- CDC releases new COVID-19 mRNA VIS and updated respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) VIS for individuals who are pregnant or age 60 and older
- Immunize.org launches short 6-part Improving the Vaccination Experience Video Series
- Immunize.org posts new Spanish translation of the popular handout "Tips for Locating Old Immunization Records"
- “Use Same Brand of MenB for All Doses”: watch the 2-minute answer, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram
- Spotlight: Immunize.org resources that focus on vaccine products and manufacturers
- Track the activity of respiratory viruses this season: use CDC’s FluView and RESP-NET surveillance reports, updated weekly
- Vaccines in the news
- Immunize.org updates screening checklists for 2023–24 influenza vaccines in English and Spanish
- Immunize.org updates patient handout titled "Influenza: Questions and Answers"
- Immunize.org updates "Standing Orders for Administering Hepatitis B Vaccine to Adults"
- Recap: Immunize.org retires four of its resources summarizing recommendations and contraindications
- Recap: CDC releases new Immunization Information Statement (IIS) (a VIS-like document) for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Preventive Antibody (nirsevimab)
- Recap: Immunize.org posts five new and updated translations of VISs
- Confirm that your VISs are up to date: Immunize.org updates “You Must Provide Patients with Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) – It’s Federal Law!” and “Dates of Current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)”
Immunize.org posted two new Vaccine Information Statements (VISs), published by CDC.
The new COVID-19 mRNA VIS may be used when vaccinating people age 12 years and older who will receive one of the licensed mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty by Pfizer-BioNTech or Spikevax by Moderna). Because adverse events caused by COVID-19 vaccines are not covered by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program at this time, use of the VIS is recommended, not required. COVID-19 vaccines remain covered under the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP).
Healthcare providers continue to be required to provide the product-specific Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) Fact Sheet when administering a COVID-19 vaccine under conditions of EUA. EUA Fact Sheets are required when vaccinating children age 6 months through 11 years and before giving Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine (2023–2024 Formula) to any eligible recipient. Current EUA Fact Sheets are listed on Immunize.org’s popular Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Guidance and Clinic Support Tools.
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) VIS, originally issued earlier in 2023 for vaccination of adults age 60 and older, has been updated with information about the September 2023 ACIP recommendation for RSV vaccination of pregnant people between 32 weeks and 36 weeks and 6 days of gestation. A separate immunization information statement (IIS) was recently posted by CDC for use with the RSV preventive antibody (nirsivemab) recommended for infants.
As with other VISs, translations will be posted on Immunize.org as they become available from our translation service or from partners who generously donate translations to our repository.
- New! COVID-19 Vaccine VIS dated October 19, 2023
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine VIS dated October 19, 2023
Immunize.org updated its corresponding reference documents related to the use of VISs:
- You Must Provide Patients with Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)—It's Federal Law!
- Dates of Current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)
Related Links
- Immunize.org: COVID-19 Vaccine VIS main page
- Immunize.org: COVID-19 Vaccine VIS (PDF, English)
- Immunize.org: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) VIS main page
- Immunize.org: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine VIS (PDF, English)
- Immunize.org: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Preventive Antibody IIS main page
- Immunize.org: Vaccine Information Statements main page with VISs in up to 47 languages
- CDC: What's New with VISs main page
- CDC: Current VISs main page
With special support from CDC, Immunize.org recently launched a series of short videos to introduce you to different ways to improve the vaccination experience for infants, children, teens, and adults. Each video is closed captioned and runs 4 minutes or less. Three are for a general audience, and three are specifically intended for healthcare professionals.
These videos introduce basic principles and orient you to related print-ready resources from Immunize.org for the healthcare team or families. As with all Immunize.org resources, these videos and associated clinical resources are free to download, link, copy, and share.
Over our next six editions, IZ Express will feature each new video and its associated clinical resources. If you don’t want to wait, you can find the entire playlist now on the Immunize.org YouTube channel. Consider sharing relevant links with the patients you serve on your website or social media channel, or using them in ongoing staff training during clinic huddles or presentations.
