WE NEED YOUR HELP:

HEALTH LEADERS ARE NOT PRIORITIZING CHILDREN DURING TRIDEMIC CRISIS

Even as Health and Human Services allotted $125 million towards improving vaccine uptake for older populations, children were completely ignored. We need work together and bring attention to the current tridemic of flu, Covid and RSV that is pummeling children’s hospitals, the lack of funding for children's healthcare, and the abysmal uptake and access to COVID vaccines for children.

Please email to the contacts below to express your concerns. Any personal information about your particular situation is always powerful. Please see the sample script below—as always, a line or two of any personal examples or stories can make these messages even more powerful.

Please email:

Meg Sullivan meg.sullivan@hhs.gov

Karen Remley kremley@cdc.gov

Jose Romero jromero2@cdc.gov

Ashish Jha ashish.k.jha@who.eop.gov

SAMPLE SCRIPT

Dear XXX,

I am urgently writing you today on behalf of the young children in our country who are suffering immensely. In the midst of a “Tridemic” unlike anything we have seen in recent years, children are again being forgotten by our governmental agencies. We need the general public to know the extent to which this viral storm is affecting the health and well being of our children. Particularly at risk are those children with special health care needs. The lack of funding for children’s hospitals and the lack of bed space has become an absolutely dire situation. Children are unable to get the ICU beds they desperately need and are waiting for hours in the emergency department to be evaluated. It is clear we must create a long-term plan to ensure that pediatric health care capacity is adequately resourced to meet the needs of children, including mental health care. We need congress and our leadership to prioritize the health and well being of children in this country. In the immediate term we need an emphasis on the use of NPIs such as masking in public, social distancing, and frequent hand washing. We also need to reiterate to families that COVID and flu vaccines are safe for children and save lives. We need a concerted approach to advertising and encouraging vaccination in this age group. We have recently seen approval of $125 million dollars allotted to improve vaccine uptake among older adults, lets place this same level of concern regarding vaccine uptake directed towards children.

Moreover, you may or may not understand the extent to which access to COVID vaccinations have affected the uptake in the under 5 age group. Particularly children under 3 who cannot receive the vaccination from local pharmacies. If their Pediatrician does not carry the vaccine (which many do not) or they do not carry the brand they prefer, many parents are driving hours to obtain vaccination for their children. This becomes a huge equity issue and needs to be addressed immediately. All local health departments need to be offering this vaccine to every age group. Pediatric groups need to be supported to be able to supply them in their clinic. We also need to find a way to streamline the administration process. With varying dosages and timelines based on age groups, the administration of these vaccines has become increasingly complicated and this often leads to medical errors. We need to keep children in mind as COVID vaccines transition into the private market.

It is obvious that the health and wellbeing of children in this country is an afterthought. From governmental funding to drug/vaccine development, children are nearly always last in line. Our children are our future, and they deserve better.

Sincerely,

XXX