Issue 1,504: July 8, 2020
Top Stories
Vaccine Information Statements
World News
Featured Resources
Journal Articles and Newsletters
Education and Training
On the Lighter Side
Top Stories
CDC publishes “Prevention of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2020” in MMWR
CDC published Prevention of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2020 in the July issue of MMWR. The abstract is reprinted below.
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The infection is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, usually from direct person-to-person contact or consumption of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A is an acute, self-limited disease that does not result in chronic infection. HAV antibodies (immunoglobulin G [IgG] anti-HAV) produced in response to HAV infection persist for life and protect against reinfection; IgG anti-HAV produced after vaccination confer long-term immunity. This report supplants and summarizes previously published recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the prevention of HAV infection in the United States. ACIP recommends routine vaccination of children aged 12–23 months and catch-up vaccination for children and adolescents aged 2–18 years who have not previously received hepatitis A (HepA) vaccine at any age. ACIP recommends HepA vaccination for adults at risk for HAV infection or severe disease from HAV infection and for adults requesting protection against HAV without acknowledgment of a risk factor. These recommendations also provide guidance for vaccination before travel, for postexposure prophylaxis, in settings providing services to adults, and during outbreaks.
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BBC interviews Dr. L.J Tan on influenza vaccination during pandemic
IAC’s chief strategy officer, Dr. L.J Tan, was interviewed by BBC Health Check regarding influenza and COVID-19 for the fall. The interview played across the world live on July 1st and is now available on streaming radio. From the BBC introduction: “… doctors in the United States are also keen to avoid citizens getting infected with another virus: influenza. Manufacturers have been asked to make 10% more vaccines than last year because of a fear that a surge in coronavirus during the flu season could overwhelm hospitals. Dr. Litjen Tan from the Immunization Action Coalition hopes that everyone will get the jab.”
Dr. Tan discusses “taking flu off the table” for the fall to reduce morbidity and mortality—especially if there is a resurgence of COVID-19 disease, reducing stress on the healthcare system in the fall, and also addresses fall initiatives that are being planned to improve influenza vaccination coverage in racially diverse populations..
Listen here at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cszcc0
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Colorado revises its school exemption rules to boost vaccination rates
On June 26, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a bill into law that will tighten exemptions to vaccination. The School Entry Immunizations Act is aimed at increasing Colorado’s vaccination rates by requiring an additional step for non-medical exemptions. Soon, parents must obtain a signature from a medical professional or take an online class about vaccines and provide a certificate to send their children to public schools. The law goes into effect at the end of 2020.
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Ten new colleges and universities added to IAC’s MenB Vaccination Honor Roll for recommending vaccination of students
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is pleased to announce that ten new colleges and universities have been accepted into its MenB Vaccination Honor Roll for recommending meningococcal serogroup B vaccine for their students. Currently, there are 262 honorees, with 36 colleges and universities requiring MenB vaccination for their students and 226 recommending it.
The newly added institutions are listed below. Clicking on the institutions' names below brings you to the place on the school's website that details their vaccine requirements and recommendations.
- Amherst College, Amherst, MA
- Houghton College, Houghton, NY
- Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
- SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY
- United States Air Force Academy, Air Force Academy, CO
- University of Maryland – College Park, College Park, MD
- University of Portland, Portland, OR
- University of Valley Forge, Phoenixville, PA
- Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN
- Washington College, Chestertown, MD
In May 2020, IAC launched the MenB Vaccination Honor Roll to recognize exemplary institutions that have taken the lead in establishing policies requiring or recommending meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccination to protect their students.
Please help us to grow the honor roll by notifying us of colleges or universities that require or recommend MenB vaccination for its students. Colleges and universities may apply for the honor roll or you can alert us at menB@immunize.org.
Please visit the MenB Vaccination Honor Roll web page to find resources such as news stories about meningitis B outbreaks, personal stories from families affected by meningitis B, journal articles, and links to organizations that work to prevent meningitis.
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IAC Spotlight! These IAC patient and staff educational materials and web pages were updated in May and June
IAC Express regularly provides readers with information about IAC’s new and updated educational materials for healthcare professionals and handouts for patients. All materials are free to download, print, and distribute.
In case you missed them during recent weeks, these helpful items were announced:
Staff Education Materials
Handouts for Your Patients
New and Updated Web Pages
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Apply IAC’s expanded Repository of Resources for Maintaining Immunization during COVID-19 Pandemic to increase your reach
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 130 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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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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Vaccine Information Statements
IAC posts Hebrew translations of hepatitis B; influenza, inactivated or recombinant; MMRV; and polio VISs
IAC is pleased to announce that four Hebrew translations of VISs are now available. This is the first time that Hebrew translations will be made available on immunize.org. IAC would like to thank Georgetown Translators for their generous contribution.
Access these Hebrew translations below.
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IAC posts corrected Arabic translation of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine VIS
The Arabic-language pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV23) vaccine VIS was recently updated to correctly identify the VIS in the footer on page two. No other content was changed. Thank you to an eagle-eyed reader who pointed this out.
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World News
WHO issues updated position paper on rubella vaccines
WHO published Rubella Vaccines: WHO Position Paper—July 2020 in the July 3 issue of its Weekly Epidemiological Record. This is the most recent addition to a series of regularly updated WHO position papers on vaccines that have international public health impact. These papers are concerned primarily with the use of vaccines in large-scale vaccination programs.
