CDC Webinar – Improving Routine, Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination This Winter  | December 6

by | Nov 29, 2021 | Covid-19, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Immunizations, Nursing Home Quality, Quality Care Coalition

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Nurse giving patient a shot in the arm

Monday, December 6, 2021 | 1:00 pm CT​​
 

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance for all individuals to be up-to-date on their routine vaccinations, as well as their annual influenza vaccine. Many children fell behind on routine vaccines and well-child visits during the pandemic. Routine, influenza, and COVID-19 vaccines are essential to helping children, families, and communities stay healthy.

Influenza vaccination remains a critical strategy to decrease the burden on our healthcare system by reducing influenza-related doctor visits and hospitalizations, as well as decreasing the number of people who will need influenza diagnostic testing.
National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) provides healthcare workers and vaccination partners the opportunity to proactively communicate the potentially serious complications from influenza, the benefits of vaccination, and that there is still time to receive an influenza vaccine for this season if they haven’t done so. Additionally, influenza vaccine can be given with a COVID-19 vaccine for patients who are eligible, including everyone 5 years and older. Both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are needed this season. As long as influenza remains a potential public health threat, efforts to vaccinate and raise awareness about the importance of vaccination should continue throughout flu season to protect as many people as possible against flu.
CDC guidance is in place for how to safely administer vaccine doses during the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to guidance around co-administration of COVID-19 and other vaccines at the same clinic visit, including influenza vaccines.
​Objectives: By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
  • Discuss benefits of late-season flu vaccination
  • Discuss vaccination co-administration ​
  • Describe the importance of catching up on routine childhood vaccinations
  • Discuss new pediatric COVID-19 vaccination for children ages 5-11 years
  • Obtain additional resources to help guide patients
Presenters:
  • ​Bess Davenport, MPH, Health Communication Specialist, Influenza Division, NCIRD, CDC
  • Amanda Carnes, MPH, Health Communication Specialist, Office of the Director, NCIRD, CDC (currently deployed as the Pediatric Communications Lead, CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force)
For more information, contact Vanessa Lamers at vlamers@phf.org​.

National Immunization Awareness Week. Every December, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) observes National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) to highlight the importance of influenza vaccination. The CDC estimates as of Nov. 5, 2021, over 162 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed in the United States. Let’s work together to raise awareness about flu risks and encourage everyone to protect themselves by getting vaccinated.

CMS Resources:
• Increasing Flu Shot Outreach & Uptake
• CMS Health Equity Flu Prevention Resources

General Education and Background Resources:
• CDC Influenza Information for Health Professionals
• National Institute on Aging (NIH) Flu and Prevention