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Bureau of Immunization: Immunizations Across the Lifespan
A.G. Holley State Hospital Epidemiology STD Tuberculosis & Refugee Health

Flu Prevention

2008 Florida Vote & Vax Campaign

July 30, 2008 -- The Department of Health, Bureau of Immunization is pleased to announce the 2008 Vote & Vax adult flu and pneumococcal immunization campaign. Vote & Vax efforts are held in conjunction with general elections. Election Day provides a unique opportunity to offer influenza and pneumococcal vaccine to those who are most vulnerable. The founders of Vote & Vax recognized the opportunity to safely and conveniently provide flu vaccinations on Election Day. A collaboration between The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Sickness Prevention Achieved through Regional Collaboration (SPARC), Vote & Vax works with local public health providers to assist them in launching vaccination clinics at polling places across the country.

Vote & Vax collaborators include National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA), and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Since its first multi-state program in 2004, Vote & Vax has helped provide thousands of influenza vaccinations to at-risk Americans. The program held 127 successful clinics at polling sites in 2006, immunizing large numbers of Americans who would not otherwise have been reached. To learn more about Vote & Vax and its past success, please browse testimonials from other providers at: www.voteandvax.org/Testimonials.aspx and see Polk County's success at: www.voteandvax.org/ClinicProfile.aspx.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Vote & Vax program has greatly expanded this year, and will be offering a large amount of in-kind assistance and outreach materials to all interested public health providers.

Please review the July 9, 2008 letter from Jennifer J. Edwards (text only), President of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections. The Executive Board of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections has expressed support for the Vote & Vax effort and encourages election supervisors statewide to embrace this concept. This is a wonderful collaboration between agencies to build better health for Florida's future. The minimum requirements for the Vote & Vax campaign outreach are:

  1. Maintain a distance greater than 100 feet from the polling room door (locate immunization clinic outside of the 100-foot solicitation area).
  2. Place no signs at the polling place itself.
  3. All vaccinations must be given after the participant votes.
  4. County health departments must coordinate with individual counties and their supervisors of election.

This is strictly a voluntary effort that any county may elect to initiate, depending on the amount of adult influenza vaccine ordered and the availability of local staff to conduct these clinics. The Bureau of Immunization is unable to provide the influenza or pneumococcal vaccine for this adult outreach. The Pneumococcal Stipend (as funding allows) will apply to any doses of pneumococcal vaccine administered to adults (65 and older or high-risk) during this outreach. Such doses must be properly documented in the Florida SHOTS.

If you are interested in participating in this outreach effort and would like additional details, please contact the Bureau of Immunization at (850) 245-4342. Please visit the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Vote & Vax program website at: www.voteandvax.org.