- “Use of Additional Doses of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults Aged ≥65 Years and Persons Aged ≥6 Months with Moderate or Severe Immunocompromise: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2024” published in MMWR
- “New Dosing Interval and Schedule for the Bexsero MenB-4C Vaccine: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, October 2024” published in MMWR
- Place your preorder! Sturdy, laminated versions of the 2025 U.S. immunization schedules from Immunize.org ship in early January.
- Immunize.org posts 23 translations of current COVID-19 and RSV VISs
- Immunize.org updates nine translations of popular patient resource “Vaccinations for Adults: You’re Never Too Old to Get Vaccinated!”
- HHS extends the duration of COVID-19 vaccine liability protections through 2029
- Influenza activity is moderate to very high in 19 jurisdictions; don’t delay, vaccinate
- “Why Should Healthcare Professionals Focus on Vaccinating All Adults Against Hepatitis B Now?” Watch the 1-minute answer, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube.
- Vaccines in the news
- Spotlight on the website: "Translations" web page simplifies access to our resources in 48 languages
- Recap: Immunize.org updates all Ask the Experts content on meningococcal and COVID-19 vaccines
- Recap: Immunize.org updates “Administering Vaccines: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size” and companion version focused on adults
- Recap: Immunize.org updates two patient handouts on reliable sources of immunization information and a parent’s guide to HPV vaccine
- Recap: Immunize.org updates “Need Help Responding to Vaccine-Hesitant Parents?”
Notable Publications
Global News
CDC published Use of Additional Doses of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults Aged ≥65 Years and Persons Aged ≥6 Months with Moderate or Severe Immunocompromise: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2024 on December 12 in MMWR. Immunize.org resources already reflect this recommendation. A portion of the summary appears below.
In October 2024, ACIP recommended that all persons aged ≥65 years and persons aged 6 months–64 years with moderate or severe immunocompromise receive a second 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine dose 6 months after their last dose. Further, ACIP recommended that persons aged ≥6 months with moderate or severe immunocompromise may receive additional doses based on shared clinical decision-making. . . .
Adults aged ≥65 years should receive 2 doses of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine, and persons aged ≥6 months with moderate or severe immunocompromise should receive ≥2 doses to protect against severe COVID-19.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
“New Dosing Interval and Schedule for the Bexsero MenB-4C Vaccine: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, October 2024” published in MMWR
CDC published New Dosing Interval and Schedule for the Bexsero MenB-4C Vaccine: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, October 2024 on December 12 in MMWR. Immunize.org resources already reflect this recommendation. A portion of the summary appears below.
Meningococcal disease is a life-threatening invasive infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis. MenB-4C (Bexsero, GSK), one of two licensed meningococcal serogroup B vaccines, protects against serogroup B N. meningitidis and is licensed for persons aged 10–25 years. . . .
On October 24, 2024, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated its recommendations for MenB-4C to align the dosing interval and schedule with the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label and harmonize with recommendations for MenB-FHbp (Trumenba, Pfizer, Inc.) vaccine. ACIP now recommends MenB-4C as a 2-dose series with doses administered at intervals of 0 and 6 months for healthy adolescents and young adults aged 16–23 years based on shared clinical decision-making and as a 3-dose series with doses administered at 0, 1–2, and 6 months for persons aged ≥10 years at increased risk. . . .
The new MenB-4C dosing interval and schedule improves immune protection. ACIP recommendations for the MenB-4C dosing interval and schedule are now aligned with the updated FDA label and are harmonized with ACIP recommendations for use of MenB-FHbp.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
Place your preorder! Sturdy, laminated versions of the 2025 U.S. immunization schedules from Immunize.org ship in early January.
Laminated copies of the 2025 U.S. child and adolescent immunization schedule and the 2025 U.S. adult immunization schedule are now available for preorder in the Immunize.org shop. The schedules are being printed now and will begin shipping in early January.
