Shot of Prevention

My husband and I both grew up as fans of the NY Giants.  Over the years, as we’ve moved from state to state, we’ve discovered that there are a lot of people out there that just love to hate New York teams. Despite the criticism and abuse we’ve received, we’ve always remained loyal to our team.  So last night, as we celebrated the NY Giants, I took a few moments to consider what a champion really is.  In addition to being somebody who competes in and wins a competition or tournament, I found these other definitions quite fitting.

DEFENDER:  As in defender, supporter, or promoter of somebody or something (such as a “champion” of human rights)

REMARKABLE PERSON:  As in a personal example of excellence or achievement

There are plenty of critics who have said that the NY Giants did not even deserve to compete in the Super Bowl since they didn’t have the best record in the league.  But the reality is that they have won it all.    Their perseverance, skill and determination in the face of adversity is what ultimately elevated them to championship status.

As I sat down at my computer this morning, still giddy from last night’s big game, I began to realize that true champions come in many forms.  Day in and day out, whether it’s baseball season or football season, I’m faced with vaccine critics on this blog and on our Vaccinate Your Baby Facebook page who are often relentless in their attacks.  However, we’re fortunate to have the support of many loyal champions who participate in this forum, tirelessly defending and supporting childhood immunizations.    Some are health care workers, physicians, nurses and medical assistants.  Some are scientists, researchers or public health workers.  Many are parents.  And all are concerned citizens.

These champions remain engaged on this issue because they know that immunizations protect children and communities from dangerous and sometimes deadly vaccine preventable diseases.  While they deserve the equivalent of a Super Bowl trophy and championship ring, their hard work rarely gets any recognition.

This is why I would like to call upon you to nominate these special champions for a new award from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) entitled the CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award.  Individuals from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, who make a significant contribution toward improving public health in their communities through their work in childhood immunization will be honored with an award during National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 21–28, 2012.

To learn more about the award, review eligibility criteria, and see deadlines associated with award, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/champions.  Nominations are due to State Immunization Programs by February 10, 2012 so please consider nominating friends and colleagues from across the country before the end of the week.  We want these immunization champions to know just how much we appreciate them and all their efforts to support childhood immunizations.

As I was preparing to leave for a brief business trip on Sunday evening I heard these words:

“God comes to us disguised as our life.”

Little did I know that over the next two days I would come to a fuller understanding of what these words mean to me in regards to my life at this moment.

In my faith, I believe that the choices we make and the actions we take should be guided by our love for our neighbor who encompasses all of humanity.  With that vision, it’s my personal opinion that there’s nothing more compassionate than saving the life of a child.

While parents in the United States often have the luxury of waiting for hours in line for that magical Dumbo ride at Disney, the reality remains that in many other countries mothers walk for miles and wait for hours for a simple vaccine in hopes that their own princes and princesses will have the hope of a healthier life.  While many of us readily acknowledge that such disparity exists, children all over the globe continue to suffer and die from vaccine preventable diseases.  As individuals we often feel powerless to do anything about it.   However, by supporting global vaccination programs we can save the life of a child every 20 seconds and stop the nearly 2 million unnecessary deaths that happen every year.

One way in which I personally plan to evoke change is through supporting a new campaign called Shot@Life.  By helping to educate, connect and empower people, Shot@Life is launching a powerful initiative that promotes vaccines as one of the most cost-effective ways to save the lives of children in developing countries.  This new UN Foundation project focuses on ways in which every day people can help give children around the world the shot at life they deserve, no matter where they live.  As you can see in the video below, some children may never experience the milestones that many of us take for granted; like saying their first words, losing their first tooth, or even getting their first vaccine.

After attending a special Shot@Life volunteer summit earlier this week, it became quite clear to me – as well as to each of the other volunteer champions in attendance – that there are as many ways to help, as there are people who want to be a part of the solution. Read more…

This is hard to admit, but it’s December 15th and I just found my holiday spirit…yesterday.

Sure, I went through the motions of decorating the house. Heck, I even trimmed the tree and managed to adorn the outside with twinkling icicles.  The  “holiday music all-the-time” radio station has been playing continuously since Thanksgiving andour  Elf on the Shelf tradition has been in full swing.  Unfortunately, none of this has seemed to help.

Honestly, I was beginning to feel a bit like a Scrooge and I’ve procrastinated everything from Christmas cards to holiday shopping.

But that all changed yesterday.

As I set out early yesterday morning, to begin what I feared was going to be a dreadful day of shopping, I realized that my Ebenezer mood was disappearing as quickly as a plate of warm cookies and milk.   I filled my bags with the perfect gifts for everyone on my list.  From the elementary school teacher, to the helpful neighbor hosting tomorrow’s Christmas party, to a church volunteer, down to my very own children.

And just like that, I discovered the missing ingredient. The one thing that has finally made all the difference. Read more…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that 63% of healthcare workers received a seasonal influenza vaccine as of the beginning of November.  While this is a 7% increase over the number vaccinated by the same time last year, there is still significant room for improvement.

