- CDC launches restructured, streamlined CDC.gov website
- Immunize.org posts seven new translations of its popular patient handout summarizing recommended adult vaccinations, “Vaccinations for Adults: You're Never Too Old to Get Vaccinated!”
- "Implementing Adult Hepatitis B Immunization and Screening Using Electronic Health Records: A Practical Guide," coauthored by Immunize.org staff, published in a special issue of Vaccines
- "Incorrect Administration of Adult RSV Vaccines to Young Children" published in Pediatrics
- “U.S. Preparedness and Response to Increasing Clade I Mpox Cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—United States, 2024” in MMWR
- “Who Is Recommended to Be Vaccinated against Meningococcal B Disease?” Watch the 2-minute answer, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube.
- Vaccines in the news
On May 17, CDC announced the launch of its redesigned and streamlined website, CDC.gov. As our readers know, Immunize.org’s websites contain many links to CDC resources. The Immunize.org team has begun reviewing our content and making updates when we locate broken links resulting from this major site renovation. This may take some time. Excerpts from the CDC press release are reprinted below.
Today, the CDC unveiled its newly revamped CDC.gov website, marking a significant step forward in the agency’s commitment to better communicate with the public. . . . The newly streamlined website is the culmination of extensive user testing and feedback, ensuring that vital health information is more accessible and easier to find for all audiences. . . .
. . . Through sophisticated site auditing, CDC streamlined the website content by over 65% to make it easier for users to find the information they need to make informed decisions about their health. The content throughout the site has also been written to better meet user needs. . . .
. . . Throughout 2024, expect CDC to continue improving and optimizing its web content, reflecting CDC’s ongoing dedication to serving the public’s health needs.
Explore the newly revamped CDC.gov.
Take a quick video tour of the site.
Immunize.org posted seven new translations of its popular patient handout, Vaccinations for Adults: You're Never Too Old to Get Vaccinated! This one-page handout summarizes basic information about recommended adult vaccines in one table.
New translations include:
These translations are added to the nine languages announced previously in IZ Express that were generously donated by the Fargo Cass Public Health Department in Fargo, North Dakota, listed below.
- Immunize.org: Translations of clinical resources and VISs
- Immunize.org: Clinical Resources A–Z main page, where you can filter by topic, vaccine, language, or other criteria
In the May 14 issue, Vaccines published Implementing Adult Hepatitis B Immunization and Screening Using Electronic Health Records: A Practical Guide. Coauthors include Immunize.org's Kelly Moore, MD, MPH and David Sanders, MD, MS. The goal of the publication is to facilitate the effective use of EHR system prompts to increase rates of routine adult HepB vaccination. The abstract appears below.
Importance: Hepatitis B is a serious problem in the United States (US), with up to 2.4 million Americans living with a chronic infection. Only 26–32% of people living with hepatitis B in the US are diagnosed. Additionally, just 30% of all adults are vaccinated against the virus. In 2022, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated adult hepatitis B vaccination recommendations to include all adults aged 19–59 years and those 60 years and older with risk factors for hepatitis B. Subsequently, in 2023, the CDC recommended that all adults be screened at least one time in their lives. Observations: Electronic health record (EHR) tools (prompts, order sets, etc.) have proven to be an effective method of increasing hepatitis B screening and vaccination, but longstanding challenges and questions around hepatitis B vaccines and tests could prevent effectual EHR implementation. As the new recommendations directly impact providers who may have limited familiarity with hepatitis B, guidance on how to identify eligible patients and triggers, order sets to facilitate vaccine/test selection, and proper documentation and patient follow-up is necessary. Conclusions and Relevance: This communication offers a practical framework for health systems to build an effective EHR strategy for the updated adult hepatitis B recommendations. We also provide comprehensive responses to clinicians’ questions that are frequently asked prior to screening or vaccinating for hepatitis B.
In the May 9 issue, Pediatrics published Incorrect Administration of Adult RSV Vaccines to Young Children.
The researchers examined data from VAERS and found a total of 34 reports of adult RSV vaccines being mistakenly administered to children younger than age 2 years. Neither RSV vaccine (Arexvy by GSK or Abrysvo by Pfizer) is approved for use in young children. Safety and effectiveness of RSV vaccines have not been studied in this age group.
This type of error is completely preventable. These findings highlight the importance of staff training to prevent the administration of incorrect products to immunization recipients.
