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Top Stories
Vaccine Information Statements
Featured Resources
Notable Publications
Global News
Upcoming Events
Top Stories
Immunize.org honors National Meningitis Association and its legacy of lives protected from meningococcal disease
The National Meningitis Association (NMA) was founded in 2002 by families who experienced the devastating impact of meningococcal disease. NMA worked diligently to protect others by educating the public and medical professionals about the disease and vaccination, and urging the widespread routine use of meningococcal vaccines among adolescents and those at high risk. In recent years, NMA also worked to increased promotion of all adolescent vaccinations and worked with immunization coalitions, healthcare professionals and others to strengthen school and college entry requirements for all recommended vaccinations.
On behalf of the many families who have benefited from your impassioned advocacy and your educational outreach, Immunize.org thanks NMA and its committed survivor and family advocates for your invaluable work. Related Links
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“Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months among Children Born during 2018-2019—National Immunization Survey–Child, United States, 2019–2021” published in MMWR
CDC published Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months among Children Born during 2018-2019—National Immunization Survey–Child, United States, 2019–2021 on January 13 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination against 14 diseases during the first 24 months of life. . . . Vaccination coverage among young children has remained high and stable for most vaccines, although disparities persist. The National Immunization Survey–Child identified no decline overall in routine vaccination coverage associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among children born during 2018–2019, although declines were observed among children living below the federal poverty level and in rural areas. . . . Additional efforts, such as providers reviewing children’s immunization histories during every clinical encounter, recommending needed vaccinations, and addressing parental hesitancy, are warranted to reduce disparities so that all children can be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
 Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF. Related Link
“Vaccination Coverage with Selected Vaccines and Exemption Rates among Children in Kindergarten—United States, 2021–22 School Year” published in MMWR
CDC published Vaccination Coverage with Selected Vaccines and Exemption Rates among Children in Kindergarten—United States, 2021–22 School Year on January 13 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below. During the 2020–21 school year, national coverage with state-required vaccines among kindergarten students declined from 95% to approximately 94%. . . . During the 2021–22 school year, coverage decreased again to approximately 93% for all state-required vaccines. The exemption rate remained low (2.6%). An additional 3.9% without an exemption were not up to date with measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Despite widespread return to in-person learning, COVID-19–related disruptions continued to affect vaccination coverage and assessment for the 2021–22 school year, preventing a return to prepandemic coverage. . . . Increasing follow-up with undervaccinated students to reduce the impact of disruptions on vaccination coverage can help protect students from vaccine-preventable diseases.
CDC launched its Let's RISE (Routine Immunizations on Schedule for Everyone) campaign to provide practical strategies, resources, and data to support getting all Americans back on schedule with their routine immunizations to protect everyone from vaccine-preventable disease.
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CDC and FDA report investigation of a preliminary bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine safety signal in individuals age 65 and older; no changes to recommendations for use
On January 13, CDC and FDA announced their investigation into a preliminary vaccine safety surveillance signal for bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for individuals age 65 and older. To date, no other safety systems have shown a similar signal in the United States or elsewhere; subsequent analyses have not validated the statistical signal. There are no changes in recommendations for use of bivalent vaccines. A portion of the statement appears below.
Influenza circulation is declining but remains active across the nation; keep encouraging vaccination
Now is the best time to vaccinate anyone not yet protected from influenza this season. CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView, provides a valuable snapshot of influenza activity state-by-state.
Immunize.org’s Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll recognizes 573 institutions, including one new honoree
Immunize.org is pleased to welcome one new institution into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, for a total of 573 honorees. The birthing institution is listed below with its reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rates in parentheses.
 The Honor Roll is a key part of Immunize.org’s initiative urging the nation’s hospitals to Give Birth to the End of Hep B. Hospitals and birthing centers are recognized for attaining high coverage for hepatitis B vaccine at birth and meeting additional criteria. To learn whether your organization qualifies and to access the application form, please see Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll online. Honorees are awarded an 8.5" x 11" color certificate suitable for printing and framing and their acceptance is announced to IZ Express’s 54,000+ readers. Please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page that lists these institutions and celebrates their exceptional efforts to protect infants from perinatal hepatitis B transmission. Related Immunize.org Resources
Immunize.org offers a host of materials that focus on specific vaccine-preventable diseases. Here are some highlights. These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
Vaccine Information Statements
Immunize.org continues to expand its translations of new and updated Vaccine Information Statements for HPV, rotavirus, Td, and Tdap. Be sure you are using the latest translations! Thanks to CDC support, Immunize.org substantially expanded its repository of Vaccination Information Statement (VIS) translations. Immunize.org posted new and updated VIS translations for HPV, rotavirus, Td, and Tdap vaccines. Check the version dates of your office copies of newly updated translations. Translations of previous VIS versions should be discarded now that translations of the current versions are available. Related Links
Immunize.org posts new Vaccine Information Statements in Yiddish for DTaP, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and Hib vaccines Thanks to CDC support, Immunize.org substantially expanded its repository of Vaccination Information Statement (VIS) translations. Immunize.org posted new Yiddish translations of four VISs.
