What will happen to children needing immunizations if WIC Offices close?
You won't find any answers online. This is what you will see if you go to the federal WIC site:
Does it really cost money to leave the information up for viewing even though it might be preceded with SORRY, WE ARE SHUTDOWN etc?
You may recall that, back in the early 1990s the nation experienced a Measles epidemic. A study revealed that there were 90 deaths and 75,290 cases reported.
Failure to vaccinate children at the appropriate age was the major factor contributing to the resurgence of measles in the United States in 1989--1990 (National Vaccine Advisory Committee, unpublished data, 1991). Surveys in areas experiencing measles outbreaks indicate that as few as 50% of children have been vaccinated against measles by their second birthday (5), and that black and Hispanic children are less likely to be age-appropriately vaccinated than are white children (6).
Back when Congress actually worked, we did something about this.
Programmatic Strategies to Increase Vaccination Coverage by Age 2 Years -- Linkage of Vaccination and WIC Services
The linkage of WIC and vaccination services is expected to increase vaccination levels of high-risk preschoolers and to help sustain high coverage levels. CDC (in collaboration with WIC) is developing guidelines to implement this linkage, and in 1996, a portion of vaccination grant funds have been designated for the implementation.
WIC became a resource to both screen to see if kids were up to date on their immunizations (performed when moms came in for their food vouchers) as well as a place where the immunizations are administered if a child need an immunization.
In this Kansas 2011 report you will find the chart below, we can see that low income children serviced by WIC immunization services are almost on par with the rest of the population
But WIC offices are closing, even their phones aren't being answered. How many moms will be shocked to find there will be NO FOOD vouchers. Can we assume all these moms Got the Memo: WIC is Shut Down?
So now what?
Where will the infants and small children receive their immunizations, or healthy food for that matter, in states that shuttered their WIC doors?
Some states are doing a better job making sure that just because the Tea Party Representatives prefer a shutdown to passing a continuing resolution for a couple of weeks, their kids will still receive their life saving immunizations.
For example, Virginia
Virginia state Health Commissioner Dr. Cynthia Romero said federally funded vaccine and immunization programs... both have sufficient funding based on Fiscal Year 2013 allocations.
Colorado just released this statement:
Health Department Offers Free Infant and Back-To-School Immunizations Posted on October 2, 2013
Other states, not so much.
As a matter of fact, Utah shutterred its WIC office doors on October 1, having made no plans in case of a government shutdown.
You can read the curt WIC statement here:
From Bear River Health Department, the state's largest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 9-30-13
Beginning October 1, 2013 at 5pm, doors of the WIC clinics here and across the state will be closed and no new food vouchers will be issued until the federal government re-opens.
“Up until yesterday afternoon we were given the impression that there would be a small reserve at the state level that could carry us through for two to three weeks. We learned at 6 pm last night through an emergency phone conference that this would not be the case.” said Lloyd Berentzen, Executive Director of the Bear River Health Department.
Essentially the impact on the WIC program is that funding will be stopped. There will not be funding to distribute food vouchers or pay for employee’s time.
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No one is answering the phones, so I couldn't find out whether WIC moms could get immunizations for their small children and babies.
How can the plight of infants not be on the radar of the House Republicans?
How can they be so cavalier, even heartless.
Babies can't work and don't have bootstraps.
Shame on those shutting down services for
THE LEAST AMONG US!
I call them Hatriots.