CDC's Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 vaccines to end in August 2024
CDC announced its Bridge Access Program will end in August 2024, four months earlier than planned, as a result of a loss of federal funding to continue the program. This program provides COVID-19 vaccines at no cost to any adult age 19 years or older who is uninsured or whose insurance plan does not cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccination at an in-network provider. Uninsured and underinsured children through age 18 years may access COVID-19 vaccines at no cost through the Vaccines for Children program.
People who are due for a 2023–2024 season COVID-19 vaccine and are eligible for the Bridge Access Program may still receive a COVID-19 vaccine through the program until it ends. To locate pharmacies and medical facilities participating in the Bridge Access Program, visit the federal website: www.vaccines.gov.
At least one dose of an age-appropriate 2023–2024 season COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for all people age 6 months and older. Additional doses are recommended for the following:
People age 65 years and older who received one dose of any 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax) should receive one additional dose of 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months after the previous dose
FDA licenses Moderna's RSV vaccine for adults age 60 and older; CDC’s ACIP to consider recommendations for use at June meeting
On May 31, FDA licensed mRESVIA (Moderna), an mRNA RSV vaccine, for use in adults age 60 years and older. The CDC’s ACIP will review available data on its safety and effectiveness and consider recommendations for its use at the upcoming June 26–28 meeting. In 2023, ACIP recommended two other protein-based RSV vaccine options for use in adults age 60 years and older, based on shared clinical decision-making: Abrysvo (Pfizer) and Arexvy (GSK).
The package insert and approval letter are available from FDA.
“Early Safety Findings among Persons Aged ≥60 Years Who Received a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine—United States, May 3, 2023–April 14, 2024” published in MMWR
The Food and Drug Administration licensed Arexvy and Abrysvo vaccines in May 2023 for prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease in adults aged ≥60 years. In trials, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) was identified as a potential safety concern. . . .
Findings are consistent with those from trials; reports of GBS (5.0 and 1.5 reports per million doses of Abrysvo and Arexvy vaccine administered, respectively) were more common than expected background rates. . . .
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends adults aged ≥60 years may receive 1 dose of RSV vaccine. Population-based surveillance will evaluate the potential risk for GBS to guide ACIP recommendations.
In October 2022, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) identified a varicella outbreak among persons who recently migrated from or through Central and South America and lived in New York City (NYC) shelters or residential facilities; the outbreak is ongoing. . . .
The majority of varicella cases (53%) occurred in persons aged 4–18 years, and most (92%) occurred in persons with no documentation of varicella vaccination. The most common sources of transmission included NYC shelters or residential facilities (41.3%) and importation or possible importation (39.4%). School transmission accounted for only 1.2% of cases. Approximately 27,000 varicella-containing vaccine doses have been administered to recently arrived migrant children, adolescents, and adults by vaccination vendors deployed by DOHMH and NYC’s public hospital system. . . .
This outbreak highlights the importance of limiting transmission by achieving and sustaining high varicella vaccination coverage and the need for rapid, large-scale vaccination efforts in light of ongoing importations and exposures in U.S. shelters and residential facilities.
Be sure to use Immunize.org’s suite of clinical resources to create a positive vaccination experience and ease vaccination anxiety
Immunize.org offers a suite of resources to help vaccination providers, recipients, caregivers, and companions effectively address vaccination pain and anxiety. All of Immunize.org’s print and video resources are available in one convenient location on our Clinical Resources: Improving the Vaccination Experience web page. Links to additional resources from trusted partner organizations are also provided.
Our resources include printable clinical resources for families and for healthcare providers on addressing vaccination anxiety in infancy, early childhood, and in adolescence or adulthood. You can view or share six brief videos, ideal for sharing with patient families on your website or social media. Those who want to learn more can view an in-depth webinar on the principles and importance of addressing injection pain and anxiety or one on ways to make vaccination more accessible and acceptable to people with autism. All resources are free to download, link, copy, and share.
All four patient resources are now available in English and Spanish:
IZ Express keeps 54,000+ readers up to date on what’s new in vaccines each week; invite your colleagues to subscribe!
Encourage your coworkers to subscribe to IZ Expressso they get all the news that matters to vaccinators in their own inbox each Wednesday. IZ Express, the weekly e-newsletter produced by Immunize.org, alerts 54,000+ readers to the week’s important vaccine developments. IZ Express also features:
Educational materials from Immunize.org, CDC, AAP, and others
Newly posted VISs and their translations
Notices about online and in-person educational opportunities, many offering free continuing education credit
We appreciate you as a subscriber! Thank you for helping us get the latest vaccine news to every clinical and public health professional who needs to know.
VISs are produced by CDC for each recommended vaccine. VISs explain the benefits and risks of a vaccine to recipients and caregivers. When applicable, VISs describe a recipient’s eligibility for compensation through the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) if a rare, vaccine-attributable adverse event follows vaccination. Federal law requires that vaccinators provide VISs before vaccination to recipients of vaccines that are included in the VICP.
In addition to the original English VIS, Immunize.org links to 900 translations of 34 VISs in up to 44 languages. Enabling patients to access vaccine information in their preferred language removes a major barrier to vaccination. Our VIS translations are either developed by a translation service engaged by Immunize.org through grant support from CDC or donated by trusted and experienced partner organizations.
Where can I find VISs and translations on Immunize.org?
At the top of every page, find "Vaccines & VISs" on the left tab. Click on the VISs option to open the expanded VISs menu on the right, which lists all VISs alphabetically.
Once you click on a choice such as Influenza (Inactivated or Recombinant), you will see the image of the current English VIS at the top of the page. To open the PDF, click on the image or "View PDF" icon.
To access other VIS pages, use the navigation in the left column to choose another vaccine VIS by clicking.
The Current Translations table lists all languages available for this VIS. Click the “PDF View & Print” icon next to the language you want to open or print the translation.
What are out-of-date translations?
Below the table of Current Translations may be a table of Out-of-Date Translations available for a VIS. Translations listed here are based on an older English version than is currently available.
If a current translation is unavailable, CDC states it is acceptable to provide an out-of-date VIS translation accompanied by the current English version.
Where can I find more information about VISs?
The right navigation column provides links that appear as you scroll further down the page. Immunize.org's essential VIS resources (listing all VIS current dates and quick facts about VISs) are here. We also provide links to CDC's VIS web pages.
Recap: Immunize.org posts seven new translations of its popular patient handout, “Vaccinations for Preteens and Teens”
Immunize.org posted seven new translations of the current version of its popular patient handout, Vaccinations for Preteens and Teens. This one-page handout summarizes basic information about recommended adolescent vaccines in one table. It is a valuable resource to provide to families of adolescents. These translations help you increase access to vaccination education for families whose preferred language is not English.
Recap: Immunize.org posts new Spanish translations of eight patient handouts for adults and one clinical resource for healthcare personnel
Immunize.org posted new Spanish translations of the current versions of eight patient handouts for adults and one clinical resource for healthcare personnel. Use these resources to support your vaccination practice and educational efforts when working with families whose preferred language is Spanish.
Summary: Immunize.org updated these clinical resources in April and May
IZ Express regularly provides readers with information about Immunize.org’s new and updated educational materials for healthcare professionals and handouts for patients. All Immunize.org clinical resources are free to distribute.
CDC launches communication resources to encourage keeping up to date on childhood vaccinations
CDC offers new communication resources, including social media graphics, toolkits, talking points, fact sheets, and more. Within these resources, CDC includes Keeps It That Way (Childhood Vaccination) graphics, a disease-forward communication effort that invites parents to learn more about disease risks and the protection vaccines can provide to children's health. This effort is informed by feedback from parents of young children, including those residing in rural areas.
CDC offers educational activities through Medscape on preventing, detecting, and treating hepatitis B and C; CE and CME credit available
CDC, through Medscape, offers an online resource titled Targeting Viral Hepatitis: A Road Map for Providers. This collection of activities provides strategies to overcome barriers and deliver equitable care to further the achievement of hepatitis elimination goals in the United States and worldwide. Segments include the latest recommendations for universal hepatitis B vaccination.
Explore the www.Give2MenACWY.org website to increase coverage for the meningococcal ACWY booster and other adolescent vaccinations
Immunize.org's www.Give2MenACWY.org website promotes the importance of adolescent vaccination, including the recommended MenACWY vaccine booster dose at age 16. Many teens are behind on vaccines because of the pandemic, so vaccine outreach is more important than ever.
“Cases of Meningococcal Disease Associated with Travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah Pilgrimage—United States, United Kingdom, and France, 2024” published in MMWR Early Release
Outbreaks of meningococcal disease can occur in conjunction with large gatherings, including Islamic Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. . . .
Twelve meningococcal disease cases associated with Umrah travel to Saudi Arabia have been identified. Nine patients were unvaccinated; vaccination status of three patients was unknown. Ciprofloxacin-resistant strains were identified in three of 11 cases with available antimicrobial susceptibility testing data. . . .
Pilgrims aged ≥1 year entering Saudi Arabia should have received a quadrivalent meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccine within the last 3–5 years (depending on vaccine type). Rifampin, ceftriaxone, or azithromycin should be preferentially considered for prophylaxis of close contacts of Saudi Arabia travel–associated cases.
The Sentinel Enhanced Dengue Surveillance System (SEDSS) was established to monitor trends of dengue and dengue-like acute febrile illnesses (AFIs) . . .
. . . Diagnostic testing for dengue virus (DENV) serotypes 1–4, chikungunya virus, Zika virus, influenza A and B viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and five other respiratory viruses was performed by the CDC laboratory in San Juan. . . .
. . . During the surveillance period, there were 1,432 confirmed or probable cases of dengue, 2,293 confirmed or probable cases of chikungunya, and 1,918 confirmed or probable cases of Zika. The epidemic curves of the three arboviruses indicate dengue is endemic; outbreaks of chikungunya and Zika were sporadic, with case counts peaking in late 2014 and 2016, respectively. The majority of commonly identified respiratory pathogens were influenza A virus (3,756), SARS-CoV-2 (1,586), human adenovirus (1,550), respiratory syncytial virus (1,489), influenza B virus (1,430), and human parainfluenza virus type 1 or 3 (1,401). A total of 5,502 participants had confirmed or probable arbovirus infection, 11,922 had confirmed respiratory virus infection, and 26,503 had AFI without any of the arboviruses or respiratory viruses examined. . . .
. . . Dengue is endemic in Puerto Rico; however, incidence rates varied widely during the reporting period, with the last notable outbreak occurring during 2012–2013. . . . Puerto Rico experienced large outbreaks of chikungunya that peaked in 2014 and of Zika that peaked in 2016; few cases of both viruses have been reported since. Influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus seasonality patterns are distinct, with respiratory syncytial virus incidence typically reaching its annual peak a few weeks before influenza A. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 led to a reduction in the circulation of other acute respiratory viruses.
Virtual: Watch June 13–14 National Vaccine Advisory Committee meeting with discussion on measles cases, tuberculosis and breast cancer vaccine development, mpox vaccination, and more
National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) meetings are held three times a year to address pressing topics affecting the vaccine enterprise. The June 13–14 NVAC agenda topics include presentations on innovation initiatives, recent surges in measles cases, tuberculosis and breast cancer vaccines in development, and mpox vaccination activities. Speakers will also discuss progress and priorities for the upcoming Vaccines National Strategic Plan. Global vaccination and data modernization efforts will be reviewed.
NVAC meetings are open to the public and can be viewed virtually. Preregistration is required for both public attendance and comment.
View the June 13–14 NVAC Meeting web page for more information.
Virtual: Watch June 26–28 ACIP meeting with wide-ranging discussion on vaccine preventable diseases
CDC will convene its ACIP on June 26–28, starting at 8:00 a.m. (ET). ACIP will discuss the hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) vaccine and the vaccines to prevent chikungunya, dengue, COVID-19, influenza, pneumococcal, meningococcal, and HPV.
No registration is required to watch webcasts of live ACIP meetings or listen via telephone. Opportunities for public comment are described on the website.
IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. NH23IP922654 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.
