HJNO Jan/Feb 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS  I  JAN / FEB 2020 51 ical conditions, and by 65 percent among healthy children. Furthermore, 80 percent of the children who died from the flu in 2018 were not vaccinated. Vaccines are our best protection. All healthcare providers have significant influence on improving the health of our younger generations and their caregivers. Together, we can create healthier communities. n Amanda Jackson, MD serves as the vice pres- ident of ambulatory services, and primary care medical director for Children’s Hospi- tal New Orleans. A New Orleans native, Dr. Jackson earned a medical degree from LSU Medical School New Orleans, and completed a pediatric residency training at Thomas Jef- ferson University in Philadelphia, where she was named chief resident. She is a general pediatrician, practicing pediatrics in the New Orleans area for 14 years. Dr. Jackson has also served in a clinical operations role as associ- ate chief medical informatics officer at Ochs- ner Health System. Now at Children’s Hospital New Orleans, she oversees clinical operations at our growing number specialty care and pediatrics locations across the Greater New Orleans area, and throughout the state of Louisiana, as well as the hospital’s virtual care services. Amanda Jackson, MD, FAAP, FABPM Vice President Ambulatory Services Primary Care Medical Director Children’s Hospital New Orleans flu. Avoiding immunization has a signifi- cant impact on the health of the communi- ty. With recent outbreaks inmeasles across the country, the importance of immuniza- tions is evident. Measles cases were at a 25 year high this year, with the vast majority of people contracting measles in the 2019 outbreak being unvaccinated. In Louisiana, adults can obtain their influenza vaccination from many con- venient locations, including pharmacies, without prescriptions. Many pharmacies also offer the pneumococcal vaccine, rec- ommended for those older than 65. Chil- dren under 7 years of age are required to have a prescription from their physician in order to receive an influenza vaccine from a pharmacist, whereas older children are not similarly restricted. At Children’s Hospital New Orleans, free vaccines are provided through the Greater New Orleans Immunization Network for eligible children through the age 18. The mobile unit visits locations throughout New Orleans, providing 11 different im- munizations to uninsured or underinsured children. Over 35,000 vaccines will be pro- vided to over 16,000 kids in 2019. This in- cludes the flu vaccination. Continued and increased efforts to in- crease the vaccination coverage of our adult population can have profound ef- fects on our population, especially our children. In the 2017-2018 influenza sea- son, the CDC estimated 45 million influen- za cases, with 810,000 hospital admissions and 61,000 deaths. A 2017 study found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated death by 51 percent among children with underlying high-risk med- “Children under 7 years of age are required to have a prescription from their physician in order to receive an influenza vaccine from a pharmacist, whereas older chil- dren are not simi- larly restricted.”