NEWS

FCAAP Immunization PSA Toolkits Available for Providers and Partners

Mar 25, 2021 | News

Vaccines save more than 6 million lives a year and should not be delayed because of a pandemic. To help raise awareness, the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP) has released a statewide PSA reinforcing the benefits and importance of children’s routine vaccinations.

“Skipping or delaying annual immunizations raises the risk of children catching preventable diseases, especially during the pandemic,” says FCAAP President Dr. Lisa Gwynn. “We want to encourage parents and the community to ensure children’s routine vaccinations remain a priority to help them stay healthy and safe, and to save lives.”

This essential task can help keep children safe, healthy, and out of the urgent care or emergency room, yet in 2020 alone, there was a 26 percent decrease in vaccine doses, and 40 percent of parents said children missed shots due to COVID-19, according to recent data released by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

We encourage you to help amplify the message by sharing the new PSA with your patients and their parents in your offices and on your practice’s social media pages.

For Providers: These provider toolkits in English and Spanish contain links to the PSA videos, messaging you can use in emails to your patients’ families, and suggested text for sharing the videos on social media. This calendar outlines the Chapter’s recommendations on when to post a PSA video on social media each week. As you join your fellow FCAAP members in posting the messages on the same days, you will help create a “social media storm” and increase the number of people who see the PSA.

For our Partners: These partner toolkits in English and Spanish contain links to the PSA videos, messaging you can use in emails to your providers, and suggested text for sharing the videos on social media.

Remember to let your patients and their parents know that proper steps have been taken to keep them and their family safe during their visit to your practice. Families without health insurance coverage may be eligible for vaccines at reduced or no cost through the Vaccines For Children (VFC) program. To learn more about the Florida VFC program visit FloridaHealth.gov.

Thank you for all you continue to do for Florida’s kids!

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Contact Melanie Range, Administrator Coordinator at 850-224-3939 ext. 1001.