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Featured Resources
In our “Video of the Week,” a young girl explains to her teddy bear why the coronavirus pandemic should not stop you from getting your vaccines
This July 2020 video from the Tennessee Department of Health lets families know that the coronavirus pandemic should not stop you from getting your vaccines. To protect your loved ones, it is more important than ever to get your vaccines on time. Even Mister Bear must get his vaccines!
Visit the VOTW archive.
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Vaccinate Your Family releases videos featuring people sharing their first-hand experiences with vaccine-preventable diseases
Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) recently released a collection of five videos featuring people who share their personal stories about vaccine-preventable diseases and the impact that these diseases have had on their families. As VYF writes at their Personal Stories—Videos web page:
These stories illustrate the real-life consequences that vaccine-preventable diseases can have on people of all ages in the United States.
We hope you will watch these videos and then help us spread the word about the critical importance of vaccination by sharing them.
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Journal Articles and Newsletters
CDC publishes June issue of Immunization Works newsletter; subscribe for monthly immunization resources and information
CDC recently released the June 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 may be reproduced and circulated widely.
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“Logistical Challenges for Potential SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine and a Call to Research Institutions, Developers, and Manufacturers" published in Vaccine
In its June 23 issue, Vaccine published Logistical Challenges for Potential SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine and a Call to Research Institutions, Developers, and Manufacturers, by Umit H. Kartoglu, Kelly L. Moore, and John S. Lloyd. The first paragraph is reprinted here:
In the absence of specific treatment or an effective vaccine, the SARS-CoV epidemic was brought to an end through public health tools like isolation, quarantine, physical distancing, and containment measures within eight months in 2003. Despite similarities between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 (and with recognition of differences such as trajectories, infectious period, transmissibility, clinical spectrum, and community spread) similar public health measures were only able to slow the spread of COVID-19, suppressing the peak and providing health systems much needed time to scale up for effective response. Much debated herd immunity is far from being an exit strategy for the world since it may result in an intolerable global death toll. Currently, the availability of a safe and effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 is considered essential to the pandemic exit strategy with non-pharmaceutical interventions to be continued until the vaccine is made available globally. When a coronavirus vaccine arrives in sufficient quantity, a new marathon will commence for storage, distribution, and vaccination of every person on this planet who needs it.
Access the full article.
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“Emergence of Spatial Clustering in Medical Vaccine Exemptions Following California Senate Bill 277, 2015–2018” published in American Journal of Public Health
In its June 10 issue, American Journal of Public Health published Emergence of Spatial Clustering in Medical Vaccine Exemptions Following California Senate Bill 277, 2015–2018, by Ashley Gromis and Ka-Yuet Liu. The conclusions section appears here:
Elimination of nonmedical vaccine exemptions via SB277 may have prompted some parents to instead seek medical exemptions to required school vaccines. The spatial association of these 2 types of exemptions has implications for maintaining pockets of low vaccine compliance and increased disease transmission.
Access the abstract.
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“Association between Human Papillomavirus Vaccination School-Entry Requirements and Vaccination Initiation” published in JAMA Pediatrics
In its June 29 issue, JAMA Pediatrics published Association between Human Papillomavirus Vaccination School-Entry Requirements and Vaccination Initiation, by Jamie S. Ko, et al. The conclusions and relevance section appears here:
The findings of this study suggest that HPV vaccination school-entry requirements are associated with increases in vaccination initiation. Expanding such policies may increase HPV vaccination in the U.S.
Access the full article.
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“Improving HPV Vaccination Rates: A Stepped-Wedge Randomized Trial” published in Pediatrics
In its July 2020 issue, Pediatrics published Improving HPV Vaccination Rates: A Stepped-Wedge Randomized Trial, by Rebecca B. Perkins, et al. The conclusions section appears here:
Multilevel interventions that include provider education, data feedback, tailored systems changes, and early initiation of the human papillomavirus vaccine series may improve vaccine series initiation and completion beyond the conclusion of the intervention period.
A 4 minute:16 second video abstract (in which Dr. Perkins’ children ask her about the study) can be viewed by clicking the photo below.
Access the full article in PDF format.
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“Missed opportunities for human papillomavirus vaccination at office visits during which influenza vaccine was administered” published in Vaccine
In its July 14 issue, Vaccine published Missed opportunities for human papillomavirus vaccination at office visits during which influenza vaccine was administered: An AAP pediatric research in office settings (PROS) national primary care research network study, by Mary Kate Kelly, et al. The study showed that there were many missed opportunities for HPV vaccination during visits at which influenza vaccine was administered. Missed opportunities were more likely for the initial HPV dose than for subsequent doses and for non-preventive visits than for well care visits. These findings did not vary by patient sex or age.
Access the full article.
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Education and Training
Weekly CDC webinar series on "The Pink Book" chapter topics runs July 1 through October 14; recordings will be posted online
CDC is again presenting a 15-part webinar series 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"). The series will provide an overview of vaccination principles, general best practices, immunization strategies, and specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines that prevent them. Each broadcast will include updated information from recent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meetings and votes.
This year, because of limited CDC staff availability during the ongoing COVID-19 response, the series will be prerecorded rather than live events. There is no registration process to view the sessions. The link to each course can be accessed on/after the indicated date.
These weekly 1-hour web-on-demand videos will start July 1 and run through October 14. The July 1 webinar titled Principles of Vaccination is already available online.
The next two webinars are scheduled as follows:
- July 8: General Best Practice Guidelines, Part 1
- July 15: General Best Practice Guidelines, Part 2, and Vaccine Safety
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On the Lighter Side
Children promote influenza vaccination of their grandparents in 2005 video
In this endearing video, Grandkids features children promoting influenza vaccination of seniors. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services produced this video in 2005, and it 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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