Issue 1486: March 25, 2020
TOP STORIES
WORLD NEWS
FEATURED RESOURCES
TOP STORIES
In this time of coronavirus, the Immunization Action Coalition wants you to keep vaccinating when you are able
With so many changes in just the last few weeks, immunization clinics are facing unprecedented challenges. You must, of course, do what your community needs most. But it also is critical to maintain immunization levels to prevent a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases in the future. A few thoughts to consider:
- In response to critical needs, perhaps your immunization clinic has reassigned staff to other clinics. Make sure any new staff or volunteers in your clinic are aware of and use all the training materials and clinic tools at immunize.org. Vaccinate with quality!
- Sign up newcomers at immunize.org/subscribe, so they gain access to IAC's relevant and timely educational materials. Don't forget to use materials for the public.
- Maybe your patient flow is disrupted. Maybe you shouldn't ask people to make a special trip in to get vaccinated. But for any patients you are already seeing, assess and give them all the vaccines they need. Give priority to vaccinating against pneumonias that vaccines can prevent: pneumococcal, influenza, pertussis, measles, etc.
- Optimize professional time and use standing orders. Don't reinvent the wheel.
- We at IAC can support your efforts. Check out the wealth of materials available from IAC at www.immunize.org today!
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CDC releases guidance on maintaining childhood immunizations during COVID-19 pandemic
The following CDC information was posted to CDC's Resources for Clinics and Healthcare Facilities web page:
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly and continues to affect communities across the United States differently. Some of the strategies used to slow the spread of disease in communities include postponing or canceling non-urgent elective procedures and using telemedicine instead of face-to-face encounters for routine medical visits.
Ensuring the delivery of newborn and well-child care, including childhood immunization, requires different strategies. Healthcare providers in communities affected by COVID-19 are using strategies [such as these from AAP] to separate well visits from sick visits. Examples include:
- Scheduling well visits in the morning and sick visits in the afternoon
- Separating patients spatially, such as by placing patients with sick visits in different areas of the clinic or another location from patients with well visits
- Collaborating with providers in the community to identify separate locations for holding well visits for children
Because of personal, practice, or community circumstances related to COVID-19, some providers may not be able to provide well-child visits, including provision of immunizations, for all patients in their practice. If a practice can provide only limited well-child visits, healthcare providers are encouraged to prioritize newborn care and vaccination of infants and young children (through 24 months of age) when possible. CDC is monitoring the situation and will continue to provide guidance.
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Hot off the press! IAC’s laminated 2020 U.S. child/adolescent and adult immunization schedules—order copies for your exam rooms today!
IAC's laminated versions of the 2020 U.S. child/adolescent immunization schedule and the 2020 U.S. adult immunization schedule are available now.
These schedules are ideal for use in any busy healthcare setting where vaccinations are given. Their tough coating can be wiped down, and they’re durable enough to stand up to a year's worth of use.
The child/adolescent schedule is eight pages (i.e., four double-sided pages) and the adult schedule is six pages (i.e., three double-sided pages), but both schedules fold down to a convenient 8.5" x 11" size.
 
With color coding for easy reading, our laminated schedules replicate the original CDC formatting, including the essential tables and notes.
PRICING
1–4 copies: $7.50 each
5–19 copies: $5.50 each
20–99 copies: $4.50 each
100–499 copies: $4.00 each
500–999 copies: $3.50 each
For quotes on customizing or placing orders of 1,000 copies or more, call 651-647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org
Visit the Shop IAC: Laminated Schedules web page for more information on the schedules, to view images of all the pages, to download the PDF order form, or to order online.
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IAC's Ask the Experts: Pneumococcal Vaccines (PCV13 and PPSV23) web page updated to align with recent ACIP recommendations
IAC recently updated its Ask the Experts: Pneumococcal Vaccines (PCV13 and PPSV23) Q&As on immunize.org. Revisions to the Pneumococcal Ask the Experts set included adding new ACIP guidance published on November 22, 2019.
IAC’s Ask the Experts web section is a compilation of common as well as challenging Q&As about vaccines and their administration. IAC wishes to recognize its team of experts: Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH (lead); Carolyn Bridges, MD, FACP; William Atkinson, MD, MPH; and Deborah Wexler, MD.
Some of the most frequently visited pages of Ask the Experts Q&As include the following: Coming soon: an IAC Express Special Edition wherein our Ask the Experts panel addresses the latest pneumococcal vaccine recommendations.
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National Immunization Conference, National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit, and other events canceled amid COVID-19 concerns
To protect the health of meeting participants and avoid conflicts with COVID-19 response activities, many conferences have been canceled. Among the canceled events are the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS), scheduled for May 18, and the National Immunization Conference (NIC), in Atlanta, scheduled for May 19–21, both in Atlanta.
