Vaccine Education, Awareness, and Advocacy

Protecting Our Most Vunerable Members of Society Through Vaccination

Vaccinations have significantly decreased the number of annual cases of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Yet, people across our state are still getting sick…even dying…from these diseases every year. The Illinois Public Health Association is committed to advocating for Illinois families, health care providers, and our state and local health departments striving to increase vaccination rates in Illinois. Through education, advocacy, and collaboration with public and private organizations, IPHA is on the front lines of advocacy and education to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases in our state.

When everyone is vaccinated, we protect our most vulnerable members of society, including young children, the elderly, and the medically frail. Our schoolchildren are able to learn in the safest environment possible when our schools have strong immunization rates, and minimal nonmedical vaccine exemptions.

Immunization initiatives:

 

IPHA is committed to:

  • Advocacy: IPHA’s Policy and Legislative Committee meets regularly to monitor and advocate for state and federal  legislation including vaccine-related legislation.
  • Improving Access: Grant programs fund improved access to: COVID-19 vaccinations in African American and Hispanic communities; mpox vaccinations in rural gay and bisexual communities; Hepatitis B vaccinations in Asian and African immigrant communities; and pediatric, adult, and senior vaccinations in communities with inadequate immunization access.
  • Collaboration: IPHA is an active member of the Midwest Immunization Coalition and national partner networks to champion trusted messaging and education about immunizations to address vaccine hesitancy and reduce misinformation in Illinois.

 

Top News: 

 
 

2025 ACIP Recommended Immunization Schedules Now Available (12/10/24)

 

Vaccination Coverage Among Nursing Home Residents

  • CDC assessed COVID-19, influenza, and RSV vaccination coverage among nursing home residents early in the 2024–25 respiratory virus season.
     
  • Nursing home residents face elevated risks of severe illness from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
     

As of November 10, 2024, 30% of nursing home residents in the U.S. had received the updated COVID-19 vaccine, 58% had received an influenza vaccine, and only 18% had received an RSV vaccine.

 

Seasonal Flu and H5N1 Bird Flu Updates

  • Preliminary estimates for the 2024–25 flu season burden and severity are available.
     
  • CDC issued a press release confirming the first reported H5N1 bird flu infection in a child in the U.S.
     
  • Updated data on H5N1 bird flu monitoring, testing, and human cases are available on the Current Situation page.
     

CDC released updated fact sheets in English and Spanish on how infected backyard poultry could spread bird flu to people.

 
 

Resources:

Immunization Action Coalition
(www.vaccineinformation.org)

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center
(www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center)

Immunize.org (www.immunize.org)

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases 

NFID recently launched a Spanish website which features timely and updated information on COVID-19, influenza (flu), measles, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rotavirus, and other infectious diseases, as well as antibiotic resistance, and 10 reasons to get vaccinated.

Visit the NFID Spanish website directly at es.nfid.org

Voices for Vaccines

Voices for Vaccines™ is a family-led organization that serves as a catalyst to spark positive peer-to-peer conversations about vaccines and the diseases they prevent by supporting communities, building networks, and developing fact-based content that enables parents to make healthy, informed decisions about vaccination for their children and their communities.

 

 

 

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