Network News — April 17, 2025

Webinar/Biennial Meeting

Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

Resources

In the News

Announcements

Webinar/Biennial Meeting

Register now! The 2025 National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships will be held October 15–17, 2025, at the Sheraton Keystone in Indianapolis, IN. Abstracts due May 2.

The 2025 National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships (NCICP) will be held October 15–17 at the Sheraton Keystone in Indianapolis, IN. The conference will focus on coalition building and sustainability.

You may now submit an abstract. Abstracts are due May 2.

Reserve a room.

Register for the conference.

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Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

Immunize Kansas Coalition uses the power of collaboration in these uncertain times

Collaboration and partnership have become more important than ever within the immunization community. In late March, the Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) collaborated with other state immunization coalitions at the Voices for Vaccines “Coalitions Learning Collaborative” Summit in Georgia. During the conference, IKC representatives and fellow immunization collaborative members led a series of presentations that offered valuable insights into vaccine messaging, partner and volunteer engagement, community events, and best practices for working alongside community health workers. Following the presentations, attendees participated in group discussions, where they shared lessons learned and strategies to implement into their work at the state level.

With a growing measles outbreak in Kansas, IKC’s collaboration with its state health department has been vital in keeping Kansans safe and informed. In alignment with the department’s messaging, IKC launched its Protect Against Measles web page and accompanying social media campaign, which includes information on measles, outbreak maps, social media graphics, flyers, and messaging designed to raise awareness about the importance of the MMR vaccine. This campaign has been instrumental in IKC’s outreach efforts and serves as a valuable tool for other coalitions and organizations to utilize.

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Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

In person: AIRA will host its 2025 National Meeting on April 28–May 1 in Spokane, Washington; registration ends April 20

The American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA) will host its 2025 National Meeting on April 28–May 1 in Spokane, Washington. The meeting is designed to support and promote the use of immunization information to ensure healthy communities through the development and implementation of immunization information systems (IIS). The meeting provides an annual opportunity to bring peers and partners together to educate on the latest IIS best practices and bring IIS discussion to a national stage. Through both formal presentations and informal discussions, attendees will have an opportunity to strengthen long-term partnerships, develop new relationships, gain professional education and training, and learn from one another.

This year, AIRA will offer pre-conference workshops on April 28, designed to set the stage for an engaging week. The meeting will officially begin on the afternoon of April 28.

Registration ends April 20.

See details and registration information.

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Virtual: Register for Immunize​.org Website Office Hours and learn about Immunize​.org's affiliated websites on May 7 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or May 8 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Previously recorded sessions available online.

To learn simple tips and tricks for using Immunize​.org’s website efficiently, please register for its next set of Website Office Hours on Wednesday, May 7 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or Thursday, May 8 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). The same content will be covered in both sessions.

Immunize​.org will open each 45-minute session with a short, live demonstration on navigating its affiliated websites, including the educational website for the general public, VaccineInformation.org. You can submit questions when you register or live on Zoom during the session.

Register today for Immunize​.org Website Office Hours (content is the same for both):

The archive of previous Website Office Hours content is posted at Immunize​.org’s Webinars & Videos page. These archived webinars include Ask the Experts; Clinical Resources; Vaccine Information Statements (VISs); Images, Webinars, Videos, & Social Media; Official Guidance; Travel Vaccines, Vaccine Confidence & Addressing Concerns; Vaccines A–Z; and Publication Archives, Vaccine Timeline, & About Us.  Mark your calendar for future Immunize​.org Website Office Hours.

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In-person: Register for the 2025 National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit on May 13–15 in Atlanta

The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS) has opened registration for its 2025 National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit in-person meeting to be held May 13–15 at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s theme is “Adult and Influenza Immunization: Looking Back, Moving Forward.”

The NAIIS has reserved a block of rooms at an excellent rate for this year’s meeting. Following registration, you will have the opportunity to book a hotel at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia. The discounted rate will expire on April 20, and is consistent with the United States government per diem rate.

This meeting is an invitation-only event for NAIIS members and invited speakers. While registration is free, registration will be closed once the meeting registration reaches maximum capacity.

Register for the meeting. The meeting registration password is required. If you are a NAIIS member and do not have it, please contact payton.rigert@immunize.org.

View the agenda.

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Nominate a champion! Association of Immunization Managers accepting nominations for Immunization Champions; applications due June 2.

Honor an immunization champion! The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) invites nominations for its Immunization Champion Awards. The award is presented to a champion from each of the designated immunization jurisdictions, which includes 50 U.S. states, five cities, the District of Columbia, and eight U.S. territories or freely associated states. This award recognizes people who are doing an exemplary job, going above and beyond to promote vaccinations in their communities, for both children and adults.

Learn more about AIM’s Immunization Champion Awards.

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In-person: The National Public Health Information Coalition and the Public Health Communications Collaborative will host the "2025 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media" on July 28–30 in Atlanta. Abstracts due April 18.

The National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) and the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) will host the 2025 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media on July 28–30 in Atlanta, Georgia. This unique conference brings together individuals representing academia, public health researchers, and practitioners from federal and state government, as well as industry leaders and experts, to provide a forum for collegial dialogue within and across these groups. The conference aims to provide attendees with a learning environment where innovative ideas and new approaches to advance the field of health communication, marketing, and media are shared.

