The Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (WIAAP) is announcing today the creation of “Immunize Wisconsin,” a new coalition of communities and organizations working together to provide fact-based resources about vaccines.
With a goal of improving the state’s vaccination rates, Immunize Wisconsin will also acknowledge the inequities that prevent many people, particularly children, from getting vaccinated, and will provide funding and support for existing programs, made more challenging during the pandemic. The group will host its virtual launch on Friday, September 9, 2022 from 2-3 p.m. Registration is open to anyone interested in improving health through immunizations at immunizewi.org.
Dr. Jeanette May, who will serve as Immunize Wisconsin’s coalition director, sees immediate impact for state stakeholders. “Wherever I go, the people I meet are thrilled to know they’ll have the support of Immunize Wisconsin,” she said. “We are eager to lift up work that’s already being done at the county, tribal, community, and regional levels, through that important lens of health equity.” WIAAP serves on the state’s Council on Immunization Practices (WCIP) and will oversee the grant operations, as funded by the Department of Health Services (DHS).
“Immunizations have saved countless lives and prevented a great deal of suffering by reducing vaccine-preventable diseases that now occur much less often in the United States than they have in the past. That doesn’t mean people don’t have questions,” said Dr. Stephanie Schauer, Wisconsin Immunization Program Manager at DHS. “Through Immunize Wisconsin, we can bring together efforts around the state to provide important information about why it’s so critical for families to be up-to-date on their vaccinations.”
The Wisconsin Immunization Program works to eliminate vaccine preventable disease through effective immunization programs and outbreak control measures. People can find out immunizations they and their children have had at The Wisconsin Immunization Registry. Families who may not be able to afford vaccinations should see if they qualify for the Vaccines for Children Program.
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