Open letter to physicians on the meningococcal vaccine

Physicians:
The Immunization Action Coalition of Broward County is joining our national and state partners in sharing this letter, which encourages physicians to recommend a follow-up dose of meningococcal vaccine for their patients.
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Immunization training for Medical Assistants -- 2 Great Presentations on HPV Vaccine

Training for Medical Assistants hosted by the Broward Immunization Action Coalition featured a detailed primer on the human papilloma virus and the HPV vaccine.

The FDA Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends HPV vaccine for boys and girls starting at age 11. The Immunization Action Coalition encourages all physicians and their medical staff to recommend the vaccine to their patients.

Want to know more?

First, here is the HPV Vaccine presentation by Senior Community Health Nurse Mary C. Porter of the Florida Department of Health in Broward County (with help from Janet Jones, at left).

Second, here is the Presentation on Administering the HPV Vaccine by Senior Community Health Nurse Kristy Goff of the Florida Department of Health in Broward County.

Immunization training for Medical Assistants - A Quiz for You

The Broward Immunization Coalition put on a training for Medical Assistants in physician offices, to cover various topics about vaccines and vaccination techniques.
The session was a success with 20 people attending the training in the administration building of the Florida Department of Health in Broward County.

Here's a quiz presented by Kristy Goff, Senior Community Health Nurse at DOH-Broward. See how you do! Answers below.

Immunization / Vaccine Techniques Quiz 

Name:  _________________________________                                               Date:  December 16, 2015

1. It is not necessary to always wash your hands before and after patient care.	True      or         False
2. OSHA does not require gloves, although you should check with your agency’s policy and procedure.	True      or         False
3. Do NOT aspirate when giving an immunization.	True      or         False
4. IM injections should be given with a 5/8 inch needle and 25 gauge syringe at a 45 degree angle.	True      or         False
5. You do not have to check expiration date on vial once it is opened.	True      or         False
6. As soon as the patient has been immunized, ask them to leave immediately, no need to observe.  NEXT!!!	True      or         False
7. There is an air bubble in the syringe with vaccine, shake it out vigorously, and never tap the syringe.	True      or         False
8. Do not pull back on the syringe for air and then inject the air into a multi-vial bottle.	True      or         False
9. Never label your syringe or leave the empty vial next to it before giving an injection, you won’t forget which vaccine is which.	True      or         False
10. Multiple injections should be spaced and given at least 1 inch away from previous injection site.	True      or         False
11. Select a 1 ½ inch needle for a patient who is large/obese patients  for better penetration into the Deltoid muscle.	True      or         False
12. The Vastus Lateralis is the preferred muscle for administering the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine.	True      or         False
13. There is no need to deposit the used needle immediately into a sharps container, you can lay it down to apply the Band-Aid first, then dispose in sharps container.	True      or         False
14. Sharps containers are normally blue.	True      or         False
15. Vaccines should be drawn up in a clean area free from contaminated items.	True      or         False
16. Needles and syringes are used only for one patient as well as Single Dose (single use) medication vials.	True      or         False
17. Unsafe injection practices put the patient at risk for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and other infections.	True      or         False
18. Immunizing children, helps to protect the health of our community.	True      or         False
19. Multi-dose vials are dated by the person opening the vial and discarded within 28 days unless the manufacturer specifies a different date for that opened vial.	True      or         False
20. The expiration date printed on the vial is NOT important.	True      or         False
21. Never enter a vial with a used syringe or needle (except when drawing up diluent first).	True      or         False
22. If a multi-dose vial has not been opened, it should be discarded according to the manufacturer’s expiration date.	True      or         False
23. Refrigerated vaccines should be kept between 35-46 degrees Fahrenheit.	True      or         False
24. It is ok to keep food in the refrigerator with vaccines as long as it is on a different shelf.	True      or         False
25. If vaccines are not kept at the proper temperature, they should be labeled “Do Not Use”, stored in the refrigerator, contact your supervisor immediately, and document the incident.	True      or         False

Answers:
1. False. 2. True. 3. True. 4. False. 5. False. 6. False. 7. False. 8. False. 9. False. 10. True. 11. True. 12. False. 13. False. 14. False. 15. True. 16. True. 17. True. 18. True. 19. True. 20. False. 21. True. 22. True. 23. True. 24. False. 25. True.

"Someone You Love:" The HPV Epidemic

"Someone You Love" 
The HPV Epidemic

Parents who want to learn about giving the HPV vaccine to their children should check out this film. The vaccine is for girls and boys starting at age 11, to protect against cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).

