VIPTA is a statewide infection prevention and control education collaborative, led by the Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group. Through partnership, VIPTA curates IPC resources for Virginia’s healthcare, congregate care, and public health settings.
Time to Fall in Love with Measles Prevention
This Valentine’s season is a good time to revisit one of infection prevention’s most reliable love stories: the partnership between measles vaccination and early public health response.
In 2025, the United States saw the highest number of measles cases in more than 30 years, with more than 2,200 people sickened and three deaths reported. After decades of progress, measles is once again reminding us why consistent prevention efforts still matter.
What to Expect:
- CDC Measles Cases and Outbreaks: Up-to-date national data on measles cases, outbreaks, and trends.
- MMR Vaccination Coverage Gaps Map: New mapping tools that show where vaccination coverage is lower and where outbreaks are more likely.
- JAMA Patient Page: What Is Measles? A clear, visual overview of measles symptoms and transmission, including images that show how measles rash can appear on different skin tones, supporting inclusive education.
- Measles Myths and Facts Factsheet: A simple, evidence-based handout that helps staff and patients separate common measles myths from facts.
How to use it:
- Build a microlearning moment.
Choose one resource per week to review briefly during staff meetings, huddles, or shift change to reinforce key prevention concepts without adding time burden. - Strengthen onboarding and refreshers.
Incorporate these resources into onboarding or annual education to reinforce measles prevention, vaccination importance, and early response expectations. - Practice vaccine conversations.
Pair the Measles Myths and Facts factsheet with role-play or discussion to help staff practice responding to common questions or misconceptions with clear, evidence-based messages.
This Valentine’s Day, fall back in love with measles prevention and the tools that help keep everyone safer.
Target Audience: Essential IPC Education Level
Virginia APIC Members Share Their Work at the APIC National Conference!
The 2026 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) National Conference was held June 15–17 in Nashville, TN, offering infection preventionists a valuable opportunity to learn, collaborate, and showcase their work. With about 400 submissions received, selection to present is a notable achievement. This year, several APIC Virginia Chapter members were featured.
Congratulations to the following presenters!
⭐Dana Chapman (Sentara Leigh Hospital) and Ginger Vanhoozer (VDH) presented “Reciprocal Mentorship That Fits: Education-Rich, Time-Smart, and Built for Collaboration”, discussing APIC Virginia & VDH’s novel mentorship program.
⭐Mai Jatta (Carilion Clinic) discussed Carilion’s systemwide approach to implementing a water and steam testing program in alignment with ANSI/AAMI ST108 in “Systemwide Implementation of Water and Steam Quality for Medical Device Reprocessing”.
⭐Carolyn Kiefer and Andrea Chapman (VDH) presented “From Airways to Outbreaks: A State’s Journey Strengthening Respiratory Care Assessments”. They discussed the importance of incorporating respiratory care assessments into outbreak investigations with pathogens such as Candida auris, Group A Streptococcus, and other multidrug-resistant organisms, and how to implement them in the field.
⭐Krysta Luzynski (VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital) discussed “Public Health in Practice: Leveraging Public Health 3.0 to Strengthen Infection Prevention in a Small, Rural Hospital”. This presentation focused on using the Public Health 3.0 framework to strengthen infection prevention programs, and how a “chief health strategist” role can facilitate collaboration and empower teams.
⭐Samuel Ntow (Carilion Clinic) presented “Hospital-Onset Sepsis: Characterizing a Hitherto Underrecognized HAI Burden Using Five Years of Surveillance Data at an Academic Medical Center” which discussed the underreporting of hospital onset sepsis in an academic medical center. He found that the rates exceeded several currently tracked HAI categories in his facility.
Tools & Tips to Share Your Work
- Local conferences are a great place to begin. Consider submitting a poster at the APIC Virginia Fall Conference (October 15–16):
↪️APIC Virginia provides guidance on what to include plus a free poster template! - Join the APIC Research Network (free for APIC members) to connect with peers and access helpful resources.
- Need help shaping your idea or outlining your poster or presentation? Schedule a free Infection Prevention Boost Session for one-on-one support.
