Top Stories
“Effectiveness of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccines in Children in the United States—VISION, August 29, 2024–September 2, 2025” published in MMWR
CDC published Effectiveness of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccines in Children in the United States—VISION, August 29, 2024–September 2, 2025 on December 11 in MMWR. The study found substantial benefit of COVID-19 vaccination in preventing emergency department and urgent care visits for COVID-19 illness. A portion of the summary appears below.
In June 2024, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination for all persons aged ≥6 months to provide additional protection against severe COVID-19. . . .
During August 29, 2024–September 2, 2025, within a multisite network including nine states, vaccine effectiveness of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination was an estimated 76% against COVID-19–associated emergency department or urgent care (ED/UC) visits among immunocompetent children aged 9 months–4 years and an estimated 56% among children and adolescents aged 5–17 years, compared with those who did not receive a 2024–2025 vaccine. . . .
In a population with some persons having preexisting levels of protection from previous vaccination, previous infection, or both, 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination provided children with additional protection against COVID-19–associated ED/UC encounters compared with no 2024–2025 vaccination.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
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Updated 65+ Flu Defense website offers resources for healthcare professionals serving older adults
Confident healthcare provider recommendations for influenza vaccine are powerfully persuasive. As the nation faces a challenging influenza season, Immunize.org, in collaboration with CSL Seqirus, updated the 65+ Flu Defense website to help you maximize patient protection.
This helpful site includes information, tools, and tips for communicating with adults age 65 and older about the burden and severity of influenza. Resources include:
Older adults are at increased risk of severe influenza, COVID-19, and RSV illness, including hospitalization and death, especially if they are not up to date on these vaccinations. A clinician recommendation is the most important reason why a person will get vaccinated.
Check out the updated 65+ Flu Defense website to assist your ongoing efforts in protecting this vulnerable population.
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Respiratory viral illness rates are rising nationwide; vaccination helps protect health into the new year
Respiratory virus season is underway, with increasing activity of influenza and other respiratory diseases being reported nationwide. Getting vaccinated now can help reduce the risk of severe illness, complications, and hospitalization as virus circulation intensifies.
Although this season’s dominant influenza strain, a subtype A/H3N2 virus referred to as subclade K, is antigenically drifted from the A/H3N2 virus selected for the vaccine, early reports from England indicate that vaccination remains an effective tool protecting against hospitalization (70%–75% reduced risk in children, 30%–40% reduced risk in adults).
Nationally, for the week ending December 12:
- Seasonal influenza activity is increasing, with high or very high influenza-like illness (ILI) already reported in five states
- The first childhood death from influenza for the 2025–26 season was reported
- RSV activity in many southeastern, southern, and mid-Atlantic states is increasing
- COVID-19 activity is low
Level of Respiratory Illness Activity
CDC monitors respiratory illness activity using an acute respiratory illness (ARI) metric. The ARI metric measures emergency department visits for a wide range of causes of acute respiratory illness, with or without fever, including the common cold, as well as influenza, RSV, and COVID-19. It offers a more complete picture than the influenza-like illness (ILI) metric used in past seasons.
Emergency Department Visits for Viral Respiratory Illness
The illustration below shows the proportion of emergency department visits (ranging from 0 to 10 percent) associated with COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. The horizontal axis shows trends from October 2024 into December 2025 for the three diseases.
Other CDC Respiratory Illness Resources
- CDC's Respiratory Illness Data Channel shows state and county level data on respiratory viral activity, associated ED visits, and presence in wastewater.
- CDC’s 2025–2026 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook, updated every 2 months, is based on historical trends, expert opinion, and scenario modeling results. At present, CDC expects the upcoming fall and winter respiratory disease season to be similar to last season.
- CDC's Weekly Flu Vaccination Dashboard shows vaccination rates by age group. Examples include:
- Adults 18+ Flu Vaccination Coverage figures show that as of November 29, vaccination rates were about the same as last year at this time (40% vs. 38%, respectively).
- Adults 18+ Flu Vaccinations Administered (IQVIA) figures show that as of November 15, an estimated 28.7 million doses of flu vaccine were administered in community pharmacies (about 2.2 million fewer than by this time last year) and an estimated 15.3 million doses were administered in physicians' medical offices (about 1.0 million fewer than by this time point last year).
Related Links
Immunize.org's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll for healthcare worker vaccination requirements welcomes three new facilities
Immunize.org's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll recognizes facilities that take a stand for patient safety by implementing policies requiring vaccination for healthcare personnel. Immunize.org recently welcomed three additional healthcare organizations.
