Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0803
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Full Text of HR0803  100th General Assembly

HR0803 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Herpes zoster (shingles) is a disease caused by
3the same virus (zoster) that causes chickenpox; therefore, any
4individual who has contracted chickenpox is at risk for
5shingles, approximately 98% of U.S. adults; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Nearly one in three people in the U.S. will
7contract shingles in their lifetime, corresponding to an
8estimated one million people annually; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The risk of shingles increases with age, with
10nearly half of those affected over 60 years of age; half of
11people living until 85 years of age will develop shingles; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Shingles is a viral infection that causes a
13painful rash that can be severe; other symptoms include
14long-term nerve pain, fever, headache, chills, upset stomach,
15muscle weakness, skin infection, scarring, and decrease or loss
16of vision or hearing; and
 
17    WHEREAS, As much as 20% of adults who have contracted
18shingles will develop postherpetic neuralgia, a debilitating
19complication of shingles that causes severe pain that may
20interfere with sleep and recreational activities and can be
21associated with clinical depression; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Vaccines have reduced the burden of widespread and
2often fatal diseases, enabling individuals to lead longer and
3healthier lives while reducing health care costs; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Although much attention has been paid to the
5importance of childhood vaccinations, there is a general lack
6of awareness of adult-recommended vaccines and a misperception
7that immunizations are unnecessary for healthy adults; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The United States Centers for Disease Control and
9Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization
10Practices (ACIP) recommend that healthy adults 50 years and
11older be vaccinated against shingles to prevent shingles and
12shingles-related complications; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Despite the recommendations of CDC officials and
14other experts that all healthy adults be vaccinated against
15shingles, as of 2015 only 30% of eligible adults had received
16the shingles vaccine; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The annual economic burden of shingles in American
18adults is estimated to be between $782 million and $5 billion;
19and
 
20    WHEREAS, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has stated that

 

 

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1one of the six causes of excess costs in the U.S. healthcare
2system is missed prevention opportunities; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Millions of American adults go without routine and
4recommended vaccinations because our medical system is not set
5up to ensure that adults receive regular preventive healthcare;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, The month of August is observed as National
8Immunization Awareness Month; residents of Illinois should be
9encouraged to speak with their healthcare provider to ensure
10that they have been properly vaccinated against shingles
11according to current CDC and ACIP recommendations; therefore,
12be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
14HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
15declare August of 2018 as "Shingles Awareness and Improvement
16Month" in the State of Illinois to increase public awareness of
17the importance of adults receiving vaccines against shingles
18and to promote outreach and education efforts concerning adult
19vaccination; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That the Department of Public Health is urged to
21take appropriate action to promote "Shingles Awareness and
22Improvement Month", including urging health care practitioners

 

 

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1to discuss vaccines for shingles with adult patients and
2adopting appropriate programs and initiatives to raise public
3awareness of the importance of adult vaccination; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That the Department of Public Health is urged to
6create and disseminate educational resources on shingles and
7shingles vaccination to educate the residents of Illinois on
8vaccine-preventable diseases; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10delivered to the Department of Public Health.