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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 21, 2018 04:01 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Becky Corbin |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Shingles Awareness and Improvement Month |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution designating September 2018 as “Shingles Awareness and Improvement Month” in Pennsylvania. Shingles is a disease caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox; therefore, any individual who has contracted chickenpox is at risk for shingles, which is approximately 98% of U.S. adults. The risk of shingles increases with age, as does the most common complication of shingles-- postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN is severe pain in the areas where the shingles rash occurred and can result in hospitalization due to complications. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend that healthy adults 50 years and older be vaccinated against shingles to prevent shingles and shingles-related complications. Unfortunately, despite the recommendations of CDC, as of 2015 only 30 percent of eligible adults had received the shingles vaccine. Therefore, I am introducing this resolution in a continued effort to increase public awareness of the importance of adults receiving vaccines against shingles and to promote outreach and education efforts concerning adult vaccination. I hope you will consider co-sponsoring this resolution. Thank you. |
Introduced as HR944