- Mattapan Community Health Center, Mattapan, MA
- NeighborHealth, East Boston, MA
- Silver Cross Hospital, New Lenox, IL
Eligibility
- Eligible organizations: hospitals, long-term care facilities, medical practices, pharmacies, professional organizations, health departments, and other government entities
- Requirements:
- Your policy must require influenza vaccination for all staff
- The application must describe measures to prevent transmission of influenza from unvaccinated personnel to patients (e.g., masking for the entire shift)
Related Links
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Immunize.org answers readers' question: Will the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll continue? Yes!
Immunize.org established its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll in 2013 to celebrate birthing facilities with policies and practices that achieve birth dose HepB vaccination of at least 90% of newborns. A total of 594 institutions are recognized for their excellence on the honor roll. After the recent ACIP vote to categorize hepatitis B vaccination of infants born to hepatitis B test-negative mothers as an individual-based decision, we received questions from readers about whether this honor roll will continue. The answer is yes.
The decision to vaccinate has always been made by parents with the support of their infants’ healthcare providers. Reclassifying the decision as an individual-based decision (also known as shared clinical decision-making) does not alter the evidence that the balance of risks and potential benefits clearly and consistently favors the choice to initiate protection of all infants from hepatitis B as early in life as possible.
To learn more, review the list of honorees, or to nominate a birthing facility for inclusion, please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll home page.
Measles 2025—A bad year: 1,912 confirmed cases across 42 states; no signs of slowing in 2026 without improved vaccination rates As of December 9, CDC reported 1,912 confirmed measles cases in 2025 in 42 states. Of reported confirmed cases, 88% were outbreak-associated. As of December 9:
CDC’s count includes only laboratory-confirmed measles cases. Cases without laboratory testing for confirmation are not included. Actual measles cases for 2025 are, therefore, higher than confirmed case counts.
A map of 2025 measles cases in the United States, as of December 12, from the Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center, appears below. The U.S. Measles Tracker website includes state and county-level data.
Immunize.org offers measles-related resources for the public on several of our affiliated websites:
Another credible source is the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Fact Checked: The Measles Vaccine Is Safe and Effective web page.
Related Links
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“Late Season Influenza Vaccination”: watch the 1-minute video, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube
This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is Late Season Influenza Vaccination. The video briefly explains that while peak influenza activity generally occurs in the Northern Hemisphere in January or February, providers should continue vaccinating patients through spring.
The 1-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:
These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
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Happy holidays from everyone at Immunize.org ! IZ Express will return on January 7.
It has been an unexpectedly tumultuous year for the immunization community. The IZ Express team takes pride in our role ensuring frontline vaccinators have access to great resources to support your practice and help you continue to provide the highest quality immunization services to your patients and your communities.
Thank you for trusting IZ Express to keep you informed. Our newsletter reaches more than 50,000 subscribers each week. Now more than ever, it is important to encourage your colleagues to sign up. We look forward to continuing to provide you with trustworthy and actionable immunization news and resources in 2026!
May 2026 bring you and your loved ones peace, health, and happiness.
Immunize.org Website and Clinical Resources
Spotlight on the website: IZ Express: Browse all issues
This week, we focus on how to access any of the 1,849 past issues of our weekly newsletter IZ Express (known from 1997–2022 as IAC Express).
The back issue archive is available from the News & Updates menu tab within the IZ Express Newsletter section through the Browse All Issues link.
The tables of contents for back issues are listed in chronological order with the most recent shown first. Within each issue, click on any title in the table of contents to read the full story. View a complete issue by selecting the Read full issue link located to the right of the title.
You can search and filter issues to find specific topics of interest. To search, type keyword(s) in the search box (Search & Filters button on mobile devices), then select the Search button. Issues matching your criteria will be returned with the search terms highlighted. Results can also be filtered by date by selecting a year and month from the filter options.
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Recap: Immunize.org updates “Questions and Answers” resource on meningococcal disease and vaccines
Immunize.org updated its 4-page Meningococcal: Questions and Answers resource. Penmenvy (GSK) is a combination MenABCWY vaccine licensed and recommended beginning at age 10 years as an option when vaccination against both MenACWY and Bexsero (MenB, GSK) are indicated at the same visit. The indications for Penmenvy are the same as Penbraya (Pfizer), the MenABCWY product designed to be used in series with Pfizer’s MenB product, Trumenba.
Recap: Immunize.org updates its timely patient handout, “What If You Don’t Vaccinate Your Child?”
Immunize.org updated its handout for parents, What If You Don’t Vaccinate Your Child? This 1-page document describes the consequences of not vaccinating.
