City efforts to increase immunization rates in Warwick were recognized in the program for the 2014 Immunization Excellence Awards during the recent National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit.

The award program noted in its highlights of nominees that the city, “in cooperation with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, and mass immunizer, The Wellness Company, put their heads together to accomplish several objectives,” including conducting a real-time exercise of how to serve the community in the event of a medical disaster, improving residents’ vaccination rates and enlist volunteers and provide training to be ready in the event of an actual disaster. 

“With the cooperation of our partners, we have held several successful immunization clinics, which are not only offering residents protection from the flu, whooping cough and pneumonia, but are helping us to ensure that the city is prepared in the event of real medical or other emergency,” Mayor Scott Avedisian said.

The summit, which was held in Georgia this year, started in 2000 and is an action-oriented organization with more than 400 members who represent more than 100 public and private organizations with an interest in addressing and resolving influenza and adult vaccine issues.