(Photo: March of Dimes)
Here is Renee's interview with Erin Jones, JD, MSW, Director, Legislative and Strategic Counsel for March of Dimes.
She shares how March of Dimes strongly supports all necessary immunizations for moms and babies across the country—to improve health and prevent infectious diseases.
Listen here:
To improve mom and baby health across the country, March of Dimes supports efforts to ensure all moms and babies are up to date on all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended vaccinations.
To achieve this, March of Dimes supports:
- Efforts to increase immunization coverage so that children and pregnant women are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases and to assure that diseases of the past do not return.
- Strong school immunization requirements and advocates against non-medical exemptions to vaccination.
- All eligible children and pregnant women completing the full immunization schedules recommended by the CDC.
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for pregnant women, in order to provide protection for both mother and baby against vaccine-preventable diseases, influenza (IIV or RIV), and pertussis (Tdap or Td).
- Efforts to ensure all families, no matter what their insurance status, can receive immunizations without cost sharing. No family should face financial barriers to full immunization.
- Education for health care providers, parents, and the general public about the importance of immunizations.
- Maintaining the regular immunization schedule for children and pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Providers offering alternative immunization settings for families during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. drive-up or outdoor immunization clinics).
- Prioritizing pregnant women and infants for immunization when a safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine is available.
- Including pregnant and lactating women in clinical vaccine trials and research.