Issue 1,591: September 22, 2021
Top Stories

Vaccine Information Statements
Featured Resources
Notable Publications
Global News
Upcoming Events

 

Top Stories

September 22–23: Watch the virtual ACIP meeting on COVID-19 vaccine booster policy; no registration required

CDC will convene its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on September 22 from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (ET) and September 23 from 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (ET). The committee will discuss COVID-19 booster dose policy.



No registration is required to watch webcasts of live ACIP meetings or listen via telephone.

Related Link

  • ACIP gateway page for content from previous meetings, as well as information about future meetings

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CDC updates its “Vaccines & Immunizations: COVID-19 Vaccines” web page, including two new sections

CDC updated its Vaccines & Immunizations: COVID-19 Vaccines web page to reflect recent changes including: 

View CDC's Vaccines & Immunizations: COVID-19 Vaccines web page. 

IAC updates its "Ask the Experts: Influenza" web page to answer questions about what's new from ACIP for the 2021–22 influenza season 

IAC has updated its Ask the Experts: Influenza web page to reflect important Q&As about updates to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for influenza vaccination for the 2021–22 flu season. 

The Ask the Experts: Influenza web page is updated as guidance and vaccine authorizations change.



IAC's Ask the Experts gateway page leads you to 29 distinct web pages on a variety of topics with more than 1,000 common or challenging questions and answers (Q&As) about vaccines and their administration. IAC's team of experts includes Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH and Carolyn B. Bridges, MD, FACP.

Related Links

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"Comparative Effectiveness of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccines in Preventing COVID-19 Hospitalizations among Adults without Immunocompromising Conditions—United States, March–August 2021" published in MMWR Early Release

CDC published Comparative Effectiveness of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccines in Preventing COVID-19 Hospitalizations among Adults without Immunocompromising Conditions—United States, March–August 2021 in the September 17 MMWR Early Release. A portion of the summary appears below.

Among U.S. adults without immunocompromising conditions, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization during March 11–August 15, 2021, was higher for the Moderna vaccine (93%) than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (88%) and the Janssen vaccine (71%)....

Although these real-world data suggest some variation in levels of protection by vaccine, all FDA-approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines provide substantial protection against COVID-19 hospitalization.

Access the MMWR Early Release article in HTML or PDF.

Related Link

IAC posts Russian translations of 14 new Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) issued by CDC on August 6

IAC has posted Russian translations for 14 current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) issued by CDC August 6, 2021. The translations are available in PDF format.

CDC encourages providers to begin using these VISs immediately; however, existing supplies of the previous editions may be used until they are depleted.

IAC will post translations of current VISs into additional languages in the coming weeks at Immunize.org/vis. Translations of previous VIS versions may be used until new translations become available. CDC states that the corresponding current English-language VIS must also be supplied when providing an out-of-date translation.

Related Links

IAC Spotlight: Check out IAC’s companion websites

In this week's IAC Spotlight, we summarize Immunize.org companion websites.

Information about the National Network of Immunization Coalitions, a project of IAC, can be found at www.immunizationcoalitions.org. This website compiles information on more than 100 immunization coalitions throughout the United States. It’s a place for coalitions to find out about each other—their location, leaders, and work—as well as to learn about topics of shared interest.

The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS) website at www.izsummitpartners.org is dedicated to addressing adult and influenza immunization issues and improving coverage. The NAIIS has over 700 members, representing more than 130 public and private organizations. Leadership of the NAIIS is provided through the members of the Summit Organizing Committee (SOC), including IAC, CDC, and HHS representatives.

Vaccine Information You Need at www.vaccineinformation.org was launched by IAC in partnership with CDC to help inform the public. This website provides hundreds of valuable resources, including personal testimonies of suffering and loss due to vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine-related videos and public service announcements, and educational materials from trusted organizations.

MenACWY: You’re Not Done If You Give Just One at www.give2menacwy.org supports a national campaign produced by IAC and Sanofi Pasteur to improve protection from disease caused by meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y. It offers information for families and resources for providers to boost on-time delivery of both doses of the MenACWY vaccine series.

