CDC National Immunization Telephone Survey

If you see a number such as (404) 806-4810, (404) 806-4811 or (404) 806-4812 pop up on your cellular telephone with the heading of "CDC NATL IMMUN" you might be tempted to think it is one of the myriad of scamming telephone calls flooding one's mobile telephone these days and that it is best not to answer. However, it is indeed part of a National Immunization Survey being conducted by the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) which is authorized by the Public Health Service Act.

Participation in the survey is completely voluntary. And they specify that the information being obtained from the surveys is being used for statistical purposes only. Although, in the age of identity thefts and Internet hackers, one can understandably be wary of such assurances. However, such surveys have been conducted several times over the past several years. With the focus of the National Immunization Survey that is being conducted at present being on the RSV vaccine and as one can expect, the Covid vaccines. Once the introductory questions have been completed such as "Are you willing to participate in this survey?", "Are you driving?", and "Are you eighteen or older?", the survey takes about eight minutes to complete. The callers administering the survey cannot interpret the questions for the participant. And some of the questions that are asked do beg for some specificity that the callers cannot provide, leaving the participant to do their own analysis of the questions being asked. Since the questions do not distinguish between early Covid vaccines and newer Covid vaccines.

Some of the questions that are asked in the survey are "In the last two years, have you received any other vaccines besides the covid vaccine?", "Since July 01st, 2024 have any doctors or medical professionals recommended that you get the flu vaccine?", "How likely are you to get a Covid vaccine?", "Have you gotten an RSV vaccine since the Fall of 2023?", "How important is the flu vaccine to prevent getting the flu?", "How safe is the RSV vaccine for you?", "How concerned are you about getting the flu?", "Is it harder for you to seek health care in the last two years compared to other races and ethnicities?", and "Do you have a health condition that makes you more susceptible to upper respiratory diseases?". Many of the answer choices for the above listed questions are not strictly "yes or no" but rather "Somewhat safe, Very safe, or Not at all safe".

Although the survey does ask questions reflecting the modern mindset on orientation and gender identity, such as "How do you describe yourself? Male or Female or Transgender?" and "Do you describe yourself as straight?" Specifically, for the natural born female participants in the survey, some of the questions the survey asks are "Have you given birth to a child since

April 2024?"

After such in-depth questions, the survey concludes with predictable information gathering questions such as "What is the highest grade in school you have completed?" and "Do you have a landline?"