The schedules are available online from CDC at no cost. Immunize.org’s printed, laminated booklets are ideal for use in any busy healthcare setting where vaccinations are given. Features include:
- Durability: their tough coating can be wiped down, and they can stand up to a year's worth of use.
- Format: each schedule is produced in a 8.5” X 11” booklet format; with color coding for easy reading, our laminated schedules replicate the original CDC formatting, including all tables and notes. The adult schedule is 16 pages and the child and adolescent schedule is 20 pages.
- Easy access to CDC updates: The CDC online schedule includes an addendum page that will display ACIP’s new recommendations as CDC adopts them during 2025. Each Immunize.org laminated schedule addendum page includes QR codes you can scan to view or print the online addendum page as it is revised.
- Bonus content: both schedules include a bonus page with Immunize.org’s popular 1-page handout summarizing the dose, route, and needle size recommendations for all vaccines and recipients.
Pricing:
Visit the Shop Immunize.org: Laminated Schedules web page to view images and preorder today!
For additional information, call 651-647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org.
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Laminated Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedules (0–18 years) web page
- Immunize.org: Laminated Adult Immunization Schedules (19 and older) web page
- Immunize.org: Shop Immunize.org main page
Immunize.org posted 23 translations of current COVID-19 and RSV VISs:
When given any VIS translation, the patient should also receive the current VIS in English. You Must Provide Patients with Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) – It’s Federal Law! offers additional tips on using VISs.
To locate all available VISs and clinical resources in a given language, visit our translations home page.
Check the version dates of your inventory of VIS translations at regular intervals. Discard translations of previous versions as translations of current versions become available.
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Vaccine & VISs: Translations main page for access to all translations of VISs
- Immunize.org: QR Code Links to All Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) (PDF)
- CDC: What's New with VISs web page
- CDC: Current VISs web page
Immunize.org updates nine translations of popular patient resource “Vaccinations for Adults: You’re Never Too Old to Get Vaccinated!”
Vaccinations for Adults: You're Never Too Old to Get Vaccinated! was updated to reflect the most recent recommendations for mpox, PCV, and RSV vaccination. Immunize.org recently posted nine new translations of the current version that join the seven translations announced last week.
The new translations were generously donated by Fargo Cass Public Health of North Dakota and include:
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Translations main page, where you can locate available translations of clinical resources and VISs, organized by language
- Immunize.org: Clinical Resources: Adult Vaccination main page
On December 11, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra extended the duration of liability protections for people involved in delivering COVID-19 vaccinations and tests to December 31, 2029. These protections provide individuals and entities immunity from liability (except for willful misconduct) related to claims of loss relating to the manufacture, distribution, administration, or use of medical countermeasures. This extension was part of an amendment to the original declaration issued March 17, 2020, under provisions of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act).
Secretary Becerra noted that COVID-19 continues to cause significant serious illness and death during outbreaks. Continued coverage under the PREP Act helps mitigate the risk presented by COVID-19. He called out the greater needs in certain areas or for certain populations that have too few primary care providers or that are otherwise medically underserved. He specifically called out the roles of pharmacists and their teammates in this regard, noting that the majority of Americans received their COVID-19 vaccines and tests at a pharmacy.
View the full text of the declaration.
Influenza activity is trending steadily upward. For week 49, ending December 7, CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, FluView, shows influenza activity is at moderate to very high levels in 19 jurisdictions. This week, 3.4% of outpatient visits were for influenza-like illness, just above the epidemic threshold signaling that influenza is likely to be circulating.
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 November 30, 2024, 33.8% of pregnant patients had received flu vaccination, compared with 34.5% at that point in 2023. Among pregnant women, vaccination coverage was highest among non-Hispanic Asians (49%), and lowest among non-Hispanic Blacks (22.6%). 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 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 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.