The video topics include:
- Addressing Vaccination Anxiety: Strategies for Healthcare Professionals
- Addressing Vaccination Anxiety for Infants: Strategies for Vaccine Recipients and Caregivers
- Addressing Vaccination Anxiety for Children: Strategies for Vaccine Recipients and Caregivers
- Fainting Related to Vaccination: What You Need to Know
- Using Enhanced Screening Checklists for Contraindications to Vaccination
- How to Administer Multiple Intramuscular Vaccines to Adults During One Visit
- Immunize.org: YouTube channel
- Immunize.org: Handouts for Patients and Staff: Addressing Vaccination Anxiety main page
- Immunize.org: Improving the Vaccination Experience: Reducing Pain and Anxiety for Children and Adults on-demand webinar (2/28/23)
- Immunize.org: Improving the Vaccination Experience: Accessible Vaccination for Neurodiverse People at Any Age on-demand webinar (12/13/22)
- Immunize.org: Screening Checklists main page (includes screening checklists with questions to screen for a history of fainting or feeling faint and for vaccination-related anxiety)
For the first time, Immunize.org created and posted a Spanish translation of its helpful and popular document for families, titled Tips for Locating Old Immunization Records.
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Handouts: Documenting Vaccination main page
- Immunize.org: Handouts for Patients and Staff main page, where you can sort materials by topic, vaccine, or language
- Immunize.org: Educational Materials for Patients and Staff—an alphabetical listing of more than 230 ready-to-print staff educational materials and patient handouts
Immunize.org's social media channels make it easy for you to learn a little more every day. This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is Use Same Brand of MenB for All Doses. This is available on our YouTube channel, along with our full collection of quick video answers to popular Ask the Experts questions.
Like, follow, and share Immunize.org’s social media accounts and encourage colleagues and others interested in vaccination to do likewise:
- Facebook at ImmunizeOrg
- Instagram at ImmunizeOrg
- LinkedIn at Immunize.org
- X (Twitter) at ImmunizeOrg
- YouTube at ImmunizeOrg
In this week's Spotlight, we summarize resources at Immunize.org that focus on specific vaccine products.
Package Inserts and FDA Product Approvals main page provides up-to-date product information links and links to FDA vaccine approval web pages for all vaccines licensed for use in the United States.
Vaccine Manufacturers main page provides links to the websites of the vaccine manufacturers in the United States, as well as providing contact information such as telephone numbers and email addresses. In addition, the vaccine products for each of the companies are listed.
Vaccines main page links to information about 24 diseases that vaccines can prevent. For each vaccine, access the latest recommendations, information, and resources from Immunize.org and CDC.
Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 are circulating at low levels, and CDC expects respiratory virus activity to increase. Influenza activity is currently low nationally with small increases reported in some parts of the country. CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView, provides a valuable snapshot of influenza activity state-by-state.
Influenza Surveillance
For week 41, ending October 14, CDC's Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView shows that, nationwide, 2.3% of patient visits reported through the Outpatient Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet) were due to respiratory illness that included fever plus a cough or sore throat (i.e., influenza-like illness [ILI]). This is below the national baseline of 2.5%. One influenza-associated pediatric death that occurred during the 2022–2023 season was reported this week.
RESP-NET
Visit the CDC Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RESP-NET) for weekly reports of hospitalizations across the United States due to three vaccine-preventable seasonal respiratory viruses: COVID-19, influenza, and RSV.
CDC's Weekly Flu Vaccination Dashboard data show that 116 million doses of influenza vaccine were shipped within the United States through September 30, 2023.
CDC recommends everyone age 6 months and older get annual influenza vaccination. Influenza and other vaccines (e.g., COVID-19 vaccine, RSV vaccine) may be given at the same visit, if needed. Locate influenza and COVID-19 vaccines in your area by entering your zip code in the VaccineFinder on Vaccines.gov or Vacunas.gov. To be listed as a provider by VaccineFinder, see the information on this website.
Related Links
- CDC: Weekly National Flu Vaccination Dashboard main page
- CDC: FluView main page
- CDC: RESP-NET main page
- Immunize.org: free educational materials and patient handouts related to influenza
- Immunize.org: Vaccines: Influenza main page
- Immunize.org: Ask the Experts: Influenza main page
These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
- Associated Press: RFK Jr. Spent Years Stoking Fear and Mistrust of Vaccines. These People Were Hurt by His Work (10/18/23)
- Washington Post: RSV Is America’s Leading Cause of Hospitalization for Children under 5 (10/16/23)
After receiving questions concerning egg allergy and influenza vaccination, Immunize.org revised the wording of its screening checklists for the 2023–24 influenza season to simplify and clarify the statement that egg allergy of any severity is neither a contraindication nor a precaution to the use of any influenza vaccine.
