Nitya Mangina, MPH and Donia Dalal, MPH - MDHHS Division of Immunization
Immunization is an essential health service that protects the health and well-being of communities and is thus fundamental for well-functioning countries and their economies. Immunization activities should be prioritized and safeguarded for continuity to the greatest extent possible during times of severe disruption to service delivery or utilization.7 While most children receive the recommended vaccines, some communities in the U.S. have low vaccination rates, making them vulnerable to outbreaks. Implementing strategies such as requiring vaccinations for school attendance is crucial to lowering the spread of infectious diseases.6
Strategies to generate acceptance and uptake should be evidence-informed and locally tailored and ideally work to monitor and mitigate threats to public confidence that may be due to vaccine-related events (safety-related or otherwise), vaccination rumors, or misinformation. During a disruptive event, communicating where, when, and how the public can safely continue to access vaccination services is crucial. Sustained and consistent messages concerning the importance of continuing routine and catch-up immunization for the health and well-being of communities and their economies are critical but should evolve as contexts change. Building collaborations beyond traditional partners is vital to expand the dissemination of messages and helping determine how well messages are understood and accepted. Pre-existing crisis communication plans need to be adjusted for the disruptive event.8
It is important to highlight that health is a fundamental value in society, and empowering individuals and communities is crucial to help them gain more control over the factors that influence their health.1
The public health system depends upon reports of diseases to monitor the health of the community and to provide the basis for preventive action. The prompt required reporting by physicians, laboratory scientists, infection preventionists, and other care providers of both diagnosed and suspected communicable diseases allows for timely action by local and state public health personnel. This teamwork enables possible important benefits for individual patients and the community. Severe disruptive events like the COVID-19 pandemic are not static but rather unfold and evolve. Hence, immunization programs and regional and global partners must continuously readjust their plans. Therefore, processes for continually assessing data, drawing lessons from experiences, documenting processes and outcomes, and sharing best information need to be in place.5
As technology and media evolve, the public will continue to adapt and obtain information in new ways. Public health officials communicating about risks must evolve as well to reach target audiences with important and timely health-related information by using the audience’s preferred communication mechanisms. During an outbreak, public health officials must quickly determine the communication purpose, the persons and populations most in need of information and guidance, ways to engage with news media and the public, and methods to gauge the effects of messages and materials. Knowledge of how the news media and journalists operate, as well as the ability to use risk communication principles and best practices, increases the likelihood of success during public health events.2
Vaccine confidence has become a key topic in the media and on social platforms, impacting different sectors of society globally. The effectiveness of a vaccine is not just an individual concern; it also affects everyone, ensuring that people are vaccinated to achieve “herd immunity” and prevent the virus from spreading. Vaccine confidence is a challenge that can be tackled by both healthcare providers and parents through different strategies. By collaborating, healthcare professionals and parents can help minimize the risk of severe health issues caused by vaccine-preventable diseases.
Health education plays a crucial role in communicating outbreaks, helping people assess the reliability of information, and empowering individuals and communities to take an active role in reshaping personal, environmental, and organizational practices through global initiatives. Therefore, its goal is to transform of harmful behaviors and the reinforce healthy ones.3
Preparing for an Emergency Infectious Disease (EID) outbreak requires a flexible system that can adapt as situations change and new insights emerge. Plans must have public support, which can be fostered through education on disease prevention and safety during an outbreak. With strong collaboration and commitment to technology, media, and public health, the state can successfully prepare for and manage EID outbreaks.4
References
Caron, Rosemary M et al. “Health Promotion, Health Protection, and Disease Prevention: Challenges and Opportunities in a Dynamic Landscape.” AJPM focus vol. 3,1 100167. 8 Nov. 2023, doi:10.1016/j.focus.2023.100167
“Communicating During an Outbreak or Public Health Investigation.” Field Epidemiology Manual, 8 Aug. 2024, cdc.gov/field-epi-manual/php/chapters/communicating-investigation.html.
García-Toledano, Eduardo et al. “The Need for Health Education and Vaccination-Importance of Teacher Training and Family Involvement.” Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 10,1 110. 6 Jan. 2022, doi:10.3390/healthcare10010110
Kupferman, Nikki, and Emily Hanlin. “Review of Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness Measures for the State of Delaware.” Delaware journal of public health 5,4 64-67. 28 Oct. 2019, doi:10.32481/djph.2019.10.018
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). “Health Care Professional’s Guide to Disease Reporting in Michigan.” Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, report, 2022, detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/2022-01/2022%20MDHHS%20Brick%20Book.pdf.
“Vaccination - Healthy People 2030 | odphp.health.gov.” U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/vaccination. Accessed 25 Jan. 2025.
World Health Organization (2020). Immunization as an essential health service: guiding principles for immunization activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and other times of severe disruption
World Health Organization. (2020). Maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context: interim guidance, 1 June 2020. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/332240. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO