Network News — August 24, 2023

Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

Resources

Coalitions in the News

Announcements

Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions highlights the Immunization Coalition of Los Angeles County

The Immunization Coalition of Los Angeles County (ICLAC) is a community-based partnership of Los Angeles County hospitals, schools, clinics, health department programs, pharmacies, health plans, vaccine companies, and nonprofit organizations. ICLAC’s mission is to collaborate to improve access to recommended immunizations for adults and adolescents, especially among groups at the highest risk for vaccine-preventable diseases in Los Angeles County.

The coalition has been busy with many events, including its hybrid ICLAC 25th Anniversary Film Forum with two featured films, A Shot in the Arm and Vaccine Watts, which included panel discussions and themed movie snacks. The film event brought in a record-breaking 150 registrants, and included a red carpet and a limited-edition photo opportunity for in-person and virtual participants.

Additionally, ICLAC partnered with the USC School of Pharmacy and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for a Moderna-sponsored pilot boot camp on vaccine storage, handling, and vaccination hands-on training for 16 pharmacists.

This August, for National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), ICLAC is focusing on its “Back2School” campaign, “Get Ready Campaign” for fall vaccines, and other related events. The coalition’s overarching objective is to leverage its 25th anniversary to engage additional partners and provide grants for underserved and under-vaccinated areas.

ICLAC has a partnership with a nonprofit for It’s Bigger than Us, with labs on hand hygiene and other immunization topics at a local housing project and selected low-income schools during the summer months.

All may participate in ICLAC’s free hybrid event, Fall Vaccine Forum, on September 9 for the latest updates on RSV, flu, COVID-19 vaccines, and more. This is the last in the series of ICLAC’s 25th anniversary events. Register for the virtual or in-person event.

ICLAC has an extensive website with many resources, as well as ICLAC’s weekly newsletter.

As of July, ICLAC has over $1.6M in grants, pending notification of approval for topics ranging from vaccine equity, older adults, monkeypox, and pediatric vaccines.

For more on ICLAC, visit its website at immunizelac.org.

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#WeThePeopleVax will run a campaign for Labor Day; downloadable August 29

#WeThePeopleVax will run a campaign for Labor Day that will be available to download from its website on August 29.

The #WeThePeopleVax movement currently has representation across 23 states. If your organization would like to join, complete the form on the website.

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Immunize Kansas Coalition shares resources for the back-to-school season and National Immunization Awareness Month

Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) has created a landing page with local and national resources highlighting National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) and the back-to-school season. The page includes educational campaigns, messaging guides, and flyers.

To kick off NIAM, IKC utilized Voices for Vaccine’s NIAM toolkit to reach the diverse communities across the state of Kansas. IKC translated graphics and captions into Spanish and Arabic.

IKC also created its NIAM/Back-to-School campaign, highlighting the importance of back-to-school vaccines and routine immunizations for the whole family. The campaign consists of vibrant graphics with messaging focused on children, college students, and older adults. Printable flyers are available in English and Spanish for specific messaging.

Find resources for Kansas communities on IKC’s web page, as well as Vaccinate Your Family’s #FirstDayVax campaign and CDC’s NIAM resources. Visit IKC’s National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) web page for resources to celebrate immunizations throughout the rest of August.

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Virtual: Montgomery County Immunization Coalition hosts Ask the Experts event with a focus on back-to-school vaccinations in Spanish on August 30 at 7:00 p.m. (ET)

Montgomery County Immunization Coalition (MCIC) is hosting a webinar titled Pregúntele a Los Expertos – Acerca De Las Vacunas Para El Regreso a Clases (Ask the Experts: Back-to-School Vaccines, in Spanish), 7:00–8:00 p.m. (ET) on August 30. The webinar brings the community direct access to healthcare experts who can answer their questions on vaccines.

Register for the webinar.

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Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians partners with the National Minority Quality Forum to implement the Georgia DRIVE Project

The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) is partnering with the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) to implement the Georgia DRIVE Project. The project will provide resources to help clinicians protect their patients from the flu and address the fact that Georgia has some of the lowest flu vaccination rates in the United States. The program includes:

  • Free access to DRIVE educational and quality improvement resources, such as patient and staff education
  • Easy step-by-step worksheets to implement proven strategies for increasing flu vaccinations, especially in people of color
  • Support from GAFP for clinics to implement the programs
  • NMQF will help submit a flu quality improvement project for the self-directed performance improvement component of the Family Medicine certification
  • Top achievers will be acknowledged in person at the NMQF Summit in April 2024 in Washington, DC, with all expenses paid for travel and hotel

To join your colleagues nationwide in promoting flu vaccine equity and to learn more about how you can partner with GAFP, contact shc@nmqf.org or visit the DRIVE webpage.

