The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that all persons aged ≥6 months, including adults aged ≥18 years, receive annual influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, and that all adults aged ≥75 years and those aged 60–74 years at increased risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease receive 1 dose of RSV vaccine. . . .
By November 9, 2024, an estimated 34.7% and 17.9% of adults aged ≥18 years had received influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, respectively, for the 2024–25 season; 39.7% of adults aged ≥75 years and 31.6% of adults aged 60–74 years at increased risk for severe RSV disease had ever received RSV vaccine. Many unvaccinated adults reported intent to get vaccinated. . . .
Health care providers and immunization programs still have time to expand outreach and promote vaccination activities to increase coverage in preparation for the height of the respiratory virus season.
“Coverage with Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and COVID-19 Vaccines Among Nursing Home Residents—National Healthcare Safety Network, United States, November 2024” published in MMWR
Nursing home residents are at increased risk for severe COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) illness. Vaccination reduces risk for severe outcomes from these vaccine-preventable respiratory diseases. . . .
As of November 10, 2024, 30% of nursing home residents had received a 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine. Among residents at nursing home facilities that elected to report vaccination against influenza (59% of facilities) and RSV (52% of facilities), 58% had received influenza vaccination, and only 18% had received RSV vaccination. . . .
Addressing low vaccination coverage against COVID-19, influenza, and RSV is a priority to protect residents susceptible to severe outcomes of respiratory illnesses.
VBI Vaccines recalls remaining doses of PreHevbrio, its HepB vaccine, as part of business closure, not due to vaccine safety or effectiveness
VBI Vaccines, the manufacturer of the PreHevbrio brand of HepB vaccine, declared bankruptcy and is ending business operations. PreHevbrio is no longer being distributed. Customers with the product are asked to destroy or return remaining doses. The recall is not related to vaccine safety or quality. All properly administered doses of PreHevbrio are valid HepB vaccinations and do not need to be repeated.
If you have PreHevbrio or have questions about it, visit www.prehevbrio.com for additional information and guidance.
Adults with an incomplete PreHevbrio vaccination series may complete their series with any of the three FDA-licensed HepB vaccines (Heplisav-B, Dynavax; Engerix-B, GSK; Recombivax-HB, Merck). For a guide to completing a mixed-product vaccination series, see the table in the following Ask the Experts HepB question:
On November 15, 2024, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed the first reported case of clade I mpox in the United States. [Clade IIb, a generally milder strain of mpox, was introduced to the United States in 2022 and is the cause of U.S. outbreaks since that time.] This individual had recently traveled to areas experiencing clade I monkeypox virus (MPXV) transmission and sought medical care for mpox symptoms in the United States. Consistent with other recent clade I mpox cases, the patient has relatively mild illness and is recovering. CDC and the local and state health departments are investigating potential contacts; no additional cases in the United States have been detected as of November 18, 2024. The risk of clade I mpox to the public in the United States remains low.
National Influenza Vaccination Week is December 2–6. Encourage vaccination using CDC’s digital media toolkit.
The majority of Americans are not prepared for the coming seasonal influenza epidemic. National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW), observed December 2–6 this year, highlights the value of influenza vaccination in December and beyond. First organized by CDC in 2005, NIVW is a great time to post and share reminder messages and vaccinate all those who are not yet protected. Get the word out using CDC's 2024 NIVW Digital Media Toolkit, which include the following assets.
Sample Newsletter Text: include CDC’s sample text in your email newsletter or other communications
Patient Reminder Messages: remind patients by sharing key messages through your patient portal or other reminders
Social Media Messages: use CDC’s suggested X, Facebook, and Instagram graphics and text to spread the word; schedule content to remind your networks about the importance of flu vaccination throughout the week
Use #FightFlu and #NIVW to join the conversation all week.
Immunize.org offers new Spanish translation of the clinical resource, “Record of Vaccine Declination”
At the request of a vaccinating nurse at a recent conference, Immunize.org now offers a Spanish translation of its valuable clinical resource, Record of Vaccine Declination. This form helps vaccination providers document that parents declined vaccination after receiving information about the potential consequences of their choices. Many providers use it to help parents understand that vaccine refusal is an active decision to accept the risks of remaining vulnerable to a preventable disease.
The translation incorporates RSV preventive antibody (nirsevimab, Beyfortus, Sanofi) among immunizing products that parents could decline. The reverse side provides information about the value of documenting declination in the medical record, along with useful references. This section now provides more recent examples of the consequences of not vaccinating, as well as links to resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations.
