Hundreds Of Children Vaccinated During National Infant Immunization Week

Infant Immunization Week

Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham congratulated the Department of Health and its partners for immunizing hundreds of children across New Mexico last week as part of a special push to get children caught up on immunizations during National Infant Immunization Week.

"We are reaching out to all New Mexico communities to educate families on the importance of immunizations," said First Lady Barbara Richardson. "Timely vaccines are among the most important factors in protecting our children's health."

The Santa Fe Immunization Coalition, a partnership between Santa Fe Rotary Club, Santa Fe Public Schools, private providers and Department of Health staff, provided children in the Department's Women, Infants and Children Program with shots as part of an immunization catch-up clinic during clients' regularly scheduled WIC appointments. The Coalition plans to continue piloting this successful initiative in the Santa Fe WIC office, where 2,700 families receive services each month. "In order to reach as many children as we can, we have to make it easy for families to get their children immunized," Grisham said. "This is a great example of how valuable our community partners are in helping us protect New Mexico children from vaccine-preventable diseases."

This summer, the Santa Fe Coalition is launching an initiative to visit every child-care center and preschool in Santa Fe to provide information and help teachers ensure every child is vaccinated. The Coalition is also working with stores to coordinate immunization clinics with back-to-school shopping

"Community immunization coalitions can do what individual immunization providers and advocates cannot " address reasons kids are not up-to-date on vaccines that involve multiple agencies and systems in the community," said Rev. John Onstott, co-chair of the Santa Fe Immunization Coalition. To honor providers who work diligently to vaccinate their patients, the New Mexico Immunization Coalition held its fourth annual awards dinner April 27. Women's Health Services in Santa Fe won the award for having the most improved rate in Northern New Mexico. The clinic improved its rate 31 percent from 52 percent in 2005 to 83 percent in 2006.

Other activities during Infant Immunization Week in Northern New Mexico include:

Mora public health staff teamed with the schools to identify and contact 50 students who need immunizations.

Taos public health staff held a varicella catch-up day to give the chicken pox vaccine to children who didn't have it.

The Santa Fe Immunization Coalition provided 162 Tdap vaccines to graduating seniors at Santa Fe and Capital high schools as well as charter and private schools.

Santa Fe Public Schools vaccinated 215 sixth grade students with Tdap in recent weeks and has more clinics scheduled.

Clayton public health staff worked with the school nurse to vaccinate students who need the Tdap vaccine.

Tdap is a new vaccine with both tetanus booster and protection against whooping cough for older children and adults, and it helps prevent outbreaks that can spread to infants who are too young to be vaccinated.