Network News — October 19, 2023
Webinar/Biennial Meeting
Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events
- The National Network of Immunization Coalitions highlights Immunize Kansas Coalition
- Montgomery County Immunization Coalition (Pennsylvania) releases Halloween-themed social media toolkit and other social media images and text in four languages
- Immunize Colorado shares recording of webinar, “The Science behind Vaccines and the Immune Response,” and offers two immunization resources
- Immunize Kansas Coalition reaches communities in south-central Kansas through grassroots educational outreach
- Virtual: Immunize Nevada hosts NILE Webinar "Clinical Guidance Overview of Updated COVID-19 Vaccines" at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on October 25; CE available
- National Network of Immunization Coalitions’ webinar, “What You Need to Know about New RSV Immunizations for Children and Adults,” available for on-demand viewing
Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events
- In-person: Houston Health Department Immunization Bureau offers “CDC Pink Book Training” October 23–24 in Houston; CE available
- Hybrid: Clinical Care Options hosts webinar “Ready, Set, Vaccinate! Clinical Implementation of RSV Vaccination for Older Adults” on October 26 at 7:30 p.m. (ET); CME, CNE, and CPE available
- In-person: Registration is open for the 2023 AIM Leadership in Action Conference to be held December 5–7 in Houston
Resources
- Vaccinate Your Family launches its 2023–24 “Not ‘Just’ the Flu” campaign to raise awareness about the seriousness of influenza
- Voices for Vaccines releases podcast with former CDC communications chief Glen Nowak on analyzing vaccine communication
- Association of Immunization Managers offers final episode of REACHing for Vaccine Equity podcast and shares four new immunization resources
- Listen to the newest episode of Unity’s FACTSinnated podcast on increasing HPV vaccine confidence among adolescents and young adults
- The American College Health Association shares new resources from its CoVAC Initiative
- ShotbyShot shares two new RSV stories to celebrate National RSV Awareness Month this October
- CHOP’s Vaccine Education Center shares “Aluminum & Vaccines: 3 Things to Know” infographic in English and Spanish
- NFID posts podcast episode featuring researcher Carol J. Baker, MD, on developing vaccines and antivirals and conducting clinical trials during pregnancy
Coalitions in the News
Announcements
Webinar/Biennial Meeting
Register now and submit an abstract for the 16th National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships to be held in Philadelphia, PA, in person, April 9–11, 2024
Registration for the 16th National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships (NCICP) is now open! The NCICP is the only conference solely dedicated to collaboration and partnership to improve immunization uptake, educate the community, and prevent the spread of disease. The conference is an engine to improve immunizations and public health issues by sharing successful strategies that strengthen the work our coalitions and partnerships do.
The Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition (PAIC) is proud to host the event on April 9–11, 2024, in Philadelphia, PA, at the Loews Hotel. Reserve your room at the group block rate, which closes on March 18, 2024, or book a government rate room.
Abstracts can be submitted around three tracks outlined on the NCICP website under the “Program” tab. The deadline for submission is December 1, 2023.
Showcase your organization and commitment to community health by participating as a sponsor of the NCICP. There are a number of ways to support the conference in addition to attending. Visit NCICP’s Sponsorship Opportunities web page to learn more.
Find additional information on the 16th National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships website.
Back to TopCoalition News, Top Stories, and Events
The National Network of Immunization Coalitions highlights Immunize Kansas Coalition
Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) is a group of more than 80 individual and organizational members, comprising more than 600 engaged persons with diverse perspectives, such as healthcare providers, health departments, researchers, healthcare payers, advocacy groups, nonprofits, and more—working together to improve vaccination rates and protect Kansans from vaccine-preventable diseases. IKC has prioritized increasing adolescent immunization rates for HPV and meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccines; increasing influenza immunization rates for both children and adults; maintaining childhood vaccination rates throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; and strengthening vaccine confidence through education, awareness, and partnerships with trusted community sources.
Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) and immunization partners are working to better identify, understand, and meet the diverse needs of the metro regions of Kansas City, as well as communities in southwest Kansas. To expand its reach, IKC’s Community Health Specialists (CHS), including Leonor Ramos, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, provide grassroots educational outreach to communities. Leonor built key partnerships with many local organizations. Through these connections, Leonor has held many unique and engaging events to meet different individual needs. She has hosted tables at back-to-school events to provide educational resources to incoming students’ families, and her local partner, Vibrant Health Clinic, administered vaccinations.
The coalition has been busy with many events, including an opportunity to watch A Shot in the Arm, which included a live Q&A panel presentation. The film engaged 270 people from across the state of Kansas.
Additionally, IKC celebrated women’s health at Dia de la Mujer Latina on October 14 in Garden City, KS, and will host a second in-person event on October 21 in Liberal, KS. This empowering conference will take a cultural and linguistic approach to educate Latina women on how to take preventative measures against HPV-related cancers, including the HPV vaccine. To learn more about the October 21 event in Liberal, KS, see IKC’s Dia de la Mujer Latina web page.
IKC launched its Honest Conversations campaign to amplify immunization stories from Kansans. Through a grant with IDEO.org, IKC used tools in the NRC-RIM Honest Conversations Toolkit to feature stories of those in refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities. View social media graphics in IKC’s Honest Conversations Social Media Toolkit to share across your networks. Use the hashtag #HonestConversations when posting. More stories and videos will be coming soon!
IKC has created many useful materials and resources, including Kansas-specific communication materials for members to share with legislators. IKC also cocreated a booklet, Vaccine Fears Overturned by Facts, with Heather Simpson and Lydia Greene of Back to the Vax. The booklet is intended to be a factual rebuttal with personal stories to address common vaccine myths.
Lastly, mark your calendars because IKC will be hosting a webinar titled Childhood Immunizations: The Moral Choice . . . Learning about Religious and Medical Exemptions, 12:00–1:00 p.m. (CT) on November 14. More information to come!
To learn more about Immunize Kansas Coalition, visit its website at immunizekansascoalition.org, view its 2022–2023 Annual Report, and join its newsletter distribution list.
Back to TopMontgomery County Immunization Coalition (Pennsylvania) releases Halloween-themed social media toolkit and other social media images and text in four languages
Montgomery County Immunization Coalition (MCIC) of Pennsylvania created a social media campaign and toolkit, Say Boo to the Flu, RSV, and COVID Too! The social media campaign contains images and text to make it easy to get the word out to your community about the importance of getting vaccinated before Halloween.
MCIC also created new social media images with sample text to make it easy to get the word out to communities about the importance of getting influenza, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines this season. MCIC worked with its partner organizations to translate the new resources into several languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean.
Find the social media images with sample text in MCIC’s AmVAXador Library under “Featured Resources.”
Please use and share these campaigns across your networks.
Back to TopImmunize Colorado shares recording of webinar, “The Science behind Vaccines and the Immune Response,” and offers two immunization resources
On October 17, Immunize Colorado hosted a webinar titled “The Science behind Vaccines and the Immune Response” with immunologist Aimee Pugh Bernard, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz medical campus. During the webinar, Dr. Bernard discussed the formulation of vaccines in relation to the body’s immune response. A recording is available on Immunize Colorado’s Education Series Past Events web page.
Additionally, Immunize Colorado has two new resources available:
- Fact Sheet: The Importance of Vaccines in People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Flyer (for Schools and Child Cares): Why Is It Important to Get Vaccinated?
Immunize Colorado will co-brand/update the documents with state-specific requirements. For more information, contact ICOffice@childrenscolorado.org.
Back to TopImmunize Kansas Coalition reaches communities in south-central Kansas through grassroots educational outreach
Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) and immunization partners are working to better identify, understand, and meet the diverse needs of communities in areas surrounding Kansas City, KS. This region of the state has the second largest Hispanic and Latino population.