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
“Why Should Healthcare Professionals Focus on Vaccinating All Adults Against Hepatitis B Now?” Watch the 1-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 Why Should Healthcare Professionals Focus on Vaccinating All Adults Against Hepatitis B Now? The video describes how everyone can benefit from knowing their vaccination status and getting vaccinated against hepatitis B since risk factors for exposure are numerous and diverse.
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.
- New York Times: Are Childhood Vaccines ‘Overloading’ the Immune System? No. (12/14/24)
- WHO: Six Decades of Evidence of the Transformative Power of Vaccines (12/11/24)
- Euro News: Sweden Is Trying to Become the World’s First Country to Eliminate HPV. Here’s How (12/10/24)
- Rollins School of Public Health: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Vaccines (12/9/24)
Immunize.org Website and Clinical Resources
For many years, Immunize.org has offered translations of VISs and other popular handouts. Our Translations web page provides quick access to every translated resource on the Immunize.org website. Translations of one or more documents are available in 48 languages.
Languages are listed alphabetically in a simple table format. Next to the desired language, click on either “VISs” or “Clinical Resources” to view all documents in that category available in that language.
The "Translations" page is accessible from two menus at the top of each page: either the “Vaccines & VISs” or “Clinical Resources” menu. The direct link is www.immunize.org/translations.
From the “Vaccines & VISs” menu:
From the “Clinical Resources” menu:
Patients benefit from having vaccine information in their preferred language. We hope this "Translations" page makes it easier for you to meet their needs.
Immunize.org updated the questions and answers in its "Ask the Experts" web pages for meningococcal ACWY, meningococcal B, and COVID-19 vaccines. The meningococcal vaccine content is updated with the new 6-month dosing interval for Bexsero (GSK). Both meningococcal B vaccines (Bexsero and Trumenba from Pfizer) now have the same dosing schedule.
Ask the Experts COVID-19 content now includes the October 2024 ACIP recommendations for routine administration of an additional dose of 2024–2025 Formula COVID-19 Vaccine to adults age 65 and older and to all people age 6 months and older with moderate or severe immunocompromising conditions. This additional dose is due about 6 months after the first dose (minimum interval, 2 months). The content also includes information about the option to administer additional doses (at 2-month minimum intervals) to people with moderate to severe immunocompromising conditions, based on the judgment of the patient and healthcare provider.
Immunize.org's Ask the Experts main page leads you to 31 categories of vaccine-specific and general topics with answers to more than 1,300 common or challenging questions and answers 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 “Administering Vaccines: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size” and companion version focused on adults
Immunize.org recently updated two clinical resources:
- Administering Vaccines: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size
- Administering Vaccines to Adults: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size
Each of these clinical resources was revised to remove PreHevbrio, the HepB vaccine from VBI, as an option. PreHevbrio is no longer available in the United States.
Recap: Immunize.org updates two patient handouts on reliable sources of immunization information and a parent’s guide to HPV vaccine
Immunize.org recently updated two of its resources, Reliable Sources of Immunization Information: Where Parents Can Go to Find Answers! and Human Papillomavirus (HPV): A Parent's Guide to Preteen and Teen HPV Vaccination. Changes include updated URLs and resource references. CDC is updating its website, often resulting in changes to URLs on its site. Immunize.org is reviewing and updating its content to reflect these changes.
Immunize.org updated its handout, Need Help Responding to Vaccine-Hesitant Parents? Edits updated several URLs.
Medscape Education released a text-based educational activity, Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season for healthcare professionals.
To view the activity and earn CME, internal medicine maintenance of certification (MOC), or CE credit, please click here.
Immunize.org updates “Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Children and Teens” and companion version focused on adults
Immunize.org recently revised two clinical resources with URL updates and adjustment of HepB vaccination recommendations during pregnancy. The resources now reflect that any available HepB vaccine may be used during pregnancy.
