UNITY® Consortium is urging parents and healthcare providers take action this spring to get adolescents up to date on missed well visits and recommended vaccines during the inaugural Adolescent Immunization Action Week (April 4th- 8th). UNITY launched the initiative following a sharp decline in adolescent well visits and routine immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NEWTOWN, Pa., March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- UNITY® Consortium is urging parents and healthcare providers take action this spring to get adolescents up to date on missed well visits and recommended vaccines during the inaugural Adolescent Immunization Action Week (April 4th- 8th). UNITY launched the initiative following a sharp decline in adolescent well visits and routine immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend annual well visits, but many adolescents and young adults skipped or delayed these checkups during the pandemic.
The goal of Adolescent Immunization Action Week (AIAW) is to get adolescents up to date on well visits and routinely recommended adolescent immunizations including those that protect against whooping cough, meningococcal disease, and cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Parents and healthcare providers are encouraged to "spring into action" by taking advantage of any upcoming spring or school holidays to schedule well visits and immunization appointments.
"Adolescent immunizations are timed to start protecting adolescents before they are exposed to serious, potentially life-threatening illnesses, so it's important to get them up to date as soon as possible," said Judy Klein, President of Unity Consortium. "We're encouraging parents and healthcare providers to take action this spring to schedule vaccination appointments so that adolescents will be ready for summer activities and to get ahead of school entry requirements for the fall."
To kick off AIAW, UNITY is thrilled to welcome Dr. Chelsea Clinton as moderator for a virtual discussion on April 4th at 12:00 ET featuring parents' perspectives on the importance of prioritizing adolescent health and immunizations. Parents, healthcare providers, and others interested in adolescent preventive health are invited to join. Registration information and additional AIAW resources are available at https://www.unity4teenvax.org/aiaw22/ and in Spanish at https://www.unity4teenvax.org/en-espanol/.
"Routine immunizations, especially in adolescents, are crucial to protect individual and community health," said Chelsea Clinton, DPhil, MPH, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation. "It's why we need to get kids caught up on well child visits and vaccinations. I hope our discussion will encourage parents and healthcare providers to act now to protect our kids, prevent future outbreaks, alleviate strains on an overburdened healthcare system, and improve our shared public health."
To help raise awareness about the importance of adolescent immunizations, several UNITY members will be sharing information and educational materials across their communications platforms using the hashtag #AIAW22. A video PSA is airing nationwide on Comcast channels and via PatientPoint® on monitors in physician waiting rooms and exam rooms.
TelevisaUnivision is launching a comprehensive, Spanish language digital and broadcast campaign including spotlights on Despierta América and a Facebook Live event on April 7th. UNITY is also encouraging healthcare providers to reach out to parents and adolescents who may have missed well visits and vaccinations.
About Unity Consortium
Unity® Consortium is a non-profit organization that unites diverse groups around a common passion - the imperative to protect against all vaccine-preventable diseases to support lifelong health. Our members represent public and private organizations, industry, academia, healthcare providers, retailers and advocacy groups. As one strong voice, Unity Consortium addresses the unique challenges surrounding adolescent and young adult health, prevention and immunization. For more information, visit us as https://unity4teenvax.org and follow us on Twitter at @UnityConsortium, Instagram, and YouTube, and like us on Facebook.
Media Contact
kristen huamani, inklein consulting, 1 9738793315, [email protected]
SOURCE Unity Consortium
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