Georgia Advocates Partner with AAP to Address Vaccination Fears

Vaccines are a vital component of health care for young children. However, many families across the country are postponing well child check-ups and immunizations during the current COVID-19 crisis. GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, a Think Babies™ partner, is taking special care to make sure families have the information they need to make the best decisions for their children’s well-being and can safely access their pediatricians.

GEEARS recently worked with the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to raise awareness through the media on the importance of timely vaccinations to stakeholders across the state. They also created a series of graphics for social media, citing the importance of vaccinations for babies, and both groups are promoting expanded and extended use of telehealth services in an effort to make office visits safer for well-child and vaccination visits.

Pediatricians across the country are using multiple methods to ensure that babies are receiving immunizations on time. Innovative practices include:

• drive-through vaccination tents;

• allowing families to wait in the car for appointments;

• mobile vaccination units; and

• reserving blocks of time in offices for well-child checks.

Is your state or community making an extra effort to keep babies immunized? Let us know at policycenter@zerotothree.org.