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NEWARK-Health and Senior Services Commissioner Christine Grant
announced today that the department will direct $403,000 in federal funds
to support efforts to raise immunization rates in Newark.
The funds will be used to establish a case management service that will
work with new moms and dads to ensure their children are properly immunized
by age two. The money will also be used to increase outreach and education
efforts to local businesses, churches and community groups.
"The single most important public health accomplishment of the 20th
Century was the advent of vaccines to prevent debilitating and deadly
diseases," said Grant. "We need to ensure that every child reaps the benefits
of this accomplishment by ensuring they received all their vaccinations
on a timely basis."
Grant made the announcement during a "Stop the Pox" program at the Newark
Beth Israel Medical Center Day Care Center. During this program, dozens
of preschoolers staged a mock chickenpox outbreak to focus attention in
a fun and interactive way on the importance of timely immunizations, particularly
for children under two years of age. The program is one of many activities
being held this week in Newark and around the country in observance of
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW).
Participants at today's event included Dr. Walter Orenstein, director
of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization
Program; Betty Bumpers, co-founder and vice-president of Every Child By
Two, a national infant immunization advocacy group; and other federal,
state and city health officials. During the program - led by Noodle the
Clown - the children participated in a role-playing exercise, Mrs. Bumpers
read them the book "Arthur's Chickenpox," and representatives gave brief
remarks.
By their second birthdays, children should complete a series of immunizations
- known as the 4:3:1 series - that includes four doses of a diphtheria,
tetanus and pertussis vaccine, three doses of polio vaccine, and one dose
of vaccine protecting the child from measles, mumps and rubella. Additional
immunizations offering protection against hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae
type b and pneumonia are also recommended by age two.
Education and community outreach efforts at national, state and local
levels have resulted in immunization rates that are now at all-time high
levels while vaccine-preventable diseases are at or near record lows.
Still, more than one million American toddlers do not get one or more
of their 4:3:1 series immunizations on time.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) selected
Newark to host its national kickoff activities to recognize and support
city, state and community efforts to raise infant immunization rates.
In the past decade, immunization rates have risen from 50% in New Jersey
and 25% in Newark, to 80% and 68%, respectively.
Efforts to improve the city's immunization rate are being led by the Newark
Immunization Initiative (NII), a coalition of hospitals, community-based
organizations, managed care providers, businesses, and local and state
government agencies, including the Newark Health Department and the Gateway
Maternal and Child Health Consortium. The NII sponsors a speakers' bureau,
conducts workshops for healthcare and daycare providers, and encourages
eligible individuals to enroll in NJ FamilyCare and obtain a primary care
physician.
Activities are also ongoing at the state level to improve infant immunization
rates. The Department of Health and Senior Services has implemented a
wide-ranging strategic plan that includes expanding the number of private
physician office assessments, and expanding the number of physicians participating
in the New Jersey Vaccines for Children program. Through this program,
eligible children currently can get free vaccines at the offices of approximately
1,900 participating physicians statewide.
The department has also been working with private physicians to help
them improve their office procedures and on-time immunization rates. More
than 280 private physician offices, clinics and local health departments
are linked to the state health department's immunization registry, which
is used to track children's vaccine status and help providers remind parents
when shots are due. More than 410,000 children are currently in the registry's
database. And, in an ongoing activity, congratulatory cards donated by
Hallmark and signed by New Jersey's governor are sent to all new parents
reminding them of the importance of immunizing their babies against 11
diseases.
Events marking National Infant Immunization Week in Newark include Monday's
kickoff celebration at The Newark Club and three separate immunization
conferences for health officers, healthcare providers and daycare providers.
In addition, a nationwide Spanish-language media campaign was inaugurated
this week. The campaign includes posters, public transit ads and radio
and television public service announcements.
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