Immunize.org reviews and updates the Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance and Clinic Support Tools at least monthly, prominently indicating when it was last revised at the top of the page. The checklist was updated a third time in May because CDC released widely anticipated new standing orders templates reflecting the most current recommendations for use of bivalent mRNA vaccines in children and adults. Our checklist also reflects CDC’s new interim COVID-19 vaccination schedule for all ages.

All COVID-19 vaccination providers should review the checklist regularly and download the latest CDC schedule and standing order documents. The checklist is posted on Immunize.org's Vaccines: COVID-19 main page to help practices stay up to date.



Related Links

• Immunize.org: Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance and Clinic Support Tools (PDF)
• Immunize.org: Vaccines: COVID-19 main page
• Immunize.org: Ask the Experts: COVID-19 web page
• CDC: Interim Clinical Considerations main page summarizing use of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States

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CDC published Potential for Recurrent Mpox Outbreaks in Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men—United States, 2023 in the May 26 issue of MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.

Monkeypox (mpox) has disproportionately affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM); the percentage of MSM with immunity due to vaccination or infection varies among jurisdictions. . . .

Mathematical modeling suggests that the risk for future outbreaks depends linearly on the level of immunity in the population at risk; cumulative incidence, on the other hand, has multiple thresholds [based on proportion of immune individuals]. More than 592,000 MSM live in jurisdictions with risk for mpox recurrences capable of sustained transmission if a cluster of infectious cases were reintroduced. . . .

Increasing vaccination coverage among MSM at risk and in jurisdictions with low immunity has the potential to reduce the risk for and potential size of future mpox outbreaks.

Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.



Related Link

• MMWR's main page provides access to MMWR Weekly and its companion publications

CDC published Urban and Rural Mpox Incidence among Persons Aged 15–64 Years—United States, May 10–December 31, 2022 in the May 26 issue of MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.

Information on urbanicity of mpox cases during the 2022 outbreak is limited. . . .

During May–December 2022, U.S. mpox incidence was 13.5 per 100,000 persons peaking in August. Among cisgender men and cisgender women, incidence in rural areas was 4% and 11% of incidence in large central urban areas, respectively. Incidence among Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino persons was higher than among White persons. . . .

National mpox surveillance should be continued to ensure persons at risk for mpox get tested and treated. Prevention efforts should be focused on MSM in urban areas.

Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.



Related Link

• MMWR's main page provides access to MMWR Weekly and its companion publications

CDC published Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Vaccine Durability in Preventing COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization and Critical Illness among Adults with and without Immunocompromising Conditions—VISION Network, September 2022–April 2023 in the May 26 issue of MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.

Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines help provide protection against medically attended COVID-19–associated illness. However, the durability of this protection is uncertain. . . .

Among adults aged ≥18 years without immunocompromising conditions, bivalent booster vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19–associated hospitalization declined from 62% at 7–59 days postvaccination to 24% at 120–179 days compared with VE among unvaccinated adults. Among immunocompromised adults, lower bivalent booster VE was observed. However, bivalent booster VE was sustained against critical COVID-19–associated outcomes, including intensive care unit admission or death. . . .

Adults should stay up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccines. Optional additional bivalent vaccine doses are available for older adults and persons with immunocompromising conditions.

Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.

Related Link

• MMWR's main page provides access to MMWR Weekly and its companion publications

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Pew Research Center finds that Americans’ mostly positive views on childhood vaccines remain

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in March 2023, Americans remain steadfast in their belief in the overall value of childhood vaccines. However, there are signs of some concern, particularly among parents of young children and mothers. While the last 4 years demonstrated no change in the large majority who say the benefits of childhood vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) outweigh the risks, there is a sizable gap between higher public confidence in childhood vaccines and lower confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.

Other key findings:

• Fewer than half of Americans rate their perception of COVID-19 vaccines’ health benefits as high, but the majority perceive the risk of side effects as at least medium
• Americans’ positive perception of MMR vaccine remains largely steady in the wake of debate over COVID-19 vaccines
• Politically partisan differences widened over the requirement for MMR vaccine in K-12 schools
• Parents whose children are less than age 18 years perceive slightly higher risks from MMR vaccines than other adults
• The majority of Americans perceive a positive societal impact from childhood vaccines, though about four-in-ten wonder if vaccines are all necessary
• Doctors are at least somewhat trusted as sources of information about the health effects of MMR vaccine
• Interviews with those concerned about MMR vaccine reveal desires to rely on multiple sources of information, ones they believe to have trustworthy motives

Read the full report: Americans’ Largely Positive Views of Childhood Vaccines Hold Steady.

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The Vaccine Makers Project, the classroom-based program of the Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, invites submissions for the 2023 Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest. Students in grades 6 through 12 in the United States and Canada are encouraged to learn about Dr. Hilleman’s life and accomplishments and submit a 500- to 600-word essay by June 9, 2023. This year's writing prompt is "Preparedness is an important component of science as demonstrated by Maurice Hilleman when he identified the 1957 influenza pandemic. How is preparedness critical in science today?" 



Details and the entry form are available at HillemanFilm.com/contest. This year there will be six winners—three each from the United States and Canada. The winners will each receive $500, a certificate, and recognition at a virtual award event this fall. Please share this information with eligible students or with teachers who may be interested in sharing with their students.   

Related Links

• The Vaccine Makers Project website
• VEC: Hilleman Film website

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Immunize.org is pleased to welcome two new institutions into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, for a total of 578 honorees. The birthing institutions are listed below with their reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rates in parentheses.

• Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Glen Dale, WV (95%)
• UPMC Chautauqua, Jamestown, NY (90%)

• St. Joseph’s Hospital North, Lutz, FL (92%) (2 years)
• Union Hospital, Terre Haute, IN (100%) (5 years)
• Platte Valley Medical Center, Brighton, CO (90%) (7 years)
• Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center, La Junta, CO (91%) (9 years)
• Perry County Memorial Hospital, Tell City, IN (91%) (11 years)

The Honor Roll includes 578 birthing institutions from 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, and our U.S. military base in England.

• Give Birth to the End of Hep B main page 
• Fact sheet: Do You Qualify for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll? If So, Apply Today.
• Handout on Immunize.org’s campaign: Give Birth to the End of Hep B
• Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page

Immunize.org offers a host of materials that focus on specific vaccine-preventable diseases. Here are some highlights.

Vaccines main page leads viewers to 24 pages, one for each vaccine-preventable disease. These pages provide curated materials from public health authorities and Immunize.org on each disease and vaccine.

Ask the Experts main page gives you access to more than 1,200 questions answered by Immunize.org experts. Topics include specific diseases and their vaccines as well as vaccine delivery guidance (e.g., administration, billing, documenting). 

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) main page links to all current ACIP vaccine recommendations as well as most dating back to 1991. You can sort the ACIP recommendations by diseases or publication date.

Unprotected People Stories main page features more than a hundred real-life accounts of people who suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases. There are compelling personal testimonies, remembrances, case reports, and newspaper articles.

Image Library main page offers hundreds of photos of people affected by vaccine-preventable diseases; micrographs of viruses, bacteria, and pathology specimens; and pictures of people being vaccinated. Please follow noted copyright requirements.

These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.

• STAT: We’ll Soon Have Tools to Protect Infants against RSV. Can We Put Them to Good Use? (5/24/23)
• Science: COVID-19 Vaccines May Undergo Major Overhaul This Fall (5/23/23)
• STAT: FDA Advisory Panel Backs Pfizer’s RSV Vaccine, but Expresses Some Safety Concerns (5/18/23)

Many healthcare facilities simplify vaccination by using standing orders. Immunize.org recently reviewed and updated its Standing Orders for Administering Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine [IPV] to Infants and Children. A note was removed stating that young adults who received four doses of IPV before August 2009 were exempted from the recommendation for that one dose be administered after the fourth birthday. CDC no longer advises this exemption. Such individuals may receive an additional dose when identified, although no specific catch-up initiative is recommended. In addition, a QR code now links to the online version of the document.

Related Links

• Immunize.org: Standing Orders Templates for Administering Vaccines main page
• Immunize.org: Handouts for Patients and Staff main page, where you can sort materials by topic, vaccine, or language
• Immunize.org: Educational Materials for Patients and Staff—an alphabetical listing of more than 230 ready-to-print staff educational materials and patient handouts

Immunize.org posted the corrected Simplified Chinese translation of its popular handout, After the Shots . . . What to Do If Your Child Has Discomfort. As noted previously, those who downloaded the Chinese version dated 3/29/2023 should discard it and replace it with the 5/15/2023 translation of the English 3/29/2023 version.



Related Link

• Immunize.org: Handouts: Chinese Translations main page

Immunize.org refreshed several of its popular handouts with minor edits. The following handouts were reviewed and updated:

• MMR Vaccine Does Not Cause Autism
• Using Standing Orders for Administering Vaccines: What You Should Know
• Suggestions to Improve Your Immunization Services

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In her latest video, Dr. Lori Handy, Associate Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and board-certified infectious diseases pediatrician, discusses how to treat fevers, when they can become a problem, and what to do about fevers associated with vaccination.



Other recent videos include a discussion of why vaccines don’t weaken a baby’s immune system and how to keep newborns healthy.

Related Links

• CHOP: Dr. Handy's Corner playlist
• CHOP: Videos and DVDs

In the May 19 issue, JAMA Network Open published COVID-19 Booster Vaccination in Early Pregnancy and Surveillance for Spontaneous Abortion. A portion of the conclusions and relevance section appears below.

In this case-control surveillance study, COVID-19 booster vaccination in pregnancy was not associated with spontaneous abortion. These findings support the safety of recommendations for COVID-19 booster vaccination, including in pregnant populations.

In the May 3 issue, JAMA Network Open published Evaluation of Waning of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine–Induced Immunity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. A portion of the conclusions and relevance section appears below.

These findings suggest that the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against laboratory-confirmed Omicron or Delta infection and symptomatic disease rapidly wanes over time after the primary vaccination cycle and booster dose. These results can inform the design of appropriate targets and timing for future vaccination programs.

In the May 19 issue, JAMA Network Open published Estimated U.S. Pediatric Hospitalizations and School Absenteeism Associated with Accelerated COVID-19 Bivalent Booster Vaccination. A portion of the conclusions and relevance section appears below.

In this decision analytical model, increased uptake of bivalent booster vaccination among eligible age groups was associated with decreased hospitalizations and school absenteeism in the pediatric population. These findings suggest that although COVID-19 prevention strategies often focus on older populations, the benefits of booster campaigns for children may be substantial.

The Immunization Coalition of Los Angeles will host a Summer Vaccine Film Forum, June 20, 12:00–3:00 p.m. (ET). The virtual forum will feature two award-winning films, "Shot In The Arm" and "Vaccinate Watts," to highlight two perspectives on the challenges brought on by the pandemic, including fighting disinformation, community engagement, and more.



Register to reserve a spot for this free event!