Next month (actually, next week!) is August, which is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), sponsored by the National Partnership for Immunization (NPI), a joint program of National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). We've got a whole month to get the immunization message out, and NPI has worked hard to make it easy for us.
You can request a NIAM promotional kit for your community's efforts. The kit includes a list of NIAM endorsers, a sample proclamation and press release, an order form for NIAM brochures ("Are You Up-to-Date? Vaccinate!"), sample posters, stickers, and bookmarks, and more great stuff.
For further information, contact NPI by email at npi@nfid.org or phone at (703) 836-6110.
The "Diseases/Vaccines" section of IAC's website is now complete with 16 web pages for diseases and the vaccines that prevent them. All contain valuable sources of information in the form of journal articles, organizations to contact, medical recommendations, laws, photos, and case histories.
The newest "Diseases/Vaccines" additions are: the Diphtheria Information page, the Pertussis Information page, the Tetanus Information page, the Pneumococcal Conjugate Information page, the Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Information page, the Meningococcal Information page, and the Rabies Information page.
Montana now requires that every pregnant woman be tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and all positive results in Montana are now reportable. This law went into effect in Montana on October 1, 2001.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will broadcast and webcast the program "Standards of Care and Strategies for Immunizing Nursing Home Residents" Friday, August 16, 2002, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT.
The targeted audience for this free program includes nursing home administrators, nursing home surveyors, medical directors, and nurses. The program may also benefit nurse practitioners, infection control practitioners, epidemiologists, physicians, physician assistants, and nursing home inspection personnel.
The educational program will be a mix of live discussion and pre-taped video presentations. Presenters include Dale Bratzler, D.O., M.P.H.; Alexis S. Christian; Linda McKibben, M.D., M.P.H., A.B.D.; Abigail M. Shefer, M.D.; and Leslie Stafford, J.D. A live question-and-answer session will be held with the moderator and panel.
A webcast of the program will be available for viewing at the above URL/address after August 16 for one year.
Up-to-date information on the rapidly changing field of immunization will be presented. Anticipated topics include: recent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for the use of smallpox vaccine; revised General Recommendations on Immunization; influenza vaccine (including new recommendations for vaccination of healthy children); immunization registries; recent vaccine safety issues and other topics. Each 2.5 hour broadcast will feature a question-and-answer session in which participants nationwide can interact with the course instructors via toll-free telephone lines.
Describe two recent immunization recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Describe two current vaccine safety issues.
The target audience is physicians, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, medical students and others who provide immunizations and counsel patients about immunization.
Satellite Technical Specifications: These broadcasts will be available on C and Ku-bands. Coordinates will be available the week prior to these programs. Call (888) 232-3299, or (877) 232-1010 for the hearing/speech impaired, and enter the document number 130029 when prompted.
You MUST use the CDC/ATSDR Training and Continuing Education Online system to register and to receive continuing education credit for these programs. Site and individual registration has begun.
Individuals who have questions about registration should call (800) 41-TRAIN [(800) 418-7246] or email ce@cdc.gov.
Continuing education credit will be offered for a variety of professions, based on 2.5 hours of instruction. CE credit will be available only through the CDC/ATSDR Training and Continuing Education Online System.
The National Immunization Program, the Public Health Training Network, the Division of Professional Development and Evaluation, Public Health Practice Program Office, CDC.