Issue 1766: July 17, 2024

Immunize.org recently updated its Record of Vaccine Declination, a form that any vaccination provider may use to document parents’ refusal of vaccination. The record also documents that parents have been provided clear information concerning the potential consequences of their choices.

The form now incorporates RSV preventive antibody in the table of immunizing products that parents could decline. The reverse side of the record gives healthcare professionals using the form additional information about the value of documenting declination in the medical record, along with useful references. This section was updated to provide more recent examples of the consequences of not vaccinating, as well as links to additional in-depth resources from AAP and other organizations.



Related Links

• Immunize.org: Clinical Resources: Documenting Vaccination main page
• Immunize.org: Clinical Resources A–Z main page, where you can filter by topic, vaccine, language, or other criteria

Vaccination is a team effort. From the office vaccine champion to the staff at the front desk, everyone has an important role to play in setting patient expectations and supporting a positive vaccination experience. CDC offers Fostering a Culture of Immunization in Your Practice, a free online training course that provides healthcare professionals with practical strategies and resources to help create a positive culture of immunization in their clinics, ensuring the best possible care for patients and promoting vaccination efforts.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) affects people bitten by ticks in parts of Europe and Asia. In 2023, a licensed TBE vaccine was recommended for use in the United States in travelers who anticipate being at risk for TBE exposure. CDC, through Medscape, offers an online resource titled Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2023. The activity will help participants to understand the epidemiology and virology of TBE, evaluate the clinical presentation and laboratory diagnosis of patients with suspected TBE, assess the safety and immunogenicity of the TBE vaccine, and distinguish appropriate candidates for TBE vaccination.

Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) launched its #FirstDayVax Back to School campaign to promote the importance of back-to-school immunizations. For students from elementary school to college, vaccinations are a critical step in keeping students, schools, and communities healthy. Find the sharable assets in the #FirstDayVax Toolkit, also available in Spanish.



Use the #FirstDayVax hashtag on social media and tag @vaccinateyourfamily (@vaxyourfam on X) so VYF can amplify your posts.

This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is Why are American Indian and Alaska Native children recommended to receive RSV preventive antibody for their second RSV season? This video briefly highlights two key reasons ACIP recommends nirsevimab (Beyfortus, Sanofi) for American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) children entering their second RSV season:

• Recent studies showing a significantly higher incidence of hospitalization due to RSV among AI/AN children in their second year of life compared to other children of similar age
• Transportation and medical care challenges for AI/AN children who live in small or remote communities and develop serious RSV disease

The 1-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

• Immunize.org: Ask the Experts: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) main page
• Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) main page

These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.

• Nature: Vaccines Save Lives: How Can Uptake Be Increased? (Commentary) (7/9/24) 
• Washington Post: What It’s Like to Survive Measles (7/7/24) 

Immunize.org's Vaccine History Timeline offers a simple and handy chronology of events related to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and advances in vaccinology, beginning with Hippocrates’ description of diseases now preventable by vaccines in 400 B.C.E. and continuing up to June 28, 2024, when the most recent ACIP recommendations were accepted by the director of CDC. To access it, go to the "Vaccines & VIS" menu tab and click on the “Vaccine History Timeline.” 



Use the vertical scroll bar or click on a year to move back in time to explore vaccine history. On the right, click on “Back to Top” to jump back up to the most recent year.



“The Vaccine History Timeline” web page includes useful related resources, such as links to vaccine history resources from the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the National Library of Medicine.

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Featured Resources

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The Public Health Foundation and CDC post a toolkit for education professionals on how schools can support vaccination catch-up

The Public Health Foundation, in collaboration with CDC, now offers a toolkit for education professionals to support routine vaccination catch-up. This is part of a series of toolkits being developed for CDC's broader Let's RISE (Routine Immunizations on Schedule for Everyone) campaign. This toolkit is designed for superintendents, school administrators, school nurses, and all school health staff. It contains evidence-based strategies, tools, and resources from a wide range of partners.

View the toolkit.

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North Dakota State University Center for Immunization Research and Education offers free training module to boost clinicians’ confidence in addressing vaccine hesitancy; CME credit available 

North Dakota State University Center for Immunization Research and Education (CIRE) created a free, four-part online video training module, Motivational Interviewing for Vaccine Hesitancy, which is designed to boost clinicians’ confidence in addressing vaccine hesitancy in medical encounters. Viewers will be introduced to several communication strategies rooted in motivational interviewing and will develop the ability to confidently address and resolve patient concerns regarding vaccinations through effective communication and evidence-based information.

Following the training, participants are eligible for CME credit. 

View the training module.

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Notable Publications

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“Nonadjuvanted Bivalent Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination and Perinatal Outcomes” published in JAMA

In its July 8 issue, JAMA published Nonadjuvanted Bivalent Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination and Perinatal Outcomes. This safety study showed no evidence of an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) or certain related outcomes following vaccination with Abrysvo (Pfizer) RSV vaccine during pregnancy.

This retrospective study was conducted at two New York City hospitals within a single healthcare system. Subjects were patients who gave birth to singleton children at 32 weeks’ gestation or later, from September 2023 through January 2024. Prenatal RSV vaccination with Abrysvo was collected from the health system’s electronic health records. The researchers assessed PTB, defined as less than 37 weeks’ gestation, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), and small-for-gestational age (SGA) birth weight, among other outcomes. The authors concluded:

In this cohort study of pregnant individuals who delivered at 32 weeks’ gestation or later, the RSVpreF vaccine was not associated with an increased risk of PTB and perinatal outcomes. These data support the safety of prenatal RSVpreF vaccination, but further investigation into the risk of HDP is warranted.

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Global News

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"The Vaccine Back-Stop," published by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance

On July 9, Gavi published The Vaccine Back-Stop, which highlights the importance in all countries of checking the vaccination status of children when visiting health facilities to help those who missed vaccinations. Catching children up on vaccines is an important responsibility of primary healthcare systems. Any visit to a health facility is an opportunity to ask about vaccination status and a chance for providers to administer vaccines. 



Related Link

• WHO: Global partners announce a new effort—“The Big Catch-up”—to vaccinate millions of children and restore immunization progress lost during the pandemic (4/24/23)

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Upcoming Events

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In-person: Registration open for CDC’s 49th National Immunization Conference on August 12–14 in Atlanta; CE credit offered

CDC will host National Immunization Conference 2024 on August 12–14 in Atlanta, GA. The Agenda at a Glance is now available. Program content will cover science, policy, education, and implementation issues related to immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases.

Register for the conference now. The general attendee fee is $685. CE will be offered. 
 
If you attend, be sure and find the team at Immunize.org's exhibit booth and say hello!



See CDC's National Immunization Conference 2024 website for more information.

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For more upcoming events, visit our Calendar of Events.