Related Links
- Medpage Today: Adult RSV Shots Given to More than 30 Babies by Mistake
- Immunize.org: Ask the Experts: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
- Immunize.org: Skills Checklist for Vaccine Administration
CDC published U.S. Preparedness and Response to Increasing Clade I Mpox Cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—United States, 2024 in the May 16 issue of MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.
Compared with clade II monkeypox virus (MPXV), which caused the 2022 global mpox outbreak, clade I MPXV can result in more persons with severe illness and higher mortality. . . .
The increasing number of reported suspected clade I mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) poses a global threat for potential spread. No clade I cases have been reported in countries without endemic transmission. CDC is supporting DRC’s response and containment efforts and ensuring U.S. preparedness by increasing awareness and surveillance, expanding clade I diagnostic testing capacity, and communicating guidance. . . .
U.S. clinicians and public health practitioners should be alert for possible cases in travelers from DRC and request clade-specific testing. Appropriate medical treatment is critical given the potential for severe illness, and contact tracing and containment strategies, including isolation, behavior modification and vaccination, will be important to prevent spread if any U.S. clade I mpox cases occur.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is Who Is Recommended to Be Vaccinated against Meningococcal B Disease? The video briefly describes people at increased risk for whom MenB is routinely recommended, along with considerations for adolescents and young adults not otherwise at increased risk for meningococcal B disease.
The 2-minute video 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 ImmunizeOrg
- YouTube at ImmunizeOrg
These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
- Northwest Asian Weekly: Immunize.org Launches Vaccination Website (5/13/24)
- STAT: A Dose of Reality on Adult Vaccinations (Opinion) (5/13/24)
- USA Today: What’s Driving the Anti-vax Movement? (5/12/24)
- Healio: Training Helps Obstetric Offices Increase Maternal Flu Vaccination (5/7/24)
Immunize.org’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 features a stick-through post with the back 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.
CDC published Measles Outbreak Associated with a Migrant Shelter—Chicago, Illinois, February–May 2024 on May 16 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.
Fifty-seven measles cases were associated with residence in or contact with persons in a migrant shelter in Chicago, Illinois. Most cases occurred in unvaccinated persons. A prompt and coordinated response with a high-coverage mass vaccination campaign reduced the size and duration of the outbreak. . . .
Ensuring high measles vaccination coverage during an outbreak can control measles spread and prevent wider transmission.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
CDC published Real-Time Use of a Dynamic Model to Measure the Impact of Public Health Interventions on Measles Outbreak Size and Duration—Chicago, Illinois, 2024 on May 16 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.
Measles is a highly infectious, vaccine-preventable disease. Fifty-seven measles cases were associated with residence in or contact with persons in a migrant shelter in Chicago, Illinois. . . .
CDC developed dynamic models of shelter residents in real time to produce forecasts and assess the impact of interventions on outbreak size and duration. These models aided expectation-setting and resource planning and underscored the need for vaccination campaigns. . . .
Real-time modeling can support public health response, set expectations about outbreak size and duration, and quantify the impact of interventions. Prompt mass vaccination and active case-finding likely substantially reduced the likelihood of a large measles outbreak in Chicago.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
CDC published Progress toward Poliomyelitis Eradication—Worldwide, January 2022–December 2023 in the May 16 issue of MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the remaining countries with endemic transmission of wild poliovirus (WPV); however, multiple countries and regions are experiencing circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) outbreaks. . . .
Although the number of WPV cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan decreased during 2023, environmental surveillance detected WPV transmission outside known reservoir areas. Eight new countries reported cVDPV outbreaks, indicating a wider geographic spread of cVDPVs in 2023 compared with 2022.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and CDC will jointly present a webinar titled Overcoming COVID-19 Vaccine Payment Challenges on May 30 from 2:00–3:00 p.m. (ET).
The commercialization of COVID-19 vaccines after the public health emergency led to vaccine payment challenges for nursing home residents. During this webinar, participants will learn how Quality Innovation Networks—Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN—QIOs) are connecting nursing homes with pharmacies to provide vaccines and handle billing. Participants will learn about resources for navigating the vaccine payment process.
This webinar is open to QIN-QIOs, nursing home leaders, medical directors, directors of nursing, and billing supervisors interested in overcoming vaccine payment challenges to maximize vaccination rates for COVID-19 at their facilities.
There is a cap of 3,000 registrants for this event. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Register today.
Related Link
For more upcoming events, visit our Calendar of Events.