Issue 1439: August 7, 2019
TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS
FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
TOP STORIES
New powerful tools, quick navigation, beautiful design: Visit Give2MenACWY.org to enhance your efforts at increasing MenACWY booster dose rates and other adolescent vaccines
IAC announces a major upgrade to its collaborative website promoting the importance of receiving a booster dose of meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine.
Aimed at healthcare professionals, the site has been revised to incorporate newly updated materials and to highlight the importance of all recommended vaccines for 16-year-olds. A simplified navigation structure makes locating information a breeze.
The colorful new Give2MenACWY.org website is divided into five easy-to-access sections:
- Vaccinate Teens – The tools included on this web page offer helpful information on teen vaccination schedules and tips for improving adolescent immunization rates.
- Give 2 Doses – Fewer than half of teens have received the recommended second dose of MenACWY vaccine. This web page offers tools to help providers improve second dose coverage.
- 16-year-old Visit – These resources help both providers and their patients remember the important vaccines recommended for 16-year-olds.
- Tools for Providers – These tools from CDC, IAC, and other organizations explain meningococcal ACWY vaccine recommendations and assist in improving adolescent coverage for all recommended vaccines.
- Resources – This section contains a wealth of information to assist provider efforts to improve adolescent immunization rates. The materials are subdivided into subsections for print materials, links to organizations involved in adolescent immunization, personal stories about the importance of vaccination, and additional resources of interest.
Additional time savings are provided by the site’s single location where all website materials are listed according to whether they are primarily of interest to providers or to patients/parents. Other sections relate to general adolescent immunization, as well as meningococcal disease and vaccine information.
Visit Give2MenACWY.org and enjoy browsing (and hopefully deploying) its terrific resources, brought to you by our collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur.
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Total number of U.S. measles cases for 2019 reaches 1,172 with 8 new cases reported since last week
CDC has posted its latest update on 2019 measles cases in the U.S. on its Measles Cases and Outbreaks web page. The web page shows a preliminary estimate of 1,172 cases across 30 states as of August 1. This is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1992 and since measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000.
The states that have reported cases to CDC are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.
Access additional information about U.S. measles cases in 2019 on CDC's Measles Cases and Outbreaks web page.
Measles outbreaks (defined as 3 or more cases) are currently ongoing in 2019 in the following jurisdictions:
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August is National Immunization Awareness Month!
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the efforts of healthcare professionals to protect patients of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination.
CDC’s NIAM web page includes two toolkits, one for communicating with healthcare professionals and the other for communicating with parents and patients. Each includes key messages, sample social media content, and educational resources.
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Register now! Dr. Sharon G. Humiston, IAC's associate director for research, will present a webinar on adolescent immunization and the 16-year platform on August 14 at 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Join Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH, FAAP, IAC's associate director for research, for a 1-hour webinar titled "Adolescent Immunization Update and the 16-Year-Old Platform" on August 14, at 1:00 p.m. (ET). During her presentation, Dr. Humiston will review the “need-to-know” facts of adolescent immunization, including the recommendations for adolescent vaccination at 11–12 years of age and those at age 16.
Register now!
Related Links
- Visit newly designed www.Give2MenACWY.org - IAC's website to help boost adolescent immunization rates
- You're 16 ... We Recommend These Vaccines for You! (from IAC and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine)
- IAC's Summary of Recommendations for Child/Teen Immunization (Age birth through 18 years)
- IAC's Vaccinations for Preteens and Teens, Age 11–19 Years (multiple translations available)
- IAC's Meningococcal Vaccine Recommendations by Age and Risk Factor for Serogroups A, C, W, or Y
- IAC's Meningococcal Vaccine Recommendations by Age and Risk Factor for Serogroup B Protection
- IAC's Screening Checklist for Contraindications to HPV, MenACWY, MenB, and Tdap for Teens
- IAC's HPV Vaccine: A Guide for Young Adults (also available in Spanish)
- IAC's Human Papillomavirus: A Parent’s Guide to Preteen and Teen HPV Vaccination (also available in Spanish)
- Standing orders templates you can adapt for vaccinating teens with vaccines recommended in the 16-year-old platform
- IAC's Handouts: Adolescent Vaccination web page
- CDC's Preteen and Teen Immunization Resources (includes factsheets, flyers, posters, podcasts, videos)
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New law went into effect on July 28 in Washington State which eliminates personal and philosophical exemptions to MMR vaccination
On July 28, a new bill took effect which applies to public and private schools and child care facilities in Washington State. The law removes the option for a personal or philosophical exemption to the MMR vaccine requirement for schools and child care facilities. It also requires employees and volunteers at child care centers to provide immunization records indicating they have received the MMR vaccine or have proof of immunity.
Washington State took an important step in limiting the spread of measles by passing this legislation, removing personal belief exemptions, and only allowing medical exemptions to MMR vaccine.
