Issue
Number 334
September 3, 2002
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- Federal employees now can contribute to IAC through
Combined Federal Campaign using Agency #9887
- New translation! Influenza VIS for 2002-2003 season in
Spanish
- Help close the health gap on "Take a Loved One to the
Doctor Day" September 24
- Calling all IZ coalitions: Please register with IAC's
new "IZ Coalitions" website now
- Annual immunization registry survey shows increasing
participation
- Immunization video narrated by young mom empowers new
parents with knowledge
- CDC reports on current measles outbreak in Venezuela and
Colombia
- CDC publishes update on polio eradication in Angola
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September 3, 2002
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES NOW CAN CONTRIBUTE TO IAC THROUGH COMBINED FEDERAL
CAMPAIGN USING AGENCY #9887
We are proud to announce that, as of this fall, 2002, IAC has met the
Combined Federal Campaign's (CFC's) strict eligibility criteria and been
designated a national/international organization approved to receive CFC
contributions from any federal or military employee. As far as we know, IAC
is the only national or international approved organization dedicated to
raising immunization rates.
Every fall, federal and military employees have a 6-week period available to
them at work during which they may contribute to the CFC. The six-week
period is chosen by each local campaign and always runs between September 1
and December 15. Employees may choose to make contributions to charities of
their choice by filling out pledge cards that designate payroll deductions
to be made beginning the next January 1 and continuing through December 15.
Alternatively, cash or check contributions may also be made. A local
volunteer is always available for providing employees with pledge cards,
informational brochures, and assistance. Many organizations also have
kick-off events or fairs featuring presentations and materials about
CFC-approved charities.
To contribute to IAC, an employee may enter IAC's four-digit agency code
(9887) and a dollar amount on the 2002 CFC pledge card, a reproduction of
which can be seen at
http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/uwcfc-pledge6.pdf. The pledge card
also has check boxes allowing employees to have their names and contact
information forwarded to the charity.
IAC is a well-run organization that spends its funds efficiently. Our IRS
Form 990 is available online at
http://www.guidestar.org for those who are interested. Comments on
the work of IAC can be read at
http://www.immunize.org/news.d/praise.htm
CFC, administered by the Office of Personnel Management in Washington D.C.,
operates under the following mission statement: To promote and support
philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost-efficient, and
effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the
quality of life for all. During the 2001 campaign, over 1.5 million workers
contributed $241.6 million with 76% of contributing employees choosing to
use payroll deduction. For more information on CFC, go to:
http://www.opm.gov/cfc/
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September 3, 2002
NEW TRANSLATION! INFLUENZA VIS FOR 2002-2003 SEASON IN SPANISH
The Influenza Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) for the 2002-2003 season
is now available in Spanish on the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC)
website, just in time for fall vaccinations. IAC gratefully
acknowledges the California Department of Health for providing the Spanish
translation.
To obtain a copy of the current Influenza VIS in Spanish, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/spflu02.pdf
To obtain a copy of the current Influenza VIS in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/2flu.pdf
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September 3, 2002
HELP CLOSE THE HEALTH GAP ON "TAKE A LOVED ONE TO THE DOCTOR DAY" SEPTEMBER
24
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and ABC Radio have
joined forces this year to improve health and health care among communities
of color in a campaign called "Closing the Health Gap." One of six specific
health areas identified for improvement is immunization.
This month, on Tuesday, September 24, the campaign is raising awareness of
the single, most effective way to begin to close the health gap: get more
people to visit a doctor for preventive care and health screenings.
The day has been dubbed "Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day" and is
co-chaired by radio personality Tom Joyner and athlete Earwin "Magic"
Johnson. Prior to and on September 24, approximately 240 radio stations will
air health messages pertaining to the health gap and offer tips on healthy
living--including, of course, making an appointment to visit a health
professional. Organizations and communities across the country are planning
health fairs, local media outreach, and many other tie-in activities.
