The Department of Public Health shall annually notify health care providers about the requirements of this Act and encourage health care providers to increase immunization rates among persons who are recommended to receive influenza immunization, using all licensed vaccines, with preference given to influenza vaccines that are thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal. The Department shall include this annual notification on its Internet web site. The Department shall annually report to the General Assembly, on or before December 31, on its efforts to inform health care providers about thimerosal-free vaccines. The Department shall notify health care providers about the availability of influenza vaccines and the most effective time for persons to be vaccinated.