Immunize.org updates Spanish translation of the patient handout, "You're 16 . . . We Recommend These Vaccines for You!"
Immunize.org recently updated the Spanish translation of its patient handout, coproduced with the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, You're 16 . . . We Recommend These Vaccines for You! The handout includes COVID-19 as a routinely recommended vaccine and a footnote about RSV vaccine during pregnancy. Vaccines normally administered to preteens (which may be needed by teens who are not up to date) are now grouped in a separate table.
Related Links
Immunize.org: Translations main page, where you can locate available translations of clinical resources and VISs, organized by language
Immunize.org updates seven translations of its popular patient handout promoting vaccinations for adults
Immunize.org posted seven new translations of the current version of its popular patient handout, Vaccinations for Adults: You're Never Too Old to Get Vaccinated. This 1-page handout summarizes basic information about recommended adult vaccines in one table.
Updates incorporate the latest recommendations for:
Immunize.org updates its clinical resource, “Hepatitis A, B, and C: Learn the Differences”
Immunize.org updated its Hepatitis A, B, and C: Learn the Differences clinical resource. Clarifying updates were made in the treatment sections, including the new CDC link for treatment options for hepatitis C.
Related Links
Immunize.org: Clinical Resources A–Z main page, where you can filter by topic, vaccine, language, or other criteria
Influenza activity gradually increasing; we are thankful for those who vaccinated our friends and families this holiday season
The 2024–25 U.S. influenza season is underway and now is the time to vaccinate. For week 46, ending November 16, CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView, shows influenza activity increasing slightly.
Influenza Vaccination Dashboard
CDC's Weekly Flu Vaccination Dashboard shows that, as of November 9, 2024, 31.2% of pregnant patients had received flu vaccination, compared with 31.8% at that point in 2023. Vaccination coverage during pregnancy decreased between 2019–20 and 2023–24 overall and in all race and ethnicity groups. Vaccination during pregnancy helps protect both mother and infant from the consequences of influenza infection.
CDC recommends everyone age 6 months and older get annual influenza vaccination. Influenza and other vaccines (e.g., COVID-19, RSV) 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 receiving nirsevimab (Beyfortus, Sanofi).
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.
Immunize.org’s Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll recognizes 586 institutions, including one new honoree
Immunize.org is pleased to welcome one new institution into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, which now recognizes 586 honorees. The new birthing institution appears below with its reported HepB birth dose coverage rate in parentheses.
John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, TX (98%)
Please join us in recognizing these honorees with sustained excellence that qualify for an additional year:
Danbury Hospital, Danbury, CT (90%) (2 years)
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Jamaica, NY (93%) (2 years)
Shannon Medical Center, San Angelo, TX (94%) (4 years)
Sharon Hospital, Sharon, CT (93%) (4 years)
Bristol Hospital, Bristol, CT (92%) (7 years)
ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital, Newark, DE (91%) (8 years)
The Honor Roll includes 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 HepB 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.
"How Effective Is Tdap Vaccination During Pregnancy at Protecting Newborns from Pertussis?” Watch the 2-minute answer, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube.
This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is How Effective Is Tdap Vaccination During Pregnancy at Protecting Newborns from Pertussis? Tdap given during pregnancy is highly effective at preventing pertussis (whooping cough) in infants. It is, by far, the best way to minimize the risk of pertussis hospitalization during baby’s first months of life.
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.
Recap: Immunize.org issues updated “Standing Orders for Administering Pneumococcal Vaccines to Adults” incorporating ACIP recommendation for routine vaccination starting at age 50 years
Immunize.org updated Standing Orders for Administering Pneumococcal Vaccines to Adults. The template adheres to the October 2024 recommendations for routine vaccination of adults with a PCV beginning at age 50. It also follows new CDC guidance that eliminates the option for adults with a history of PCV13 (Prevnar 13, Pfizer) and/or PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23, Merck) to follow up with a dose of PPSV23.
Recap: Immunize.org updates its “Ask the Experts” web page on pneumococcal vaccines to reflect new adult recommendations
Immunize.org updated the questions and answers in its "Ask the Experts" web page for pneumococcal vaccine. Updates incorporate the changes to adult pneumococcal vaccine recommendations voted on at the October 23–24 ACIP meeting. Questions and answers reflect the new recommendation to lower the age of routine vaccination of adults with a PCV from 65 to 50. The content also incorporates CDC guidance specifying that options for vaccination include one dose of either PCV20 or PCV21 alone, or a series of PCV15 followed by a dose of PPSV23 one year later.
