversation at a Time, a six-part online training series to learn more about the importance of increasing patients’ vaccine confidence and demand, as well as techniques to apply in practices. The modules in the series include:

ACOG also offers a new podcast, Labor of Love: Stories of Vaccines, Variants, and Parenting during COVID as part of its five-part series, Labor of Love. Each week, Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, speaks with women dealing with everything that accompanies motherhood and pregnancy during the pandemic. Dr. Pimentel also speaks with medical experts in the fields of maternal health, fertility, and mental well-being who provide evidence-based information and recommendations on how best to navigate pregnancy and motherhood during COVID-19.

Find the five-part podcast series on the Labor of Love web page and on Apple Podcasts.

Coalitions in the News

These recent articles feature coalition activities and other stories of interest to coalitions

DCist: D.C. Renews Push To Get Kids Routine Vaccinations Ahead of Next School Year (6/6/22)
The Joplin Globe: Study Finds 8,500 COVID-19 Deaths May Have Been Prevented if More Missourians Were Vaccinated (6/6/22)
The Seattle Times: Many Parents Reluctant to Get Their Under-5 Kids Vaccinated against COVID (6/6/22)
CNBC: U.S. Has More than 36,000 Jynneos Monkeypox Vaccine Doses Immediately Available in National Stockpile (6/6/22)
FDA: June 3, 2022 Approval Letter – PRIORIX (6/3/22)
LA Times: Politics and Pandemic Fatigue Derail California’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates (6/2/22)

Announcements

Visit the National Network of Immunization Coalitions Calendar of Events for immunization coalitions!

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions maintains a Calendar of Events on its website, immunizationcoalitions.org. This is an easy way to find out about upcoming national, regional, state, and local conferences; workshops; and virtual educational opportunities.

If you have a vaccination-related event that you would like your colleagues to know about via this Calendar of Events, email info@immunizationcoalitions.org.

Stay up to date by subscribing to IZ Express, encourage your coalition’s members to subscribe to Immunize.org’s IZ Coalitions Network News, and make sure your coalition’s information is up to date on immunizationcoalitions.org, the website of the National Network of Immunization Coalitions

Be sure you’re subscribed to IZ Express!
IZ Express is the free weekly e-newsletter produced by Immunize.org. IZ Express keeps you informed about new and updated vaccine recommendations from CDC and new vaccine licensures by the FDA. You’ll read about newly posted Vaccine Information Statements and their translations, and new immunization education materials from Immunize.org, CDC, AAP, and others. It also provides updates on online and in-person educational opportunities, many offering free continuing education credit. To subscribe, simply provide your name and email address at www.immunize.org/subscribe. We will never share your contact information.

Urge your coalition members to sign up for IZ Coalitions Network News!
IZ Coalitions Network News is a monthly e-newsletter for the National Network of Immunization Coalitions that features news of interest to immunization coalitions and nonprofit organizations, including advocacy opportunities, legislative efforts, immunization resources, educational offerings, and local, state, and national conference information. IZ Coalitions Network News is available to coalition members and nonprofit staff, and all people who work with immunization coalitions. To subscribe, send a request to info@immunizationcoalitions.org asking to be included. The National Network of Immunization Coalitions is a project of Immunize.org.

Make sure your coalition is listed and your information is up to date on immunizationcoalitions.org
The National Network of Immunization Coalitions website at www.immunizationcoalitions.org is a place to learn about immunization coalitions and nonprofit organizations, their locations, missions, activities, newsletters, and how to engage with them. The website promotes the activities of immunization coalitions and nonprofits, offers resources of importance to the network, and provides a searchable online database of local, state, regional, and national immunization coalitions. Interested supporters of immunization can find contacts, resources, ideas, and volunteer opportunities. There are now 142 immunization coalitions and nonprofits listed on this website; view their pages here. If your coalition is not listed, or your information needs to be updated, please email info@immunizationcoalitions.org.

New coalitions and nonprofits are encouraged to include their information on the National Network of Immunization Coalitions website. Updated information can be added at any time by emailing info@immunizationcoalitions.org.