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The Autism Society of America has partnered with the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative to promote accessible vaccination uptake through education and uptake of vaccines

In 2023, the Autism Society of America became a proud partner of the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative (ADVC), a nationwide initiative to promote accessible vaccination through education and uptake of primarily COVID-19 and flu vaccines, but also shingles, pneumonia, and other routine vaccinations. Led by USAging, the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative will distribute funding to enable organizations across aging and disability networks to perform an array of vaccination promotion activities. Grant objectives focus on autism and all disabilities, aging, BIPOC, Hispanic, LGBTQIA+, and rural communities. However, all are welcome and encouraged to get vaccinated at ADVC events.

The Autism Society’s Accessible Vaccine Clinics create inclusive vaccination environments by:

  • Reducing barriers to vaccine uptake in the autistic population
  • Providing tips on communicating with autism/developmental delay communities and aging populations
  • Sharing effective strategies to reduce pain and anxiety for families during a vaccination visit
  • Disseminating supports such as visual schedules, communication boards, and social stories during vaccination visits
  • Providing practical tips to improve vaccine confidence by employing strategies to reduce stress when vaccinating neurodiverse patients
  • Distributing free Accessible Vaccine Kits, which include noise-reducing headphones, Shotblocker, stress ball, fidget spinner, sunglasses, and stickers

To learn more and get involved, please view the Vaccine Education Initiative (VEI) resources: ADVC flyer, About the VEI, Guide to Successful Vaccine Clinics, and PSA. For more information, contact vei@autism-society.org.

Upcoming events:

These accessible vaccine clinics are funded by a grant from USAging and are provided free of charge.

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Virtual: Association of Immunization Managers hosts “Annual Influenza Update Webinar” on August 28 at 3:00 p.m. (ET)

The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) will host a webinar titled Annual Influenza Update and Communication Strategies for Addressing Vaccine Misinformation Webinar, 3:00–4:00 p.m. (ET) on August 28 to prepare for the upcoming flu season. Panelists and topics include:

  • Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer, AIM, will provide the latest trends related to the influenza virus, provide updates related to this year’s vaccine and ACIP recommendations, and share effective communication strategies to help debunk influenza myths, maximize immunization rates, and improve vaccine confidence
  • L.J Tan, PhD, MS, Chief Policy and Partnerships Officer, Immunize.org and National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS), will give an update on the work of the NAIIS and outcomes of the last Summit meeting
  • Paul Petersen, PharmD, MPH, Director of Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, will share strategies for improving vaccine coverage and confidence through innovative flu programs and plans

Register for the webinar.

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Virtual: CDC hosts Current Issues in Immunization Webinars with “New RSV Vaccines for Adults: General Information and Clinical Guidance” on August 30 at 12:00 p.m. (ET)

CDC’s Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division (CORVD) in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) will host a webinar in their Current Issues in Immunization Webinars (CIIW) series titled New RSV Vaccines for Adults: General Information and Clinical Guidance, 12:00–1:00 p.m. (ET) on August 30. During the webinar, Amadea Britton, MD MPH, Medical Officer, CORVD, NCIRD, CDC, and Michael Melgar, MD, Medical Officer, CORVD, NCIRD, CDC, will give updates on the new RSV vaccines for adults.

Registration is not needed, but participation is limited.

A recording will be available following the webinar. View archived CIIW videos.

Join the event directly.

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Resources

If you administer vaccinations, you can improve a recipient’s confidence in vaccines by acknowledging and addressing their anxiety. Anxiety about injections is common at all ages and contributes to vaccine hesitancy in those affected. Among some adolescents and adults, anxiety can trigger dizziness or fainting, risking fall-related injuries. Both the vaccinator and the vaccine recipient can take simple and effective steps to improve the recipient’s vaccination experience.