Healthcare workers include a wide variety of professions, such as nurses, dentists, lab technicians, OB/GYNs and many others.  These professionals have a great deal of contact with patients, and therefore are exposed to illness on a regular basis, which is why you might suspect they would want to be up-to-date on their vaccines.  However, we must also recognize the risks these workers pose to others if they themselves are infected.  It is possible for workers to be contagious before they realize they are ill.  During that time it is also possible that they could unknowingly spreading illnesses, such as influenza, to vulnerable patients.

Take, for instance, the example of a newborn child.  As a parent, your most important concern is for the well-being of your baby.   That’s why you may insist that friends and family members who want to visit your child, both in the hospital and at home, are immunized.  However, how would you feel if you discovered that almost 40% of the people providing care for your child are not immunized against seasonal flu?

As parents and patients we often assume that those caring for us and our loved ones are doing everything possible to protect us, and that includes getting immunized.  While we are seeing encouraging statistics to suggest that they are, this is not a universal requirement in the healthcare industry and so there is still work to do to help improve healthcare worker vaccination rates.

Since nurses play a critical role as vaccinators, educators and role models for their patients, it’s important to highlight the efforts being made by the American Nurses Association (ANA) to help educate nurses on the importance of immunizations.  Not only do they offer a free Continuing Education (CE) course entitled Bringing Immunity to Every Community, they are doing their part to engage on the issue of influenza vaccination with their Unite to Fight the Flu! campaign.  Today, they’ve even planned a clever way to offer free CE credits with a live Twitter chat.     

To join today’s twitter chat from 12:30-1p.m. EST,  all one has to do is go to http://tweetchat.com/room/anachat or use the hashtag #anachat on Twitter.  The discussion will focus on facts about influenza, with a special emphasis made to dispel the myths about the flu vaccine.  This is a free event and both ANA members and non-members are encouraged to join.  Read more…

Walking through the streets of New York City, there is always so much to see – especially at this time of year.  The sidewalks are crowded with busy shoppers, excited tourists and holiday celebrants.

On Thursday morning, more than 3.5 million people will line the streets, and more than 50 million viewers will tune in to glimpse some of the most elaborate and creative floats imaginable.  The scale of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is immense, and as viewers raise their eyes, they will not only see amazing helium balloons of Snoopy and Buzz Lightyear, but they may also catch a glimpse of some special baby faces.

These baby images are part of a special public service announcement that had aired in on the Times Square CBS “Super Screen” at 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenue, earlier this month.  The captivating video is now being prominently displayed on the double screens above the famous Macy’s Department Store, at the corner of 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

This public service announcement, created by Every Child By Two as part of their Vaccinate Your Baby campaign, will consist of two silent, fifteen second spots that will run once per hour through January 3rd.  The fabulous Macy’s location is ideally targeted to reach the huge crowds that congregate in this area of Manhattan from Thanksgiving through the busy New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square.

Due to recent outbreaks of measles and whooping cough, and the continued loss of lives from seasonal influenza, Every Child By Two is reminding parents of the dangers of vaccine preventable diseases and the importance of timely immunizations for their children.  Since the organization was founded 2o years ago, it has been their goal to help ensure that the four million children born each year in the U.S. are not lost to preventable diseases.  With the support of many public health organizations, the Vaccinate Your Baby campaign message encourages childhood immunizations as the safest, most effective way to control and eradicate infectious diseases that continue to pose a threat to our personal and public health.

If you happen to be in the Big Apple over the holidays, or even if you’re enjoying the festivities on TV, be sure to keep an eye out for the video below.  We’d love to hear about your personal sightings in our comments section.  After all, for Every Child By Two, this is like a little “Miracle on 34th Street”.

In last week’s Congress Blog, an article entitled Cost vs. Public Health expressed concerns over the current vaccine approval system in the United States.  The author suggests that the current system is “stifling innovation, creating an environment of uncertainty for new immunizations and, more importantly, reducing the public health impact of vaccines.”

One of the author’s main concerns is that the role of The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)  has shifted in recent years.  While the FDA is tasked with determining if new vaccines are safe and effective, the ACIP’s role has historically been to determine which vaccines should be recommended for use in certain populations.  While the author believes the ACIP is best suited to evaluate immunizations, the concern is that the committee is also being tasked with evaluating the cost-effectiveness of vaccines.  The article suggests that if we are to remain a country committed to promoting prevention and wellness, we must find a way to separate financial decisions from public health considerations.

While that sounds logical, it’s also proving to be quite difficult, especially when programs and policies are constantly being evaluated based on financial impact.  Fortunately, when you put a dollar value on health, you can easily make a case for the benefit of immunizations.  In fact, for every $1 spent on immunization, the U.S. saves $10.20.  Since figures are based on real costs of care in treating patients with vaccine preventable diseases, it’s easy to see the cost versus benefit here.  But how does the cost benefit analysis break down when evaluating each new vaccine?

For instance, the ACIP is currently considering a recommendation for a vaccine that can prevent a specific type of bacterial meningitis in infants.  While this immunization is already recommended for pre-teen children, the vaccine has recently been approved by the FDA for infants.  Now, the ACIP is tasked with deciding whether to issue a “routine/universal” recommendation for infants, a “permissive” recommendation, or none at all. Read more…