Experts offer vaccination resources for the ongoing monkeypox outbreak; CDC announces increased nationwide testing capacity
CDC is closely tracking cases of monkeypox detected in the United States during the 2022 monkeypox outbreak. Anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk. To date, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men make up a high number of cases.
On July 6, CDC announced that Labcorp will begin testing for monkeypox using CDC’s orthopoxvirus test (which detects all non-smallpox related orthopoxviruses, including monkeypox). CDC anticipates additional commercial laboratories will come online in the coming days, and monkeypox testing capacity will continue to increase throughout the month of July. A portion of the press release appears below.
Labcorp will offer this testing at its largest facility in the United States and will be able to accept specimens from anywhere in the country. Labcorp expects to be able to perform up to 10,000 tests per week, which will double the current capacity provided through CDC’s Laboratory Response Network (LRN), which itself has rapidly expanded testing capacity over the last seven weeks.
Bavarian Nordic, the manufacturer of Jynneos (Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine, Live, Nonreplicating), issued a letter to the CDC updating the cold-chain tolerances of this vaccine. Notably, unopen vials of Jynneos may be stored at 2 to 8°C for up to 8 weeks after thawing, longer than described in the Jynneos package insert.
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) released two educational podcasts: Podcast 197: Preparing for Monkeypox and Podcast 211: Monkeypox Response.
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) issued Position Statement 22-ID-10: Public Health Reporting and National Notification for Monkeypox Virus Infection.
CDC urges healthcare professionals to be alert for patients with a rash consistent with monkeypox regardless of their specific risk factors for monkeypox. Use these CDC resources to familiarize yourself with this disease and how it appears.
At this time, CDC does not recommend widespread vaccination against monkeypox. However, vaccination may be recommended for some people who:
- Are in close personal contact with people who have monkeypox
- May have been exposed to the virus
- May have an increased risk of being exposed to the virus, such as people who perform laboratory testing to diagnose monkeypox
Related Links
American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association issue reports reviewing COVID-19 disease and vaccination trends Drawing on data collected and published by CDC, AAP analyzes progress in vaccinating U.S. children younger than age 18 years in a weekly summary report titled Children and COVID-19 Vaccinations Trends. The report covers the vaccine data available for children age 5–11 years, and the longer-term data for children age 12–17 years.
To download the full report with its useful graphics, click on the image below.
Additionally, AAP and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) are collaborating to collect and share all publicly available data in the Children and COVID-19: State-Level Data Report. AAP and CHA revise this report periodically. A portion of the report appears below.
Almost 13.8 million children are reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic according to available state reports; nearly 315,000 of these cases have been added in the past 4 weeks. Approximately 5.9 million reported cases have been added in 2022.
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National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit solicits nominations for 2022 NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards; deadline is July 25 The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS, alias "The Summit") is soliciting nominations for the 2022 NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards no later than July 25, 2022. Immunization stakeholders go above and beyond to serve the public health and healthcare needs of individuals and communities, and the Summit wants to recognize our heroes.
The NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards recognize individuals and organizations that made contributions to influenza vaccination and adult vaccination during 2021–2022. Unless an award is specifically focused on influenza, the Summit seeks to recognize broader adult immunization activities. Of course, activities related to COVID-19 immunization are welcome.
- A national winner will be selected for each award category.
- Where appropriate, honorable mention recipients may be selected.
- The winners will receive their awards at the NAIIS in-person meeting (tentatively scheduled for November 2–3, 2022, in Atlanta, GA).
- The national winner in each category will be invited to give a brief talk about their programs at the NAIIS meeting.
Access the 2022 NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards nomination form.
Immunize.org’s Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll recognizes 560 institutions, including one new honoree. Five previously honored institutions qualify for sustained honors.
Immunize.org is pleased to announce acceptance of one new institution into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, for a total of 560 honorees. The birthing institution is listed below with its reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rate in parentheses.
- BayCare Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater, FL (90%)
Several institutions are recognized for qualifying for an additional year:
| AdventHealth Waterman, Tavares, FL |
90% |
3 years |
| St. Mary’s Healthcare, Amsterdam, NY |
96% |
3 years |
| Montefiore Wakefield, Bronx, NY |
97% |
4 years |
| Southern Maine Health Care, Biddeford, ME |
97% |
4 years |
| Montefiore New Rochelle, Bronx, NY |
95% |
9 years |
The Honor Roll now includes 560 birthing institutions from 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, and a U.S. military base in England.
The Honor Roll is a key part of Immunize.org’s major initiative urging the nation’s hospitals to Give Birth to the End of Hep B. Hospitals and birthing centers are recognized for attaining high coverage rates of hepatitis B vaccination at birth and meeting specific additional criteria. The initiative urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll online.
Qualifications: To be included in the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, a birthing institution must have: (1) reported a coverage rate of 90% or greater, over a 12-month period, for administering hepatitis B vaccine before hospital discharge to all newborns, including those whose parents refuse vaccination, and (2) implemented specific written policies, procedures, and protocols to protect all newborns from hepatitis B virus infection before hospital discharge.
Honorees are also awarded an 8.5" x 11" color certificate suitable for framing and their acceptance is announced to IZ Express’s 54,000+ readers.
Please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page that lists these institutions and their exceptional efforts to protect infants from perinatal hepatitis B transmission.
Related Immunize.org Resources
Spotlight: Check out the Immunize.org resources to help with your vaccine advocacy Here are Immunize.org resources that can aid your vaccine advocacy efforts.