Thanks to support from CDC as part of its work to increase vaccine confidence, Immunize​.org now offers clinical tools for healthcare professionals and corresponding patient handouts on vaccination-related fainting and anxiety:

These 1-page resources highlight major points and include key references. The resources for healthcare personnel are ideal for teaching huddles and short in-service trainings. They may also serve as the basis for quality-improvement efforts.

  

These resources are ideal to use in concert with Immunize​.org’s screening checklists for contraindications to vaccination, recently revised to include questions about vaccination anxiety and fainting.

Related Links

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A week remains in National Immunization Awareness Month; promote vaccination with these helpful resources for all ages

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights efforts to protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination. This year, NIAM serves as a focal point to get back on track with routine vaccines.

NIAM is a good time to remind healthcare providers that they are still the most trusted source of vaccine information for parents and patients. Encourage patients to schedule appointments to ensure they are up to date on annual exams and recommended vaccines.

CDC’s NIAM web page includes two toolkits, one for reaching healthcare professionals and the other for reaching parents and patients. Each includes key messages, sample social media content, and educational resources. CDC encourages its partners to share these messages and resources throughout August using the hashtag #ivax2protect.

Related Links

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Vaccinate Your Family shares back-to-school resources and Spanish-language commercial to raise awareness for the importance of COVID-19 vaccination for young children

The Vaccinate Your Family #FirstDayVax Campaign provides back-to-school vaccine reminders as well as information about the safety and benefits of vaccines. Join Vaccinate Your Family in raising awareness for the importance of routine immunizations this summer and through National Immunization Awareness Month in August by sharing easy-to-use checklists and friendly reminders about the benefits of vaccines.

The #FirstDayVax Sharing Toolkit for partners and advocates offers downloadable graphics and prepared social media messages. Use the toolkit to easily share back-to-school checklists and reminders of the benefits of vaccines.

Please use the #FirstDayVax hashtag when you share on social media and tag @vaccinateyourfamily (@vaxyourfam on Twitter) so Vaccinate Your Family can amplify your posts.

Additionally, Vaccinate Your Family & Julissa Soto Consulting are developing a Spanish-language commercial that will air on Telemundo Colorado and KBNO Radio. The commercial intends to raise awareness for the importance of COVID-19 vaccination for kids under five, and highlight the importance of all routine vaccines for kids.

View commercial.

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Unity Consortium’s 3Cs program helps providers combat vaccine hesitancy

Unity Consortium launched a new 3Cs educational program (Confident, Concise, and Consistent vaccine recommendations for adolescents) to help healthcare providers deliver strong recommendations for all CDC/ACIP-recommended vaccines for adolescents and young adults.

This is a self-guided educational program that utilizes video vignettes (also available in Spanish) of healthcare providers responding to common questions from parents and caregivers about whether their adolescent or young adult should receive recommended vaccines. The videos demonstrate how providers can use simple motivational interviewing and shared clinical decision-making strategies to address concerns and move adolescents and parents to be confident in agreeing to vaccination.

Additional resources include a Q&A-style resource guide (upon accessing the program), available in both English and Spanish, providing sample recommendations by age and answers to questions commonly asked by parents about adolescent vaccines.

The 3Cs program is appropriate for the continuing education of individuals and teams of healthcare providers, and may be part of interventions to improve vaccination rates. Continuing education credit is available through the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Pursuit of the 3Cs: Confident, Concise, and Consistent Health Care Provider Recommendations for Adolescent Vaccines video series is funded by Unity’s member organizations and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, HPV Cancer Prevention Program.

Visit Unity’s 3Cs web page for more information and to register for the free, online program.

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Public Health Communications Collaborative shares new messaging to support routine childhood vaccinations

The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) has developed tailorable messaging recommendations to boost support of routine childhood vaccinations in communities. As kids prepare to return to school this fall, routine childhood and age-specific vaccinations are a top public health priority. With the spread of misinformation about vaccine safety, encouraging childhood vaccine uptake is both timely and critical. The messaging was informed by national polling data on public opinion regarding routine childhood vaccinations, published by Health Affairs Forefront, the PHCC.

View the messaging.

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ACOG shares educational resources on maternal immunization and offers training course, “Inform to Empower: Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence One Conversation at a Time,” for physicians and other obstetric care clinicians; CME offered

  • For National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is highlighting the importance of maternal immunization with a searchable list of educational resources.

    They offer:

    These resources can be effective tools for sharing accessible, evidence-based information on COVID-19, Tdap, and influenza vaccination during pregnancy. The suite also includes information on HPV, mpox, and other adult vaccines. Please share these resources with your networks.

