The N.C. Immunization Branch promotes public health through the identification and elimination of vaccine-preventable diseases like polio, hepatitis B, measles, chickenpox, whooping cough, rubella (German measles), and mumps. In 2001, the Branch incorporated an adult education component into the program to raise awareness of the agelessness of immunizations.
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Getting your flu shot, find out how to avoid shoulder injury with intramuscular injections here!
12/05/18: The 2018-2019 Annual K-12 and College Immunization Report has closed. The deadline for submissions was December 1, 2018. Submissions after this date cannot be accepted. Thank you to all the schools for submitting the 2018-2019 reports. Please email Shannon Draper with any other questions regarding the report.
Vaccine Administration: As influenza season approaches and mass flu programs may be occurring in your jurisdiction, now is a great opportunity to remind providers to ensure staff who provide vaccines know how to do them right. ISD has developed tools for our awardees and partners to share with members of their health care community. These products educate and remind providers about proper influenza (flu) vaccine administration technique to help avoid shoulder injuries and other adverse events. The materials include links to comprehensive vaccine administration information, a short video on the correct technique for intramuscular injection, an infographic on administering flu vaccine to an adult, and a link to our vaccine administration e-Learn.
Temporary Suspension of School and College Immunization requirements: The immunization requirements, specified in 10A NCAC 41A .0401, have been temporarily suspended under the authority of the State Health Director in response to Hurricane Florence. The time period from the start of the temporary suspension on September 21 until November 1, 2018, will not count towards the 30 calendar days following the child’s first date of attendance to meet requirements for submitting required documents. For more information go to Annual Immunization Reports.
What vaccines are recommended for evacuees of a disaster? The major concern for anyone exposed to unsanitary conditions is that they be up to date with tetanus-containing vaccine, because if they are injured (as is common in disaster settings) the injury is likely to be contaminated. Routinely recommended vaccines are recommended for evacuees, just like they are for everyone else. Full CDC recommendations for vaccines for evacuees are posted on our website at Routinely Recommended Vaccines During a Disaster.
I evacuated before a hurricane struck but hope to go home soon. Are there any special vaccination recommendations for me? There are no special vaccination recommendations for persons returning to their homes in the disaster area. However, you should get a booster dose of a tetanus vaccine if you have not had a booster dose within the last 10 years. Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) boosters are routinely recommended every 10 years for all adults; the concern in this setting is that clean-up and repairs present an increased risk of injury and tetanus from such injuries is preventable by vaccination. Adults should receive the pertussis-containing Tdap vaccine rather than Td if this is available and has not been previously received. Children and adolescents 11 through 18 years should receive the pertussis-containing Tdap vaccine rather than Td if this is available.
Q and A from CDC on Disasters and Immunizations
