National Immunization Awareness Month

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Communities across the country use the month each year to raise awareness about the important role vaccines play in preventing serious, sometimes deadly, diseases across the lifespan.

NIAM is sponsored by the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC). NPHIC, in collaboration with CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, developed communication toolkits to help you educate people of all ages about vaccines recommended for them.  For more information on the observance and to download the communication toolkits, visit NPHIC’s NIAM website

The observance features a different group each week of August: 

• August 5–11—Pregnant Women: Protect yourself and pass protection on to your baby 
• August 12–18—Babies and Young Children: A healthy start begins with on-time vaccinations
• August 19–25—Preteens & teens: Ensure a healthy future with vaccines
• August 26–31—Adults: Vaccines are not just for kids

Click here for more information that can be used in outreach and education efforts during NIAM and throughout the year on the CDC website.

Data Logger Video Help Guides  Control Solutions has created a number of video help guides to help you with basic operations of the data logger. This goes along with the data loggers that the Maine Immunization Program supplies.  How to install VTMC software on Windows How to configure the VFC 400-3 VFC 400-3 Operations Guide VFC 400 Probe installation guide VFC 400 Battery replacement How to copy existing VFC400 configuration to your backup or new data logger How to review your VFC400 data logger reports Click here to view.

ImmPact User Manual Now Available!

The ImmPact User Manual is an excellent resource to help you learn all of the new and improved features of the upgraded program. 

• Log into ImmPact
• Go to manage access/account
• Click User Resources
• Click User Manual link to view/download the ImmPact User Manual in PDF form

Getting Ready for Back to School Kids will be returning to school before we know it! Now is the time to run the Reminder/Recall reports in ImmPact to catch any kids that may be due for school required immunizations.  As a reminder, students entering 7th grade are required to have: ❖ 1 Tdap ❖ 1 Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV4) Students entering 12th grade are required to have: ❖ 2 MCV4, only one dose is required if the 1st dose is given on or after 16th birthday Click here for a complete list of Maine School Immunization Requirements.

Keys to Storing and Handling Your Vaccine Supply Video 

This video is designed to decrease vaccine storage and handling errors by demonstrating recommended best practices and addressing frequently asked questions.This program also highlights the keys to maintaining the vaccine cold chain in a provider facility as well as addressing elements of proper vaccine storage and handling, procedures for storage and handling of vaccine, and components of vaccine inventory management.

Click here to view the video. 

Adolescent Immunization Webinar Series

Effectively Recommending Vaccines Across the Lifespan 

Friday, August 17th

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm 

During this webinar, two practicing family physicians will discuss how they talk about vaccines and address common questions for all of their patients.

Register HERE