| Issue 1081: October 1, 2013 TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS
FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS EDUCATION AND TRAINING TOP STORIES CDC publishes report on influenza vaccination coverage of healthcare personnel during 2012-13 influenza season CDC published Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health-Care Personnel — United States, 2012–13 Influenza Season in the September 27 issue of MMWR (pages 781-786). The first paragraph is reprinted below. Routine influenza vaccination of health-care personnel (HCP) every influenza season can reduce influenza-related illness and its potentially serious consequences among HCP and their patients. To protect HCP and their patients, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all HCP be vaccinated against influenza during each influenza season. To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among HCP during the 2012–13 season, CDC conducted an opt-in Internet panel survey of 1,944 self-selected HCP during April 1–16, 2013. This report summarizes the results of that survey, which found that, overall, 72.0% of HCP reported having had an influenza vaccination for the 2012–13 season, an increase from 66.9% vaccination coverage during the 2011–12 season. By occupation type, coverage was 92.3% among physicians, 89.1% among pharmacists, 88.5% among nurse practitioners/physician assistants, and 84.8% among nurses. By occupational setting, vaccination coverage was highest among hospital-based HCP (83.1%) and was lowest among HCP at long-term care facilities (LTCF) (58.9%). Vaccination coverage was higher for HCP in occupational settings offering vaccination on-site at no cost for one (75.7%) or multiple (86.2%) days compared with HCP in occupational settings not offering vaccination on-site at no cost (55.3%). Widespread implementation of comprehensive influenza vaccination strategies that focus on improving access to vaccination services is needed to improve HCP vaccination coverage. Influenza vaccination of HCP in all health-care settings might be increased by providing 1) HCP with information on vaccination benefits and risks for themselves and their patients, 2) vaccinations in the workplace at convenient locations and times, and 3) influenza vaccinations at no cost. Back to top CDC publishes report on influenza vaccination coverage of pregnant women during 2012-13 influenza season In the September 27 issue of MMWR (pages 787-792), CDC published Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Pregnant Women — United States, 2012–13 Influenza Season. The first paragraph is reprinted below. Pregnant women and infants aged <6 months are at increased risk for influenza-related severe illness and hospitalization. Influenza vaccination of pregnant women has been shown to reduce the risk for illness in both mother and infant. To help protect pregnant women, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend influenza vaccination for all women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season, regardless of trimester. To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among pregnant women during the 2012–13 influenza season, CDC analyzed data from an Internet panel survey conducted April 1–12, 2013. Among 1,702 self-selected survey respondents pregnant at any time during the 4-month period of October 2012–January 2013, 50.5% reported they received influenza vaccination before or during their pregnancy. Influenza vaccination coverage was higher among women reporting both a health-care provider recommendation and offer of influenza vaccination (70.5%) compared with women who received a recommendation but no offer of vaccination (46.3%) and women who received no recommendation (16.1%). Vaccination coverage of women who will be or are pregnant during an influenza season might be improved by implementing a combination of community-based interventions, including enhanced access to low-cost vaccination services, provider recommendation and offer of influenza vaccination, and education of pregnant women about influenza vaccination safety and efficacy during pregnancy to increase demand. Back to top IAC Spotlight! Vaccineinformation.org Video Library offers an extensive and searchable collection of more than 125 videos about vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of immunization IAC's “Vaccine Information You Need” website – www.vaccineinformation.org – features an impressive Video Library. The collection of more than 125 videos is searchable by keyword and by a preset "Popular Searches" drop-down menu, which offers more than 10 choices. The results of a video search can be sorted in date order or by title of the video. Check back often as IAC repopulates the collection frequently; 24 videos were added this week. Some popular search options include: Videos in this curated collection include personal testimonies from parents who have suffered the tragic loss of a child, public service announcements about the importance of immunization, videos about vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as animation to help illustrate the concepts of immunization. The featured videos are from many sources and include the following trusted organizations: CDC, PKIDs, California Immunization Coalition’s Shot-by-Shot project, state health departments, local immunization coalitions, and Families Fighting Flu. We urge you to link to IAC’s website, www.vaccineinformation.org, from your website, blog, and/or Facebook page. Back to top History of Vaccines website educates the public about immunization’s past and present contributions to public health Created by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the History of Vaccines (HoV) website includes abundant and varied materials that inform and educate the public about the value of vaccination and the seriousness of the diseases vaccines protect against. A Spanish-language version of the website is available. The website includes a four-century timeline of vaccine developments, feature articles and popular articles, a gallery of photographs and short videos, resource materials for parents, activities that teach basic concepts about immunization science, resources and lesson plans for educators, and much more. Many nursing education and training programs use HoV materials in their curricula, such as the “How Vaccines Work” module from the website to demonstrate principles of vaccine-induced immunity. Karie Youngdahl, HoV project director, would be happy to work with organizations that wish to incorporate HoV materials into their trainings. You can order a hard copy of an HoV 52-page booklet titled The History of Vaccines from Amazon ($6.58). Contact Karie for group pricing of more than 10 copies, which includes a vaccination timeline poster. Related Links
HHS to sponsor webinar on preventing perinatal hepatitis B infection on October 10 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hep B United will be sponsoring a webinar about reducing perinatal hepatitis B virus infection on October 10, from 2:30–4:00 pm ET. Hepatitis B and Reducing Perinatal Transmission: An Overview and Discussion of New Tools will discuss new tools and best practices toward reducing hepatitis B health disparities in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, including potential interventions in prenatal care, information about gaps in reporting, and a new resource from the Immunization Action Coalition titled Give birth to the end of Hep B. Moderator: Chari Cohen, MPH, DrPH(c), director of public health, Hepatitis B Foundation Speakers:
Back to top IAC HANDOUTS IAC's updated screening checklists for influenza vaccination contraindications now available in Spanish IAC updated the English-language versions of its Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Inactivated Injectable Influenza Vaccination and Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Live Attenuated Intranasal Influenza Vaccination on September 3. Now these updated checklists are available in Spanish as well.
