Issue 1404: January 2, 2019
TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS
OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
WORLD NEWS
FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
TOP STORIES
CDC reports that flu activity is elevated and 11 children have died of influenza; please keep vaccinating your patients
CDC stated in its Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView, that as of the week ending December 22, influenza activity was increasing in the U.S. Four influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to CDC during week 51, for a total of 11 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported for the 2018–2019 season. Last season, there was a record-setting number of pediatric deaths in the U.S. (172), so be sure to protect all your patients for whom vaccination is recommended.
On December 21, CDC published a report online titled 2018–2019 Flu Season: Flu Activity Elevated Nationally. Two paragraphs from this article are reprinted below.
It’s too soon to make any assessment about this season’s severity, however since this H1N1 virus emerged in 2009, it has been associated with significant illness and severe illness among young children. At this point, most flu activity has been driven by illness in school-aged children, and hospitalization rates among children younger than 5 years old (7.7 per 100,000) are now the highest among all age groups. Usually adults 65 years and older have the highest hospitalization rates. For comparison purposes, the last two H1N1 predominant seasons were 2013–2014 and 2015–2016 and the hospitalization rates among children younger than 5 years old for the same week were 7.2 per 100,000 and 1.8 per 100,000 respectively. The hospitalization rate is cumulative and rises as a season progresses, and the proportions may change. CDC will continue to track this as the season progresses.
Severe flu outcomes are a somber reminder of how serious flu can be, even for otherwise healthy people. Flu vaccination protects against flu illness and reduces the risk of flu complications, including flu-associated hospitalization, admissions to the intensive care unit, and even death in children. During most seasons, about 80% of reported pediatric deaths occur in unvaccinated children, but a 2017 study showed flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu death among healthy children by 65% and among children with a high-risk condition by 50%. Last flu season was record-breaking for pediatric deaths, with 185 reported to CDC....
Access the complete report: 2018–2019 Flu Season: Flu Activity Elevated Nationally.
Influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone six months of age and older. If you don't provide influenza vaccination in your clinic, please recommend vaccination to your patients and refer them to a clinic or pharmacy that provides vaccines 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:
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FDA licenses pediatric hexavalent vaccine developed by Sanofi and Merck; not available in the U.S. until 2020 or later
On December 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a pediatric hexavalent vaccine, Vaxelis, developed as part of a joint partnership between Sanofi and Merck. Vaxelis is a vaccine indicated for active immunization to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, and invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae type b. The vaccine is approved for use as a 3-dose series in children age 6 weeks through 4 years (prior to the 5th birthday).
According to an article from Reuters, "Sanofi and Merck are now working on the production and supply of Vaxelis aiming to make it available on the market in 2020 or later."
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IAC Spotlight! Package Inserts & FDA Product Approvals web page on immunize.org is a popular destination for website visitors
Immunization providers around the country have given IAC feedback that the Package Inserts & FDA Product Approvals web page on immunize.org is one of the most valuable resources for busy clinics that administer vaccines. This IAC web page provides direct links to the location of package inserts on the websites of the manufacturers who make them available.
Check this page out, and see how easy it is to access the current information for any vaccine! The direct link is www.immunize.org/fda.
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CDC announces 2018 HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion award winners
CDC has announced the winners of the 2018 HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion award, an annual award given jointly by CDC, the American Cancer Society, and the Association of American Cancer Institutes. The award recognizes clinicians, clinics, practices, groups, and health systems that are going above and beyond to foster HPV vaccination in their communities.
Click on the image below to learn about the 2018 awardees.
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IAC HANDOUTS
IAC revises "Using Standing Orders for Administering Vaccines: What You Should Know"
IAC recently revised Using Standing Orders for Administering Vaccines: What You Should Know. Minor changes were made.
The use of standing orders for vaccination facilitates the delivery of immunization services to patients in clinics, hospitals, and community settings. Standing orders have been shown to increase vaccination coverage rates. This piece answers the following questions:
- What are standing orders?
- Who recommends standing orders?
- What are the elements of a standing order?
- Who is authorized to administer vaccines under standing orders?
- Who is authorized to sign the standing orders?
- What should be done with the standing orders after they have been signed?
- Do standing orders need to be renewed?
- Where can I find sample standing orders?
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IAC's Handouts for Patients & Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public more than 250 FREE English-language handouts (many also available in translation), which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely.
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OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services soliciting comments regarding the Healthy People 2030 objectives through January 17
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is soliciting written comments regarding the Healthy People 2030 objectives. The public comment period runs from December 3, 2018 through January 17, 2019.
Previous public comments on the proposed Healthy People 2030 framework helped shape the vision, mission, foundational principles, plan of action, and overarching goals for Healthy People 2030. HHS invites you to provide input on the proposed Core, Developmental, and Research objectives during this public comment period. The immunization objectives begin on page 31.
