| For immediate release
July 30, 2021 |
For more information:
Debbie McCune Davis, TAPI 602-288-7566 |
The Arizona Partnership for Immunization Launches Online Tool
and Community Outreach to Reach Unvaccinated
Partner Organization Volunteers Will Assist People They Serve to Schedule Appointments
PHOENIX, AZ – The Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI) has launched TAPI Vaccine Finder, a new online tool to help individuals find COVID-19 vaccine providers nearest to their home and to obtain free transportation to the appointment if needed. Volunteers from more than 30 organizations have been trained to use the tool to reach out to individuals and families served by the organizations.
“Technology and a personal touch are now what is needed to reach unvaccinated Arizonans,” said Debbie McCune Davis, Executive Director of TAPI. “People may not have computers or Wi-Fi. The elderly or individuals with physical disabilities may not be comfortable with online tools only. We’re providing the best of both worlds – up-to-the-minute online information and one-on-one assistance.”
Why is a tool like TAPI Vaccine Finder needed? According to Kyle Freese, PhD, MPH, Chief Epidemiologist at STChealth, “Inequitable vaccine distribution has both direct and indirect impacts on populations. Communities with lower proportions of vaccinated or immune individuals have a higher burden of preventable infectious disease, leading to higher healthcare costs as well as increased morbidity and mortality, which in turn can spill over into surrounding groups. Closing immunization gaps in these communities has population-level benefits, but we often lack to the tools to address some of the fundamental barriers for individuals to get vaccinated. The TAPI Vaccine Finder helps remove information and transportation barriers by empowering boots-on-the-ground community health workers with the logistical support needed to not only educate individuals on the benefits of vaccination, but to help them take the tangible steps of accessing immunization services.”
From a touchscreen tablet or smart phone, volunteers can help individuals search for an address or click on a map to view nearby vaccine providers, the vaccines offered, and contact information to schedule an appointment. If transportation to the appointment is needed, arrangements can be made on the spot.
According to Paloma Ibanez, Program Director of One Arizona, “TAPI’s Vaccine Finder will positively impact our partner outreach effort to help the most vulnerable and at-risk communities protect themselves and their families with COVID-19 vaccine. The tool is smart, easy to use, and even lists the kind of vaccines available, whether there is Spanish-speaking staff, and if walk-ins are accepted. From experience, we know these questions are often brought up. This tool makes finding a nearby vaccine provider so much easier than ever before. The true payoff is knowing we can now help even more people get vaccinated and protected.”
Organizations assisting TAPI in developing the TAPI Vaccine Finder include the Arizona Department of Health Services, ESRI, Ideal Networks, and STChealth.
To learn more about TAPI Vaccine Finder, contact at Jazmin Michael at 602-288-7567 or by email at JazminM@tapi.org.
About TAPI
The Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI) is a non-profit statewide coalition of over 500 members. TAPI was formed in response to the alarming fact that in 1993, only 43% of Arizona’s two-year-olds were fully immunized against preventable childhood diseases like measles, mumps, polio, and whooping cough. Through the efforts of TAPI’s partners in the public and private sectors, immunization coverage rates in Arizona have improved dramatically, with 63.4% of children fully immunized by age two. Unfortunately, the problem never ends. Each year in Arizona over 80,000 babies are born, and none arrive immunized. For more information, visit www.whyimmunize.org