Our State Laws and Mandates by Vaccine main page contains links to vaccine-specific requirements state-by-state for daycare, K-12, and post-secondary education settings. State-specific information about exemption policies is available as well.
Our State Exemptions main page offers information on state mandates by vaccine-preventable disease. It includes policy statements from medical organizations endorsing strong school and childcare vaccination requirements and the elimination of non-medical exemptions.
Our State Information: Exemptions Permitted for State Immunization Requirements web page shows which states allow medical, religious, and personal vaccination exemptions and offers a map of exemptions permitted for school and child care.
Our State Information: Direct Links to State Immunization Websites main page offers links to each state's vaccination policy web page.
Our Talking about Vaccines main page provides medical professionals with background information and practical resources divided into different topics that will help them discuss immunization with concerned parents or patients.
Our Unprotected People Stories main page features 109 real-life accounts of people who have suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases: compelling personal testimonies, remembrances, case reports, and newspaper articles.
These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) Immunization Coalition releases COVID-19 vaccine resources in five languages for children age 6 months up to 5 years
The Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) Immunization Coalition (MCIC), in collaboration with trusted county, state, and private-sector partners, is distributing COVID-19 vaccine resources for children age 6 months up to 5 years. Resources include social media images and sample posts in multiple languages to provide clear, accurate, and culturally appropriate messages to the community.
Images can be found in Chinese, English, Hindi, Korean, and Spanish.
The images can also be found along with the social media posts in MCIC's AmVAXador Library. Feel free to share with your networks.
Related Link
Order Immunize.org’s child, adult, and lifetime immunization record cards—wallet-sized, designed to last! Immunize.org's personal immunization record cards, printed on rip-proof, smudge-proof, water-proof paper, are designed to last a lifetime. They fit in a wallet when folded. Give the record cards to your patients as a permanent personal vaccination record.
They are sold in boxes of 250. Make bulk purchases and receive quantity discounts. For quotes on larger quantities or customizing, or to request sample cards, call 651-647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org.
Immunize.org updates one line in “Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance and Clinic Support Tools” to include infants and young children Immunize.org has revised one line in its four-page job aid, Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance and Clinic Support Tools. This list can help you keep up with changes to COVID-19 vaccine guidance and resources for all ages, now including CDC and FDA resources for the vaccination of infants and young children. This document is revised at least monthly; the current version is dated July 8, 2022.
The single change, on the first page, describes the identifying colors of the packaging for the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine as having a blue vial cap and no label border.
Related Links
CDC publishes "Factors Associated with Severe Outcomes among Immunocompromised Adults Hospitalized for COVID-19—COVID-NET, 10 States, March 2020–February 2022" in MMWR
CDC published Factors Associated with Severe Outcomes among Immunocompromised Adults Hospitalized for COVID-19—COVID-NET, 10 States, March 2020–February 2022 on July 8 in MMWR. A portion of the article appears below.
During March 1, 2020–February 28, 2022, among a sample of 22,345 adults hospitalized for COVID-19, 12.2% were immunocompromised. Among unvaccinated patients, those with immunocompromise had higher odds of ICU admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.26…) and in-hospital death (aOR = 1.34…) than did nonimmunocompromised patients. Among vaccinated patients, those with immunocompromise had higher odds of ICU admission (aOR = 1.40…) and in-hospital death (aOR = 1.87…) than did nonimmunocompromised patients. During March 1, 2021–February 28, 2022, among nonimmunocompromised patients, patients who were vaccinated had lower odds of death (aOR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.39–0.86) than did unvaccinated patients; among immunocompromised patients, odds of death between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients did not differ.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
"The Vaccine-Hesitant Moment" published in New England Journal of MedicineIn the June 29 issue, the New England Journal of Medicine published a review article, The Vaccine-Hesitant Moment. A portion of the conclusions section appears below.
Physicians and other health care providers are still among the most trusted persons when it comes to health care advice. The Wellcome Global Monitor surveyed people in 140 countries and found that 73% of the respondents said that they would trust a doctor or a nurse more than others; the percentage was 90% in the higher-income countries. Vaccine acceptance can increase, but health care providers need to offer support and encouragement and listen to what matters from the patient’s perspective. Equipping physicians with information on the nature and scope of circulating concerns in their communities may help them address such concerns in the clinic, while also informing appropriate interventions at the community level.
"Safety of COVID-19 Vaccination in U.S. Children Ages 5–11 Years" pre-published in PediatricsIn the May 18 issue, Pediatrics published Safety of COVID-19 Vaccination in U.S. Children Ages 5–11 Years. The conclusions section appears below.
Safety findings for BNT-162b2 vaccine from 3 U.S. monitoring systems in children ages 5–11 years show that most reported adverse events were mild and no safety signals were observed in active surveillance. VAERS reporting rates of myocarditis after dose 2 in this age group were substantially lower than those observed among adolescents ages 12–15 years.
Virtual: Today! NFID offers webinar “Updates from June 2022 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Meeting"; CME available.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will offer a webinar titled Updates from June 2022 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Meeting on July 13 at 12:00 p.m. (ET).
During this program, William Schaffner, MD, medical director, NFID, and ACIP liaison, and Jessica R. MacNeil, MPH, ACIP deputy executive secretary, CDC, will discuss the latest updates regarding current U.S. vaccination recommendations for children, adolescents, and adults. Content will focus primarily on non-COVID-19-related topics.
To register, click here. NFID designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME Credit.
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