A Tale of Two Registries: Unpacking How Strong Immunization Information Systems in New York Helped End the Measles Outbreak

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The Benefits of Immunization Information Systems to Public Health Efforts 

Immunization Information Systems (IIS) are confidential electronic records of vaccine information which provide a powerful public health tool for patient care, especially during an outbreak.  The benefits of IIS occur on an individual and societal level and include but are not limited to: data usage and collection, timely and accurate patient care, and efficient resource allocation. Access to immunization records allows providers, patients, and some partner organizations, such as schools, to access data in order to inform or notify parties of missing or needed immunizations. 

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Standing Up to Cancer During Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (And Beyond)

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Guest Post by Laurie Cardin

Laurie Cardin was 48 years old when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013. Six years later, Laurie is cancer-free. She still lives with the trauma—both mental and physical—of her battle with cervical cancer. But with the support and encouragement of family, friends and support groups, Laurie has chosen to embrace life and support other women and families who are affected by cervical cancer. Laurie also advocates for the HPV vaccine and its incredible power to prevent the cancer that changed her life. In honor of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Laurie shared her story with Immunize Colorado.

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Start the School Year Off Right With Vaccines!

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Summer has flown by, and it is nearly time for kids to say goodbye to summer break and hello to the new school year. As you soak up the last few moments of summer with your kids and work to complete those last-minute back-to-school checklist items—like buying school supplies, creating a family calendar or turning in registration forms—don’t forget to check immunizations off your list!

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Ensuring your child receives school-required and other recommended vaccines will help to bolster their immune system, keep them (and the community) healthy, and set them up for success as they enter the new school year.

With so much to do before the summer ends, this time of year can feel chaotic. Luckily, there are many resources that make it easy to check vaccines off your list and create a smooth transition back to school for your family.

Why are vaccines important for kids in school and child care?

Vaccines are your child’s best defense against harmful, potentially deadly diseases. Diseases, like measles and whooping cough, can spread very easily in school settings. To protect other students and school staff, especially those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, every child who can be vaccinated should be. This is called community immunity, and when enough people are vaccinated, it provides a shield against contagious disease.

Out of all the states in the U.S., Colorado currently has the lowest kindergarten immunization rate for the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine at 87.4%. This rate is much lower than the 95% level necessary for community protection. This leaves our communities vulnerable to an outbreak. With well over 1,000 measles cases reported across 30 states in 2019, it’s not unlikely that an outbreak could make its way to Colorado.

To learn more about vaccines and how they work to protect communities from vaccine-preventable disease, visit SpreadTheVaxFacts.com.

Which vaccines are needed for school entry?

To see which vaccines your child might need depending on their age, head to the state health department’s webpage on school-required vaccines. To learn more about other recommended vaccines like the flu shot and the HPV vaccine, visit the CDC’s vaccine website for parents. In Colorado, you can visit COVaxRecords.org to request your child’s vaccination records and see which vaccines your child might be missing. You should also consult your child’s healthcare provider to determine which vaccines your child needs.

Where can I get vaccines for my child? 

If your child has a family physician they see regularly, this physician can provide vaccines for your child, as well as other important health and developmental screenings and tests. In addition, local public health departments often offer weekend vaccination clinics. In the Denver-Metro area, the Shots for Tots and Teens program offers low-cost vaccines for both insured and underinsured children and adults at their Saturday immunization clinics hosted at Aurora Fire Station #2 in Aurora. You can visit COVax4Kids.org to determine if your child is eligible for low- or no-cost vaccines and to locate providers who offer them.

The state health department also provides a full list of locations that offer vaccines.

How can I see the immunization rates at my child’s school?

Parents and the public can view vaccination and exemption data for their child’s school or child care facility at COVaxRates.org to see how protected it is from outbreaks of preventable disease.

You can also view your school district’s immunization and exemption coverage and an overview of statewide Colorado vaccine and vaccine-preventable disease information using fact sheets and dashboards created by the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, which are available at COSchoolIZ.org.

Other helpful immunization resources for parents and families:

  • ImmunizeForGood.com and VaccunalosPorSuBien.com – CCIC’s English- and Spanish-language websites for parents that include information on vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases, outline the importance of vaccination, and provide answers to parents’ commonly asked questions
  • CDC’s Childhood Vaccine Assessment Tool – Allows parents to answer quick questions to learn which vaccines their child may need
  • CDC’s Immunization Tracker – Helps parents record their child’s immunizations, developmental milestones, and growth at each well-child visit
  • CDC’s How Vaccines Work video series – Series of animated videos that help explain how germs can make babies sick, how vaccines can help babies fight germs and infection, and what to expect when your child is vaccinated

On behalf of the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, we wish your family a healthy and happy 2019-2020 school year!

Clinicians: As Measles Outbreaks Grow, Here’s How You Can Help Protect Your Patients

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Measles outbreaks are popping up across the United States. From January 1 to March 7, 2019, 228** individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 12 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Six outbreaks (defined as 3 or more linked cases) have been reported, in Rockland County, New York; New York City, New York; Washington; Texas; California and Illinois.

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Surviving Cervical Cancer and Fighting Back

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Colorado native Tracy Jimenez was diagnosed with cervical cancer just four days after her 46th birthday on October 26, 2016. A single mother of three, grandmother to five, and surrogate mother to a 24-year-old nephew with cerebral palsy, Tracy had her hands more than full. Her busy life and endless responsibilities made her life-altering cancer diagnosis even more terrifying. In an interview with the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, Tracy explains how cervical cancer caused by a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection impacted her life, and how it’s driven her to speak up for the vaccine that has the power to prevent cervical and other kinds of cancer: the HPV vaccine.

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Back-to-School Season is Here! Tri-County Health Department Offers Back-to-School Immunization Clinics

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Guest post by Tri-County Health Department

When you think of back-to-school season, you might think about new books, backpacks and binders, but you may not think of vaccines! Colorado law requires students at licensed child care centers and schools to be vaccinated against certain diseases. Many people know that vaccines are recommended for babies, but additional doses are required for kindergarten and sixth grade entry to keep kids healthy and protected from preventable illness throughout the school year. Many colleges also require certain vaccines after age sixteen. More information on which vaccines are required in Colorado can be found here.

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What Can Healthcare Providers Do to Help Improve Teen Vaccination Rates in Colorado?

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released its annual report on adolescent vaccination coverage.

While it’s encouraging to see slight improvement in vaccination rates, too many Colorado teens remain under-vaccinated against serious infectious diseases. Rates are particularly low for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination series in Colorado – only 52.1 percent of girls and 44 percent of boys completed the HPV series. Nationally, just 39.1 percent of teens have received the recommended second dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY), which means they might not be protected against meningococcal meningitis. Additionally, in 2015, less than half of teens 13 through 17 years of age received the influenza vaccine.
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Heading Back to School? Make Sure Your Teen is Up to Date on Immunizations to Stay Healthy

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Guest post by Jefferson County Public Health

In honor of National Immunization Awareness Month, Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) encourages parents to ensure their child is up to date on all recommended immunizations, including the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine, before heading back to school.

They’ll always be your baby, even when your little boy towers over your head or your baby girl is going through her first heartbreak. Though the diapers and baby teeth have been replaced by hormones and acne, your teen still needs your help to be healthy. [Read more…]

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