Changes include updated references, hyperlinks, and disease statistics, along with the addition of Immunize.org's LetsGetRealAboutVaccines.org website.
Featured Resources
NFID offers 2025 Clinical Vaccinology Course online activity, fee to register; CE credit offered
NFID is offering its online Clinical Vaccinology Course as an enduring educational activity through February 27. The course focuses on new developments and issues related to the use of vaccines. Expert faculty provide the latest information on vaccines, including updated recommendations for vaccinations across the lifespan, and innovative and practical strategies for ensuring timely and appropriate vaccination.
Register for the online course ($700 fee).
Notable Publications
“Noninferiority of One HPV Vaccine Dose to Two Doses” published in NEJM
In its December 3 issue, NEJM published Noninferiority of One HPV Vaccine Dose to Two Doses. Portions of the abstract appear below.
In this trial, we assessed whether one dose of an HPV vaccine was noninferior to two doses. Girls 12 to 16 years of age were randomly assigned, in a 1:1:1:1 ratio, to receive one or two doses of a bivalent HPV vaccine or one or two doses of a nonavalent HPV vaccine. The primary end point was new HPV type 16 or 18 infection occurring from month 12 to month 60 and persisting for at least 6 months. . . . We also assessed vaccine effectiveness by comparing HPV16 or HPV18 infection among the trial participants with that among girls and women enrolled in a nonrandomized survey. . . . The noninferiority analysis showed that one vaccine dose was noninferior to two doses in preventing HPV16 or HPV18 infection. The rate difference between one and two doses of the bivalent vaccine was −0.13 infections per 100 participants . . . and the difference between one and two doses of the nonavalent vaccine was 0.21 infections per 100 participants . . . The vaccine effectiveness was at least 97% in each of the four trial groups. No safety concerns were identified.
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Three recent publications of large European studies comparing effectiveness of high-dose and standard influenza vaccines in preventing adult hospitalization
Two large-scale trials conducted in Denmark and Spain compared the effectiveness of high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV) with standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (SD-IIV) in preventing hospitalization. A third report describes a prespecified analysis of pooled data from the two trials. Conclusions from the three studies are presented below.
Spanish Study (GALFLU Trial): In its August 30 issue, NEJM published High-Dose Influenza Vaccine to Reduce Hospitalizations based on pooled data from studies conducted in Spain across two influenza seasons (2023–24 and 2024–25). Results show that in community-dwelling adults age 65–79, HD-IIV provided a 23.7% lower risk of hospitalization for influenza or pneumonia than SD-IIV. Both vaccines had a similar safety profile, and no unexpected serious adverse reactions were observed during the surveillance period.
View the NEJM December 10 research summary of GALFLU.
Danish Study (DANFLU-2 Trial): In its August 30 issue, NEJM published High-Dose Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Against Hospitalization in Older Adults, based on pooled data from Danish studies. Results show that across three influenza seasons (2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25) adults age 65 and older vaccinated with HD-IIV did not have a significantly lower incidence of hospitalization for influenza or pneumonia than SD-IIV. Findings are inconsistent with previous data potentially due to a post-pandemic shift in respiratory testing, coding practices, and disease epidemiology.
View the NEJM December 10 research summary of DANFLU-2.
Pooled Analysis (FLUNITY-HD): In its November 22 issue, The Lancet published Effectiveness of High-Dose Influenza Vaccine Against Hospitalisations in Older Adults (FLUNITY-HD): An Individual-Level Pooled Analysis, which analyzed pooled data from the DANFLU-2 and GALFLU studies. The prespecified, combined analysis was designed to improve generalizability and to assess the relative vaccine effectiveness of both vaccines in preventing severe clinical outcomes in older adults. Results showed that HD-IIV provided superior protection against hospitalization for influenza or pneumonia compared with SD-IIV. HD-IIV was also more effective at reducing the incidence of the secondary endpoints of cardiorespiratory hospitalization, laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalization, and all-cause hospitalization.
Related Link
“The Effect of Shingles Vaccination at Different Stages of the Dementia Disease Course” published in Cell
In its December 2 issue, Cell published The Effect of Shingles Vaccination at Different Stages of the Dementia Disease Course. This study reports that use of the live zoster vaccine (Zostavax, Merck), which is no longer available in the United States, may prevent or delay dementia and related conditions. This effect is also reported with use of the recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix, GSK) currently recommended for all adults age 50 years and older in the United States. A portion of the summary appears below.