65+ Flu Defense at www.influenza-defense.org is a public health service produced by IAC and Seqirus. The website offers tools and resources to help protect patients 65 and older, all of whom are at greater risk of influenza complications. 

Related Link
Journalists interview IAC experts
 
Journalists seek out IAC experts to help explain vaccines to the public and policy makers. We help the media understand and communicate the complex work vaccinators do. Here is a selection of our recent citations.

Related Link

Vaccine Information Statements

IAC posts new translations of current VISs in Chinese, Dari, Pashto, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese

IAC has posted new and updated translations of Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) that were released by CDC on August 6, 2021, in Chinese, Dari, Pashto, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese. All translations are available in PDF and print-ready format.

VIS translations in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese:

Simplified Chinese is preferred in China, Singapore, and Malaysia. Traditional Chinese is preferred in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

VIS translations in Dari:

Dari is spoken by some people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. These VIS translations were provided to IAC by the Multilingual Services of CDC. 

VIS translations in Pashto:

Pashto is spoken by some people in Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. These VIS translations were provided to IAC by the Multilingual Services of CDC. All files are dated 8/6/2021 except for Hepatitis A which is dated 7/28/2020.

VIS translations in Spanish:

The translations are available in PDF and Rich Text Format (RTF). RTF is used by electronic health record systems that cannot accept PDFs. 

VIS translation in Turkish:

  • Influenza, live intranasal PDF (view in English)

This translation is generously donated by Betül Polatdemir, MD, from Ankara, Turkey, and Sibel Bostancioglu, MD, from the Occupational and Environmental Diseases Hospital of Ankara.

VIS translations in Vietnamese: 

IAC will post translations of current VISs into additional languages in coming weeks at Immunize.org/vis.

Translations of previous VIS versions may be used until translations of current VISs become available. CDC states that the corresponding current English-language VIS must also be supplied when providing a translation of a previous version.

Related Links

Featured Resources

Spread the word, not the virus! IAC offers FREE “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” buttons and stickers to those promoting vaccination in hesitant communities. Available in English and Spanish.

Any group or person promoting COVID-19 vaccination can order IAC’s FREE “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” buttons and stickers, provided with support from CDC. Available in English and Spanish, the buttons and stickers look great on lab coats, uniforms, jackets, lanyards, ID badges, or backpacks to show confidence in COVID-19 vaccination. Access this order form to request the FREE buttons and stickers for your outreach efforts while supplies last.

    

Related Links

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IAC's red "FLU VACCINE" buttons and stickers are a bright idea. Order today!
 
Remember to order your IAC “FLU VACCINE” buttons and stickers They are ready to ship! Their bright red color highlights your important message about the need for influenza vaccination. And the cost is reasonable.



“FLU VACCINE” BUTTONS

The button measures 1.25" across and carries a bold message! Pin on lab coats, uniforms, other clothing, tote bags, or backpacks to show support for flu vaccine.

Buttons are delivered in bags of 10 buttons per bag.

Click here for pricing and ordering information for "FLU VACCINE" buttons.

“FLU VACCINE” STICKERS

Measuring 1.5" across, these stickers adhere well to clothing and have an easy-peel-off backing.

Stickers are delivered to you cut individually (not on rolls)—available in bundles of 100.

Click here for pricing and ordering information for “FLU VACCINE” stickers.

Visit Shop IAC for additional items, including "Vaccines Save Lives" enamel pins, patient record cards, and a vaccine administration training video.

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Vaccinated against COVID-19? Encourage friends to follow your lead by adding IAC’s “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” Facebook profile photo frame.

Share your excitement about COVID-19 vaccination and inspire your friends! After you are vaccinated against COVID-19, add IAC's new "I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine" Facebook photo frame to liven up your profile picture!

You can obtain the frame in three ways:

Great gift idea! IAC's elegantly designed "Vaccines Save Lives" black enamel pins make wonderful holiday gifts or workplace recognitions.