- Screening checklist for contraindications to inactivated injectable influenza vaccination: view in English or in Spanish
- Screening checklist for contraindications to live attenuated intranasal influenza vaccination: view in English or in Spanish
See all the Immunize.org screening checklists by going to the Screening Checklists about Vaccine Contraindications and Precautions main page. Update your screening checklists today.
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Screening Checklist main page (showing language options)
- Immunize.org: Handouts for Patients and Staff main page, where you can sort materials by topic, vaccine, or language
Immunize.org recently updated its resource for the public: Influenza: Questions and Answers. The document now includes updated information for the 2023–24 influenza season.
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Influenza: Questions and Answers main page
- Immunize.org: Handouts: Q&As: Diseases and Vaccines main page
- Immunize.org: Handouts for Patients and Staff main page, where you can sort materials by topic, vaccine, or language
- Immunize.org: Educational Materials for Patients and Staff—an alphabetical listing of more than 240 ready-to-print staff educational materials and patient handouts
Immunize.org updated Standing Orders for Administering Hepatitis B Vaccine to Adults. Changes include new information about routine serologic testing for hepatitis B in adults, and a clarification about vaccine brand options and dose intervals for people whose first dose was of an unknown brand.
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Standing Orders Templates for Administering Vaccines main page
- Immunize.org: Handouts for Patients and Staff main page, where you can sort materials by topic, vaccine, or language
- Immunize.org: Educational Materials for Patients and Staff—an alphabetical listing of more than 230 ready-to-print staff educational materials and patient handouts
After many years as valuable and popular references, Immunize.org retired four of its more than 230 resources for healthcare professionals. The CDC child/adolescent and adult recommended immunization schedules now incorporate detailed clinical notes and list the contraindications and precautions for vaccines on the schedule. In addition, CDC schedules are now updated online more frequently, as new ACIP recommendations and changes to the schedules are made. As a result, the following Immunize.org documents were retired as redundant and users are referred to the CDC schedules for the information:
- Summary of Recommendations for Child/Teen Immunization (Age birth through 18 years)
- Summary of Recommendations for Adult Immunization (Age 19 years and older)
- Guide to Contraindications and Precautions to Commonly Used Vaccines in Adults
- Guide to Contraindications and Precautions to Commonly Used Vaccines for All Ages
Immunize.org remains focused on connecting healthcare professionals with the resources you need to achieve excellence in your immunization practice.
Related Link
- CDC: Recommended Immunization Schedules main page
(a VIS-like document) for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Preventive Antibody (nirsevimab)
On September 25, CDC released a new Immunization Information Statement (IIS) (similar in format to a Vaccine Information Statement [VIS]), for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Preventive Antibody (nirsevimab). This IIS document contains important information about the new preventive antibody product for families. Access the IIS in PDF or RTF file (for use in electronic systems).
Immunize.org added the Immunization Information Statement (IIS): Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Preventive Antibody to our website and will provide translations in the future.
At this time, the RSV preventive antibody is not part of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP); therefore, use of the IIS is not required by federal law. However, as a condition of participating in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, providers must give the IIS to parents in the same way that a VIS is provided.
Related Links
- CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Preventive Antibody: Immunization Information Statement (IIS) web page
- CDC: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Immunizations web page
- Immunize.org: Immunization Information Statement (IIS): Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Preventive Antibody main page
- Immunize.org: Vaccine Information Statement main page for VISs in 47 languages
IZ Express regularly provides readers with information about new and updated Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) and their translations.
On July 24, CDC released an updated interim VIS for Pediatric Multi-vaccines (Your Child's First Vaccines) and on May 12, CDC released interim VISs for Hepatitis B Vaccine and Pneumococcal Conjugate (PCV) Vaccine. Immunize.org recently posted two new translations for each, generously donated by St. Peter's Health Partners of Albany, NY.