This decision is in alignment with the policy statements of several medical professional societies in allowing only medical exemptions for vaccinations for school entry. The societies' policy statements are linked below: In addition, 5 states allow only medical exemptions to vaccinations for school entry, including:
- California
- Maine
- Mississippi
- New York
- West Virginia
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IAC Spotlight! Just in case you missed them—these IAC materials and web pages were updated during June and July
In almost every issue of IAC Express, we provide readers with information about new and updated educational materials for healthcare professionals and handouts for patients that have been posted during the past week on IAC’s website for healthcare professionals, immunize.org. All these materials are CDC-reviewed and available free for you to download, print, copy, and distribute in your healthcare settings. We also announce major updates to the content on various web sections and pages on immunize.org.
Below you’ll find a listing of the new and updated items and web pages we’ve announced in IAC Express during the months of June and July, in case you’ve missed any of them.
Educational Materials for Healthcare Professionals
Handouts for Your Patients
Updated Web Sections and Pages
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New! 2020 edition of CDC Health Information for International Travel ("The Yellow Book") now available online
CDC Health Information for International Travel (also known as "The Yellow Book") is published every two years as a reference for those who advise international travelers about health risks. "The Yellow Book" is written primarily for healthcare professionals, but is a useful resource for anyone interested in healthy international travel. The fully revised and updated edition codifies the U.S. government's most current travel health guidelines, including pre-travel vaccine recommendations, destination-specific health advice, and easy-to-reference maps, tables, and charts.
CDC has posted the 2020 edition of "The Yellow Book" online at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/yellowbook-home.
CDC Health Information for International Travel is also available for sale from Oxford University Press, and can also be ordered from major online booksellers.
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Four healthcare organizations join IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll for mandatory healthcare worker vaccination
There are now 841 organizations enrolled in IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll. The honor roll recognizes hospitals, long-term care facilities (LTCFs), medical practices, pharmacies, professional organizations, health departments, and other government entities that have taken a stand for patient safety by implementing mandatory influenza vaccination policies for healthcare personnel.
Since July 3, when IAC Express last reported on the Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll, four additional healthcare organizations have been enrolled.
IAC urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply by visiting the Application page.
Newly added healthcare organizations, hospitals, government agencies, medical practices, long-term care facilities, and pharmacies
- Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, Madison, WI
- Habersham Medical Center, Demorest, GA
- Methodist Richardson Medical Center, Richardson, TX
- Russellville Health Care, Inc., Russellville, AL (LTCF)
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Voices for Vaccines releases new podcast episode titled “Stop the Presses! NIAM 2019”
Voices for Vaccines (VFV) has posted a new entry in its Vax Talk podcast series: Stop the Presses! NIAM 2019. For NIAM 2019, VFV has decided to celebrate with Game Show Month. The first game is Fact Checker. VFV invited health journalist Tara Haelle (author of Vaccination Investigation and The Informed Parent) aboard to listen to a media interview with a self-proclaimed vaccine expert rebutting Jon Oliver.
If you or your organization would like information about how to become a sponsor of a VFV "Vax Talk" podcast, please contact VFV's executive director Karen Ernst, at info@voicesforvaccines.org.
Voices for Vaccines is a national organization of parents and others who are dedicated to raising the level of the voices of immunization supporters. VFV invites everyone who values vaccines to become a member. Please spread the word to your friends and colleagues to join VFV!
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Ethan Lindenberger, a previously unvaccinated high school student who found out how to get vaccinated himself, presents a TED Talk titled "Why We Need to Fight Misinformation about Vaccines"
Ethan Lindenberger, an unvaccinated high school student from Norwalk, Ohio, who figured out how to get vaccinated on his own when he turned 18, was thrust into the spotlight when he testified at the HELP Committee Hearing: Vaccines Save Lives: What Is Driving Preventable Disease Outbreaks? in March. In a new TED Talk titled Why We Need to Fight Misinformation about Vaccines, Ethan discusses how he became a vaccine advocate. The description of his TED Talk is reprinted below.
Ethan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The post went viral, landing Lindenberger in the middle of a heated debate about vaccination and, ultimately, in front of a U.S. Senate committee. Less than a year later, the high school senior reports back on his unexpected time in the spotlight and a new movement he's leading to fight misinformation and advocate for scientific truth.
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IAC HANDOUTS
IAC posts revised “Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Children and Teens” and “Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Adults”
IAC recently revised its Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Children and Teens and Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Adults. Changes were made to create a separate question regarding an immune system problem in the child or adult's first-degree relatives, and on page 2, to condense the several references into only two.
Access the revised screening checklists below.
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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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IAC updates parent handout by Dr. Ari Brown titled "Clear Answers and Smart Advice About Your Baby’s Shots"
Ari Brown, MD, FAAP, recently updated her handout for parents titled Clear Answers and Smart Advice About Your Baby’s Shots. In private practice since 1995, Dr. Brown is perhaps best known as the coauthor of the 411 parenting book series titled Expecting 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Pregnancy, Baby 411, and Toddler 411 (Windsor Peak Press). Clear Answers and Smart Advice About Your Baby’s Shots is an excerpt from Baby 411 that answers parents' questions about vaccines, especially related to misinformation about autism and vaccines.