IAC’s elegantly designed “Vaccines Save Lives” pins are meaningful gifts for people who care about vaccination. The pin makes a refined statement in hard black enamel with gold lettering and edges, measuring 1.125" x 0.75".



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.

Wear these pins on clothing, uniforms, and white coats to show that you value vaccines!

  

Click here for "Vaccines Save Lives" pin pricing and ordering information.

Notable Publications

“New COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations among Adults, by Vaccination Status—New York, May 3–July 25, 2021” published in MMWR

CDC published New COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations among Adults, by Vaccination Status—New York, May 3–July 25, 2021 in the September 17 MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.

Real-world studies of population-level vaccine effectiveness against laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 hospitalizations are limited in the United States....

During May 3–July 25, 2021, the overall age-adjusted vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization in New York was relatively stable 89.5%–95.1%. The overall age-adjusted vaccine effectiveness against infection for all New York adults declined from 91.8% to 75.0%....

These findings support the implementation of multicomponent approach to controlling the pandemic, centered on vaccination, as well as other prevention strategies such as masking and physical distancing.

Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.

Related Link

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“Safety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine through 6 Months” published in NEJM

In the September 15 issue, NEJM published Safety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine through 6 Months. A portion of the abstract appears below.

[Pfizer-BioNTech’s] BNT162b2 is highly efficacious against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and is currently approved, conditionally approved, or authorized for emergency use worldwide. At the time of initial authorization, data beyond 2 months after vaccination were unavailable....

In an ongoing, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded, multinational, pivotal efficacy trial, we randomly assigned 44,165 participants 16 years of age or older and 2264 participants 12 to 15 years of age to receive two 30-μg doses, at 21 days apart, of BNT162b2 or placebo. The trial end points were vaccine efficacy against laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 and safety, which were both evaluated through 6 months after vaccination....

BNT162b2 continued to be safe and have an acceptable adverse-event profile. Few participants had adverse events leading to withdrawal from the trial. Vaccine efficacy against Covid-19 was 91.3%…through 6 months of follow-up among the participants without evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection who could be evaluated. There was a gradual decline in vaccine efficacy. Vaccine efficacy of 86 to 100% was seen across countries and in populations with diverse ages, sexes, race or ethnic groups, and risk factors for Covid-19 among participants without evidence of previous infection with SARS-CoV-2. Vaccine efficacy against severe disease was 96.7%…In South Africa, where the SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern B.1.351 (or beta) was predominant, a vaccine efficacy of 100%…was observed....

Through 6 months of follow-up and despite a gradual decline in vaccine efficacy, BNT162b2 had a favorable safety profile and was highly efficacious in preventing Covid-19. 

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MMWR Recap: COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness studies

CDC recently published several articles first distributed as MMWR Early Releases:
  • Monitoring Incidence of COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths, by Vaccination Status––13 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–July 17, 2021 (MMWR, September 17, HTML or PDF)
  • Interim Estimates of COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department or Urgent Care Clinic Encounters and Hospitalizations among Adults during SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant Predominance––Nine States, June–August 2021 (MMWR, September 17, HTML or PDF)
  • Effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines against COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization—Five Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, United States, February 1–August 6, 2021 (MMWR, September 17, HTML or PDF)
Related Link
  • MMWR gateway page provides access to MMWR Weekly and its companion publications

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Global News

September 28 is World Rabies Day

September 28 is World Rabies Day, a global health observance started in 2007 to raise awareness about rabies and bring together partners to enhance prevention and control efforts worldwide. While rabies is a 100% preventable disease, more than 59,000 people die from the disease around the world each year. World Rabies Day is an opportunity to reflect on our efforts to control this deadly disease and remind ourselves that the fight is not yet over.

September 28 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist who developed the first rabies vaccine. Today, safe and effective animal and human vaccines are important tools to eliminate human deaths from rabies but awareness is the key driver for effective rabies prevention.



Access the World Rabies Day website for more information.

