Issue 1,595: October 20, 2021
Top Stories
Immunize.org Pages and Handouts Featured Resources Notable Publications Global News Upcoming Events
Top Stories
CDC releases four updated Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) for immediate use; translations in progress

On October 15, CDC posted four updated Vaccine Information Statements (VISs). Access these VISs on their respective IAC web pages by clicking the links below. 

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 these new VISs on Immunize.org as they become available over the next several weeks. Translations of previous VIS versions may be used until new translations become available. CDC states that the corresponding up-to-date English-language VIS must also be supplied when providing an out-of-date translation.

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CDC publishes new national immunization survey results for early childhood in MMWR: “Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months among Children Born in 2017 and 2018—National Immunization Survey-Child, United States, 2018–2020” 

CDC published Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months among Children Born in 2017 and 2018—National Immunization Survey-Child, United States, 2018–2020 in the October 15 issue of MMWR. The media summary appears below.

New CDC data show that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most parents in the U.S. continued to protect their children by following CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended vaccine schedule. However, there are disparities in vaccination coverage based on health insurance status, race/ethnicity, poverty level, and jurisdiction.… While routine vaccination among children remains high, parents and providers should use any clinician visit as an opportunity for the child to get recommended vaccinations that are due or might have been missed because of COVID-related disruptions. According to the latest National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child), during 2018–2020, over 90% of children were fully vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), polio, hepatitis B, and varicella by age 24 months. While CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program helps provide vaccines to children whose families may not be able to afford them, the study found that barriers to health care access associated with health insurance status and poverty level may keep some parents from getting their children vaccinated.

Related Links
  • Access this MMWR article in PDF format or in HTML format
  • MMWR's main page provides access to MMWR WeeklyMMWR Recommendations and ReportsMMWR Surveillance Summaries, and MMWR Supplements

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FDA licenses Flucelvax Quadrivalent (Seqirus) for children age 6 months and older

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Flucelvax Quadrivalent influenza vaccine (Seqirus) for children age 6 months and older. This vaccine is available for the 2021–22 flu season. 

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Vaccinate Your Family launches influenza toolkit with a library of shareable resources for the 2021–22 flu season

Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) has launched its Flu Toolkit 2021–22 with resources for general audiences, parents, pregnant individuals, college students, communities of color, older adults, and people living with chronic conditions. 

Campaign materials include: 
  • Square and landscape graphics sized for social media sharing
  • Sample social media posts, complete with hashtags and links 
  • Printable handouts with key information about this flu season
  • Personal stories from individuals and families affected by flu
  • Links to partner organizations’ flu campaigns 
  

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IAC Spotlight! IAC's "Clinic Tools” main page is a one-stop source of practical information for vaccination providers

IAC's "Clinic Tools" main page is a collection of resources from IAC, CDC, and other organizations related to practical, "how-to" information about providing vaccinations in a medical office or non-traditional setting. This page can be found by selecting the "Clinic Tools" tab in the middle of the blue banner atop every Immunize.org web page.

In the left-hand column, you will find links to IAC's web pages on Administering Vaccines, Adolescent Vaccination, Adult Vaccination, Documenting Vaccination, Scheduling Vaccines, Screening for Contraindications, Storage and Handling, Vaccination and COVID-19, and Vaccine Recommendations.



The right-hand column features resources from partners, including CDC’s vaccine recommendations, “General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization,” and The Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases ("The Pink Book").

Visit the "Clinic Tools" main page on Immunize.org.

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Vaccines in the news

These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.

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Immunize.org Pages and Handouts
IAC updates "You Must Provide Patients with Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) – It's the Law!" to reflect new VIS version dates

IAC has updated the 2-page handout for healthcare providers You Must Provide Patients with Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) – It’s Federal Law! to reflect new Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) version dates. 

   

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IAC revises "Dates of Current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)" checklist to reflect new VIS version dates

IAC has updated its Dates of Current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) 4-panel checklist to reflect the new Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) version dates. Use this checklist to make sure your VIS inventory is up to date.

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IAC updates “Protective Measures for Vaccinating during the Pandemic”
 

IAC has updated its 1-page handout Protective Measures for Vaccinating during the Pandemic offering succinct infection control information for healthcare workers who will provide vaccination services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes were made to emphasize the importance of vaccination against all other vaccine-preventable diseases when vaccinating against COVID-19.