According to the immunizations page on the "Closing the Health Gap" website:
"One out of four African-American children aged 19-35 months old did not
receive recommended vaccinations in 1999. About 47 percent of elderly
African-Americans received the flu vaccine in 1998, compared to 66 percent
of elderly whites. About 26 percent of elderly African-Americans received a
pneumonia vaccine in 1998, compared to 50 percent of elderly whites."
To learn more about "Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day," go to:
http://www.healthgap.omhrc.gov/drday.htm
To see the components of the "Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day" community
action tool kit, all of which can be downloaded for free, go to:
http://www.healthgap.omhrc.gov/dr2.htm
To learn more about the "Closing the Health Gap" campaign, go to:
http://www.healthgap.omhrc.gov
If you have questions, contact the DHHS Office of Minority Health Resource
Center by phone at (800) 444-6472 or by email at
HealthGap@omhrc.gov
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September 3, 2002
CALLING ALL IZ COALITIONS: PLEASE REGISTER WITH IAC'S NEW "IZ COALITIONS"
WEBSITE NOW
In June, IAC EXPRESS announced the new "Immunization Coalitions"
website--searchable by name or geographic area--and already 89 coalitions
are registered in the online database.
For the first time, immunization coalitions--organizations working
collaboratively to increase immunization rates in their communities or
regions--can use the power of the Internet to connect with each other.
Local, state, regional, national, and international coalitions now can trade
ideas more easily. Coalitions centered on specific vaccines or age groups
can form partnerships more quickly.
IAC is committed to maintaining this new site regularly. We will
periodically remind registered coalitions to update their data so that
information will be current and accurate--in other words, reliable--for
everybody. Make sure your immunization coalition is listed in the "IZ
Coalitions" database.
To search the Immunization Coalitions website, or to register your coalition
with the website database, go to:
http://www.izcoalitions.org
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September 3, 2002
ANNUAL IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY SURVEY SHOWS INCREASING PARTICIPATION
On August 30, 2002, CDC published "Immunization Registry Progress--United
States, 2002" in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The
article says that data from the 2001 Immunization Registry Annual
Report "indicate that approximately half of U.S. children aged <6 years are
participating in a registry." The goal for the year 2010 is 95 percent
participation.
Information about immunization registries is available from CDC at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/registry
To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5134a2.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5134.pdf
HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR:
To obtain a free electronic subscription to the "Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report" (MMWR), visit CDC's MMWR website at:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr Select
"Free MMWR Subscription" from the menu at the left of the screen. Once you
have submitted the required information, weekly issues of the MMWR and all
new ACIP statements (published as MMWR's "Recommendations and Reports") will
arrive automatically by email.
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September 3, 2002
IMMUNIZATION VIDEO NARRATED BY YOUNG MOM EMPOWERS NEW PARENTS WITH KNOWLEDGE
Only 13 minutes long, the videotape "Cristina Learns about Immunizations" is
a great educational tool for use in maternity or pediatric waiting rooms or
even special healthy-baby classes. The video depicts a young Latina mother
of two taking her infant by bus to a Chicago clinic for shots and
remembering all that she learned about vaccines and vaccine-preventable
diseases the first time around with her approximately 5-year-old son. Having
misplaced the boy's immunization records in a stack of family photographs,
she learns the hard way that if those records are not available for
school-entry proof of immunization, new copies must be obtained.
In the video, narrated in a friendly, approachable style by "Cristina,"
parental responsibility for children's immunizations is emphasized. Cristina
asks clinic staff lots of questions and takes obvious pride in her ability
to provide good preventive medical care for her children. She refers to the
"fussing" that may follow some vaccinations, saying that it can be assuaged
with "a mother's touch." (The children's father makes an appearance at the
end of the video.) A list of emergency contacts is posted by the family's
phone for use in the unlikely event of a severe adverse reaction.
