Vaccines

April 28, 2009 -- ATLANTA – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue today signed House Bill 217, the “Access to Flu Vaccines Act,” which permits pharmacists and nurses to order and dispense flu shots pursuant to a protocol agreement with a physician. The bill also grants the Governor broader emergency powers if a pandemic influenza is declared by the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control.

“The flu affects thousands of people each year and our citizens should be able to access flu vaccines to protect themselves and their families,” said Governor Perdue. “This legislation makes it easier for Georgians to receive flu shots and allows the state to respond quickly and effectively to any flu outbreak.”    » read more »

Child Care and Vaccination Programs to Benefit from Recovery Act

April 9, 2009 -- Vice President Joe Biden announced today that the Obama Administration will make $2.3 billion available for crucial health and human services programs that help to provide care for children and prevent disease. States will receive $2 billion in Recovery Act funding to support child care for working families. The administration also plans to make $300 million in vaccines and grants available to ensure more underserved Americans receive the vaccines they need.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U. S. Department of Agriculture has issued a conditional license to Epitopix, LLC, of Willmar, Minn., for a vaccine to reduce the prevalence of E. coli O157 in feedlot cattle.

"Providing the American people with safe and nutritious food is a top priority for President Obama and the U.S. Department of Agriculture," Vilsack said. "The conditional licensing of this vaccine is an important step toward our goal of improving food safety in this country."    » read more »

March 9, 2009 -- NEWARK – Delaware Gov. Jack Markell on Monday praised Fraunhofer USA on receiving a $12 million federal grant and on the company’s plans to add more jobs at its Newark facility.

The funding will help Fraunhofer continue its development of a process to quickly manufacture vaccines in the event of serious outbreaks, such as a flu pandemic or anthrax attack.

Fraunhofer is the only company in the world with this technology, which was developed in Newark. Fraunhofer expects its workforce in Delaware to grow by 50 percent over the next three years.    » read more »

LA JOLLA, CA, March 2, 2009—A team of scientists at the Scripps Research Institute has found a way to use specially programmed chemicals to elicit an immediate immune response in laboratory animals against two types of cancer. The experiments, thus far performed only in mice, appear to overcome a major drawback of vaccinations—the lag time of days, or even weeks, that it normally takes for immunity to build against a pathogen. This new method of vaccination could potentially be used to provide instantaneous protection against diseases caused by viruses and bacteria, cancers, and even virulent toxins.

The work is being published in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) the week of March 2, 2009.    » read more »

January 28, 2009 -- ATLANTA – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Rep. Jimmy Pruett, one of the Governor’s floor leaders in the House, has introduced the Governor’s “Access to Flu Vaccines Act” legislation, HB 217, to the General Assembly. The legislation improves Georgians’ ability to receive a flu shot.

“Wide distribution of flu vaccinations is an important component of public health,” said Governor Perdue. “Receiving a vaccination reduces the likelihood of a recipient becoming infected with influenza, and is especially important to vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. The legislation we introduced today will make it easier for Georgians to receive their yearly flu shot.”    » read more »

Case serves as reminder of importance of vaccination to protect against measles

August 6, 2008 -- A case of measles has been confirmed in a 10-month-old child in Hennepin County, state health officials said today. Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department and the Minnesota Department of Health are collaborating in the investigation.

While the Minnesota Department of Health has had cases of measles reported to it as recently as 2007, they have been cases acquired in countries where measles is still common. This case was acquired in Minnesota, the first such case since 2001, said Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health. Public health professionals are investigating the source of the exposure for the case.    » read more »

August, 2008 -- CHICAGO – To help injured disaster survivors that may be at risk for infection from blood-borne viruses or tetanus in the environment, new vaccine recommendations were released today in the latest issue of the American Medical Association (AMA) Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal. The recommendations are co-published with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).    » read more »

Governor Napolitano Proclaims April 19-26 Infant Immunization Awareness Week in Arizona

April 14, 2008 -- Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and state and local health officials are stressing the importance of immunizations in light of a measles outbreak in Pima County.

Vaccination: Photo by Belinda Hankins Miller (CC)

"This outbreak shows that we can’t let our guard down. Forgotten diseases like measles and polio are still out there, and that’s why it’s important to make sure vaccinations are up to date," the Governor said. "Immunizations are a very safe and effective way to keep Arizona’s children safe, healthy and in school."    » read more »

March 14, 2008 -- The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has confirmed that a five-year-old girl in the Twin Cities metro area has died from complications of influenza. This is the state’s second pediatric influenza-related death of the 2007-2008 influenza season.

The first death occurred in a 12-year-old, unvaccinated child with a chronic underlying medical condition. The girl who died in the most recent case had received a flu shot, but not until after she was already ill.    » read more »

Public flu vaccination clinics planned in response to death, new CDC vaccination guidelines

Feb. 29, 2008 -- The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today confirmed that a 12-year-old Twin Cities metropolitan area girl died recently from complications of influenza. The girl had not been vaccinated, and had an underlying medical condition that may have put her at increased risk of influenza complications.    » read more »

December 13, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC — Today Rep. Waxman, Sen. Kennedy, and Rep Roybal-Allard introduced a package of bills that will help to ensure that adults have access to life-saving vaccines. These vaccines include the new vaccine against the virus that causes cervical cancer as well as vaccines against seasonal influenza, certain pneumonias, Hepatitis B, and shingles, among others.    » read more »

Bill would Increase Late-Season Vaccination; Improve Outreach to Populations at Risk from Flu

December 12, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Today, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) introduced the Influenza Vaccine Security Act, legislation to increase flu vaccination rates, improve stockpiling of critical supplies to treat and prevent pandemic influenza, and establish better distribution of seasonal flu vaccine.    » read more »

27 November 2007 -- Endemic cholera, a potentially fatal diarrheal disease found in the world's poorest countries, could be effectively controlled by orally vaccinating half of the affected populations once every two years for only pennies per dose, according to new findings by an international team of researchers. The conclusion is based on a computer model of the vaccine's effectiveness.

Cholera causes massive fluid loss that can kill. While oral rehydration therapy has made the disease treatable, each year an estimated 100,000 to 500,000 people die from it.    » read more »

Numerous clinics will be held around state Nov. 26 – Dec. 2

November 21, 2007 -- If you haven’t received your annual influenza vaccination yet, it’s not too late, say state health officials. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Minnesota Coalition for Adult Immunization (MCAI) and other organizations will hold their annual 'Ban the Bug' campaign from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2.    » read more »