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Featured Resources

YouTube announces a new vaccine education video series for healthcare professionals and the public provided by AAP, CHOP, and ACP

On October 13, YouTube announced a new video series in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and the American College of Physicians (ACP). The series will help answer top questions about vaccines, share the latest science, and make information from some of the world’s top vaccine experts available to everyone through YouTube. Links to the videos are in the announcement shown below.

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Reminder: IAC recently updated its “Vaccines: COVID-19” main page with educational materials and information on Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine booster doses

IAC’s Vaccines: COVID-19 main page has been updated to include the latest CDC materials on Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine booster doses, additional doses for immunocompromised people, patient education, and vaccine confidence. This page provides links to key COVID-19 vaccine resource pages from IAC, CDC, and other partners.



As policies for booster doses of other COVID-19 vaccines are updated and new CDC materials are released, IAC’s COVID-19 main page and resources will continue to be updated. 

To locate this main page on Immunize.org, go to the light blue band of tabs across the top, and choose "Vaccines" and then "COVID-19." You also can use the Guide to Immunize.org at the bottom of each web page.
Let all the kids know you say “boo” to COVID-19 this Halloween! IAC offers FREE "I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine" buttons and stickers to everyone promoting vaccination in hesitant communities. Available in English and Spanish.

Anyone 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. 

Click the picture below to go directly to the order form.

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Organizing a new vaccination program? Use IAC's Vaccinating Adults: A Step-by-Step Guide—free to download by chapter or in its entirety

Download IAC's free 142-page book on adult vaccination, to help build your program and train your team: Vaccinating Adults: A Step-by-Step Guide (Guide).

 

This thorough "how to" guide on adult vaccination provides easy-to-use, practical information covering all essential activities. It helps vaccine providers enhance their existing adult vaccination services or introduce them into any clinical setting.

The Guide is available to download/print either by chapter or in its entirety free at www.immunize.org/guide. The National Vaccine Program Office and CDC both supported the development of the Guide and provided early technical review.

The Guide is a valuable resource to assist providers in increasing adult vaccination rates. Be sure to get a copy today!

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Notable Publications
"Vaccine Coverage across the Life Course in Michigan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: January–September 2020" published in American Journal of Public Health

In the October 7 issue, American Journal of Public Health published Vaccine Coverage across the Life Course in Michigan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: January–September 2020, which was based on Michigan immunization registry data from 2018 through September 2020. An excerpt of the results section appears below.

Doses administered overall decreased beginning in February 2020, with peak declines observed in April 2020 (63.3%). Overall decreases in adult doses were observed in all settings except obstetrics and gynecology provider offices and pharmacies. Local health departments reported a 66.4% decrease in doses reported. For children, the total number of sites administering pediatric vaccines decreased while childhood vaccination coverage decreased 4.4% overall and 5.8% in Medicaid-enrolled children.

The authors include IAC’s Angela K. Shen, ScD, MPH, and Patricia Vranesich, RN, BSN.


Global News
“Supporting National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups in the WHO European Region in Developing National COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations through Online Communication Platform” published in Vaccine

In the September 16 issue, Vaccine published Supporting National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups in the WHO European Region in Developing National COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations through Online Communication Platform. The abstract appears below.

National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups are groups of multi-disciplinary experts that provide scientific advice to policy makers to enable them to make informed immunization policy and programme decisions. NITAGs faced challenges using their routine approach to develop recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. In response, the WHO Regional Office for Europe (Regional Office), with the support of the Robert Koch Institute, developed an innovative approach of a series of webinars, provision of materials, and remote technical assistance to address these challenges.…The Regional Office plans to build further upon the scope of online communication and establish a regional online platform for NITAGs to further support NITAGs and build capacity.

The authors include IAC’s Lisa Jacques-Carroll, MA.

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Upcoming Events
Virtual: Watch ACIP today and tomorrow (October 20–21 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET); no registration is required 

CDC will convene its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on October 20–21, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET). October 20 events are scheduled to include votes on adult pneumococcal and zoster vaccines and discussion of influenza. October 21 will be devoted to COVID-19 vaccination.



Additional emergency meeting dates have been added for November 2 and 3.

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

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Virtual: CDC offers "Current Issues in Immunization Webinar" on recommendations for the 2021–22 influenza season on November 3

CDC will host its Current Issues in Immunization Webinar to provide an update on recommendations for the 2021–22 influenza season on Wednesday, November 3, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. (ET).

Attendance for the live webinar is limited to 1,500 registrants, so log in early to secure a "seat." If you miss the live event, you can watch the archived version once it is posted on CDC’s website.

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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. 1NH23IP922654 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.

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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.

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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

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