Issue 1,501: June 17, 2020
TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS
FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
TOP STORIES
CDC issues guidance for immunization services in light of falling vaccine rates due to COVID-19 pandemic
Stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders during the pandemic have caused healthcare providers to change how they provide essential services to patients. On June 9, CDC issued Interim Guidance for Immunization Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic at a web page to help immunization providers in a variety of clinical settings plan for safe vaccine administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. IAC transformed this content (accessed June 14) into a PDF document for your ease of use—click here to view it.
Routine vaccination is an essential preventive care service for children, adolescents, and adults (including pregnant women) that should not be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of COVID-19-related reductions in people accessing vaccination services, it is important to assess the vaccination status of all children and adolescents at each patient visit to avoid missed opportunities for vaccination and ensure timely vaccine catch-up. All vaccines due or overdue should be administered according to the recommended CDC immunization schedules during that visit, unless a specific contraindication exists, to provide protection as soon as possible as well as to minimize the number of healthcare visits needed to complete vaccination.
The vaccination status of all patients across the life span should be considered at each health visit. Encourage vaccination to help stop the spread of disease and communicate with patients and families about how vaccines can be administered safely during the pandemic. The guidance also states that adults are encouraged to take steps to receive vaccines according to the standards for adult immunization practice.
CDC guidance recommends all people age 6 months or older be given the influenza vaccine to reduce the overall burden of respiratory illnesses during the upcoming 2020–2021 influenza season. Providers should use every opportunity to administer the influenza vaccine to essential workers, people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, those over the age of 65, and people at high risk for influenza complications such as infants, young children, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions.
Coronavirus infection prevention practices such as physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, wearing of personal protective equipment, disinfection of surfaces, and source control while in the healthcare facility are important in limiting the spread of disease. The subsection titled “General Practices for the Safe Delivery of Vaccination Services” provides a list of safeguards. Routine vaccination for people with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 should be temporarily deferred from vaccinations regardless of symptoms.
CDC encourages all stakeholders to share this guidance with your colleagues.
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Updated! Ask the Experts: COVID-19 and Routine Vaccination Questions and Answers
IAC recently updated its Ask the Experts: COVID-19 and Routine Vaccination web page. The refreshed web page answers questions about the importance of administering all recommended immunizations for children and adults during the pandemic, and provides links to the latest CDC guidelines on immunization during a pandemic. The page addresses questions on many related topics (e.g., using telemedicine visits for vaccine assessment and counseling and differentiating COVID-19 symptoms from a self-limited Shingrix reaction). This section of Ask the Experts will grow with more Q&As as additional information becomes available.
IAC’s Ask the Experts gateway page is a compilation of common as well as challenging questions and answers 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.
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Sabin-Aspen Vaccine Science and Policy Group released its second annual report titled “Meeting the Challenge of Vaccination Hesitancy”
The Sabin-Aspen Vaccine Science & Policy Group released its second annual report, Meeting the Challenge of Vaccination Hesitancy, in June 2020.
Based on its findings, the Group proposes three “big ideas” to help reverse the trend toward vaccine hesitancy and reestablish full uptake of vaccines as a social norm:
- Structure. The creation of a new media collaborative to serve as an interface between the vaccination community and social media platforms.
- Knowledge. A research agenda to create ample evidence-based knowledge about the sources of vaccine hesitancy and the best ways to counter it.
- Strategy. Building a new narrative to shift the conversation around immunization to one that focuses on its achievements and promise and helps build resiliency in the vaccination enterprise.
Framing the key findings of the report are five original background papers detailing current challenges and opportunities to approach vaccination hesitancy across various disciplines, including social media and online misinformation, social and behavioral science insights, and research into the genesis of social movements.
Share videos, quotes, and quick-share posts with your network to help raise awareness about the report by using the social media toolkit.
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IAC’s Repository of Resources for Maintaining Immunization during COVID-19 Pandemic now exceeds 110 materials
In May, IAC launched the Repository of Resources for Maintaining Immunization during the COVID-19 Pandemic to assist in maintaining routine immunization rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Located on the website of the National Network of Immunization Coalitions, a project of IAC, this repository includes links to both national and state-level policies and guidance; advocacy materials, including talking points, webinars, press releases, articles, and social media posts; and telehealth resources. These resources are intended for healthcare settings, state and local health departments, professional societies, immunization coalitions, advocacy groups, and the community to use in their efforts to sustain routine immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The more than 110 resources that appear in the repository come from the federal government, nationally recognized healthcare organizations, state health departments, state immunization coalitions, and other organizations devoted to disseminating accurate immunization information.
These resources can be sorted and searched by date, title, geographic area, source, type, age category, or setting.
If you have a resource to submit to the repository, please send a message to info@immunizationcoalitions.org.
Access the repository to view the range of valuable resources available to support the patients, families, and communities you serve.
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CDC publishes “Measles Outbreak on an Army Post and a Neighboring Community—El Paso, Texas, July–September 2019” in MMWR
CDC published Measles Outbreak on an Army Post and a Neighboring Community—El Paso, Texas, July–September 2019 in the June 12 issue of MMWR.
Measles remains a risk to unvaccinated persons in the United States . In July 2019, the initial identification of two cases of measles in Fort Bliss, Texas led to a coordinated effort by federal, state, city, and army public health agencies to locate others who may have been exposed and to prevent further spread. Ultimately, six cases were found. Three cases occurred in children age 1–4 years, none of whom had received any vaccines; the other three were adults. One adult patient had laboratory evidence of immunity suggesting previous vaccination; the vaccination status of the other two adult patients was unknown. Although the coordinated prevention and control measures likely prevented a larger outbreak, this event served as an important reminder that persons without presumptive evidence of immunity should receive MMR vaccine according to published recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Access the MMWR article in HTML format or in PDF format.
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- MMWR gateway page provides access to MMWR Weekly, MMWR Recommendations and Reports, MMWR Surveillance Summaries, and MMWR Supplements
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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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IAC HANDOUTS
IAC revises three of its Q&A handouts for patients and providers: diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus
IAC revised three of its popular question and answer patient handouts:
  