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New! “FLU VACCINE” buttons and stickers now available for purchase from IACStart your preparations for the 2019–20 influenza season by ordering IAC's new “FLU VACCINE” buttons and stickers from SHOP IAC. These new resources are modeled after “I Voted” stickers, which are given to voters in many states as they leave the polls on Election Day. The flu vaccine buttons and stickers are bright red to help broadcast your important vaccination message. And the cost is low!
“FLU VACCINE” BUTTONS
Demonstrate your clinic-wide support for protecting everyone from influenza by purchasing buttons for all staff to wear. Measuring 1.25" across, the button is understated in size but carries a bold message! Brightly colored red, round button with white text and a metal pin that clasps on the back.
Pin on your lab coat, uniform, other clothing, tote bag, or backpack to show support for influenza vaccination. Wear it when flu vaccine is available in your clinic to remind patients and the public to protect themselves from influenza.
Buttons are delivered in bags of 10 buttons per bag. Click here for pricing and ordering.
“FLU VACCINE” STICKERS
These brightly colored red, round stickers measure 1.5" across. Printed on Avery labels, they adhere well to clothing and have an easy-peel-off back.
Wearing these brightly colored stickers, your patients will be letting their communities know that influenza vaccination is important.
Suitable for clinic staff, too! Urge all staff to wear them at work during flu vaccination season. This sends a powerful reminder to patients to get vaccinated.
Stickers are delivered to you cut individually (not on rolls)—available in bundles of 100. Click here for pricing and ordering information.
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CDC’s "Measles Multimedia" web page features new videos to aid healthcare providers in diagnosing measles
CDC has developed a Measles Multimedia web page with new videos to aid healthcare professionals in diagnosing measles. These videos describe clinical features of measles, how to diagnose it, and what to do if you suspect you have a case.
Also, be sure to check out the print materials, slide sets, matte articles, infographics, podcasts, and more available at CDC’s Measles Multimedia web page.
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IAC's comprehensive Vaccinating Adults: A Step-by-Step Guide is available for free download either by chapter or in its entirety (142 pages)
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 "how to" guide on adult immunization provides easy-to-use, practical information covering essential adult immunization activities. It helps vaccine providers enhance their existing adult immunization services or introduce them into any clinical setting. Topics include:
- 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 Guide is available to download/print either by chapter or in its entirety free of charge at www.immunize.org/guide. The downloaded version is suitable for double-sided printing. The National Vaccine Program Office and CDC both supported the development of the Guide and provided early technical review.
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
July issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available
CDC recently released the July 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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JAMA Psychiatry publishes “Association of Genetic and Environmental Factors with Autism in a 5-Country Cohort”
JAMA Psychiatry published Association of Genetic and Environmental Factors with Autism in a 5-Country Cohort, by D. Bai, et al, in its July 17 issue. The Conclusions and Relevance section of the abstract is reprinted below.
Conclusions and Relevance
Based on population data from 5 countries, the heritability of ASD was estimated to be approximately 80%, indicating that the variation in ASD occurrence in the population is mostly owing to inherited genetic influences, with no support for contribution from maternal effects. The results suggest possible modest differences in the sources of ASD risk between countries.
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Becker’s Hospital Review publishes “A Roadmap to Better Population Health Management through Improved Adult Immunization”
An important article from the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS), A Roadmap to Better Population Health Management through Improved Adult Immunization, was highlighted in a recent issue of Becker’s Hospital Review, one of the most widely read publications by people working in hospital management.
As the article notes, “Improving vaccination rates among adult patients is a cost-effective opportunity to generate better care outcomes and improve community health. Hospital and health system leaders should take advantage of the numerous resources available for immunization improvement programs. Providers that allow large swaths of their aging patient populations to remain vulnerable to vaccine-preventable illness cannot rightly be considered leaders on population health. Now is an ideal time for providers to double down on adult immunization as a primary component of comprehensive preventive care strategies.”
The article is available as a downloadable E-book. There is no cost to download the E-book, but you will need to register. The E-book offers insights into:
- Best practices for an adult immunization program
- Key considerations for vaccine payer reimbursement
- Key opportunities for vaccine partnerships
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
New Medscape CE program titled "Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Hepatitis A Vaccine for Persons Experiencing Homelessness" now available online
Reminder: Weekly CDC webinar series on "The Pink Book" chapter topics runs through September 25; register now
Register for CDC's 15-part, live CE-accredited series of 1-hour webinars designed to provide a chapter-by-chapter overview of the 13th edition of Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (also known as "The Pink Book"). Topics include specific vaccines and the diseases they prevent, general recommendations for vaccines, vaccination principles, and immunization strategies for providers.
All sessions begin at 12:00 p.m. (ET). This series began on June 5 and will run through September 25, 2019. The next two webinars are scheduled as follows:
- August 14: Measles, Mumps, Rubella
- August 21: Polio and Hib
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