| | | | | | CEO Message Thank you so much to our supporters for making this year’s 12th Annual Community Immunity Spring Luncheon: A Virtual Event such a success! Thanks to you we surpassed our fundraising goal to support TIP’s valuable immunization programs. I extend my deepest appreciation to our luncheon chairs, Carter Dugan and Riki Graves, and to all our staff and supporters who dedicated many hours to making this a memorable event. I share a warm thank you to our keynote speaker Dr. Peter Hotez, and to our vaccine expert panelists, Dr. Ogechika Alozie, Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, Rekha Lakshmanan, Dr. James Le Duc, Dr. Peter Marks, Dr. Lindy U. McGee, Dr. Janak A. Patel, Jason Sabo, Dr. Umair Shah, and Dr. Susan Wootton. | | | | | | Allison N. Winnike, J.D. President & Chief Executive Officer | | | | | |  | We want to hear from you! As part of our annual Community Survey, we’d like Texas residents to share their opinions and beliefs about vaccines. Your responses will help identify issues to focus efforts in making Texas a healthier and safer place. Participation is confidential and information you provide will be anonymous. If you would like to enter to win one of four $25 Visa gift cards, we’ll need your name and email address, but that’s the only reason we’ll take your personal information. The survey closes on Friday, June 4. We sure would like to hear from you. Please contact Rachel Walker at rwalker@immunizeUSA.org with any questions. | | | | | | | | | | | | UPDATE from the 87th Texas Legislature We are 5/6ths of the way through the session, and we are back in the Capitol in person (masked up) to meet with lawmakers about reasonable vaccination policies. Activities have picked up with some bills getting public hearings. - SB 636 by Sen. Kel Seliger, also known as “Parents Right To Know” was heard this month in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Immunize Texas supporters came out in force to testify in support of the bill which would require the state health department to make de-identified school campus immunization rates available to the public. The bill is pending in the committee.
| | | | - SB 1353 sponsored by Sen. Borris Miles is an equity bill and asks the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to collect vaccine access and distribution data based on age, race, and geography. SB 1353 is scheduled to go to the Senate floor very soon.
- SB 239 sponsored by Sen. Beverly Powell would ensure DSHS has a strong communication process to educate about vaccine-preventable and communicable diseases during a state of disaster. SB 239 is on its way to the House Public Health Committee.
- Two bills that weaken our immunization laws also had hearings. SB 1310, which discourages parents from vaccinating their children, received a public hearing and was left pending in the Senate HHS committee. Furthermore, HB 2856, which was heard in the House Public Health Committee, would create unsafe doctors’ offices by not allowing doctors to protect their most vulnerable patients, and removes a family’s right to have their children go to a clinic with high vaccination rates. TIP president and CEO Allison Winnike presented testimony in opposition to this bill. This bill is pending in committee.
| | Click below to learn more about our goals for creating a strong and healthy Texas today and for generations to come. | | | | | Keep up with what we’re doing at the Texas Legislature. Automated text messages from TIP include recommended advocacy actions and event notifications. Click to learn more and to sign up. | | | | | | | | | | 2021 Virtual Community Immunity Luncheon | |  | Thank you for helping to make our 12th Annual Community Immunity Luncheon: A Virtual Event on April 22nd an overwhelming success! This is our second virtual annual luncheon in a row, and our supporters and participants came through in amazing ways. We raised more than $173,000, which exceeded our goal by 14%, thanks to the dedication of luncheon co-chairs Riki Graves and Carter Dugan and the generosity of our sponsors and contributors. You can see the full list here. Our virtual guests (each of them with the best seat in the house) saw keynote speaker, Dr. Peter Hotez interviewed by political analyst Mustafa Tameez about the pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, current plans to combat new COVID-19 variants, timing for vaccine boosters to create stronger protection, and the importance of community immunity. TIP presented Amerigroup with the Ralph D. Feigin, MD Award for Excellence, in recognition of Amerigroup’s commitment to achieving health and wellness for underserved communities across Texas, and nationwide. TIP also presented Melanie E. Mouzoon, MD, with the John R. Boettiger, Jr. Award for Community Partnership. A leader in healthcare and the community and devoted immunization advocate and educator, Dr. Mouzoon has chaired TIP’s Board of Directors four times. If you could not attend the virtual luncheon, or if you would like to revisit the event, you can watch it here. Prior to the virtual luncheon, attendees had the opportunity to participate in one of five, live discussions with experts in immunization, public health, research, and politics. Speakers included: Ogechika Alozie, MD; Maria Elena Bottazzi, PhD; Rekha Lakshmanan, MHA; James Le Duc, PhD; Peter Marks, MD, PhD; Lindy U. McGee, MD; Janak A. Patel, MD; Jason Sabo; Umair Shah, MD, MPH; Allison Winnike, TIP President and CEO; and Susan Wootton, MD. Over the next few months, we will share these discussions in the Vaxx Voice newsletter, on our YouTube channel, and on our Vaxx Voice and Vaxx to the Future podcasts. | | | | | |  | Questions about COVID-19 and vaccinations? During the COVID-19 pandemic, TIP is working to meet the needs of our front-line public health responders, health care professionals, and the public. The TIP team, along with our Pandemic Vaccine Task Force and Health Equity Council, provide valuable feedback and recommendations to our local, state, and federal partners to improve distribution, allocation, and access to COVID-19 vaccines. Click below for answers for where to find Texas vaccine providers, vaccine safety, and many other frequently asked questions. | | | | |  | Meet Mobi and Victor TIP created a children's book that explains community immunity and the importance of keeping those who are unable to receive vaccines safe from harm. The book follows Mobi, a pesky measles virus, who has a goal of infecting everyone in Townsville. However, a superhero vaccine named Victor quickly throws a wrench in Mobi's plans. The book takes the reader on an exciting adventure with Mobi and Victor as they explore several different situations about community immunity together. The book is available in English and Spanish, and in hard-cover and paperback To learn more about Mobi and Victor and how you can get your very own copy, and a coupon code for 50% off, click below. | | | | |  | | |  | Advocacy School: Turning Ideas into Reality The Immunization Partnership Advocacy School: Turning Ideas into Reality featured a conversation between The Hon. Joe Straus, former Texas House Speaker, and Umair Shah, MD, former Executive Director and Local Health Authority for Harris County Public Health about the challenges of moving legislation through the Texas Legislature. Click below to watch the video. | | | | | | | | | | The Immunization Partnership Podcasts | | | | We are proud to announce the launch this month of two TIP-produced podcasts. Vaxx Voice features discussions about vaccines and immunization best practices. Vaxx to the Future provides information specifically about COVID-19 and its associated vaccines. We invite you to listen and subscribe as we add them to the popular podcast platforms. | | | | | | Find out what TIP is saying about COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and what the media are saying about TIP by visiting our TIP in the News page. | | | | | | | | TIP's mission is to eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases by educating the community, advocating for evidence-based public policy, and supporting immunization best practices. | | | | | | The Immunization Partnership
240 West Galveston Street #1985 | League City, Texas 77574-1985
281-400-3689 | info@immunizeUSA.org | | | | | | | | | | | |
