The Essential Role of Physicians in Immunization By Lisa Foster, AVAC Co-Manager Physicians and other health care providers in the community are the experts we turn to when we are sick and are in need of medical advice and care. We also look to providers for information and education on how to improve and protect our health and overall wellbeing. …

Vaccine Infrastructure And Education Is The Best Medical Investment Our Country Can Make By: J. Nadine Gracia and Amy Pisani January 21, 2020 When it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States, it’s been a rough few months. Flu season got off to its earliest start in 15 years and is currently widespread throughout the nation, according to the …

Moving More Electrons To Optimize New Adult Composite Immunization Measures Health Affairs Blog Angela K. Shen Elizabeth Sobczyk September 20, 2019 Doi: 10.1377/hblog20190919.68890 Meaningfully measuring adult influenza and pneumococcal vaccination is a vital public health intervention. Ninety percent of deaths from influenza occur in older adults, often those with chronic co-morbid conditions. Pneumococcal disease is also responsible for thousands of …

This past weekend, Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) lost a beloved colleague and close friend. Rich Greenaway, our Director of Operations and Special Projects, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday. Rich was a committed champion of vaccinations and a superlative human being who dedicated more than two decades of his life to protecting people of all ages from vaccine-preventable diseases. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Read more about Rich’s life and contributions to the immunization community: https://shotofprevention.com/2019/08/16/vaccinate-your-family-mourns-the-loss-of-rich-greenaway/

Check out this blog from Dr. Angela Shen, ScD, MPH that was published in Health Affairs. The blog discusses the recent measles outbreaks and the value of vaccines.

AVAC Blog Spotlight: Amy Pisani, Vaccinate Your Family As major measles outbreaks in New York, California and elsewhere continue to spread, along with the spread of whooping cough, mumps, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, you may wonder how an organization such as Vaccinate Your Family, founded thirty years ago on the heels of a massive outbreak of measles, is dealing …

AVAC Spotlight Dara Lieberman, MPP, Trust for America’s Health As Director of Government Relations at Trust for America’s Health, Dara Alpert Lieberman oversees the development and implementation of federal government relations strategies and works to advance and implement TFAH’s policy priorities. Through her leadership of the organization’s advocacy around infectious disease prevention, disease surveillance, and strengthening the nation’s public health …

AVAC Spotlight: Andrea Polkinghorn, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, SD Andrea Polkinghorn believes that you’re never too old to get vaccinated. Children, adolescents, and adults all need vaccinations to keep our communities healthy. As we age, childhood vaccinations begin to wear off, leaving adults susceptible to serious and potentially life-threatening diseases. She knows that it’s imperative that when it comes to …

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2030 Over the past several decades, the Healthy People immunization and infectious disease objectives have been a cornerstone to national efforts to protect against vaccine preventable conditions across the lifespan. For example, the goal for flu vaccine coverage for adults 18 and over is 70% but the actual rate is closer to 45%, while the goal for pneumococcal …

In 2009, Serese Marotta lost her five-year-old son Joseph to H1N1 flu. Despite her devastating loss, Serese soon joined the Board of Directors of Families Fighting Flu (FFF), an advocacy organization that includes families, healthcare professionals, and other advocates dedicated to increasing flu education and prevention, so that she could help other families with similar experiences. Today, she is the …