The money will also be used to increase outreach and education efforts to local businesses, churches and community groups. We need to ensure that every child reaps the benefits of this accomplishment by ensuring they received all their vaccinations on a timely basis. During this program, dozens of preschoolers staged a mock chickenpox outbreak to focus attention in a fun and interactive way on the importance of timely immunizations, particularly for children under two years of age. Additional immunizations offering protection against hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b and pneumonia are also recommended by age two. The NII sponsors a speakers' bureau, conducts workshops for healthcare and daycare providers, and encourages eligible individuals to enroll in NJ FamilyCare and obtain a primary care physician.
Activities are also ongoing at the state level to improve infant immunization rates.
The Department of Health and Senior Services has implemented a wide-ranging strategic plan that includes expanding the number of private physician office assessments, and expanding the number of physicians participating in the New Jersey Vaccines for Children program. Through this program, eligible children currently can get free vaccines at the offices of approximately 1,900 participating physicians statewide. The department has also been working with private physicians to help them improve their office procedures and on-time immunization rates. More than 280 private physician offices, clinics and local health departments are linked to the state health department's immunization registry, which is used to track children's vaccine status and help providers remind parents when shots are due. More than 410,000 children are currently in the registry's database.