IAC enrolls 6 new birthing institutions into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll; 11 previously honored institutions qualify for additional years' honors

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is pleased to announce that 6 new institutions have been accepted into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, for a total of 451 honorees. The birthing institutions are listed below with their reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rates in parentheses.

• Homestead Hospital, Homestead, FL (97%)
• Grant Memorial Hospital, Petersburg, WV (96%)
• Manatee Memorial Hospital, Bradenton, FL (97%)
• U.S. Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL (93%)
• UPMC Altoona Hospital, Altoona, PA (94%)
• Wellspan Gettysburg Hospital, Gettysburg, PA (90%)

The following 4 institutions are being recognized for a second year:

• 48th Medical Group (U.S. military base), Lakenheath, England (92%)
• Conemaugh Nason Medical Center Roaring Spring, PA (92%)
• Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX (98%)
• Wellspan Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon, PA (91%)

In addition, the following 2 institutions are being recognized for a third year:

• Christus Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs, Sulphur Springs, TX (95%)
• Paoli Hospital, Paoli, PA (99%)

The following 3 institutions are being recognized for a fourth year:

• INTEGRIS Grove Hospital, Grove, OK (95%)
• Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI (94%)
• Yoakum County Hospital, Denver City, TX (92%)

The following 2 institutions are being recognized for a fifth year:

• Oswego Hospital, Oswego, NY (97%)
• Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI (93%)

The following 2 institutions are being recognized for a sixth year:

• Hospital Bella Vista, Mayaguez, PR (96%)
• Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI (96%)

Last, but certainly not least, the following institution is being recognized for a seventh year:

• Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI (96%)

Note: One of these institutions qualified for four 12-month periods at one time.

The Honor Roll now includes 451 birthing institutions from 43 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and an overseas U.S. military base. One hundred fifteen institutions have qualified for two years, 53 institutions have qualified three times, 28 institutions have qualified four times, 14 institutions have qualified five times, 4 institutions have qualified six times, 1 institution has qualified seven times, and 1 institution has qualified eight times.

The Honor Roll is a key part of IAC’s major initiative urging the nation’s hospitals to Give Birth to the End of Hep B. Hospitals and birthing centers are recognized for attaining high coverage rates for administering hepatitis B vaccine at birth and meeting specific additional criteria. The initiative urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll online.

To be included in the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, a birthing institution must have: (1) reported a coverage rate of 90 percent or greater, over a 12-month period, for administering hepatitis B vaccine before hospital discharge to all newborns, including those whose parents refuse vaccination, and (2) implemented specific written policies, procedures, and protocols to protect all newborns from hepatitis B virus infection prior to hospital discharge.

Honorees are also awarded an 8.5" x 11" color certificate suitable for framing and their acceptance is announced to IAC Express’s approximately 50,000 readers.

Please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page that lists these institutions and their exceptional efforts to protect infants from perinatal hepatitis B transmission.

Related Links

• Give Birth to the End of Hep B web page on immunize.org
• Fact sheet about the birth dose honor roll: Do You Qualify for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll? If So, Apply Today.
• Fact sheet about the importance of the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose: Give Birth to the End of Hep B
• Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page
• 84-page guidebook, Hepatitis B: What Hospitals Need to Do to Protect Newborns, which contains a wide range of resources to help birthing institutions establish, implement, and optimize their hepatitis B vaccine birth dose policies
• Give Birth to the End of Hep B slide set, includes script (43 slides)
• Strategies to Increase Enrollment in IAC's Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll (83 slides)

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Available now! IAC’s sturdy laminated versions of the 2019 U.S. child/adolescent immunization schedule and the 2019 U.S. adult immunization schedule—order them for your exam rooms today! Bulk purchase prices available.

IAC's laminated versions of the 2019 U.S. child/adolescent immunization schedule and the 2019 U.S. adult immunization schedule are available now. These schedules are covered with a tough coating you can wipe down; they will stand up to a year's worth of use in every area of your healthcare setting where immunizations are given. The child/adolescent schedule is eight pages (i.e., four double-sided pages) and the adult schedule is six pages (i.e., three double-sided pages). Both schedules are folded to measure 8.5" x 11". 

• Child and Adolescent Laminated Immunization Schedule (0–18 years) 

• Adult Laminated Immunization Schedule

Laminated schedules are printed in color for easy reading. They come complete with essential tables and notes, and they replicate the newly designed CDC schedule format.

PRICING
1–4 copies: $7.50 each
5–19 copies: $5.50 each
20–99 copies: $4.50 each
100–499 copies: $4.00 each
500–999 copies: $3.50 each

For quotes on customizing or placing orders for 1,000 copies or more, call (651) 647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org.

You can access specific information on both schedules, view images of both, order online, or download an order form at the Shop IAC: Laminated Schedules web page.

Related Links

• Child and Adolescent Laminated Immunization Schedule (0–18 years) 
• Adult Laminated Immunization Schedule
• Order form 

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WORLD NEWS

WHO reports that measles cases increased 300% in the first three months of 2019 compared to the first three months of 2018

On April 15, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that measles cases worldwide had increased 300% in the first months of 2019 compared to the first three months of 2018. The beginning section of this report is reprinted below.

Measles cases have continued to climb into 2019. Preliminary global data shows that reported cases rose by 300 percent in the first three months of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018. This follows consecutive increases over the past two years.

While this data is provisional and not yet complete, it indicates a clear trend. Many countries are in the midst of sizeable measles outbreaks, with all regions of the world experiencing sustained rises in cases. Current outbreaks include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Myanmar, Philippines, Sudan, Thailand, and Ukraine, causing many deaths—mostly among young children.

Over recent months, spikes in case numbers have also occurred in countries with high overall vaccination coverage, including the United States of America as well as Israel, Thailand, and Tunisia, as the disease has spread fast among clusters of unvaccinated people.

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, with the potential to be extremely severe. In 2017, the most recent year for which estimates are available, it caused close to 110 000 deaths. Even in high-income countries, complications result in hospitalization in up to a quarter of cases, and can lead to lifelong disability, from brain damage and blindness to hearing loss.

The disease is almost entirely preventable through two doses of a safe and effective vaccine. For several years, however, global coverage with the first dose of measles vaccine has stalled at 85 percent. This is still short of the 95 percent needed to prevent outbreaks, and leaves many people, in many communities, at risk. Second dose coverage, while increasing, stands at 67 percent.

Read the complete WHO report: New Measles Surveillance Data for 2019.

Related Links

• National Institutes of Health news release: Decline in Measles Vaccination Is Causing a Preventable Global Resurgence of the Disease (4/18/19)
• Washington Post: World Health Organization Says Measles Cases Up 300 Percent in 2019 (4/16/19)
• New England Journal of Medicine: Perspective: Measles in 2019—Going Backward (4/17/19)
• New York Times: Measles Outbreak Kills More Than 1,200 in Madagascar (4/14/19)

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World Immunization Week is the last week of April; read about heroic efforts around the world to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases

World Vaccination Week (WIW) is traditionally celebrated the last week of April. WHO provided the following description of WIW 2019:

World Immunization Week aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective health interventions. Yet, there are still nearly 20 million unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children in the world today.

The theme of this year’s campaign is Protected Together: Vaccines Work!, and the campaign will celebrate Vaccine Heroes from around the world—from parents and community members to health workers and innovators—who help ensure we are all protected, at all ages, through the power of vaccines.

Click on any of the images below to access information about vaccine heroes and campaign materials on the WIW website.





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