"Cristina Learns about Immunizations" is produced by KNB Productions and
United Learning in both English and Spanish. The video costs $89 and comes
with a facilitator's guide that includes instructional notes, discussion
questions, and the script of the video's narration. A 30-day free preview of
the video is offered.
For more information, contact United Learning by phone at (800) 323-9084,
fax at (847) 328-6706, or email at
info@unitedlearning.com
To order online, go to:
http://www.unitedlearning.com/search_new.cfm
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September 3, 2002
CDC REPORTS ON CURRENT MEASLES OUTBREAK IN VENEZUELA AND COLOMBIA
On August 30, 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
published "Outbreak of Measles--Venezuela and Colombia, 2001-2002" in the
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). According to the article, in
2001 measles cases were at a record low in the Region of the Americas until
the month of August, when an outbreak was introduced in Venezuela by a
traveler returning from Europe. As of July 2002, the number of
laboratory-confirmed measles cases in Venezuela was 2,416, in part because
of a 26 percent decrease in measles vaccination coverage in the country in
2001, the article states.
The disease spread to neighboring Colombia in 2002, where the number of
confirmed cases as of July was 68, according to the article. The most
affected groups by age have been children under age 5 and young adults in
their twenties.
The Editorial Note to the article reads as follows, excluding footnotes:
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The reintroduction of measles and its subsequent transmission in Venezuela
and exportation to Colombia indicates that, until global measles eradication
is achieved, countries in the Region of the Americas are vulnerable to
importations. However, these importations should not result in sustained
measles transmission if vaccination coverage is maintained at high levels
(>95%) in all municipalities and follow-up campaigns are conducted on time.
Low vaccination coverage in Venezuela and deficiencies in surveillance
contributed to the outbreak. The first report of a case was delayed for
approximately 1 month, sufficient time for the occurrence of several
generations of transmission and spread to other areas.
Colombia initiated aggressive vaccination activities in 2001 when Venezuela
began reporting cases. The limited transmission in Colombia suggests that
efforts to prevent a large outbreak might have been successful. However,
because of civil conflict in several areas, confirming the lack of virus
transmission was difficult. In addition, a contributing factor to lower
transmission in Colombia might have been the higher measles coverage rates
before the outbreak compared with Venezuela.
Measures to control measles outbreaks in the Region of the Americas include
1) partnerships with local governments to secure financial and logistical
resources, 2) rapid identification and vaccination of groups at high risk
(e.g., health-care workers, migrants, and tourist industry personnel), 3)
house-to-house monitoring of vaccination coverage, 4) expansion of the
target group to older ages if incidence is high in these age cohorts, and 5)
heightened surveillance in all regions of the country.
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To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5134a1.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5134.pdf
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September 3, 2002
CDC PUBLISHES UPDATE ON POLIO ERADICATION IN ANGOLA
On August 30, 2002, CDC published "Progress Toward
Poliomyelitis Eradication--Angola, January 1998-June 2002" in the Morbidity
and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). According to the article, "Angola began
polio eradication activities in 1996."
The MMWR Synopsis of the article reads as follows:
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The estimated global occurrence of poliomyelitis has decreased more than 99
percent since 1988, when the World Health Assembly resolved to eradicate
polio worldwide. Today, Angola is one of only 12 countries in the world
where polio has been detected in the last year. Although polio eradication
efforts have been hampered by almost three decades of civil war, the number
of polio cases in Angola have decreased substantially since 1998. In 1999,
one of the largest reported outbreaks of polio occurred in Angola,
affecting over 1100 children. In 2001, one case was detected in Angola, and
three cases occurred in unvaccinated Angolan refugees living in nearby
Zambia. To date in 2002, two additional cases have been detected in Angolan
refugees in Zambia and no wild polio virus has been isolated in Angola. The
recent cessation of hostilities on April 4, 2002 presents a unique
opportunity to reach previously inaccessible and under-immunized
populations.
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To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5134a3.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5134.pdf
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