To expand its reach and better understand this region, IKC’s Community Health Specialist (CHS), Leonor Ramos, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, provides grassroots educational outreach to communities. She’s built key partnerships with many local organizations. Through these connections, Leonor has held many unique and engaging events to meet different individual needs. She has hosted tables at back-to-school events to provide educational resources to incoming students’ families, and her local partner, Vibrant Health Clinic, administered vaccinations. To give individuals ready access to vaccine information, she hosted an information table at Mercado Fresco, a local supermarket that is popular within the Hispanic Latino community.
Her largest event was a 3-day community health fair hosted by local partner JUNTOS, where she engaged with over 300 individuals. Immunize Kansas Coalition and its Community Health Specialists continue to address the needs of multicultural communities by providing bilingual handouts and starting the conversation about the important role vaccines play in preventing disease in Kansas.
Virtual: Immunize Nevada hosts NILE Webinar "Clinical Guidance Overview of Updated COVID-19 Vaccines" at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on October 25; CE available
Immunize Nevada will host a webinar in its NILE Webinar series titled Clinical Guidance Overview of Updated COVID-19 Vaccines at 3:00 p.m. on October 25. The presenter will be Joseph Crump, COVID-19 vaccine provider education coordinator for the CDC Foundation, who works with the Nevada State Immunization Program.
Continuing education credit is available for this event.
See upcoming and past NILE webinars.
Back to TopNational Network of Immunization Coalitions’ webinar, “What You Need to Know about New RSV Immunizations for Children and Adults,” available for on-demand viewing
On September 25, the National Network of Immunization Coalitions hosted a live, 1-hour webinar, What You Need to Know about New RSV Immunizations for Children and Adults. During this webinar, CDC experts provided an overview of the burden of RSV on pediatric and older adult populations, and shared information about the new ACIP recommendations for protecting adults age 60 and older against RSV. They also discussed the new ACIP recommendations to prevent disease in infants, including maternal vaccination and the new long-acting monoclonal antibody for infants. An expert from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provided advice on billing and coding for administering the long-acting monoclonal antibody.
The webinar video is now available on the National Network of Immunization Coalitions website for on-demand viewing. Please view and share this important webinar with your colleagues.
Back to TopOther News, Educational Opportunities, and Events
In-person: Houston Health Department Immunization Bureau offers “CDC Pink Book Training” October 23–24 in Houston; CE available
The Houston Health Department Immunization Bureau is hosting an in-person CDC Pink Book Training event on October 23–24 in Houston, TX. The two-day training, targeted toward immunization providers, provides an overview of vaccination principles, general best practices, immunization strategies, and specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines that prevent them. It will also include updated information from recent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meetings and votes.
Continuing education will be available for the training.
There is a fee to register.
Back to TopHybrid: Clinical Care Options hosts webinar “Ready, Set, Vaccinate! Clinical Implementation of RSV Vaccination for Older Adults” on October 26 at 7:30 p.m. (ET); CME, CNE, and CPE available
Clinical Care Options (CCO) is offering a webinar titled Ready, Set, Vaccinate! Clinical Implementation of RSV Vaccination for Older Adults, 6:30–8:00 p.m. (CT) on October 26, virtually and in-person in Chicago, IL. Join expert faculty as they discuss the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), approaches for differentiating RSV from other respiratory viruses, and integrating the latest data and guideline recommendations for RSV vaccines for older adults.
Free CME, CNE, and CPE are available for this event.
Related Links
- CDC: ACIP main page for access to webcast, agendas
- CDC: ACIP: Meeting Information for presentation slides, content from previous meetings, and information about future meetings
In-person: Registration is open for the 2023 AIM Leadership in Action Conference to be held December 5–7 in Houston
The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) will host its 2023 AIM Leadership in Action Conference on December 5–7, in Houston, TX. AIM’s annual conference is an opportunity for immunization program leaders to connect with peers, develop leadership skills, and celebrate accomplishments over the last year.
