From Health Equity Connections, January 2016
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) was recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its outstanding achievements in protecting all Rhode Islanders from vaccine-preventable diseases. RIDOH received six 2015 Vaccination Coverage Awards:
- Highest Influenza Vaccination Coverage Rates in adults age 18 and older (53.7% in Rhode Island versus 43.6% nationally)
- Highest Pneumococcal Vaccination Coverage in adults age 65 and older (75.2% in Rhode Island versus 54.5% nationally)
- Most Improved Influenza Coverage in adults age 18 and older (from 52.5% in 2013 to 53.7% in 2014)
- Achieving Healthy People 2020 Goals in children ages 19 to 35 months (The Healthy People 2020 goal for polio, MMR, Hepatitis B, and varicella is 90% and for rotavirus is 80%. Rhode Island surpassed the goals for each type of vaccine.)
- Achieving Healthy People 2020 Goals in adolescents ages 13 to 17 (The Healthy People 2020 goal for TdaP and meningitis is 80% and for varicella is 90%. Rhode Island surpassed the goals for each type of vaccine.)
- Achieving Healthy People 2020 Goals for Influenza Vaccination in children ages 6 months to 17 years (The Healthy People 2020 goal is 70%, and Rhode Island’s coverage rate was 78.6%.)