- New! Karen
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Vaccine Information Statement main page for VISs in 47 languages
- CDC: What's New with VISs web page
- CDC: Current VISs web page
Confirm that your VISs are up to date: Immunize.org updates “You Must Provide Patients with Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) – It’s Federal Law!” and “Dates of Current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)”
In response to the Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) released by CDC on October 19, Immunize.org updated its two provider resources about VISs with the publication date of the new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine VIS and updated COVID-19 Vaccine VIS.
- You Must Provide Patients with Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) – It's Federal Law! (2 pages)
- Dates of Current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Vaccine Information Statements main page for VISs in 47 languages
- Immunize.org: Dates of Current Vaccine Information Statements (PDF)
- Immunize.org: Handouts for Patients and Staff main page, where you can sort materials by topic, vaccine, or language
- Immunize.org: Educational Materials for Patients and Staff—an alphabetical listing of more than 230 ready-to-print staff educational materials and patient handouts
- CDC: What's New with VISs web page
- CDC: Current VISs web page
CDC's Wild to Mild social media images are a lighthearted way to promote influenza vaccination. Encourage your patients, friends, loved ones, and followers on social media to get themselves and their families an annual influenza vaccine with the resources below. CDC's toolkit will be updated soon to include customizable graphic frames you can add to your photos, sample social media graphics, and printable materials.
Download one of the social media graphics below and share on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
Despite the effectiveness of HPV vaccination at preventing HPV-related cancers and other diseases, HPV vaccination rates in the United States lag those for other adolescent vaccinations. Starting HPV vaccination at age 9 or 10 years might improve vaccination uptake and increase the number of adolescents who complete their series on time.
Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics published an open-access collection of 18 original papers on the effect of starting HPV vaccination before age 11 years. The collection, co-edited by Immunize.org’s director for research Sharon Humiston, MD, MPH, includes articles on population studies and quality-improvement projects, as well as commentaries from medical organizations and leading experts in the field.
To view all the articles in this collection, see Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics: HPV Vaccination Starting at Age 9.
In the October issue, Emerging Infectious Diseases published SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection Risk in Persons with HIV, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2020–2022. A portion of the abstract appears below.
To determine whether HIV infection was associated with increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, we followed adult residents of Chicago, Illinois, USA, with SARS-CoV-2 longitudinally from their first reported infection through May 31, 2022. . . . Among 453,587 Chicago residents with SARS-CoV-2, a total of 5% experienced a SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, including 192/2,886 (7%) PWH [Persons with HIV] and 23,642/450,701 (5%) persons without HIV [PWOH]. We observed higher SARS-CoV-2 reinfection incidence rates among PWH (66 [95% CI 57–77] cases/1,000 person-years) than PWOH (50 [95% CI 49–51] cases/1,000 person-years). PWH had a higher adjusted rate of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection (1.46, 95% CI 1.27–1.68) than those without HIV. PWH should follow the recommended COVID-19 vaccine schedule, including booster doses.
PWH = Persons with HIV; PWOH = Persons without HIV
CDC will convene a 2-day meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) today, October 25, starting at 8:00 a.m. (ET). ACIP will discuss child and adolescent immunization schedules, adult immunization schedule, influenza, chikungunya, COVID–19, meningococcal, mpox, and pneumococcal vaccines, as well as RSV vaccines for older adults. Votes on immunization schedules, meningococcal vaccines, and mpox vaccine are scheduled.
No registration is required to watch webcasts of live ACIP meetings or listen via telephone. Opportunities for public comment are described on the website.
View the agenda.
Related Links
- CDC: ACIP main page for access to webcast, agendas
- CDC: ACIP: Meeting Information for presentation slides, content from previous meetings, and information about future meetings
The National Foundation of Infectious Diseases (NFID) will host a webinar titled Immunization Recommendations during Pregnancy, 12:00–1:15 p.m. (ET) on November 2. This interactive panel, featuring experts from the NFID, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), will include a discussion on recommended vaccination during pregnancy. Speakers will discuss Tdap, COVID-19, influenza, and recent updates in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunization recommendations.
There is no fee to participate in this activity, but preregistration is required.
Register for the webinar.
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