This report is a detailed overview of the 2023 Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Access Cooperative (VAC) meetings.
AIM, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), and AcademyHealth convened eight regional meetings of the newly formed Vaccine Access Cooperative (VAC) from March through June 2023 to focus on improving COVID-19 vaccination rates among children. Teams from 63 of 64 CDC-funded immunization program jurisdictions attended a regional VAC meeting, bringing together leaders from departments of health, immunization programs, and Medicaid programs, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, pharmacist associations, and other key immunization partners to develop strategies to break down barriers to the successful vaccination of children.
Highlights in the report include:
- Results of a Pre-Meeting Survey showing top barriers to successful vaccination of children against COVID-19
- Jurisdictional plans addressing similar themes around messaging and partnerships
- The creation of a coalition of over 300 immunization leaders and partners across 63 jurisdictions comprising all 50 states, six major cities, and seven U.S. territories and freely associated states
- Lessons learned
- Post-VAC convenings of jurisdiction teams and ongoing activities
- Conclusions and considerations for the future
