Immunize.org launches new QR code resource for one-click access to all injectable influenza VIS translations
One document now puts every injectable influenza vaccine VIS translation at your fingertips as you prepare for influenza vaccination clinics this fall. Titled QR Code Links to Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) Translations: Influenza (Flu) Vaccine (Inactivated or Recombinant), this 3-page PDF assembles QR codes for 44 injectable influenza VIS translations. Page one leads off with basic instructions, along with the QR code to the required English VIS and the most popular Spanish VIS. Pages two and three provide the QR codes for each additional language option, along with a few additional VIS resources for healthcare professionals.
Beneath each QR code is the language (in English) and the VIS title in each language. This allows vaccine recipients who do not read English to locate and scan the code for their preferred language with their own smartphone.
  
This resource is durable. If an English or translated VIS is updated, the QR code will automatically link to the current available version online at Immunize.org. Download this resource today as you prepare for influenza vaccination clinics this fall. As always, we welcome your feedback.
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CDC updates addendum pages of the 2024 Child/Adolescent Recommended Immunization Schedule and 2024 Adult Recommended Immunization Schedule with newest official ACIP recommendations New official ACIP vaccine recommendations voted on and accepted by CDC at the end of June have been published on the online addendum pages of CDC’s 2024 Child/Adolescent Recommended Immunization Schedule and 2024 Adult Recommended Immunization Schedule. The addendum pages document the new recommendations and their effective date. By publishing updated official schedules now, CDC reduces the time between new recommendations and insurance coverage for the new recommendations.
Post the new schedule addendums wherever you post the 2024 schedules at your practice site. People using Immunize.org’s laminated versions of the 2024 schedules should print out and insert the updated addendum pages as a reference. A QR code on the laminated schedule’s addendum page provides convenient access to the updated addendum.
CDC also posts a compilation of updated recommendations on their Immunization Schedules: Schedule Changes & Guidance web page.
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National Immunization Awareness Month starts August 1. Promote vaccination with CDC resources. August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the importance of protecting people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination. This year, NIAM serves as a focal point to get back on track with routine vaccines.
CDC’s NIAM web page includes two toolkits, one for reaching healthcare professionals and the other for reaching parents and patients. Each includes key messages, sample social media content, and educational resources. CDC encourages its partners to share these messages and resources using the hashtag #ivax2protect. Stay tuned for more resources to be released during coming weeks.
During NIAM, encourage your patients to schedule appointments to get up to date on annual exams and recommended vaccines. Research shows that healthcare providers remain the most trusted source of vaccine information for parents and patients.
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WHO’s 2023 global vaccination coverage report warns that 3 out of 4 infants live in countries where low rates permit measles outbreaks
On July 15, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a press release titled Global Childhood Immunization Levels Stalled in 2023, Leaving Many without Life-Saving Protection. A portion of the press release appears below.
Global childhood immunization coverage stalled in 2023, leaving 2.7 million additional children un- and under-vaccinated compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to data published today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. . . .
According to the findings, the number of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) in 2023—a key marker for global immunization coverage—stalled at 84% (108 million). However, the number of children who did not receive a single dose of the vaccine increased from 13.9 million in 2022 to 14.5 million in 2023. . . .
The data further show that vaccination rates against the deadly measles disease stalled, leaving nearly 35 million children with no or only partial protection. . . .
The new data also highlight some brighter spots in immunization coverage. The steady introduction of new and under-utilized vaccines, including for human papillomavirus (HPV), meningitis, pneumococcal, polio and rotavirus disease, continue to expand the breadth of protection, particularly in the 57 countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
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When is the optimal timing for infants and toddlers to receive nirsevimab to prevent RSV? Watch the 2-minute answer, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube.
This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series addresses When is the optimal timing for infants and toddlers to receive nirsevimab? The video briefly explains why healthcare providers should aim to protect infants from RSV with nirsevimab within the first week of life if they are born shortly before or during the RSV season (typically October through March). Infants with prolonged birth hospitalizations due to prematurity or other causes should receive nirsevimab shortly before or promptly after discharge. Age-eligible infants and children who have not yet received a dose may be immunized at any time during the RSV season.
The 2-minute video is available on our YouTube channel, along with our full collection of quick video answers to popular Ask the Experts questions.
Like, follow, and share Immunize.org’s social media accounts and encourage colleagues and others interested in vaccination to do likewise.
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World Hepatitis Day observed July 28; share Immunize.org’s resources and be part of the fight to eliminate hepatitis B
World Hepatitis Day is July 28, the birthday of Baruch Blumberg, MD, PhD, who identified the hepatitis B virus in 1967 and developed the basis for the first hepatitis B vaccine in 1969.
This year’s theme, “It’s Time for Action," calls us to accelerate action on better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to save lives and improve health outcomes. Hepatitis A and B are both vaccine-preventable. In the United States, hepatitis A vaccine is routinely recommended for all children through age 18 years, in addition to adults at risk. Hepatitis B vaccine is routinely recommended for every child and adult through age 59 years, in addition to older adults at risk.
