There is certainly lots of media, rumors and misunderstanding about a recent publication from Australia speaking to the effectiveness of this year's flu vaccine. Various sources report 10% effectiveness for a portion of the flu vaccine specific to influenza A H3N2 and the Southern Hemisphere. For a number of reasons, the Australian situation is not necessarily predictive of what we should expect in the U.S. or in Spokane County.

National Influenza Vaccination Week 2018

Dec. 2 – 8, 2018

Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu.

Recognizing the need to bring health messaging to the community in various languages, SRHD Immunization Assessment & Promotion program developed culturally competent, ethnically diverse fliers and posters in multiple languages that promote routine childhood immunizations. 

Multiple continuing education opportunities are coming soon!  April 25 - National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) offers a free webinar on Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Healthcare Personnel Immunization. May 22 - VaxExpo at CenterPlace Event Center in Spokane Valley. Coming Soon - Free e-learning course on Communicating with Parents about Vaccines. 

It’s been a long year. Yes, a year. On January 21, Washington State reached the one-year mark since the first case of COVID-19 was reported. Since then, we’ve faced closures of schools, playgrounds and have gone mostly virtual.

The last year has brought disease prevention to the forefront of our minds. Right now, vaccines are a major focus of disease prevention. Black history month is a perfect month to look at disease prevention through major contributions to the vaccine movement by two important people.

In late December, nearly a year after the pandemic began, it was announced with great excitement that vaccinations against COVID-19 would begin in Washington state.