Last Updated: January 2015

Author: Immunization Program, Vermont Department of Health

Immunization rates for Vermont toddlers (19-35 months) are below state and national goals. Results from the CDC's 2013 National Immunization Survey (NIS) show that 67% of children under three years of age in Vermont received the full series of recommended vaccines. The Healthy People 2020 goal for the series is 80%.

CDC, Primary care providers and their respective Vermont associations (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians), Vermont Child Health Improvement Program, UVM College of Medicine, and health insurers.

The CDC Community Preventative Services Task Force recommends reminder and recall interventions based on strong evidence of effectiveness in improving vaccination coverage. Parental education is important.Initiatives to address vaccine hesitancy, including Vermont's “It's OK to Ask" (www.oktoaskvt.org) campaign provide education and information to parents where they are seeking information (internet, social media).

Universal access to vaccines at no cost to providers ensures vaccine availability and reduces fiscal risk for providers.

The Immunization Program has a number of initiatives to support childhood vaccination. In the past year, major projects included:

·Launch of the “It's OK to Ask" social media campaign, to provide a reliable information resource for parents of young children who have questions about immunizations.

·Site visits to over 90% of enrolled practices to ensure full compliance with CDC program requirements.

·Mailing of recall-reminder letters to parents of children 8 and 20 months of age who aren't up-to-date on immunizations to ensure timely vaccination