Vote & Vax Brings Flu Shots to the Polls on Election Day
This Election Day, Vote & Vax and its partners will be offering voters a chance to protect themselves and their communities from the flu by providing easy and accessible flu shots at more than 1,200 polling stations and pharmacies.
On Presidential Election Days, more than 126 million Americans pass through the 186,000 polling places across the country. In 2008, Vote & Vax and its collaborators delivered more than 21,000 flu shots at 331 polling places in 42 states and Washington, D.C. Of those vaccinated through the project, almost half (47.7 percent) were "new" recipients, meaning they had either not received a flu shot in the preceding year or would not have otherwise been vaccinated. Vote & Vax works with healthcare professionals from local and state health departments, pharmacies, visiting nurse agencies, and other immunizers.
This year, Vote & Vax has nearly quadrupled its efforts, with more than 1,200 sites in 48 states and Washington D.C, Puerto Rico, and Guam and will be able to reach an even wider population right at the start of cold and flu season.
"We believe that by offering flu shots at the polls and making it easier for residents to get vaccinated, we are providing an important public service to keep communities and our most vulnerable people healthy," says Dr. Douglas Shenson, national program director for Vote & Vax.
Vote & Vax national collaborators include health organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Healthy Aging Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the Association of Immunization Managers and businesses such as Walgreens, Kmart, RxAlly and Rite Aid.
For more information visit:http://www.voteandvax.org/
APIC Salutes 2025 Trailblazers in Infection Prevention and Control
June 18th 2025From a lifelong mentor to a rising star, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) honored leaders across the career spectrum at its 2025 Annual Conference in Phoenix, recognizing individuals who enhance patient safety through research, leadership, and daily practice.
Building Infection Prevention Capacity in the Middle East: A 7-Year Certification Success Story
June 17th 2025Despite rapid development, the Middle East faces a critical shortage of certified infection preventionists. A 7-year regional initiative has significantly boosted infection control capacity, increasing the number of certified professionals and elevating patient safety standards across health care settings.
Streamlined IFU Access Boosts Infection Control and Staff Efficiency
June 17th 2025A hospital-wide quality improvement project has transformed how staff access critical manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs), improving infection prevention compliance and saving time through a standardized, user-friendly digital system supported by unit-based training and interdepartmental collaboration.
Swift Isolation Protocol Shields Chicago Children’s Hospital During 2024 Measles Surge
June 17th 2025When Chicago logged its first measles cases linked to crowded migrant shelters last spring, one pediatric hospital moved in hours—not days—to prevent the virus from crossing its threshold. Their playbook offers a ready template for the next communicable-disease crisis.
Back to Basics: Hospital Restores Catheter-Associated UTI Rates to Prepandemic Baseline
June 16th 2025A 758-bed quaternary medical center slashed catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) by 45% over 2 years, proving that disciplined adherence to fundamental prevention steps, not expensive add-ons, can reverse the pandemic-era spike in device-related harm.
