Issue 1220: December
16, 2015
Ask the Experts—Question of the Week: We are having difficulty getting meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine…read more
TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS
WORLD NEWS
FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
TOP STORIES
New! December issue of Needle Tips available online
The December 2015 issue of Needle Tips is now online.
Click on the image below to download the entire December issue of Needle Tips (18-page, 9.0 MB PDF).
To download individual sections or pages, access the Table of Contents.
This issue features information on both influenza and pneumococcal vaccination, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics’ reaffirmation of its policy for mandatory influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel. You’ll find new and updated vaccination resources for patients and staff, including standing orders templates, screening checklists, administration guides, and other ready-to-copy educational materials.
Also featured is the ever-popular column "Ask the Experts" from CDC medical officer Andrew T. Kroger, MD, MPH, and nurse educator Donna L. Weaver, RN, MN, both with the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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IAC’s “Take a Stand™” workshops proving highly successful around the country: Register NOW for the next sessions in California (January 19–23, 2016)
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), with support from Pfizer, has implemented Take a Stand™, a national effort designed to improve adult immunization rates by increasing the use of standing orders in medical practices.*
At the core of this project are free workshops led by national experts, including L.J Tan, MS, PhD; William Atkinson, MD, MPH; and Deborah Wexler, MD, from IAC, and Alexandra Stewart, JD, from George Washington University. These workshops already have been conducted in Louisville, KY; Chicago, IL; Portsmouth, VA; Nashville, TN; and Little Rock, AR. To illustrate how these have been going, here is a small sampling of comments received from attendees:
“Not only does this workshop provide great education, but it provides you with the tools and resources you need to implement this within your practice.” J.M., APN, MPH (Chicago, IL)
“This workshop gave us great ideas and information. Can’t wait to go back and start this process to get our Standing Orders going.” T.S., clinical manager (Fredericksburg, VA)
“Fantastic—great expertise, resources, tools and advice.” D.S. (Nashville, TN)
“This workshop is excellent for nursing directors/managers in the ambulatory setting. Excellent resources for preventive services.” L.R., primary care service line nursing director (Little Rock, AR)
Don’t miss your chance to join these satisfied attendees. The next workshops are scheduled for 2016 in four California cities.
Be sure to note that these are one-time only events in each city.
Who should attend? Clinicians, nurses, and practice managers in medical offices that serve adults, as well as pharmacists and quality improvement managers, will benefit from the workshops.
In addition to the California sessions, other workshop locations and schedules, a sample agenda, and online registration are available on the Take a Stand™ website at www.standingorders.org.
Please “take a stand” with us and spread the word about this unique opportunity for medical practices to improve their adult immunization rates while empowering staff and streamlining facility operations.
* Standing orders are written protocols approved by a physician or other authorized practitioner that allow qualified healthcare professionals (who are eligible to do so under state law, such as registered nurses or pharmacists) to assess the need for vaccination and to vaccinate patients meeting certain criteria.
Workshop Information
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CDC releases new estimates on influenza vaccination coverage
CDC estimates annual influenza vaccination coverage for the United States by utilizing data from several nationally representative surveys: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the National Health Interview Survey, the National Immunization Surveys-Flu, and internet panel surveys of adults, healthcare personnel, and pregnant women. CDC recently released the following updated estimates of influenza vaccination coverage based on these surveys:
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CDC releases information for clinicians about current Pentacel shortage
On December 7, CDC posted the following information on its website about the current Pentacel shortage:
Sanofi Pasteur is experiencing a manufacturing delay with Pentacel (DTaP-IPV/Hib) vaccine, which is anticipated to result in constrained supplies throughout the first half of 2016. However, Sanofi Pasteur has sufficient supplies of the relevant single antigen vaccines (DAPTACEL, ActHIB, and IPOL) to address the anticipated gap in Pentacel supply.
Access a related four-page document from CDC: Guidance for Vaccinating Children during the 2015–16 Pentacel® Manufacturing Delay
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Seasonal Health campaign supplement of December 11 issue of USA Today features articles from IAC, Families Fighting Flu, and NFID
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) recently partnered with MediaplanetUSA in their just-released Seasonal Health campaign, which provides readers with tips and safety advice on protecting themselves from this season’s influenza viruses. The campaign was distributed through the centerfold section of USA Today on December 11, and is published online at www.futureofpersonalhealth.com.
Along with IAC, other contributors include Families Fighting Flu, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), and more.
We encourage you to share these articles with your patients.
Selected Articles from the Seasonal Health Campaign
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IAC enrolls five more birthing institutions into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll; four previously honored institutions qualify for additional years
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is pleased to announce that five new institutions have been accepted into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll. The birthing institutions are listed below with their reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rates in parentheses.
- Baptist Health La Grange, La Grange, KY (96%)
- Lowell General Hospital, Lowell, MA (96%)
- Montefiore Medical Center, Wakefield Hospital, Bronx, NY (97%)
- Southern Maine Health Care, Biddeford, ME (94%)
- Upson Regional Medical Center, Thomaston, GA (97%)
The following two institutions are being recognized for a second year:
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (91%)
- St. Anthony Regional Hospital, Carroll, IA (96%)
In addition, the following two institutions are being recognized for a third year:
- Lakeland Community Hospital, Niles, MI (91%)
- Liberty Hospital, Liberty, MO (92%)
The Honor Roll now includes 220 birthing institutions from 34 states and Puerto Rico. Sixty-two institutions have qualified for a second year and four institutions have qualified three times.
The Honor Roll is a key part of IAC’s major 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 rates for administering hepatitis B vaccine at birth and meeting specific additional criteria. The initiative urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll online.
To be included in the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, a birthing institution must have: (1) reported a coverage rate of 90% or greater, over a 12-month period, for administering hepatitis B vaccine before hospital discharge to all newborns, including those whose parents refuse vaccination, and (2) implemented specific written policies, procedures, and protocols to protect all newborns from hepatitis B virus infection prior to hospital discharge.
Honorees are also awarded an 8.5" x 11" color certificate suitable for framing and their acceptance is announced to IAC Express’s approximately 50,000 readers.
Please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page that lists these institutions and their exceptional efforts to protect infants from perinatal hepatitis B transmission.
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IAC Spotlight! Three healthcare organizations join IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll for mandatory healthcare worker vaccination
Almost 600 organizations are now enrolled in IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll. The honor roll recognizes hospitals, medical practices, professional organizations, health departments, and government entities that have taken a stand for patient safety by implementing mandatory influenza vaccination policies for healthcare personnel.
Since November 18, when IAC Express last reported on the Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll, three additional healthcare organizations have been enrolled.
IAC urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply.
Newly added healthcare organizations, hospitals, government agencies, and medical practices
- Fellowship Community, Whitehall, PA
- Morton Comprehensive Health Services, Tulsa, OK
- Super Shot, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN
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Join Voices for Vaccines on January 7 for a conference call featuring Dr. Nathan Boonstra discussing HPV vaccination
Join Voices for Vaccines (VFV) for a conference call with Dr. Nathan Boonstra on January 7 at 1:00 p.m. (ET). Dr. Boonstra will discuss the problem of low HPV vaccine uptake and how providers, parents, and public health professionals can work together to better protect children and communities against this common and potentially deadly virus.
To register for this call, you must email info@voicesforvaccines.org.
Dr. Boonstra is an attending pediatrician at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines. He has spoken extensively to physicians and parent groups about vaccines, the HPV vaccine in particular. When he isn't attending to patients or promoting prevention, you can find Dr. Boonstra at his blog at PedsGeekMD.
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 appreciates vaccines to become a member of their organization. Please spread the word to your friends and colleagues to register for the conference call and to join VFV!
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Applications for the Gerontological Society of America's 2016 ICAMP Academies now open; first session to be held February 15–16 in Los Angeles
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) has announced the 2016 dates for its ICAMP Academy—a multidisciplinary leadership component of GSA’s Immunization Champions, Advocates, and Mentors Program (ICAMP). ICAMP Academy is a 1.5-day multidisciplinary program for healthcare professionals who are committed to increasing adult vaccination rates, improving their patients’ health, and improving quality metrics in their organization. Through this program, participants are not instructed how to vaccinate, but rather how to improve organizational performance on immunization quality metrics and lead their organization’s immunization efforts.