Get involved by using World Hepatitis Day digital resources and the hashtag #WorldHepatitisDay with your social media posts. It's also important to spread hepatitis awareness, prevention, testing, and treatment resources throughout the year.
Help your colleagues understand the recommendations using Immunize.org resources:
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These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
Immunize.org Website and Clinical Resources
Spotlight on the website: Calendar of Events
The Immunize.org Calendar of Events lists upcoming vaccination-related events of national or regional importance, including conferences and ACIP meetings. There are two ways to access it.
From the Immunize.org home page: Scroll to the bottom, where you see “Upcoming Events.” See more by clicking the “See all Events” button.
From the “News & Updates” tab on each web page: on the left side, click on Calendar of Events.
Select the “More Information” button for any event to view additional details.
If you are aware of or coordinating an event lasting at least half a day and not restricted to a specific state or local area that you think should be on this Calendar of Events for the immunization community, send us a suggestion by submitting a Contact Us message from our website.
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Recap: Immunize.org updates its "Record of Vaccine Declination"
Immunize.org updated its Record of Vaccine Declination, a form that any vaccination provider may use to document parents’ refusal of vaccination. The record also documents that parents were provided information concerning the potential consequences of their choices.
The form now incorporates RSV preventive antibody (nirsevimab, Beyfortus) in the table of immunizing products that parents could decline. The reverse side of the record gives healthcare professionals using the form additional information about the value of documenting declination in the medical record, along with useful references. This section was updated to provide more recent examples of the consequences of not vaccinating, as well as links to additional in-depth resources from AAP and other organizations.
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CDC offers digital assets to promote back-to-school vaccination catch-up campaign now through September
Responding to pandemic-related declines in routine vaccination, CDC launched a nationwide Back to School with Routine Vaccines: Let’s Catch Up campaign running through September.
The digital ads aim to keep routine childhood vaccinations top of mind among parents of children age 4–12 years. All communication assets, such as flyers and social media posts, are downloadable and adaptable so partners can disseminate them.
Visit CDC's Back to School with Routine Vaccines: Let’s Catch Up campaign main page.
Immunize.org’s elegant “Vaccines Save Lives” black enamel pins make wonderful workplace recognitions Immunize.org’s elegantly designed “Vaccines Save Lives” pins are meaningful gifts for people who care about vaccination. The pin makes a refined statement in hard black enamel with gold lettering and edges, measuring 1.125" x 0.75".
The pin features a stick-through-post with the back covered by a round rubber cap that holds the pin securely. A gold metal spring-lock clasp is also provided.
Wear these pins on clothing, uniforms, and white coats to show that you value vaccines.
 
Click here for "Vaccines Save Lives" pin pricing and ordering information.
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"Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron Eras" published in New England Journal of Medicine
In its July 17 issue, New England Journal of Medicine published Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron Eras. The study found that vaccinated people had a lower cumulative incidence of postacute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), commonly known as long COVID, than unvaccinated people when assessed one year after infection. The conclusions section appears below.
The cumulative incidence of PASC during the first year after SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased over the course of the pandemic, but the risk of PASC remained substantial even among vaccinated persons who had SARS-CoV-2 infection in the omicron era. (Supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs.)
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"Progress toward Achieving and Sustaining Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination—Worldwide, 2000–2022" published in MMWR
CDC published Progress toward Achieving and Sustaining Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination—Worldwide, 2000–2022 in the July 18 issue of MMWR. The abstract appears below.
Tetanus causes considerable mortality among undervaccinated mothers and their infants following unhygienic deliveries, especially in low-income countries. The maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination initiative targets 59 priority countries. . . .
During 2000–2022, 47 priority countries achieved maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination, contributing to global declines in neonatal tetanus cases (89%) and neonatal tetanus deaths (84%). Despite progress, the global disruption of routine immunization caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impeded elimination progress. Since 2020, reported neonatal tetanus cases have increased in 18 (31%) priority countries. . . .
Integration of maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination strategies into priority countries’ national immunization activities is needed to achieve and sustain elimination globally.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
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Virtual: North Dakota State University Center for Immunization Research and Education hosts webinar titled “‘No Thanks, Doc’ Tools to Improve Difficult Conversations in the Medical Encounter” on July 31 and August 1 at 1:00 p.m. (ET); CME available
The North Dakota State University Center for Immunization Research and Education will host a webinar titled “No Thanks, Doc” Tools to Improve Difficult Conversations in the Medical Encounter, 1:00–2:00 p.m. (ET) on July 31 and August 1. Speakers will include Dr. Rebecca Bakke from Sanford Children’s Southwest Clinic in Fargo.
Attendees will learn about the history of the vaccine hesitancy movement, hear strategies for building trust with hesitant patients, and examine case examples of conversations during a patient visit.
Free CME will be provided to live attendees.
Register for the webinar.
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