Back to top VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS CDC's supplemental provider information for the 2013-14 influenza VISs summarizes many important issues CDC recently posted Provider Information: Influenza VISs on its website and as a PDF document. These provider guidelines supplement the 2013-14 influenza VIS and summarize relevant ACIP recommendations; include more detailed information about indications, schedules, and precautions; and contain other information giving providers a quick reference to help address common patient questions. Provider Information documents are posted on CDC's What's New with VISs web page. Back to top Spanish translations of 19 routinely recommended vaccine VISs are now available in rich text format (RTF) Does your organization utilize an electronic medical records system such as GE Centricity or Epic? If so, you may need Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) in a format other than a PDF file. To accommodate the need for electronic record-friendly formats, IAC has added VIS Spanish translations in rich text format (otherwise known as RTF) for 19 routinely recommended vaccines to its online collection of VISs. Click on the link labelled "RTF file" to open the Spanish VIS you need. Related Links
Back to top FEATURED RESOURCES CDC updates its interactive quiz for adolescent and adult immunization CDC recently updated its Adolescent and Adult Immunization Quiz to make it easier for the public to determine which vaccines they might need. The online questionnaire has been updated with the latest ACIP vaccine recommendations and revised questions related to health and lifestyle issues that may impact vaccine needs. In addition, the user is now able to print the list of suggested recommended vaccines. Many adults and adolescents are not aware of their need for vaccines, and vaccination rates among adults are especially low. Encourage teens and adults to try this user-friendly resource to discover what vaccines they might need! Back to top Influenza is serious; be sure to vaccinate everyone age 6 months and older! Vaccination remains the single most effective means of preventing influenza, and is recommended for everyone age 6 months and older. If you don't provide influenza vaccination in your clinic, please recommend vaccination to your patients and refer them elsewhere or to the HealthMap Vaccine Finder to locate sites near their workplaces or homes that offer influenza vaccination services. Following is a list of resources related to influenza disease and vaccination for healthcare professionals and the public.
Information about NFID's September 26 influenza/pneumococcal press conference is now online The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has posted its press release, a transcript, and audio and video recordings from its September 26 influenza/pneumococcal news conference. The conference web page also includes resources such as CDC summaries of influenza vaccine coverage of the general population, healthcare personnel, and pregnant women. Access all resources from NFID's September 26 news conference Back to top Unbelievable limited-time offer—50% off 2013 laminated immunization schedules (use coupon code IAC50) We’ve never offered this type of discount before, and this special offer won’t last long! Use Coupon Code IAC50 when purchasing full sized (6 pages, folded to 8.5x11”) laminated versions of either or both 2013 U.S. immunization schedules—child/teen and adult! 2013 Laminated schedules are printed in color for easy reading, come complete with essential tables and footnotes, and include contraindications and precautions—a feature that will help you make an on-the-spot determination about the safety of vaccinating patients of any age. PRICING—Enter the Coupon Code IAC50 to get the sale price in the shopping cart. 1–4: $7.50 each—SALE $3.75 each 5–19: $5.50 each—SALE $2.75 each 20–99: $4.50 each—SALE $2.25 each 100–499: $4.00 each—SALE $2.00 each 500–999: $3.50 each—SALE $1.75 each  
Back to top JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS September issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available CDC recently released the September issue of its monthly newsletter Immunization Works and posted it on the website of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The newsletter offers the immunization community information about current topics. The information is in the public domain and can be reproduced and circulated widely. Back to top EDUCATION AND TRAINING Webinar about women and hepatitis B and C to take place on October 17 What Every Woman Needs to Know about Hepatitis B and C, a webinar sponsored by the Office of Women's Health and the Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, will take place on October 17, at 2:00–3:30 pm ET. The webinar will cover hepatitis B and C prevention, care, and treatment. You can join the webinar directly at www.mymeeting.com/nc/join.php?i=PW7836705&p=1698438&t=c [please note: this link is only active on the day and at the time of the webinar].The call-in number is (888) 566-1019 and the passcode is 1698438. Back to top  |
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ISSN 2771-8085
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ISSN 2771-8085
Editorial Information
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Editor-in-ChiefKelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
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Managing EditorJohn D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
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Associate EditorSharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
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Writer/Publication CoordinatorTaryn Chapman, MS
Courtnay Londo, MA -
Style and Copy EditorMarian Deegan, JD
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Web Edition ManagersArkady Shakhnovich
Jermaine Royes -
Contributing WriterLaurel H. Wood, MPA
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Technical ReviewerKayla Ohlde