Related Links

Upcoming Events

Virtual: Watch the ACIP meeting on tick-borne encephalitis, zoster, and pneumococcal vaccination on September 29; no registration required

CDC will convene its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on September 29, starting at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The committee will discuss tick-borne encephalitis, zoster, and pneumococcal vaccination.

No registration is required to watch webcasts of live ACIP meetings or listen via telephone. Opportunities for public comment are described at the website.

View the agenda.

Related Link

  • ACIP gateway page for content from previous meetings, as well as information about future meetings

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Virtual: View the panel discussions “Partners in Vaccination: A Collaboration between the AAP, AIM, and NACCHO” on September 29 and October 13
 
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) will host "Partners in Vaccination: A Collaboration Between the AAP, AIM, and NACCHO" panel discussions from 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (CT) on both September 29 and October 13. These discussions will lead to a shared understanding of the role each plays in routine childhood immunization and pathways to collaboration at the local and/or state levels.

A panelist from each organization will provide a brief overview of their organization, describe the current environment for providing routine childhood immunizations, and share an illustrative example of a successful collaboration among them. Participants will come away with ideas on how to leverage their organization’s role and strengths.

Register for the September 29 session.

Register for the October 13 session.
Virtual: Unity Consortium offers webinar “Working Together to Protect Our Adolescents in School Environments from Vaccine-Preventable Diseases” moderated by Chelsea Clinton on September 30

Unity Consortium will offer Working Together to Protect Our Adolescents in School Environments from Vaccine-Preventable Diseases panel discussion moderated by Chelsea Clinton on September 30 from 12:00–1:00 p.m. (ET). 

The panel includes distinguished leaders from
  • American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
  • National School Boards Association (NSBA)
  • National Association of County, and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
They will discuss promising practices that schools have adopted to help keep students and school employees safe and healthy.

Register for the event. 

If you can't attend, register so you will be sent the recording.

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Virtual: Nevada Immunization Learning Exchange offers webinar titled “COVID-19 Vaccine and Delta Variant: Facts vs. Misinformation” on September 30

Nevada Immunization Learning Exchange (NILE) will offer a webinar titled COVID-19 Vaccine and Delta Variant: Facts vs. Misinformation on September 30 at 11:30 a.m. (PT). During this program, Dr. Katrine Wallace, PhD, MS, will describe recently published research on COVID-19 vaccines’ effectiveness against the Delta variant and some common vaccine misinformation on social media. The learning objectives include:

  • Learn current COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness estimates against the Delta variant
  • Learn methodological issues associated with determining vaccine effectiveness against infection
  • Discern facts from misleading information being circulated on social media and elsewhere

Register for the webinar.

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About IAC Express
The Immunization Action Coalition welcomes redistribution of this issue of IAC Express or selected articles. When you do so, please add a note that the Immunization Action Coalition is the source of the material and provide a link to this issue.

IAC Express is supported in part by Grant No. 6NH23IP922550 from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC. Its contents are solely the responsibility of IAC and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.

IAC Express Disclaimer
ISSN: 1526-1786

Our mailing address:
Immunization Action Coalition
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About IZ Express

IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. 1NH23IP922654 from CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Immunize.org and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.

IZ Express Disclaimer
ISSN 2771-8085

Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
  • Associate Editor
    Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
  • Writer/Publication Coordinator
    Taryn Chapman, MS
    Courtnay Londo, MA
  • Style and Copy Editor
    Marian Deegan, JD
  • Web Edition Managers
    Arkady Shakhnovich
    Jermaine Royes
  • Contributing Writer
    Laurel H. Wood, MPA
  • Technical Reviewer
    Kayla Ohlde

This page was updated on .

Our Affiliated Sites

For the Public: VaccineInformation.org
For Coalitions: ImmunizationCoalitions.org
65+ Flu Defense
Protect vulnerable, older adult patients from influenza.
Give2MenACWY.org
Improve protection from meningococcal serogroups ACWY.
Mass Vaccination Resources
Access guidance documents, toolkits, and helpful resources.
NAIIS
Home of the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit.