- Immunize.org updates its resource now titled “Non-medical Exemptions and Vaccine Refusal Put People at Risk. Examine the Evidence for Yourself.”
- FDA selects updated COVID-19 strain for fall 2024 vaccines; ACIP to consider recommendations at June 26–28 meeting
- Indiana organizations partner to offer free opportunity to view Shot in the Arm, a documentary on vaccine hesitancy; CE credit available
- Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, disasters: practice your vaccine storage emergency plan now
- How many doses of DTaP does an infant need to be protected from pertussis? Watch the 2-minute answer, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube.
- Immunize.org observes Juneteenth
- Vaccines in the news
Immunize.org recently updated its handout, Non-medical Exemptions and Vaccine Refusal Put People at Risk. Examine the Evidence for Yourself. New resources have been added, along with refinements to language about exemptions, refusals, and consequences. The references in this resource illustrate how drops in immunization coverage can trigger disease outbreaks. Outbreaks become more likely when pockets of unimmunized and underimmunized people develop, which can occur when nonmedical exemptions are readily obtained. Share this resource with vaccine-hesitant parents and policy makers.
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Clinical Resources A–Z main page, where you can filter by topic, vaccine, language, or other criteria
- Immunize.org: State Exemptions: Exemptions Permitted for State Childcare and School (Kg–Gr 12) Immunization Requirements
FDA advised COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to use a JN.1-lineage strain, preferably the recently emerged strain referred to as KP.2. ACIP will make recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States at the upcoming June 26–28 meeting. A portion of FDA's announcement appears below.
Based on the totality of the evidence, on June 6, 2024, FDA initially advised the manufacturers of the licensed and authorized COVID-19 vaccines that the COVID-19 vaccines (2024–2025 Formula) for use in the United States beginning in fall 2024 should be monovalent JN.1 vaccines.
FDA has continued to monitor the circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2. Based on the most current available data, along with the recent rise in cases of COVID-19 in areas of the country, the agency has further determined that the preferred JN.1-lineage for the COVID-19 vaccines (2024–2025 Formula) is the KP.2 strain, if feasible. This change is intended to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccines (2024–2025 Formula) more closely match circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains. FDA has communicated this change to the manufacturers of the licensed and authorized COVID-19 vaccines. The agency does not anticipate that a change to KP.2 will delay the availability of the vaccines for the United States.
Related Link
Shot in the Arm, a documentary exploring vaccine hesitancy, is available free for online viewing during the coming year thanks to the generous support of the Indiana Immunization Coalition and Indiana University School of Medicine. This activity offers CME, CNE, and CPE credit. A description of the documentary appears below.
In the spring of 2019, before anyone had heard of COVID-19, filmmaker Scott Hamilton Kennedy … began investigating the global measles epidemic. Filming with top public health officials–including Tony Fauci, Paul Offit and Peter Hotez–as well as rare interviews with anti-vaccine activists—like Robert Kennedy, Jr., Andrew Wakefield and Del Bigtree—who were persuading parents by the millions to refuse vaccines for their children.
Acting quickly, Kennedy shifted his directorial eye to this once-in-a-century tragedy. Both skeptical and hopeful, SHOT IN THE ARM explores vaccine hesitancy historically and in the context of our modern pandemic. Can we replace cynicism with healthy curiosity and bridge the political divides that make us sick?
Register to view the film and obtain CME, CNE, or CPE credit. For questions related to continuing education, please email Lori@vaccinateindiana.org.
Power outages can create emergency conditions that damage your valuable vaccine inventory. For this reason, every site that stocks vaccines needs an emergency plan. Every VFC site is required to have one.
If you don’t already have one, follow CDC’s Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit to create an emergency plan. Plans only work when staff are trained. This month is a good time to do that. Build redundancy, flexibility, and communication into your plan. Consider:
- Equipment backup options
- Alternate storage options
- Vaccine transport plans
Your plan should specify at least one facility where current staff are willing to receive and properly store your vaccine inventory if it must be relocated. CDC’s guide provides detailed instructions on monitoring temperatures during a power outage and what to do once proper storage conditions are restored. Have a printed copy of your plan available on or near your storage unit before the power goes out!
Prevent avoidable vaccine waste by training your staff on emergency procedures, including after-hours roles and responsibilities. Then run an exercise to check understanding.
Related Links
- CDC: Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit (31 pages, March 2024)
- CDC: Packing Vaccines for Transport during Emergencies (Aug 2015)
- Immunize.org: Clinic Tools: Storage and Handling main page
- Immunize.org: Vaccine Storage Emergency Response Worksheet (PDF)
- HHS: Technical Resources: Utility Failures web page
This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is How many doses of pediatric diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis, or DTaP, vaccine does an infant need before she or he is protected from pertussis? The video describes vaccine effectiveness following three doses of DTaP, along with the importance of maternal vaccination with Tdap during gestation weeks 27 through 36.
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
Today, June 19, Immunize.org celebrates Juneteenth, the national holiday commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.
Did you know that an enslaved African man, Onesimus, played an important role in protecting early Americans from severe smallpox? Onesimus helped combat the smallpox outbreak of 1721 in Boston, sharing the process of variolation with his enslaver, Cotton Mather, and saving many lives through his knowledge and action.
Explore the full story in the Smithsonian Learning Lab.
Related Links
- National Museum of African American History & Culture: Juneteenth Digital Toolkit
- Smithsonian Learning Lab: The Smallpox Outbreak in Boston—1721
These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
- The Hill: CDC Tracking Drug-Resistant Flu Strains (6/13/24)
- Science Alert: A Quarter of All Americans Still Believe the Biggest Vaccine Lie (6/14/24)
When searching for handouts to share with patients, our search results previously returned documents in any available language, even if you weren’t looking for a translation. Now, your search results will provide only English versions of our resources, unless you specifically select a filter for a language other than English. On the description card for any resource, links to available translations are shown. See below for an example. At the top of any page, click:
- “Clinical Resources “
- Within the navigation table, click “All Patient Handouts”
Below the “Show Filters” toggle button, you’ll view the filtered results, each showing a thumbnail image of the handout, title, short description of contents, available languages, item number, and date updated. The results are initially listed alphabetically by title, but you can switch the sort to most recently updated date or publication number.
To view a specific handout, click on the thumbnail image or blue title to open the PDF. If a translation is available, the language is noted on the right side of the entry, Spanish is featured above. Click on the language to open the translation.
Summer is here, along with travel plans. Visit CDC's Travelers' Health website, which includes information on more than 50 topics to assist travelers and their healthcare providers in deciding the vaccines, medications, and other measures needed to prevent illness during travel.
CDC's Travelers' Health: Traveler Advice web page includes information on more than 50 topics, grouped by reasons for travel, travelers with special considerations, general tips, tips during travel, and tips after travel.
Vaccine-preventable diseases are present anywhere we go. Vaccination protects you at home and wherever you roam.
Related Links
- CDC: Travelers' Health web page
- CDC: Travelers' Health: Traveler Advice web page
- CDC Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel
- U.S. Department of State: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
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.
On March 11–13, the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) met to discuss the immunization agenda for 2030, poliomyelitis, hepatitis E,COVID-19 vaccines, mpox, immune correlates of protection, and respiratory syncytial virus. The report summarizing discussions, conclusions, and recommendations is now available.
CDC will convene its ACIP on June 26–28, starting at 8:00 a.m. (ET). ACIP will discuss updates to the hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) infant vaccine recommendation, as well as 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.
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