Rates and dates are as follows:
- Early Bird Registration: $700/person through November 12
- Regular Registration: $750/person, November 13–December 1
- On-site Registration: $850/person, December 2–7
The conference will be held at the Westin Galleria Houston. Book a hotel room.
The keynote speaker will be Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine.
Explore conference details and register for the conference at the 2023 AIM Leadership in Action Conference main page.
Back to TopResources
Vaccinate Your Family launches its 2023–24 “Not ‘Just’ the Flu” campaign to raise awareness about the seriousness of influenza
Vaccinate Your Family launched its Not “Just” the Flu campaign to raise awareness about the seriousness of influenza and the importance of flu vaccination.
This campaign features key messages, social media graphics, predrafted posts, and downloadable videos from individual advocates affected by flu. Resources include:
- Campaign web page
- Social media sharing toolkit for campaign materials (soon to be available in Spanish)
- Campaign overview document
The campaign will run for as long as influenza season lasts. Please share on your social platforms with the hashtag #NotJustFlu.
Feel free to co-brand materials. Please reach out to dana@vaccinateyourfamily.org with your branding questions.
Back to TopVoices for Vaccines releases podcast with former CDC communications chief Glen Nowak on analyzing vaccine communication
Voices for Vaccines (VFV) posted a new entry in its Vax Talk podcast series: Vaccine Communication Breakdown featuring Glen Nowak, PhD, former CDC communications chief and risk-communication expert. A description from the VFV web page appears below.
In this episode, we break down vaccine communication, from the days of “Let the Science Speak for Itself” to the political partisanship of the pandemic.
Related Links
Back to TopAssociation of Immunization Managers offers final episode of REACHing for Vaccine Equity podcast and shares four new immunization resources
The iREACH team at the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) hosted a 2023 podcast series, REACHing for Vaccine Equity, which discusses the accomplishments and challenges of working in racial and ethnic minority communities to increase flu and COVID-19 vaccination rates, explores how these activities intersect with traditional REACH work on decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in chronic diseases, and promotes healthy behaviors. In its final episode, Holistic Approaches to Improve Health Outcomes, meet a team in Charlotte, North Carolina using innovative approaches to change hearts and minds to improve COVID-19 and flu vaccination rates. In this episode, hear about actionable ideas that could be helpful in your community.
Listen to the podcast on the REACHing for Vaccine Equity web page or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Additionally, AIM is offering four new immunization resources:
- Partnering with Diaper Banks to Increase Childhood Vaccination Rates and Improve Access is an AIM partnership resource with the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN). The resource identifies and promotes promising practices to foster nontraditional partnerships between immunization programs and diaper banks. The resource provides answers to commonly asked questions regarding immunization stakeholder and partnership strategies to improve immunization rates.
- Observations from Listening Sessions with AIM Members: Lessons Learned from Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-Outs That May Inform Future Efforts is a new resource that shares pediatric COVID-19 vaccination program implementation barriers from the field and possible solutions that can increase participation rates. This resource discusses barriers faced by healthcare providers, parents, caregivers, and the policies and structures in place holding back access and uptake of COVID-19 vaccine in children.
- Increasing Equitable Access to Birth Dose Immunizations is AIM’s new tip sheet offering actionable solutions to challenges immunization programs and partners may face in increasing equitable access to birth dose immunizations such as hepatitis B vaccine and nirsevimab, the new monoclonal antibody to prevent RSV.
- Collaborating with Medicaid to Improve Immunization Data Exchange and Reporting is a tip sheet created with input from experienced public health professionals. It provides suggestions for how immunization and Medicaid programs can increase data sharing, optimize reporting to Immunization Information Systems (IIS), and develop data-sharing agreements.
