Every month can be National Minority Health Month by ensuring all people have access to health information in the language they use at home and in formats that work for them. We invite you to explore, learn, and join us in recognizing National Minority Health Month. Here are some ways you can support this year’s theme, “better health through better understanding.”
On January 20, 2023 the Washington State Immunization Information System (IIS) will update its guidance to reflect the recommendation to administer human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine starting at age nine. Previous guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends routine HPV vaccination starting at age 11 or 12 years but notes that HPV vaccination may be given starting at age nine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the COVID-19 Testing Locator website, which will allow consumers to search for free COVID-19 testing sites near them. The locator is part of the CDC Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program, which provides access to COVID-19 testing, focusing on communities at a greater risk of being impacted by the pandemic, people who do not have health insurance, and surge testing in state and local jurisdictions.
We are gearing up for the 2023 West Nile virus (WNV) season and are continuing efforts to increase mosquito surveillance capacity across the state. Our priority is to increase the geographic coverage of mosquito and WNV surveillance, especially focusing on areas of the state where populations are more at risk of WNV.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the 2023 Childhood and Adult Immunization Schedules with the latest recommendations for each routinely recommended vaccine.
The 2023 immunization schedules are available on CDC’s health care provider webpage, which includes parent friendly schedules.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opened two overdose prevention grants.
Overdose Data to Action: Limiting Overdose through Collaborative Actions in Localities (OD2A: LOCAL)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new tools to guide effective investigations into group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections in long-term care facilities.
While the U.S. mpox outbreak has slowed considerably, severe manifestations continue to occur.
Severe manifestations include ocular lesions, neurologic complications, myopericarditis, complications associated with mucosal (oral, rectal, genital, and urethral) lesions, and uncontrolled viral spread due to moderate or severe immunocompromise. Some deaths have also been reported, particularly among people living with advanced HIV.
DOH’s popular Information by Location mapping tool is making it even easier to understand social vulnerability in communities across the state. Understanding the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) of a community can help identify vulnerable populations for various public health events, emergencies, and hazards. Next month, we are updating the mapping tool to just one SVI topic.
On January 13, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced they will be investigating a preliminary safety signal for one of the COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccines.
This safety signal was detected by only one of many safety systems; other safety systems, databases, and countries are not seeing the same link, nor has it been seen in other brands of COVID-19 vaccine.