The handouts now highlight:
- Updated U.S. disease morbidity data for diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, respectively
- The benefit of vaccination during pregnancy, i.e., 90% reduction in the risk of the infant acquiring pertussis
- Updated ACIP recommendations that either Td or Tdap may be used for people age 7 years and older for any dose
- Clarification that adolescents who inadvertently received a dose of Tdap at age 10 years can now count it toward the dose recommended at age 11–12 years
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IAC updates popular patient handouts “Protect Yourself from Hepatitis B…Get Vaccinated!” and “Protect Yourself from Shingles…Get Vaccinated!” in both English and Spanish
IAC recently revised Protect Yourself from Hepatitis B…Get Vaccinated! to add diabetes as a risk factor for hepatitis B. It was also updated in Spanish.
 
IAC also revised Protect Yourself from Shingles…Get Vaccinated! Discussion of the use of Zostavax was removed as this vaccine is being phased out in the U.S. This handout also was updated in Spanish.
 
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FEATURED RESOURCES
In this week’s “Video of the Week,” Dr. Sandra Fryhofer discusses the HPV vaccine for adults
This week, Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD, MACP, FRCP, discusses the HPV vaccine for adults in this Medscape Medicine Matters video.
Visit the VOTW archive.
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Check out the website www.Give2MenACWY.org to enhance your efforts at increasing rates of the MenACWY booster and other adolescent vaccines
Last fall, IAC implemented 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 was 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 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 vaccination 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 assists provider efforts to improve adolescent vaccination 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 deploying) its bountiful resources, brought to you by our collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur.
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JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
“The Vaccines for Children Program at 25—Access, Affordability, and Sustainability” published in New England Journal of Medicine
On June 11, 2020, the New England Journal of Medicine published The Vaccines for Children Program at 25—Access, Affordability, and Sustainability, by Jason L. Schwartz and James Colgrove. The first paragraph is reprinted below.
Measles outbreaks in the United States in 2018 and 2019 at a scale not seen in decades demonstrated the continued threat posed by vaccine-preventable diseases. Childhood vaccination programs face numerous challenges, including persistent doubts among some parents regarding the safety and necessity of recommended vaccines and decisions by a small but growing number of “vaccine-hesitant” families to delay or decline vaccinations for their children.
Access the full article.
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Theme issue with 33 articles on “Vaccine Acceptance” published by Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics
On May 13, 2020, Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics released a theme issue with 33 articles on the topic of “Vaccine Acceptance.” This included an editorial, Building Vaccine Acceptance Through Communication and Advocacy, by Kristen A. Feemster. Her conclusion is reprinted below.
The key issues for increasing the number of vaccinated people worldwide, especially children, is to increase the supply of available vaccines, assure funding and affordability for lower-income countries, improve distribution and storage networks, assure the availability of healthcare workers to administer vaccines, improve the ability of the population to access vaccination centers, and minimize refusal/hesitation to maximize acceptability of vaccines. It is noteworthy that among these key issues, all involve physical activities except for the final issue, which is the subject of this Special Issue. Vaccine acceptance/hesitation/refusal is unique in being a state of mind for the potential vaccinee or caregiver, such that different methods must be applied to improve acceptability. The ability of workers in the field to improve acceptability will be directly reflected in increased vaccinations with concomitant reductions in morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. This is a major public health challenge for the coming decade and beyond, which also will be very important for the success of new vaccines in the development pipeline.
Access the full article in PDF format.
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
NCSL offers webinar “COVID-19: Maintaining Child Vaccination Rates During a Pandemic” on June 22
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) will present a webinar titled COVID-19: Maintaining Child Vaccination Rates During a Pandemic on June 22 at 2 p.m. (ET). The webinar will be moderated by NSCL program director Tahra Johnson, and will feature NSCL policy associate Erik Skinner; Melinda Wharton, MD, MPH, director of Immunization Services Division at the CDC; and Claire Hannan, MPH, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers. The speakers will discuss the implications of the decreased rates of childhood vaccinations during the COVID-19 era.
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
Reminder! You can watch the virtual ACIP meeting is June 24
The live, virtual June 2020 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting will be on June 24. The agenda for the June ACIP meeting has been posted. No registration is required to watch the live June ACIP meeting or listen via telephone. Topics include meningococcal diseases, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
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ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
Eye-opening 1997 video lets mom know shots aren’t just for babies
In this video, Ask My Mommy, mothers learn that babies will need vaccinations far beyond the childhood years. The spot was produced by the Minnesota Department of Health in 1997 and is part of a PSA collection curated by vaccine expert William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH.
Previous videos mentioned in “On the Lighter Side” are available on IAC's Vimeo channel.
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