The submission period for abstracts ends tomorrow, April 18, at 11:59 p.m. (ET). All presenting authors must register for the conference and are eligible for the advance registration fee.

Learn more about abstract submission.

View details and register for the conference.

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Resources

Watch "Virulent: The Vaccine War," examining the consequences of vaccine denial and hesitancy; free on PBS and YouTube

Now streaming on PBS for free, Virulent: The Vaccine War is a documentary that examines the consequences of vaccine denial and hesitancy on global health. A description of the documentary is below.

Examines the consequences of vaccine denial & hesitancy which the World Health Organization calls one of the top 10 threats to global health. It cuts across political, cultural, racial and socio-economic lines. It’s a war anti-vax activists including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have been fighting for years. And COVID-19 is what they practiced for: A national conversation about vaccine safety & mandates. 

Watch the documentary for free on PBS.

It is also available free on YouTube.

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National Infant Immunization Week is April 21–28; prepare your promotion activities with the digital logo from CDC

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 21–28, highlights the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and celebrates the achievements of immunization partners. Since 1994, hundreds of communities have joined together during NIIW to highlight the crucial role vaccination plays in protecting our children, communities, and public health.

CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations. Completing the recommended vaccinations by age 2 years is the best way to protect young children from 15 potentially life-threatening diseases. In light of the recent measles outbreaks, these messages are more important than ever.

CDC makes it simple to brand your NIIW activities by using its promotional materials, including English and Spanish logos. Although the full CDC social media toolkit is not available this year, resources from Vaccinate Your Family make it easy to plan your digital campaign. Please share your posts using the hashtag #ivax2protect. Find more actionable strategies, resources, and data to support getting people of all ages on-schedule with their routine immunizations.

Related Links

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Vaccinate Your Family introduces its #VaxToTheFuture campaign and releases its 2025 State of the ImmUnion Report

During National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 21–28, Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) will hold its #VaxToTheFuture Campaign, with the theme, “Don’t Let Diseases of the Past Become Part of Their Future.” The bilingual campaign is a reminder that babies can be protected from serious illness if we continue to vaccinate and stand up against misinformation. This campaign encourages parents, caregivers, and communities to trust in science, remember the lessons of the past, and prioritize the health of infants. infants.

Visit VYF’s Dropbox toolkit.

View VYF’s NIIW web page.

Please use #VaxToTheFuture on social media and tag @vaccinateyourfamily (@vaxyourfam on X) so your efforts can be amplified.

Additionally, VYF released its ninth annual State of the ImmUnion Report. VYF’s report describes the ongoing challenges our nation faces with respect to vaccine-preventable diseases and the policies that can increase vaccination rates and promote public safety.

View the report.

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Vaccine Ambassadors and Immunize Canada share resources from their cross-border partnership

The effort to protect people against vaccine-preventable diseases doesn’t stop at the borders. Immunize Canada and Vaccine Ambassadors have joined forces in working to spread the word about the power of vaccines. The two coalitions began working together in 2020, when they collaborated on many events and resources.

Immunize Canada is the only national coalition in Canada dedicated to promoting the benefits of immunization. The coalition fosters collaboration within a diverse network, which includes professional health organizations, nongovernmental and governmental organizations, and the private sector.

Vaccine Ambassadors, a U.S. nonprofit, is committed to increasing equitable access to life-saving vaccines at home and abroad, decreasing deaths and disabilities from vaccine-preventable diseases, and advocating for universal vaccine coverage for all. The coalition also works to enhance the dialogue between healthcare providers and communities about the importance of immunizations both locally and globally.

In collaboration, the coalition developed a variety of co-branded resources, including posters, social media images, videos, and more. These resources are available in English, Spanish, and French, and can be downloaded from Immunize Canada’s website.

Both coalitions plan to continue to advocate for immunization to ensure that life-saving vaccines reach as many people as possible, regardless of borders.

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Free poster available from Merck with clinical images of childhood measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox

In light of the ongoing measles outbreaks in the United States, Merck recently posted an updated PDF copy of its longstanding poster titled A Guide To Differential Diagnosis: Selected Rash/Illness In Children. The 3-panel graphic provides images and text descriptions to help differentiate the rashes and other clinical manifestations of measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox (varicella).

There are two widely available and interchangeable vaccines against measles, mumps, and rubella in the United States: MMR-II (Merck) and Priorix (GSK). Merck is the only manufacturer of vaccines to prevent chickenpox (varicella) in the United States.

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April is National Minority Health Month; one way to support broad access to immunization information is with our translated patient education materials

April is National Minority Health Month, a time to focus on the importance of achieving health for all. Millions of Americans face persistent barriers to preventive services, including immunization.

One way Immunize​.org works to reduce barriers for people whose preferred language is not English is to make available translations of VISs as well as some of our most popular vaccination-related handouts and fact sheets. Visit our Translations main page to access all translated resources.

Related Links

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In the News

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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.
  • Please visit the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS, the “Summit” at www.izsummitpartners.org to check out the latest resources on operationalizing, and payment for, adult and influenza vaccines. If you are not a Summit partner, please sign on at: www.izsummitpartners.org/join-the-summit.
  • 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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