Here, we find that HZ vaccination [with Zostavax, Merck, circa 2013–14] also reduces mild cognitive impairment diagnoses and, among patients living with dementia, deaths due to dementia. Exploratory analyses suggest that the effects are not driven by a specific dementia type. Our approach takes advantage of the fact that individuals who had their eightieth birthday just after the start date of the HZ vaccination program in Wales were eligible for the vaccine for 1 year, whereas those who had their eightieth birthday just before were ineligible and remained ineligible for life. The key strength of our natural experiments is that these comparison groups should be similar in all characteristics except for a minute difference in age. Our findings suggest that live-attenuated HZ vaccination prevents or delays mild cognitive impairment and dementia and slows the disease course among those already living with dementia.
“COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults Aged 18 to 59 Years in France” published in JAMA In its December 4 issue, JAMA published COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults Aged 18 to 59 Years in France. Portions of the abstract appear below.
This cohort study used data from the French National Health Data System for all individuals in the French population aged 18 to 59 years who were alive on November 1, 2021. Data analysis was conducted from June 2024 to September 2025. . . .
Exposure was defined as receiving a first mRNA dose between May 1 and October 31, 2021. . . .
During follow-up, 98429 (0.4%) and 32662 (0.6%) all-cause deaths occurred in the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, respectively. Vaccinated individuals had a 74% lower risk of death from severe COVID-19 . . . and a 25% lower risk of all-cause mortality . . . with a similar association observed when excluding severe COVID-19 death. Sensitivity analysis revealed that vaccinated individuals consistently had a lower risk of death, regardless of the cause. Mortality was 29% lower within 6 months following COVID-19 vaccination . . .
In this national cohort study of 28 million individuals, the results found no increased risk of 4-year all-cause mortality in individuals aged 18 to 59 years vaccinated against COVID-19, further supporting the safety of the mRNA vaccines that are widely used worldwide.
Upcoming Events
Today! Virtual: Public Health Communications Collaborative hosts webinar “Better Communication for Better Health: A Conversation with Christina D. Eskridge” on December 17 at 2:00 p.m. (ET).
The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) will host a webinar titled Better Communication for Better Health: A Conversation with Christina D. Eskridge at 2:00 p.m. (ET) today, December 17. In this 45-minute conversation, Christina D. Eskridge, MPH, founder of Elevate Theatre Company—a troupe that helps audiences and artists explore health and well-being through storytelling—will join PHCC Director Amanda Kwong. They will discuss how storytelling about public health can strengthen your community’s awareness, understanding, and trust.
Register for the webinar.
Virtual: Register for Immunize.org Website Office Hours. Join a 30-minute discussion about our Vaccines A–Z content on January 7 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or January 8 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Recorded sessions archived.
To learn simple tips and tricks for using our websites efficiently, please register for our next set of Website Office Hours on Wednesday, January 7, at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or Thursday, January 8, at 12:00 p.m. (ET). The same content will be addressed in both sessions.
We will open each 30-minute session with a short, live demonstration on navigating our popular Vaccines A–Z website section. You can submit questions when you register or live on Zoom during the session.
Register today for Immunize.org Website Office Hours (content is the same for both):
The archive of previous Website Office Hours content is posted at Immunize.org’s "Webinars & Videos" page.
Mark your calendar for future Immunize.org Website Office Hours.
Virtual: CHOP’s Vaccine Education Center hosts film premiere of Forgetting to Remember: Lessons from a Vaccine Lost and panel discussion on January 13 at 1:00 p.m. (ET)
The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) will host a free film premiere of Forgetting to Remember: Lessons from a Vaccine followed by a panel discussion at 1:00 p.m. (ET) on January 13.
This new short film, created in partnership with Medical History Pictures, uses the abandonment of the U.S. military’s adenovirus vaccine program as a powerful cautionary tale, illustrating how easy it can be to lose a lifesaving vaccine and the devastating consequences that follow. The lessons of the adenovirus vaccine resonate strongly, as the United States faces its highest number of measles cases since elimination was achieved in 2000.
Adenovirus infections can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in adults newly congregated in high-density settings, such as military basic training centers. Before availability of adenovirus vaccine tablets in the 1970s, ARDS hospitalized many healthy American basic trainees and was fatal in severe cases.
The panel discussion will explore the film's themes and application of lessons learned in the current context. The discussion will be moderated by Maiken Scott, host and executive producer of WHYY's The Pulse. Panelists include Joel Gaydos, MD, MPH, retired U.S. Army physician; Caitlin Rivers, PhD, epidemiologist and author of Crisis Averted; Katherine Wells, DrPH, MPH, director of public health in Lubbock, TX; Paul Offit, MD, Director of CHOP's Vaccine Education Center; and Donald Rayne Mitchell, the film’s director.
Register for the event.
For more upcoming events, visit our Calendar of Events.
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