Updated resources include:
- Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Children and Teens
- Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Adults
Related Links
- Immunize.org: Clinical Resources: Administering Vaccines main page
- Immunize.org: Clinical Resources: Screening Checklists main page
- Immunize.org: Clinical Resources A–Z main page, where you can filter by topic, vaccine, language, or other criteria
Notable Publications
In the November 27 issue, JAMA published Cervical Cancer Mortality Among US Women Younger than 25 Years, 1992–2021. A portion of the discussion appears below.
This study found a steep decline in cervical cancer mortality among US women younger than 25 years between 2016 and 2021. This cohort of women is the first to be widely protected against cervical cancer by HPV vaccines. The findings from this study in the context of other published research suggest that HPV vaccination affected the sequential decline in HPV infection prevalence, cervical cancer incidence, and cervical cancer mortality. Since its introduction, HPV vaccination coverage (≥1 doses) has increased steadily, reaching 78.5% in 2021. The gradual decline in mortality observed from 1992 to 2015 was likely due to improved screening coverage and approaches.
CDC published Epidemiology of Dengue—Puerto Rico, 2010–2024 on December 12 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.
Cases of dengue, a mosquitoborne viral illness, are increasing worldwide; during 2024, approximately 13 million cases have been reported in the Americas. . . .
During 2023–2024, the median age of patients with dengue, the percentage of patients hospitalized, and the prevalences of serotypes 2 and 3 increased compared with the previous decade (2010–2019). . . .
Understanding the changing epidemiology of dengue can help guide public health action, including providing clinical training, strengthening surveillance, ensuring health care system resilience, and raising public awareness.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
In 2021, ACIP recommended a 3-dose series of dengue vaccine (Dengvaxia, Sanofi) for use in children age 9–16 years with evidence of previous dengue infection and living in endemic areas. Sanofi will discontinue distribution of Dengvaxia in September 2025 because of a lack of demand for vaccination. The final doses will expire in September 2026.
Related Links
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
- AAP: AAP, CDC Working to Vaccinate Children in Puerto Rico Against Dengue While Vaccine Remains Available (4/12/24)
CDC published Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication—Afghanistan, January 2023–September 2024 on December 12 in MMWR. A portion of the summary appears below.
Wild poliovirus (WPV) type 1 (WPV1) circulation continues in Afghanistan as well as in neighboring Pakistan, the two remaining countries with ongoing endemic WPV transmission. . . .
During 2024 (through September 30), Afghanistan reported 23 WPV1 cases, the highest number in 4 years. Poliovirus vaccination campaign coverage improved markedly with house-to-house vaccination; however, local authorities have reinstated restrictions on house-to-house vaccine administration. . . .
New challenges continue to affect progress toward polio eradication in Afghanistan. Both nationwide house-to-house vaccination campaigns and strengthened routine childhood immunization are needed to reach every vulnerable child with vaccines in Afghanistan and provide additional pathways toward stopping transmission.
Access the MMWR article in HTML or PDF.
Related Link
- CDC: MMWR main page providing access to the MMWR family of publications
To learn simple tips and tricks for using our website efficiently, please register for our next set of Website Office Hours on Wednesday, January 8 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or Thursday, January 9 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). The same content will be covered in both sessions.
We will open each 45-minute session with a short, live demonstration on navigating the Official Guidance website section and address questions submitted in advance. 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):
Mark your calendar for future Immunize.org Website Office Hours.
Thank you for making this a great year for IZ Express, which reaches more than 53,000 subscribers each week. We look forward to continuing to provide you with accurate and actionable immunization news and resources in the year ahead!
May 2025 bring you and your loved ones peace, health, and happiness.
For more upcoming events, visit our Calendar of Events.
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Editorial Information
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Editor-in-ChiefKelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
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Managing EditorJohn D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
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Associate EditorSharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
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Writer/Publication CoordinatorTaryn Chapman, MS
Courtnay Londo, MA -
Style and Copy EditorMarian Deegan, JD
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Web Edition ManagersArkady Shakhnovich
Jermaine Royes -
Contributing WriterLaurel H. Wood, MPA
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Technical ReviewerKayla Ohlde