    View ACOG’s resources.

    Additionally, ACOG offers Inform to Empower: Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence One Conversation at a Time, a free training course intended to teach physicians and other obstetric care clinicians about the importance of increasing patients’ vaccine confidence and techniques to increase vaccination demand in practice.

    The course offers a maximum of 1.5 CME credits.

    Access the course.

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Vaccine Ambassadors and Immunize Canada team up to celebrate National Immunization Awareness Month

Vaccine Ambassadors and Immunize Canada have been celebrating National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) in a unique cross-border collaboration for the last three years. This year’s theme is “Vaccines: Let’s Catch Up with Confidence!”

Resources include a library of social media resources available in English, Spanish, and French for all populations, which can be used during NIAM and throughout the year.

Resources:

If you are interested in co-branding, please contact info@vaccineambassadors.org.

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New resource: Flash Cards: Vaccines & Immunization—2023 published as e-book for bite-sized, portable vaccine training

The Amazon Bookstore now offers Flash Cards: Vaccines & Immunization—2023, by John D. Grabenstein, PhD, and Laurie A. Grabenstein, BSN. John Grabenstein is the managing editor of IZ Express; however, this new resource is an independent product. The new e-book consists of 210 fact-filled electronic flash cards. These flash cards offer vaccine training in bite-sized pieces. The book doubles as a concise, portable reference book. Six major sections help clinical staff excel in real-world practice:

  • Preventable Diseases – Clinical Features, Microbiology, Transmission
  • Vaccine Products – Routine, Travel, and Niche
  • Antibody Products – Passive Immunization
  • Case Studies – by Age, Health Status, Occupation, and Personal Risk Factors
  • Travel Health – Routes of Exposure to Risks, Self-Care, Consults, Geographic Foci
  • Clinical Tools – Dozens of Tables, Lists, and Tips

Flash Cards: Vaccines & Immunization—2023 can be read at read.amazon.com or with the free Kindle app for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. E-books use flowable text to present content in the format preferred by each reader. The e-book includes instructions on highlighting passages and taking notes within the app.

Flash Cards: Vaccines & Immunization—2023 is priced at $9.99. Each edition will be auto-updated several times as new vaccines are licensed or ACIP recommendations change. To order, go to amazon.com, search for Flash Cards: Vaccines & Immunization–2023 by Grabenstein. A detailed table of contents and sample pages appear at www.vaccinedynamics.com.

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Coalitions in the News

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions reminds you of the important ways every coalition can plug into the power of our network:

  • Bookmark National Network of Immunization Coalitions’ Calendar of Events on its website, immunizationcoalitions.org, to learn about upcoming national, regional, state, and local conferences; workshops; and virtual educational opportunities
  • Subscribe to IZ Express, the free weekly e-newsletter produced by Immunize.org, for immunization-related news, new and updated recommendations, educational materials, and educational opportunities
  • Urge your coalition members to sign up for IZ Coalitions Network News, the monthly e-newsletter for the National Network of Immunization Coalitions that features news of interest to immunization coalitions and nonprofit organizations. To subscribe, send a request to info@immunizationcoalitions.org asking to be included.
  • Be sure that your coalition is listed and information is up to date on the National Network of Immunization Coalitions website. To add your coalition or make updates, please email info@immunizationcoalitions.org.
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Announcements

Announcements from the National Network of Immunization Coalitions

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions reminds you of the important ways every coalition can plug into the power of our network:

  • Bookmark National Network of Immunization Coalitions’ Calendar of Events on its website, immunizationcoalitions.org, to learn about upcoming national, regional, state, and local conferences; workshops; and virtual educational opportunities
  • Subscribe to IZ Express, the free weekly e-newsletter produced by Immunize.org, for immunization-related news, new and updated recommendations, educational materials, and educational opportunities
  • Urge your coalition members to sign up for IZ Coalitions Network News, the monthly e-newsletter for the National Network of Immunization Coalitions that features news of interest to immunization coalitions and nonprofit organizations. To subscribe, send a request to info@immunizationcoalitions.org asking to be included.
  • Be sure that your coalition is listed and information is up to date on the National Network of Immunization Coalitions website. To add your coalition or make updates, please email info@immunizationcoalitions.org.
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