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Updated! 65+ Flu Defense website features tools and resources for healthcare professionals serving adults age 65 and older
In the 2018–19 season, only 68% of adults age 65 and older were vaccinated against the flu. As a healthcare provider, your confident recommendation for flu vaccine can be powerfully persuasive and make a significant difference in determining if your patients are vaccinated. This is true as the 2019–20 season winds down and as you anticipate the 2020–21 season in coming months.
To assist you in your efforts to maximize protection for your patients, IAC, in collaboration with Seqirus, has updated the 65+ Flu Defense website at www.influenza-defense.org. This helpful site includes information, tools, and tips for communicating with older patients about the scope and severity of flu and addresses patient hesitancy around vaccination.
Two helpful patient handouts are also available on the website:
Be sure to check out the updated 65+ Flu Defense website at www.influenza-defense.org to assist your efforts in protecting this vulnerable population.
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CDC reports lab-confirmed flu activity is decreasing, but flu-like illness activity is increasing; continue vaccinating
Seasonal influenza activity in the United States remains high according to CDC's Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView. Forty-nine states and Puerto Rico reported regional or widespread activity, while the District of Columbia and Hawaii reported local activity for the week ending March 14.
Five influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to CDC between weeks ending February 22 and March 14. A total of 149 influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported for the 2019–20 season. CDC estimates that so far this season there have been at least 36 million flu illnesses, 370,000 hospitalizations and 22,000 deaths from flu.
Visit the CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView, for details.
Influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, so please continue to vaccinate all your patients in this age range. 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 influenza vaccination services near them.
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There are now 1,135 healthcare organizations enrolled in IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll for mandatory healthcare worker vaccination
There are now 1,135 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 February 26, when IAC Express last reported on the Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll, 8 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
- Adventist Health and Rideout, Marysville, CA
- Canyon Vista Medical Center, Sierra Vista, AZ
- Gunnison Valley Hospital, Gunnison, UT
- Hackensack Meridian Health Nursing and Rehab, Ocean Grove, NJ
- Jefferson Health New Jersey, Stratford, NJ
- Kansas Spine and Specialty Hospital, Wichita, KS
- McLaren Caro Region, Caro, MI
- Milford Memorial Hospital, Milford, UT
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IAC Spotlight! Looking for the most frequently visited web pages on immunize.org? Check out IAC’s "Favorites" gateway page, directing you to our most popular web pages and materials
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, your immunization clinic may have new staff or volunteers as more seasoned staff are deployed elsewhere. Be sure new individuals know about all the training materials and clinic tools available at immunize.org. A great place to start is IAC's Favorites web page, where you will find links to 18 of the most highly visited web sections on IAC's content-rich website. The page is easy to find from anywhere on immunize.org—it’s the first of the 6 blue tabs that run across the top of every web page. When you hover over this blue tab with your mouse or click on it, the Favorites web page content will appear.
The following web sections are offered as choices on the Favorites web page:
- ACIP Recommendations
- Additional Immunization Resources
- Adult Vaccination
- Ask the Experts
- CDC Schedules
- Clinic Tools
- Handouts for Patients/Staff
- Honor Rolls for Patient Safety
- IAC Express
- Package Inserts & FDA Product Approvals
- IAC Image Library
- Screening Checklists
- Shop IAC
- Standing Orders Templates for Administering Vaccines
- State Mandates on Immunization and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
- Technically Speaking (monthly column)
- Unprotected People Reports
- Vaccine Information Statements
Let IAC help you during these challenging times. Tap into the wealth of materials available from IAC to help you develop new staff today! Just click on the Favorites tab to visit the Favorites web page to find the most utilized content on immunize.org.
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Not-to-miss immunization articles in the news
These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
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Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus information
CDC, NIH, WHO, and Johns Hopkins are closely monitoring outbreaks of respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2. Be sure to check the resources below for the latest information. Stay in touch with your local and state health departments.
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WORLD NEWS
WHO publishes "Recommended Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines for Use in the 2020–2021 Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season" in Weekly Epidemiological Record
WHO published Recommended Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines for Use in the 2020–2021 Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season (pages 105–116) in the March 20 issue of its Weekly Epidemiological Record.
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FEATURED RESOURCES
IAC's elegantly designed "Vaccines Save Lives" black enamel pins are a great way to show you value immunization!
IAC’s elegantly designed “Vaccines Save Lives” pin on hard black enamel with gold lettering and edges makes a meaningful gift for people who care about immunization.
The pin is a stick-through-post variety with the back end covered by a round rubber cap that holds the pin securely. A gold metal spring-lock clasp is also provided. The pin makes a refined statement, measuring 1.125" x 0.75".
Wear these pins on clothing, uniforms, lab coats, tote bags, and backpacks to show that you value vaccines!
Click here for "Vaccines Save Lives" pins pricing and ordering information.
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