The Sconi

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has recognized 90 health care providers with the Wisconsin BigShot awards. These awards acknowledge efforts to keep children protected against diseases through up-to-date vaccinations. This annual acknowledgment emphasizes the role of vaccinations in preventing serious illnesses among children.

"Vaccines continue to be the safest and most effective way to prevent many of the diseases that used to cause serious illnesses and deaths," said State Health Officer Paula Tran. "These awards celebrate the health care experts across the state who work tirelessly to understand the best and most up-to-date science and safety information, to answer parent questions, and ultimately help protect kids and entire communities from the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases."

DHS's announcement is set against the backdrop of recent measles outbreaks in some U.S. states, underlining the importance of vaccinations. Most parents in Wisconsin choose vaccination, yet DHS childhood and adolescent vaccine data dashboards show that 18.6% of 24-month-old children remain unprotected against measles. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year, Wisconsin lags behind some states in childhood vaccines like polio and DTaP.

The BigShot awards aim to honor providers advancing these vaccination efforts. Information about the winners and award details is available on the DHS Wisconsin BigShot webpage. More insights into vaccine safety and vaccination opportunities can be found on the DHS get the facts page, while the DHS childhood and adolescent vaccine data dashboard offers further vaccination rate data.

Caregivers interested in their child's vaccine history can consult the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or contact their health care providers. Questions from the media can be directed to the DHS media team at DHSMedia@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

Sign up is available for email notices of DHS public news releases.