Issue 1779: October 9, 2024

On October 2, CDC released the annual update to its SchoolVaxView website, documenting vaccination coverage and exemptions among kindergarteners for the 2023–24 school year based on data reported by the states and the District of Columbia (DC). A summary of the findings appears below. 

Vaccination Coverage During the 2023–24 School Year

• National vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners decreased for all reported vaccines from the year before
• National vaccination coverage was consistent across reported vaccines, in a narrow range from 92.3% for DTaP to 92.7% for MMR
• State vaccination coverage with MMR, DTaP, polio, and varicella vaccines decreased in more than 30 states, compared with the year before
• About 280,000 kindergartners attended school without documentation of completing the MMR vaccine series

• Nationwide, exemptions from one or more vaccines among U.S. kindergartners increased to 3.3% from 3.0% the previous year
• Exemptions increased in 40 states and DC, with 14 states reporting exemptions exceeding 5%
• About 127,000 kindergartners were exempt from one or more vaccine requirements

• CDC: Vaccination Coverage and Exemptions Among Kindergartners web page
• CDC: SchoolVaxView main page
• CDC: Routine Immunizations on Schedule for Everyone (RISE) main page
• CDC: Keeping Up to Date on Recommended Childhood Vaccinations main page

CDC posted highly anticipated new 2024–25 Novavax protein-based vaccine resources at its U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Product Information main page. This page links to standing orders templates for COVID-19 Novavax vaccine and the mRNA vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. This page also links to at-a-glance summaries for each of the three 2024–25 vaccines. 

Immunize.org’s October 4 version of its Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance and Clinic Support Tools includes the revision dates and links to all of these updated 2024–25 resources.

All COVID-19 vaccine providers should regularly review this checklist. Download the latest documents and discard outdated versions.

Related Links

• CDC: U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Product Information main page
• CDC: Interim Clinical Considerations main page for use of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States
• Immunize.org: Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance and Clinic Support Tools (PDF)
• Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: COVID-19 main page

CDC published COVID-19–Associated Hospitalizations Among U.S. Adults Aged ≥18 Years—COVID-NET, 12 States, October 2023–April 2024 on October 3 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below. 

Hospitalization due to COVID-19 remains a public health concern. The risk for hospitalization among adults increases with age. . . .

During October 2023–April 2024, adults aged ≥65 years accounted for 70% of all COVID-19–associated hospitalizations among adults. Most hospitalized adults had multiple underlying medical conditions. Only 12% had received the recommended COVID-19 2023–2024 formula vaccine. . . .

Adults at increased risk for COVID-19–associated hospitalization should reduce their risk for severe COVID-19 by adopting measures to reduce risk for contracting COVID-19, receiving recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, and seeking prompt outpatient antiviral treatment after a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result.



Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.

Related Link

• CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications

October is the official beginning of the 2024–25 U.S. influenza season and is the perfect time to vaccinate against influenza. For the final week of the 2023–24 influenza season, week 39, ending September 28, CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView shows low or minimal respiratory illness activity nationally. One pediatric influenza-associated death in October 2023 was reported this week, bringing the total number of pediatric deaths during the 2023–24 season to 201. These childhood deaths, and the decline in childhood influenza vaccination rates during the 2023–24 season, underscore the importance of influenza vaccination to protect more children this season.



RESP-NET
Visit the CDC Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RESP-NET) for weekly reports of hospitalizations due to three vaccine-preventable seasonal respiratory viruses: COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. 

Influenza Vaccination Dashboard
CDC's Weekly Flu Vaccination Dashboard shows that, as of September 14, 78 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed in the United States. Projected U.S. influenza vaccine supply for the 2024–25 season is expected to total 148 million doses.

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. Infants age 6 months and older may receive influenza and COVID-19 vaccines at the same visit when they receive the RSV preventive antibody, nirsevimab. Identify pharmacies in your area that may offer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines by entering a zip code in the VaccineFinder on  Vaccines.gov or Vacunas.gov.

Related Links

• CDC: Weekly National Flu Vaccination Dashboard main page
• CDC: FluView main page
• CDC: RESP-NET main page
• Immunize.org: free clinical resources and patient handouts related to influenza
• Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: Influenza main page
• Immunize.org: Ask the Experts: Influenza main page

Immunize.org is pleased to welcome two new institutions into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, which now recognizes 587 honorees. The new birthing institutions appear below with their reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rates in parentheses.   

• Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital, Elmhurst, IL (90%) 
• Rome Memorial Hospital, Rome, NY (94%) 

Please join us in recognizing these honorees with sustained excellence that qualify for an additional year:   

• WVU Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Glen Dale, WV (92%) (2 years) 
• NYC Health + Hospitals–Elmhurst, Elmhurst, NY (96%) (3 years) 
• Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing, NY (96%) (6 years) 
• CarolinaEast Medical Center, New Bern, NC (91%) (7 years) 

The Honor Roll includes 587 birthing institutions from 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, and our U.S. military hospital in England.   

The Honor Roll is a key part of Immunize.org’s initiative urging the nation’s hospitals to Give Birth to the End of Hep B. Hospitals and birthing centers are recognized for attaining high coverage for hepatitis B vaccine at birth and meeting additional criteria. To learn whether your organization qualifies and to access the application form, please see Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll online. 
 
Honorees receive an 8.5" x 11" color certificate suitable for printing and framing. Their acceptance is announced through Immunize.org’s social media channels and to IZ Express’s readers.  
  
Please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page that lists these institutions and celebrates their vigorous efforts to protect infants from perinatal hepatitis B transmission. 

Related Immunize.org Resources 

• Give Birth to the End of Hep B main page  
• Fact sheet: Do You Qualify for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll? If So, Apply Today. 
• Handout on Immunize.org’s campaign: Give Birth to the End of Hep B 
• Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page 

This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is Do Infants Born Soon After Maternal RSV Vaccination Need RSV Preventive Antibody? The video explains that if infants are born less than 14 days after the mother received the RSV vaccine, they should receive nirsevimab.

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

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

• CNN: Required Vaccine Coverage Among US Kindergartners Dips Again, New CDC Data Shows (10/2/24)
• WebMD: How Experts See This COVID and Flu Season Unfolding (9/30/24)
• Minnesota Star Tribune: Minnesota Measles Outbreak Is Bad—But Could Have Been Worse (9/28/24)
• AAP News: Pediatric Flu Deaths Reach ‘New Grim Milestone’ (9/27/24)
• Medpage Today: Vaccine Hesitancy Is on the Rise. So Is Whooping Cough. (9/27/24)