Two Kentucky organizations are teaming up to help increase immunization rates in the commonwealth. The Kentucky Association of Health Plans, KAHP, and Kentucky Voices for Health, KVH, have announced they will be working together to build a stronger vaccination safety net.
Officials said there has been a recent rise in dangerous infections in the Commonwealth that could be easily prevented with vaccinations. To combat this, the organizations are working together on a 3-year, $360,000 effort to increase vaccination awareness and access.
Tom Stephens, President of KAHP, said with different diseases on the rise, now is the most important time to get vaccinated.
“As students head back to school, we’re reminded of the critical role that immunizations play in protecting the health of our communities. Immunizations are one of the most effective public health interventions we have. They protect our children from preventable diseases and help maintain the overall health of our communities. Unfortunately, Kentucky has been facing challenges in this area, with childhood immunization rates that remain below the national average,” said Stephens.
Stephens said disruptions caused by the pandemic are partly to blame for the lower vaccination rate.
Kelly Taulbee is Director of Communications and Development at Kentucky Voices for Health. She said conditions will get worse if vaccines are not administered.
“That drop in community immunity is fueling the return of these vaccine-preventable illness, like measles and pertussis, diseases that we’ve really not seen in their prime since the Victorian era. They are dangerous, highly communicable diseases that have been eradicated until recently. And we’re starting to face a perfect storm scenario where holes in our community immunity are only becoming larger as those immunization rates decline,” said Taulbee.
Taulbee said the goal of the partnership is to help kids stay safe, while working to expand and improve access to Medicaid for children. The organizations will work to keep kids covered as Medicaid renewals resume and some are left without coverage.
To find a provider, families can call the Kentucky Infectious Disease & Vaccine Call Center at 855-598-2246.