Immunize.org's Ask the Experts main page leads you to 30 distinct web pages on a variety of topics with more than 1,300 common or challenging questions and answers (Q&As) about vaccines and their administration. Immunize.org's team of experts includes Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH (team lead); Carolyn B. Bridges, MD, FACP; Iyabode Beysolow, MD, MPH; and Jane R. Zucker, MD, MPH.
Recap: Immunize.org updates two “Questions and Answers” resources, one for polio and one for rabies
Immunize.org updated two of its "Questions and Answers" resources.
Polio: Questions and Answers: Edits update epidemiology and clarify adult vaccination recommendations and the interpretation of OPV records. A new question addresses the fact that serologic testing for evidence of previous polio vaccination is not available and not recommended.
Recap: Immunize.org updates content in three clinical resources
Immunize.org is reviewing its clinical resources and web pages to update broken URLs resulting from the recent reorganization of the CDC website. Immunize.org updated URLs on three clinical resources:
To locate VIS translations for a particular vaccine, click on “Vaccines & VISs” at Immunize.org, click on “VISs,” and then select a specific vaccine. Scrolling down the resulting page, you will see the current English VIS (the official federal version), followed by a list of translations of the current English version. If applicable, current translations are followed by a list of any translations of past English versions that are still usable because they are the most recent translations available in those languages. When a patient is given any VIS translation, they should also receive the current VIS in English. Additional tips on using VISs appear at the bottom of the page.
Check the version date of your inventory of VIS translations. Discard translations of previous versions as translations of current versions become available.
CDC reports on pediatrician and obstetrician attitudes, practices, and challenges with administering nirsevimab and RSV vaccine
On November 14, CDC released an online report titled Pediatrician and OB/GYN Survey on RSV Immunization. The report explored provider attitudes, practices, and challenges related to giving nirsevimab (Beyfortus, Sanofi) to infants and maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo, Pfizer) during pregnancy. The summary appears below.
Among pediatric and obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) providers, 77.0% of pediatricians had ever offered nirsevimab and 63.0% of OB/GYNs offered respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to pregnant patients. Providers were confident in the safety and effectiveness of nirsevimab and maternal RSV vaccine. Primary challenges reported included: 1) parent/caregiver or patient concerns around safety and effectiveness of products; 2) financial burden of purchasing the products; and 3) reimbursement issues.
CDC and healthcare professional organizations have developed a range of resources to support infant RSV immunization. Use the resources below to communicate with parents and patients.
Virtual: Questions about our website? Register for the next Immunize.org Website Office Hours on December 4 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or December 5 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Previously recorded sessions available online.
We will open each 45-minute session with a short, live demonstration on navigating two web sections: the new “Travel Vaccines” section and the “Vaccine Confidence and Addressing Concerns” section. You can submit questions when you register or live on Zoom during the session.
Register today for Immunize.org Website Office Hours (content is the same for both):
To view Immunize.org Website Office Hours sessions, visit Immunize.org’s Webinars & Videos page. Recent topics include “Vaccines A–Z,” “Clinical Resources,” “Vaccine Information Statements (VIS),” and “Ask the Experts” web sections.
Mark your calendar for future monthly Immunize.org Website Office Hours. The next pair of sessions will be held in January 2025.
Opportunity for students in grades 6 through 12: 2025 Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest is open for submissions
The Vaccine Makers Project, the classroom-based program of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, invites submissions for the 2025 Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest. Students in grades 6 through 12 in the United States and Canada are encouraged to learn about Dr. Hilleman’s life and accomplishments and submit a 500- to 1,000-word essay by February 6, 2025. This year's writing prompt is "Not everyone will be a prolific scientist like Dr. Hilleman, but all citizens need to understand how science works. Use an example to discuss why this understanding is important given the role of science and technology in society today."
Details and the entry form are available at HillemanFilm.com/contest. First and second place will be awarded in the high school and middle school categories in each country (United States and Canada). Winners will receive $500 (first place) and $250 (second place), a certificate, and recognition at a virtual award event this fall. Please share this information with teachers and eligible students.
IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. 1NH23IP922654 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.
