Issue Number
256 June 28, 2001
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- Updated! New state varicella immunization mandates on
IAC's website
- Medscape offers Continuing Medical Education for
physicians on varicella immunization
- NIP offers course on vaccine-preventable diseases August
14-15 in Atlanta
- Revised "Hepatitis B: 100 Times Easier to Catch Than HIV"
available on IAC's website
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(1)
June 28, 2001
UPDATED! NEW STATE VARICELLA IMMUNIZATION MANDATES ON IAC'S WEBSITE
Check out the website of the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) for a newly
updated table of state varicella immunization mandates. This table offers a brief overview of
which states currently mandate varicella vaccination for what ages, and the implementation dates for those mandates.
Some of the changes that have taken place since we highlighted these mandates in the Spring 2001 NEEDLE TIPS
include a new state mandate for varicella immunization in Wisconsin, and expanded mandates for school entry
in South Carolina and Pennsylvania. This brings the total number of states with
varicella vaccination requirements to 28.
CONGRATULATIONS WISCONSIN!
Wisconsin's new varicella immunity requirement for entry into daycare and kindergarten went into effect June 1, 2001.
The administrative rule for children in daycare applies to children ages 2 to 4, but vaccination for susceptible
children ages 1 to 2 is encouraged as well. This new rule is progressive and
new cohorts needing evidence of varicella immunity will be added each year, with all children K-12
expected to be immunized for varicella by the 2006 school year.
CONGRATULATIONS PENNSYLVANIA!
In Pennsylvania, new state regulations that require varicella vaccination for
students entering kindergarten and seventh grade have gone into effect, beginning with the
2002-2003 school year [corrected]. Since 1997, Pennsylvania has required varicella vaccination for children in daycare
who are older than 12 months.
CONGRATULATIONS SOUTH CAROLINA!
South Carolina will require the varicella vaccine for all first-graders and 5-year-old kindergartners who have not
yet had chickenpox, beginning with the 2001-2002 school year. The state has required varicella vaccination for
daycare entry since the beginning of the 2000-2001 school year.
To view IAC's table of state mandates for varicella prevention and their implementation dates, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/varicel.htm
To get information compiled by IAC on state mandates for hepatitis B prevention, vaccination in long-term care
facilities, and pharmacy vaccination, as well as state mandates for DTP, MMR, polio, and Hib vaccination reprinted
from "State Immunization Requirements 1998-1999" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws
We depend on our readers to help us stay informed and to ensure this is the most accurate and current information
available. Please let us know when any changes occur in your state.
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June 28, 2001
MEDSCAPE OFFERS CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION FOR PHYSICIANS ON VARICELLA IMMUNIZATION
Medscape is currently offering "Varicella Immunization: Current Status and Practice," an online Continuing Medical
Education (CME) opportunity for physicians. Chaired by Gregory A. Poland, MD, FACP, and presented by
Philip S. LaRussa, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Columbia University, this opportunity offers 1 hour of CME to
participants who register and score at least 70 percent on the post-test and evaluation questions.
Registered Medscape users can register for this CME opportunity or view the table of contents at:
http://www.medscape.com/CMECircle/ID/2000/CME03/public/toc-CME03.html
If you are not yet a registered user, you can register at no cost by going to:
http://www.medscape.com/
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June 28, 2001
NIP OFFERS COURSE ON VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES AUGUST 14- 15 IN ATLANTA
Register now for "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases," a two-day course presented by the
National Immunization Program (NIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and scheduled for
August 14-15 at the Marriott North Central in Atlanta.
This course covers general principles of vaccination, recommendations on immunization and vaccine safety, and
specific disease information on diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), influenza,
measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, pneumococcal disease, polio and polio eradication,
hepatitis B, and hepatitis A.
Students are expected to bring their own textbook, "Epidemiology and Prevention
of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases" (sixth edition). Also known as The Pink Book,
the text can be ordered for $25 from Public Health Foundation by calling (877)
252-1200 or visiting its online bookstore at http://bookstore.phf.org/prod154.htm
It can also be downloaded free from CDC's website at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/
The registration deadline is August 3 and the cost for the course is $38. Hotel
information and course registration forms are available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/epivacaug2001.htm
For a detailed list of additional upcoming immunization and hepatitis conferences
and events, visit IAC's "Calendar of Events" at: http://www.immunize.org/calendar/
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June 28, 2001
REVISED "HEPATITIS B: 100 TIMES EASIER TO CATCH THAN HIV" AVAILABLE ON IAC'S WEBSITE
IAC has updated its popular brochure "Hepatitis B: 100 Times Easier to Catch
than HIV." Aimed primarily at men who have sex with men, it explains what hepatitis B infection
is and why it is dangerous, and tells how the virus is spread and how people can protect themselves.
To obtain a text copy (HTML format) of this brochure, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4115.htm
For a camera-ready copy (PDF format), go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4115.pdf
A complete catalog of IAC materials is also available online at http://www.immunize.org/catalog or by calling (651) 647-9009.
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