S.D. immunization conference set for this week
Sept. 6, 2021
This paid piece is sponsored by South Dakota Biotech.
The fifth annual Immunize South Dakota conference this week probably couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.
The event from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday at the Sioux Falls Convention Center invites health care professionals statewide to network and learn about the latest in vaccine development.
“Our conference is structured to appeal to health care providers, industry members, state and educational employees, community members and anyone who has questions or is interested in hearing more information about vaccines and vaccine updates,” said Jenifer Wollman, a pharmacist at Avera Specialty Pharmacy and professional development chair of Immunize South Dakota.
“There have been challenges transitioning to virtual events/doctor visits/appointments and how to address what vaccines to get and when to get them, addressing proven safety and efficacy of vaccines/new COVID vaccines and determining how we advocate/avoid spreading misinformation and “play catch-up” with vaccine schedules.”
Immunize South Dakota is a network of community partners working together to increase immunization rates and prevent disease through education and outreach.
The conference will provide a statewide update on COVID-19 vaccination as well as “a discussion on how to advocate and arm partners with tools for addressing anti-vax legislation, addressing resources to health care/providing access to vaccines and how to instill vaccine confidence for the public, among other topics,” Wollman said.
“We have scheduled several speakers that will incorporate timely strategies in their presentations to provide attendees with practical information they can use in their conversations with friends, family and their community members.”
Keynote speaker Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the health care-focused de Beaumont Foundation will discuss how “one-size-fits-all” vaccine messaging is proving less effective in an increasingly polarized country. He also will provide an assessment of where we are in the push for vaccinations, the opportunities we still have and public health strategies to capitalize in this area.
“We have received a very positive response from the people of our state – we have many people registering every day, and we have formed partnerships to help promote our event,” Wollman said. “Every year, we are finding new ways to reach our communities and developing relevant and varied content to help address current news and concerns.”
