HR1476: HR1476 National Immunization Awareness Month; August; recognize

26 LC 129 1276 House Resolution 1476 By: Representatives Cooper of the 45th, Smith of the 70th, Au of the 50th, and Reese of the 140th A RESOLUTION Recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, vaccination is proven to be a safe, invaluable tool to proactively safeguard2 public health and prevent the devastating effects of vaccine-preventable diseases; and 3 WHEREAS, vaccination has averted over 154 million deaths globally since 1974, of which4 146 million were among children younger than 5 years of age; and5 WHEREAS, vaccination reduces morbidity and mortality by eradic ating vaccine-6 preventable diseases, such as smallpox, and reduces the inciden ce of infections like7 meningitis, measles, polio, and rubella; and 8 WHEREAS, timely meningococcal vaccination in children and young adults helps protect9 against the debilitating effects of meningococcal disease, including death, and has led to a10 significant decrease in incidence; and 11 WHEREAS, in 2025, declining measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) v accination rates12 contributed to 49 measles outbreaks in the United States, with over 2,200 confirmed cases,13 the highest in over three decades; and 14 H. R. 1476 - 1 - 26 LC 129 1276 WHEREAS, ongoing measles outbreaks entering 2026 risk the loss of measles elimination15 status in the United States, which has been in place since 2000; and 16 WHEREAS, an analysis of costs associated with invasive meningococcal disease outbreaks17 found that the average cost per outbreak containment strategy w as almost $440,000,18 $299,641 and $579,851 for small and large containment strategies, respectively; and 19 WHEREAS, among the approximately 117 million children born during 1994-2023 in the20 United States, vaccination averted 508 million lifetime cases o f illness, 32 million21 hospitalizations, and 1.1 million deaths, resulting in estimate d savings of $540 billion in22 direct medical costs and $2.7 trillion in societal costs; and 23 WHEREAS, public health analyses suggest that skipping or delayi ng the hepatitis B birth24 dose could result in thousands of preventable hepatitis B infections and hundreds of millions25 in avoidable healthcare costs in the United States; and 26 WHEREAS, vaccination for four common diseases in older adults, including shingles, is27 estimated to prevent 64 million cases and $185 billion in treat ment costs over the next 3028 years in the United States; and 29 WHEREAS, while vaccinating children provides substantial health and economic benefit,30 vaccinating adults is also important, many childhood vaccines provide life-long protection,31 however, immunity can decrease over a person’s lifetime, and so me vaccine-preventable32 diseases can be more severe in adults; and 33 H. R. 1476 - 2 - 26 LC 129 1276 WHEREAS, there continues to be disease burden in adults, especi ally in those with34 comorbidities, advanced age, or immunocompromising conditions, warranting timely35 vaccination – especially against viruses that change frequently, such as influenza; and 36 WHEREAS, for example, vaccination against shingles for high-risk adults aged 19 and older,37 as well as all adults aged 50 and older, has proven highly effective in preventing the infection38 and its transmission, offering protection for several years after immunization; and 39 WHEREAS, for example, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination in older adults is an40 effective preventive measure that reduces the likelihood of hospitalization and critical illness41 due to RSV infection; and 42 WHEREAS, while rare side effects may occur in some individuals, the federal Food and43 Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control a nd Prevention (CDC)44 maintain a robust, transparent vaccine safety reporting system, including the Vaccine45 Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS); and46 WHEREAS, nonetheless, vaccines remain a safe and effective tool critical to safeguarding47 public health and protecting the citizens of our great state. 48 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that 49 the members of this body recognize August as National Immunization Awareness Month and 50 promote vaccination as a highly effective and safe public health measure while continuing51 to be transparent about potential side effects associated with some vaccines.52 H. R. 1476 - 3 - 26 LC 129 1276 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized53 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution avai lable for distribution to the54 public and the press.55 H. R. 1476 - 4 -