Bill Text: IL HR0803 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Declares August of 2018 as "Shingles Awareness and Improvement Month" in the State of Illinois to increase public awareness of the importance of adults receiving vaccines against shingles and to promote outreach and education efforts concerning adult vaccination.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)

Status: (Passed) 2018-05-10 - Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Patricia R. Bellock [HR0803 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HR0803-Introduced.html

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

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WHEREAS, Vaccines have reduced the burden of widespread and
often fatal diseases, enabling individuals to lead longer and
healthier lives while reducing health care costs; and
WHEREAS, Although much attention has been paid to the
importance of childhood vaccinations, there is a general lack
of awareness of adult-recommended vaccines and a misperception
that immunizations are unnecessary for healthy adults; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, Despite the recommendations of CDC officials and
other experts that all healthy adults be vaccinated against
shingles, as of 2015 only 30% of eligible adults had received
the shingles vaccine; and
WHEREAS, The annual economic burden of shingles in American
adults is estimated to be between $782 million and $5 billion;
and
WHEREAS, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has stated that

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

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