The ICAMP Academy was developed by GSA’s National Adult Vaccination Program (NAVP) for multidisciplinary providers including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. The program provides insights on how to implement the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) Standards for Adult Immunization Practice through the use of practical tools and sharing of best practices.
Coach air travel, hotel room, travel expenses, and program fees for participants are fully covered by ICAMP sponsors. We encourage you to refer and recommend this opportunity to individuals in your organization who actively support adult immunization. Applications will be reviewed by the NAVP workgroup, and participants will be chosen based upon their dedication to improving adult health through immunization and their interest in quality healthcare delivery performance outcomes. Apply now, as space is limited!
GSA ICAMP Academies in 2016
- February 15–16, 2016 in Los Angeles, CA; application deadline is Sunday, January 3, 2016
- March 28–29, 2016 in Atlanta, GA; application deadline is Sunday, January 31, 2016
- May 16–17, 2016 in Washington, DC; application deadline is Sunday, March 31, 2016
- June 20–21, 2016 in Phoenix, AZ; application deadline is Sunday, April 3, 2016
Go to www.navp.org for additional information about NAVP’s ICAMP Academy. Please direct any questions to navp@geron.org.
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IAC HANDOUTS
IAC updates "First Do No Harm: Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Policies for Healthcare Personnel Help Protect Patients"
IAC recently revised First Do No Harm: Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Policies for Healthcare Personnel Help Protect Patients by updating some references and links. This resource provides a list of leading healthcare organizations that have issued policy statements supporting mandatory influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel.
These policy statements can help healthcare institutions, hospitals, long-term care facilities, medical practices, and other health settings implement mandatory influenza vaccination policies for their staff.
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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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WORLD NEWS
WHO publishes summary of October meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization
Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, October 2015—conclusions and recommendations was published in the December 11 issue of WHO's Weekly Epidemiological Record. This report summarizes the discussions, conclusions, and recommendations of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) meeting held on October 20–22.
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Influenza is serious; many resources are available to help healthcare professionals in vaccinating
Vaccination remains the single most effective means of preventing influenza, and is recommended for everyone age six months 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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IAC makes available The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians, a.k.a. "The Purple Book," by Dr. Gary Marshall
The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (“The Purple Book,” 2015, 560 pages) is a uniquely comprehensive source of practical, up-to-date information for vaccine providers and educators. Its author, Gary S. Marshall, MD, has drawn together the latest vaccine science and guidance into a concise, user-friendly, practical resource for the private office, public health clinic, academic medical center, and hospital.
IAC Executive Director Deborah Wexler, MD, is enthusiastic about helping get this book circulated as widely as possible. “During more than 20 years in the field of immunization education, I have not seen a book that is so brimming with state-of-the-science vaccine information,” she states. "This book belongs in the hands of every medical student, physician-in-training, doctor, nursing student, and nurse who provides vaccines to patients.”
The Vaccine Handbook provides:
- Information on every licensed vaccine in the United States
- Rationale behind authoritative vaccine recommendations
- Contingencies encountered in everyday practice
- A chapter dedicated to addressing vaccine concerns
- Background on how vaccine policy is made
- Standards and regulations
- Office logistics, including billing procedures, and much more
About the Author
Gary Marshall, MD, is professor of pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky, where he serves as chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases and director of the Pediatric Clinical Trials Unit. In addition to being a busy clinician, he is nationally known for his work in the areas of vaccine research, advocacy, and education.
The newly released fifth edition of this invaluable guide is now available on IAC’s website at www.immunize.org/vaccine-handbook.
The price of the handbook is $29.95 each, plus shipping charges. Discount pricing is available for more than 10 copies. Order copies for your staff or for distribution at an upcoming conference.
