Blogs

National Infant Immunization Week 2013

Apr 08, 2013 (44 days ago)

April 20-27, 2013 is National Infant Immunization Week. Immunization. Power to Protect.

National Infant Immunization week (NIIW) is around the corner. This week is an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases. It is also a time to celebrate achievements of immunizaiton programs and their many partners in promoting healthy communities. All around Arizona, activities will be held to highlight and honor the efforts made. The CDC also has a webpage with resources from around the country and the world. Feel free to utilize the resources and also follow TAPI on Facebook and Twitter and spread the posts and tweets you receive.

NIIW is a call to action, a time to educate and share. Let's help ensure our infants are fully immunized!

NIIW 2013

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National Infant Immunization Week NIIW

Arizona Partnership Against Pertussis

Jan 09, 2013 (133 days ago)

Arizona Partners Against Pertussis

Gail Petersen Hock

Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation

Have you had your Tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) immunization? Pertussis, or whooping cough, is endemic in the United States and outbreaks are difficult to identify and manage (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013, January 2). As of November 2012 Arizona’s pertussis incidence rate of 13.5/100,000 persons is higher than the national incidence (CDC, 2013, January 2). More than nine hundred new Arizona cases were reported last year. This surpasses the number of Arizona cases reported in 2011 (CDC, 2013, January 4). The majority of deaths, nationwide, were infants under 3 months of age (CDC, 2013, January 2).

Although nurses may have received pertussis vaccine in childhood, immunity wanes 5 to 10 years after the most recent dose. Without the recommended Tdap coverage nurses pose a significant risk to vulnerable infants (CDC, 2011, November 25). The CDC (2012, February 3) estimates that, in 2010, only 8.2% of adults have current Tdap coverage allowing pertussis to also spread from adult to adult.

What can you do to protect Arizona’s babies? Join forces with the March of Dimes and The Arizona Partnership for Immunization’s (TAPI) “Arizona Partners Against Pertussis” and help to create a Pertussis Free Workplace. This statewide challenge was launched last November to encourage all Arizona healthcare workers to become immunized against pertussis. Groups that achieve 100% pertussis vaccination coverage among eligible personnel will be recognized on the TAPI website, www.whyimmunize.org, receive a certificate of participation and entered into a drawing to receive an iPad or one of five $100 gift cards provided by the March of Dimes.

The Code of Ethics for Nurses is clear in stating our professional duty to protect our clients. So get your Tdap, encourage your colleagues to get theirs and help all of us protect our precious Arizona babies. Go to the “Arizona Partners Against Pertussis” page on TAPI’s website http://www.whyimmunize.org/APAP and follow the simple guidance to build a Pertussis Free Workplace. Who knows, there may be a new iPad in your future!

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011, November 25). Immunization of health –care personnel. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Recommendations and Reports. 60(07), 66-72. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr6007.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, February 3). Adult vaccination coverage — United States, 2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 61(04), 66-72. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6104a2.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013, January 2). Pertussis: Outbreaks. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/outbreaks.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013, January 4). Notifiable diseases and mortality tables. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 61(51 & 52). ND-727. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm6152md.pdf

Vaccine for Children (VFC) Federal Funding Changes

Oct 31, 2012 (203 days ago)

There have been significant changes to Federal vaccine budgets and policies for Vaccines for Children vaccine use. ADHS is working diligently to implement the changes but almost every aspect of vaccine distribution or tracking has been impacted. It will take some time to smooth out the kinks and develop new systems. Below you will find resources regarding the changes in vaccine funding and tracking. Please contact us with any questions.

Here are the changes in a nutshell:

Vaccine for Children vaccine may not be used for privately insured kids in any setting starting Oct 1, 2012. Kids with a high deductible are considered fully insured.
Under VFC guidelines only community health centers or their delegates can use VFC vaccine for underinsured kids. Blanket deputization agreements that deputize all VFC providers as health center delegates for vaccine delivery will no longer be allowed after 12.31.12. After 12.31.12, only a select few sites are approved by the CDC.
The Birth Dose of Hep B will no longer be provided to hospitals for insured kids.
Dose by Dose accountability will require that each VFC vaccine is tracked by lot number to the patient’s eligibility. VFC inventory will have to be reconciled in ASIIS before providers can receive more VFC vaccine.
VFC vaccine can only be used on Uninsured, Native American and AHCCCS kids.

Contact Jennifer Tinney at JenniferT@TAPI.org for questions and visist WhyImmunize.org/vaccine-financing for more information and materials.