2005 – Year of the Booster / Adult Immunization Campaign BACKGROUND

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Nome; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.365.7894; http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/bulletins/docs/b2005_08.pdf

In 1925 an outbreak of diphtheria in Nome killed five people and led to a heroic sled dog relay from Nenana to Nome to deliver life-saving diphtheria serum. Fifty years later, in 1975, a diphtheria outbreak in Alaska resulted in 11 cases and 1 death. In response, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services conducted a massive tetanus/diphtheria (Td) immunization campaign during which over 180,000 people received Td vaccine. Because a booster dose of Td vaccine is recommended every ten years, reminder campaigns have occurred in Alaska every decade since 1975. The 2005 campaign, the Year of the Booster, is designed to focus attention on adult immunizations (including Td), encourage Alaskans to check the status of their immunizations, and support efforts by providers to immunize adults.