Quantity Discount Pricing
- 1–10 books: no discount + shipping
- 11–50 books: 5% + shipping
- 51–100 books: 10% + shipping
- 101–500 books: 15% + shipping
- 501–1000 books: 20% + shipping
For quotes on larger quantities, email admininfo@immunize.org.
Order your copy today!
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JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
CDC reports on influenza activity in the United States from October 4 to November 28, 2015
CDC published Update: Influenza Activity—United States, October 4–November 28, 2015 in the December 11 issue of MMWR (pages 1342–1348). A summary made available to the press is reprinted below.
During October 4–November 28, 2015, influenza activity in the United States increased slightly, although activity remained low. Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2), and influenza B viruses have been detected in the United States with influenza A (H3N2) predominating. Antigenic and/or genetic characterization of influenza-positive respiratory specimens submitted to CDC indicate that the majority of the influenza virus isolates recently examined in the U.S. are characterized as being similar to the 2014–2015 Northern Hemisphere reference vaccine viruses. Healthcare providers should offer vaccine to all unvaccinated persons aged ≥6 months now and throughout the influenza season as long as influenza viruses are circulating.
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
CDC updates its "You Call the Shots" module on Tdap/Td; free CE credit available
CDC recently updated the Tdap/Td module of its web-based training course You Call the Shots. The nurse education training program has 11 modules on a variety of immunization topics (e.g., DTaP, Hepatitis A, Influenza, Vaccine Storage and Handling, Vaccines For Children). Continuing education credit is available for viewing a module and completing an evaluation. The training course is supported by CDC through a cooperative agreement with the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research.
The Tdap/Td module was updated in December. Participants can access information about obtaining CE credit from the You Call the Shots main page.
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CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
2016 California Immunization Coalition Summit to be held April 24–25; abstracts due by January 13
The 2016 California Immunization Coalition Summit will be held April 24–25 in Sacramento, CA. The Summit's theme is "Celebrating Healthier Tomorrows." The deadline for abstract submissions is January 13.
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International Rotavirus Symposium to be held September 7–9 in Melbourne; abstract deadline is April 1
The Twelfth International Rotavirus Symposium will be held September 7–9, 2016, in Melbourne, Australia. This meeting will bring together interested stakeholders to provide an update on new data and research related to prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis. The deadline for abstract submission is April 1. Please send abstracts to rotavirus@sabin.org.
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ASK THE EXPERTS
Question of the Week
We are having difficulty getting meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4, Menomune, Sanofi). Does CDC have a recommendation for the use of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) off label in vaccine-naïve older adults?
A meningococcal conjugate immunogenicity study in older adults indicated that this group did not have as high of an antibody response to serogroup Y compared to older adults who received polysaccharide vaccine. There is much more polysaccharide in MPSV4 (50 micrograms per serogroup) compared to MCV4 (5–10 micrograms per serogroup), which is thought to be the reason for the better response to polysaccharide vaccine in older adults. However, if there is an urgent need for travel, it is reasonable to administer MCV4 if MPSV4 is not available. If the need for vaccination is not urgent, awaiting availability of MPSV4 is preferred.
ACIP recommends that for meningococcal vaccine-naïve persons age 56 years or older who anticipate requiring a single dose of meningococcal vaccine (such as travelers and persons at risk as a result of a community outbreak), MPSV4 is preferred. For persons now age 56 years or older who were vaccinated previously with MCV4 and are recommended for revaccination or for whom multiple doses are anticipated (such as persons with asplenia and microbiologists), MCV4 is preferred. These recommendations are available at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr6202.pdf, page 15.
About IAC's Question of the Week
Each week, IAC Express highlights a new, topical, or important-to-reiterate Q&A. This feature is a cooperative venture between IAC and CDC. William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, IAC's associate director for immunization education, chooses a new Q&A to feature every week from a set of Q&As prepared by experts at CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
We hope you enjoy this new feature and find it helpful when dealing with difficult real-life scenarios in your vaccination practice. Please encourage your health care professional colleagues to sign up to receive IAC Express at www.immunize.org/subscribe.
If you have a question for the CDC immunization experts, you can email them directly at nipinfo@cdc.gov. There is no charge for this service.
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