Listen to the newest episode of Unity’s FACTSinnated podcast on increasing HPV vaccine confidence among adolescents and young adults
The Unity Consortium’s podcast, FACTSinnated, is centered around “myth-busting” commonly held misconceptions surrounding vaccines—particularly adolescent and young adult vaccines. Unity’s most recent episode, Increasing HPV Vaccine Confidence among Adolescents and Young Adults, features Tamika Fender, founder of Cervivor. During the podcast, Tamika discusses her cancer journey, survivorship, advocacy work, and the importance of increasing adolescent HPV vaccination and the potential for the HPV vaccine to eliminate cervical cancer.
Visit the FACTSinnated web page for more podcast episodes.
Back to TopThe American College Health Association shares new resources from its CoVAC Initiative
The American College Health Association (ACHA) shares new resources from its CoVAC Initiative. Resources include:
- Two new publications from Community College Engagement include:
- Student Ambassador Toolkit can be used to educate the campus community about COVID-19. The resources in the toolkit were updated to include expanded COVID-19 and flu vaccination and mitigation strategies, as well as new components on health literacy, storytelling, and building trust with college students.
- Messaging to Share with Students Receiving Medicaid or CHIP is a new resource for colleges and universities that includes sample messaging to inform students and their families about the steps required to renew or apply for healthcare coverage
ShotbyShot shares two new RSV stories to celebrate National RSV Awareness Month this October
ShotByShot is featuring two new RSV stories in honor of National RSV Awareness Month in October. These stories help personalize the importance of reducing the transmission of RSV among infants, toddlers, and older adults while educating patients or community members about new RSV immunizations.
- Michele’s Story features a respiratory therapist who spent six weeks in the hospital fighting an RSV infection (sharable infographic)
- Taj’s Story details the hospitalization of a 12-month-old with RSV bronchiolitis and his second hospitalization six months later (sharable infographic)
Please share these stories widely with your networks.
Find additional RSV stories (as well as flu, COVID-19, and other vaccine-preventable diseases) on ShotByShot’s Story Gallery web page.
CHOP’s Vaccine Education Center shares “Aluminum & Vaccines: 3 Things to Know” infographic in English and Spanish
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Vaccine Education Center (VEC) developed an infographic, Aluminum & Vaccines: 3 Things to Know, that is available in English and Spanish.
VEC offers many infographics (available in PNG and PDF formats) at its Vaccine- and Disease-Related Infographics main page. Each provides a brief overview related to a disease, vaccine, or related topic.
Back to TopNFID posts podcast episode featuring researcher Carol J. Baker, MD, on developing vaccines and antivirals and conducting clinical trials during pregnancy
Infectious IDeas, a podcast series from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), brings leading experts together for thought-provoking conversations. The latest entry in the series, A Career Dedicated to Protecting Pregnant Mothers and Infants, features Carol J. Baker, MD. A description from the web page appears below.
In this episode, hosts Marla Dalton, PE, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, talk with Carol J. Baker, MD, a leader in group B Streptococcus prevention and a passionate advocate for maternal immunization to help protect mothers and infants. She shares her perspectives on the most significant changes throughout her career, including the development of vaccines and antivirals as well as the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical trials for vaccines and drugs.
Coalitions in the News
These recent articles feature coalition activities and other stories of interest
- Clevelend 19: Health Officials Seeing Insurance Barriers for New COVID Vaccine (10/9/23)
- NPR: The CDC Will No Longer Issue COVID-19 Vaccination Cards (10/5/23)
- CNN: There’s a New Shot to Protect Newborns from a Serious Respiratory Virus, but Parents May Not Be Able to Get It (10/4/23)
- PA Homepage: Flu Season Advice from Central PA Immunization Coalition (9/28/23)
- Bio.news: Hispanic Heritage Month: A Conversation with Julissa Soto about the Importance of Community and Advocacy (9/15/23)
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.