Please read the objective selection criteria prior to reviewing and commenting on the proposed objectives.
To access information about submitting a comment, visit the Public Comment for Healthy People 2030 web page. If you would like to submit a comment, you will need to register or log in. You can review the proposed objectives and read others’ comments without registering. You may also email comments on the proposed objectives to HP2030@hhs.gov.
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WORLD NEWS
WHO publishes a review of the 2018 influenza season in the southern hemisphere
WHO published Review of the 2018 influenza season in the southern hemisphere in the December 21 issue of its Weekly Epidemiological Record. The report summarizes the chronology, epidemiology and virology of the 2018 influenza season in the temperate regions of the southern hemisphere, based on data collected between January and October 2018.
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In late 2017, the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) announced the publication of its new book, Vaccinating Adults: A Step-by-Step Guide (Guide).
This completely updated guide on adult immunization (originally published in 2004) provides easy-to-use, practical information covering important “how-to” activities to help providers enhance their existing adult immunization services or introduce them into any clinical setting, including:
- setting up for vaccination services,
- storing and handling vaccines,
- deciding which people should receive which vaccines,
- administering vaccines,
- documenting vaccinations (including legal issues), and
- understanding financial considerations and billing information.
In addition, the Guide is filled with hundreds of web addresses and references to help providers stay up to date on the latest immunization information, both now and in the future.
The entire Guide is available to download/print free of charge at www.immunize.org/guide. The downloaded version is suitable for double-sided printing. Options are available online to download the entire book or selected chapters. The development of the Guide was supported by the National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Expert staff from both agencies also provided early technical review of the content.
The Guide is a uniquely valuable resource to assist providers in increasing adult immunization rates. Be sure to get a copy today!
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JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
Vaccine Education Center of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia publishes December issue of its newsletter Vaccine Update for Healthcare Professionals
The Vaccine Education Center of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia publishes a monthly immunization-focused newsletter titled Vaccine Update for Healthcare Professionals. The December issue includes the following articles:
Access the full newsletter.
Access the sign-up form to subscribe to Vaccine Update for Healthcare Professionals.
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December issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available
CDC recently released the December issue of its monthly newsletter Immunization Works. The newsletter offers the immunization community information about current topics. The information is in the public domain and can be reproduced and circulated widely.
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CDC reports on rabies in a dog imported from Egypt in MMWR
CDC published Rabies in a Dog Imported from Egypt—Connecticut, 2017 in the December 21 issue of MMWR (pages 1388–1391). A summary made available to the press is reprinted below.
The United States must remain vigilant at ports of entry, through its domestic surveillance infrastructure, and through dog vaccination coverage to avoid the reintroduction of canine rabies (dog rabies). Increasing education efforts among rescue organizations and their networks could strengthen efforts to keep dog rabies out of the United States. Rescuing animals abroad can be an act of love, but inappropriate animal rescue can expose you and your loved ones (including your animals) to a deadly threat. This report describes the sixth importation of a rabid dog into the United States in the past 15 years. Previous reports and publications have discussed the public health challenges and potential threats associated with the international movement of animals in commerce and the roles of federal, state, and local authorities. The United States has one of the most robust rabies surveillance and response networks in the world to promote the early detection of cases and to prevent rabies transmission.
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
CDC’s Public Health Grand Rounds to present “Preventing Cervical Cancer in the 21st Century” on January 15
CDC's Public Health Grand Rounds will present "Preventing Cervical Cancer in the 21st Century" on January 15 at 1:00 p.m. (ET). Those interested in viewing this one-hour session should go to the live external webcast link during the scheduled time.
Sessions are archived 3–4 days after each presentation, so you can view any of these presentations on the archive page at your convenience.
New CDC Medscape commentary available about rotavirus outbreaks in the post-vaccine era
On December 3, Medscape posted a new CDC commentary titled Rotavirus Is Still With Us—How to Prevent an Outbreak. In this session, Rachel M. Burke, MPH, PhD, an epidemic intelligence service officer at CDC discusses rotavirus disease and recent outbreaks that illustrate some general characteristics of rotavirus outbreaks in the post-vaccine era.
If you are not a registered user on Medscape, you can register for free and get unlimited access to all Medscape features, including continuing education activities.
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Reminder: CDC's 15-part webinar series about "The Pink Book" available online; continuing education credit is available
In 2018, CDC presented a 15-part webinar series on the chapters of the 13th edition of Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (also known as "The Pink Book"). The series provided an overview of vaccines and the diseases they prevent, general recommendations for vaccines, vaccination principles, and immunization strategies for providers.
Although the live sessions concluded on October 3, all of the recordings can be viewed online at the Pink Book webinar web page. Continuing education credit is available for each webinar.
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