Check the version dates of your office copies of newly updated translations. Translations of previous VIS versions should be discarded now that translations of the current versions are available.
Featured Resources
Newly updated 65+ Flu Defense website offers resources for healthcare professionals serving older adults
Confident recommendations for influenza vaccine from healthcare providers are powerfully persuasive. To assist you in maximizing protection for your patients, Immunize.org, in collaboration with CSL Seqirus, updated the 65+ Flu Defense website.
Check out the updated 65+ Flu Defense website at www.influenza-defense.org to assist your ongoing efforts in protecting this vulnerable population. Happy New Year! Urge your coworkers to subscribe to IZ Express to stay up to date on what’s new with vaccines each week. Wishing you good health and happiness in 2023! It’s going to be a busy year, so we pledge to bring you even more useful resources in the year ahead. NFID offers on-demand webinars to increase awareness of infectious disease prevention and treatment; CE available
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) hosts monthly webinars to increase awareness of the importance of infectious disease prevention and treatment. Topics include vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), antibiotic resistance and stewardship, best practices and communication skills, and complementary tools and resources. Some of the most recent webinars include:
CE is available for select recordings. Reminder: Immunize.org’s webinar, “Improving the Vaccination Experience: Accessible Vaccination for Neurodiverse People at Any Age,” available for on-demand viewing
On December 13, Immunize.org and experts from the Autism Society hosted a 1-hour webinar, Improving the Vaccination Experience: Accessible Vaccination for Neurodiverse People at Any Age. In this webinar, participants learned more about the Autism Society’s practical tips to improve vaccine confidence by employing strategies to reduce stress when vaccinating neurodiverse patients. Order Immunize.org’s child, adult, and lifetime immunization record cards—wallet-sized, designed to last!
Immunize.org's personal immunization record cards, printed on rip-proof, smudge-proof, water-proof paper, are designed to last a lifetime. They fit in a wallet when folded. The record cards are for you to give to your patients as a permanent personal vaccination record and are sold in boxes of 250.
Notable Publications
“Safety Monitoring of Bivalent COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Booster Doses among Children Aged 5-11 Years—United States, October 1, 2022–January 1, 2023” published in MMWR
CDC published Safety Monitoring of Bivalent COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Booster Doses among Children Aged 5-11 Years—United States, October 1, 2022–January 1, 2023 on January 13 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below. After CDC’s October 2022 recommendation for bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccination for children aged 5–11 years, children in this age group received approximately 953,359 bivalent booster doses during October 12, 2022–January 1, 2023. . . . Early safety findings from v-safe and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for bivalent booster vaccination in children aged 5–11 years are similar to those described for monovalent booster vaccination. Most VAERS reports represented vaccine errors rather than adverse events. Neither myocarditis nor death were reported after bivalent booster vaccination. . . . These preliminary safety findings should be provided when counseling parents or guardians about bivalent booster vaccination. All eligible persons should receive a bivalent booster dose.
Global News
CDC published Cholera Outbreak—Haiti, September 2022–January 2023 on January 13 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below. The first cholera outbreak in Haiti was reported in October 2010. Haiti was declared cholera-free in February 2022, after 3 years with no confirmed cases. . . . On October 2, 2022, two cases of Vibrio cholerae O1 infection were confirmed in the greater Port-au-Prince area. As of January 3, 2023, >20,000 suspected cholera cases had been reported throughout the country. . . . Multiple factors, including social unrest, have affected public health infrastructure and facilitated cholera resurgence. Although cases have declined, a multipronged approach, including sufficient and timely case management, strengthened surveillance, emergency water treatment, and targeted oral cholera vaccination campaigns are urgently needed.
Upcoming Events
Virtual: American College Health Association offers five-part webinar series Facts or Fakes? Promoting Health Literacy Skills with Your Students from January through May
The American College Health Association (ACHA) is offering a free, five-part webinar series, Facts or Fakes? Promoting Health Literacy Skills with Your Students, beginning in January. This five-part webinar series will provide tools for campus personnel in all disciplines to use when working with students to help them navigate misinformation, disinformation, and the infodemic. Courses include:
Up to 5 hours of credit are available for CNE, CME, and CHES, and 1.0 CE is available for counselors specifically for session 2. Registration for the series will allow you access to all five sessions, both the live webinars and the on-demand recordings. For more upcoming events, visit our Calendar of Events. |
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