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WISCONSIN IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM RECOGNIZED FOR HIGH COMPLIANCE RATES AMONG YOUNG CHILDREN

MADISON—The state's Division of Public Health (DPH) received the 2012 national award for Highest Childhood Immunization Coverage from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by achieving an 84 percent immunization coverage rate among children aged 19 to 35 months, according to state officials.

"This award is a tribute to the public and private health care providers in Wisconsin that go the extra mile to help children stay on the recommended immunization schedule, and to parents, for protecting children from serious vaccine preventable diseases," said Dr. Henry Anderson, State Health Officer. "Thanks to this collaborative effort, Wisconsin immunization rates are consistently high compared with the national average as measured by the National Immunization Survey (NIS)."

The award recognized the state for its high compliance rate for a specific series of vaccines recommended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which includes vaccines to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliovirus infections, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox), pneumococcal disease, and haemophilus influenzae (Hib) disease. This year's award criteria excluded Hib vaccine data because of a vaccine shortage during the July 2010 to June 2011 award time period.

The state's immunization program assists local health departments, physicians and other clinicians, school districts and other state and community partners to increase awareness of immunization requirements, health benefits and outbreak control measures, and maintains state immunization compliance data.

DPH officials were presented with the award at the national Immunization Program Managers meeting that took place February 1st to February 3rd in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Last Revised:  February 09, 2012