"It's the best film on this subject in existence. A perfect mix of pathos, science, and medicine with a clear call to action."

- Dr. Paul Offit

Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

http://www.hpvepidemic.com/

Here's a mother's plea for parents to see the film. 

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/28364-watch-sylove-to-honor-kelly?locale=en

Time for kids to get back-to-school shots

ATTENTION PARENTS!

Summer vacation will quickly come to an end, so you are wise to start thinking about back-to-school immunizations for the children.

The best place for kids to get their shots is at their regular doctor. But if that isn't possible, the Florida Department of Health in Broward gives free shots to students at Lauderhill Mall in August. 

The outreach campaign runs from August 10 to 25 at Lauderhill Mall, 1267 NW 40 Ave. Don't miss the highlight -- a health fair and immunization fest on Saturday, August 22, featuring free backpacks, school supplies, fresh produce and family fun.

In addition to the mall campaign, all recommended immunizations are offered at DOH health centers. 

For details or appointments, visit www.broward.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/clinical-and-nutrition-services/immunizations/index.html or call 954-467-4705.

Immunizations are especially important for children entering kindergarten and seventh grade, because different requirements begin at those grade levels. Vaccinations required for school include:

• Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) – Four or five doses of DTaP vaccine for babies and pre-schoolers. One additional dose, Tdap, before seventh grade.
• Polio – Three to five doses of vaccine for babies and pre-schoolers.
• Measles, mumps, rubella (German measles) – Two doses of MMR vaccine for babies and pre-schoolers.
• Chickenpox – Two doses of vaccine for babies and pre-schoolers. One additional dose before seventh grade. Among adults, the virus can re-emerge and cause the painful skin condition called shingles.
• Hepatitis B – Three doses of vaccine for babies.

In addition, federal health officials recommend several other immunizations not required for school. These include vaccines against flu (every year starting at age six months), rotavirus (three doses for babies), Haemophilus influenzae B (three to four doses for babies), pneumococcal disease (four doses for babies), hepatitis A (two doses for babies), human papilloma virus (three doses at age 11 or older) and meningococcal disease (two doses at age 11 or older).

For the first time, DOH-Broward will give HPV and meningitis vaccines for free at the Lauderhill Mall event.

New campaign begins to help promote HPV vaccine

Two days of brainstorming by Broward County’s leading immunization advocates produced a big innovation – a three-year plan to increase the number of children vaccinated against HPV.

The Florida Department of Health in Broward County and its community partners led the session and will take a central role in the new push to boost human papilloma virus vaccination for kids starting at age 11-12. More than three dozen people from numerous organizations attended.

“We’re gratified to see all the community partners who helped shape the HPV plan and who will help make it a reality,” says Dr. Paula Thaqi, Director of DOH-Broward. “Our goal is to make HPV widely accepted by families in Broward as a cancer-prevention vaccine to protect their children.”

HPV spreads through sexual contact and can lead to various infections, including cervical cancer. Unlike immunizations required for school, the three-dose HPV vaccine is optional. In Florida, only half of eligible girls and one-quarter of eligible boys receive the first dose. Only one-third of girls and one-eighth of boys received all doses.

To address the problem, DOH-Broward received a $40,000 grant from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). Highlights of the coming initiative:

Create a significant publicity and social media campaign to educate parents, children and health professionals about the vaccine. Celebrities will be recruited as HPV spokespersons.

Develop a “toolkit” and an informational website for physicians, so that more of them will educate families about the vaccine.

Share data on vaccination rates with doctors, who may overestimate the vaccine’s acceptance.

In addition, efforts will be made to increase the vaccine's availability and affordability.

“If the vaccine were 100 percent free, more doctors would offer it and more children definitely would get it,” says Dr. Aaron Elkin, who heads an HPV committee at the Broward County Medical Association.

More information: CDC at www.cdc.gov/hpv/vaccine.html

New study: No link between vaccines and autism

Here's an informative article from Health Day about the latest study on vaccines and autism. Like the research before it, this new study finds NO connection between the MMR vaccine and autism.

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, April 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Yet another study finds no evidence that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine raises the risk of autism -- even among children who are at increased genetic risk.

Experts said the findings, reported in the April 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, should be reassuring to parents, particularly those who already have a child with autism.

Read more: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015/04/21/another-study-finds-no-vaccine-autism-link

Public is welcome at Coalition meeting 4/21/15

Next Meeting: April 21, 2015 at 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Florida Department of Health in Broward County

780 SW 24th St.

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

2nd Floor Main Conference Room

Everyone is invited!