Special Report on the State of the ImmUnion Sent to Congress
Feb 28, 2017

How strong are the country’s defenses against vaccine-preventable diseases and how well are U.S. citizens protected?   What we can do to make our “ImmUnion” stronger and more resilient in the face of emerging health threats?

Every Child By Two (ECBT) has shared a special report on the State of Our Nation’s “ImmUnion” with members of congress to highlight the power of vaccines and suggest areas of action to fortify the health of our nation.  While the medical community has the ability to protect Americans of all ages from deadly infectious diseases, public health workers continue to battle disease outbreaks across the nation that threaten the health and wellbeing of our citizens.  Many Americans continue to lack access to life-saving vaccines that can protect themselves, their families and their communities from preventable diseases, while others fail to realize that vaccines are available to protect them from many different life-threatening diseases.

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This comprehensive 2017 State of the ImmUnion Report highlights the successes of vaccines, the economic and societal savings incurred from vaccines, challenges facing the public health system, and key areas we must focus on to achieve optimal protection for all Americans.

ECBT is hopeful that this report will not only help congressional leaders learn more about the vaccination rates in their home states, but that it will also help public health advocates prioritizing the benefits of immunizations in the years ahead.

ECBT is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure this message reaches every level of state and federal government – from the local public health department, to the President of the United States. But we need your help!

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You are an important part of the equation.  Join us in helping to make sure that immunizations remain a public health priority by taking these simple steps:

1.  Support critical public health funding.

Having an adequate public health budget ensures that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the states and the territories are all prepared to:

  • respond to existing and emerging vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks,
  • conduct community outreach,
  • educate providers and the public
  • maintain immunization registries, and
  • provide vaccine services to the community.

soti-vpdcostfbThe report highlights the success of vaccines and discusses the economic and societal saving that occur as a result of a well-vaccinated population.

Unfortunately, federal vaccine appropriations have not met the levels requested in annual justification reports from the CDC, and state appropriations are nearly non-existent. This has resulted in a loss of personnel and the disbanding of several highly effective statewide coalitions which had supported immunization efforts for decades.

Additionally, if and when the Affordable Care Act is repealed, nearly $600 million in funds that currently support the CDC and state immunization activities may be eliminated. You can learn more about the critical funding issues  here, and if you want to ensure legislators reallocate these funds, take a moment to add your name to Every Child By Two’s Vaccine Funding Support Statement here

2.  Support the science behind vaccines and the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule.

The public must be continually reassured that the timing of vaccines is carefully considered prior to CDC recommendation, and that vaccine safety is heavily monitored with pre and post licensure procedures. There are many disproven myths about the safety of vaccines and we need immunization champions who are well-informed and ready to respond to concerns with evidence-based responses. This report includes specific resources that can be helpful in addressing vaccine safety and policy concerns and even provides links to state specific immunization rates.

3.  Join your local immunization coalition to see how you can work to advance the State of the ImmUnion in your local area.  

soti-measlescasesfbLearn more about the vaccination rates in your state, and the impact vaccine-preventable diseases are having there, by accessing the resources cited in the State of the ImmUnion report, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics’ interactive map and the CDC’s VaxView.  If you want to connect with other immunization advocates in  your state, simply send an email to us at info@ecbt.org and we can help connect you with your local immunization coalition.

4.  Communicate directly with your state and federal legislators to encourage them to support a strong State of the ImmUnion. 

Whether you call, email or Tweet your state and federal legislators, grab their attention by including any of the informative graphics from this special report.  Simply include a link to the PDF report of the 2017 State of the ImmUnion along with some of the images we’ve compiled in our  State of the ImmUnion social media toolkit and you’ll be helping to get the message out.  (And don’t forget to tag @ShotofPrev in your tweets so we can help amplify your message.)

vyf-ecbt-logo-rgb-copyEvery Child By Two’s Vaccinate Your Family campaign is an initiative aimed at raising awareness of the critical importance of vaccines across the lifespan.  We are encouraged by the actions of so many devoted immunization champions all across the nation, and we hope you will join our efforts to ensure a strong “State of the ImmUnion”.  Be sure to subscribe to our Shot of Prevention blog, like our Vaccinate Your Family Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter at @ShotofPrev to continue to receive updates on how you can join us as a voice for positive change!   

 

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Founded in 1991 by Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and Former First Lady of Arkansas Betty Bumpers, Every Child By Two works to protect families and individuals from vaccine-preventable diseases by raising awareness of the critical need for timely immunizations for people of all ages, increasing the public’s understanding of the bene ts of vaccines, increasing con dence in the safety of vaccines, ensuring that all families have access to life-saving vaccines, and advocating for policies that support timely vaccination. Learn more at ecbt.org.


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