Issue Number 62
February 23, 1999
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- MMWR publishes announcement of change
in recommendation for
meningococcal vaccine for travelers
- Influenza pandemic satellite broadcast
is this Thursday!
- National Infant Immunization Week kit
now available from CDC
- MMWR publishes article on progress
toward poliomyelitis
eradication in Pakistan
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(1)
February 12, 1999
MMWR PUBLISHES ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHANGE IN RECOMMENDATION FOR MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINE FOR
TRAVELERS
An article entitled "Recommendation for Meningococcal Vaccine for Travelers" was
published as a "Notice to Readers" in the February 12, 1999, issue of the MMWR.
The entire article is reprinted below:
NOTICE TO READERS: CHANGE IN RECOMMENDATION FOR MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINE FOR TRAVELERS
Because no evidence exists of ongoing epidemics, CDC no longer recommends meningococcal
vaccine for travelers to Saudi Arabia, Nepal, India, Mongolia, Kenya, Burundi, and
Tanzania. This announcement supersedes the most recent edition of "Health Information
for International Travel" (1), which recommends meningococcal vaccine for those
countries. These new recommendations will be reflected in the next edition of
"Health Information for International Travel."
Although CDC no longer recommends vaccination, Saudi officials may require that pilgrims
and "Umra" performers produce a certificate of vaccination against meningococcal
disease issued not more than 3 years and not less than 10 days before arrival in Saudi
Arabia. Travelers to Saudi Arabia during pilgrimage months should verify these
requirements with a Saudi embassy. From December through June, vaccination is still
recommended for countries in the meningitis belt of Africa.
Reference
1. CDC, Health information for international travel, 1996-97. Atlanta: US Department of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, CDC, 1997.
TO GET A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR (delivered weekly), go to the MMWR
website and sign up. When you sign up, you will also automatically begin to receive all
new ACIP
statements which are published as MMWR's "Recommendations and Reports." To get
the MMWR website, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/mmwr.html
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February 25, 1999
INFLUENZA PANDEMIC SATELLITE BROADCAST IS THIS THURSDAY!
This Thursday, February 25, is CDC's Influenza Pandemic Satellite Broadcast. Information
on the satellite broadcast, which includes how to sign up, appeared in an article entitled
"Preparing for the Next Influenza Pandemic Satellite Broadcast." The
article was published as a "Notice to Readers" in the February 19, 1999, issue
of the MMWR and is reprinted below:
"PREPARING FOR THE NEXT INFLUENZA PANDEMIC" SATELLITE BROADCAST
CDC and the Public Health Training Network will cosponsor "Preparing for the Next
Influenza Pandemic," a live interactive satellite program on Thursday, February 25,
1999, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. eastern standard time, with a repeat broadcast from 1 p.m.
to 3:30 p.m. This broadcast will introduce the guidelines and facilitate state and local
emergency response preparations -- preparations that can be adapted to other infectious
disease crises.
This broadcast is designed for state and local health officers; state and local
epidemiologists; federal, state, and local emergency preparedness planners; immunization
program managers; state governors; physician and health-care organizations; laboratory
managers; public information officers; pharmacists; hospital infection control
practitioners; members of the news media; and funeral directors associations. Continuing
education credit will be awarded for a variety of professions, based on 2.5 hours of
instruction.
Registration information is available through the CDC fax information system, (888)
232-3299; request document number 130015. Additional information about this broadcast is
available on the World-Wide Web,
http://www.cdc.gov/phtn/pandemic/pandemicflu.htm
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February 23, 1999
NATIONAL INFANT IMMUNIZATION WEEK KIT NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE CDC
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 18-24, 1999, is an annual observance that
highlights the importance of timely infant immunization. This year's theme is
"Immunization: Our Work Has Just Begun." A "Community Guide" and
"Implementation Handbook" for NIIW are now available from the CDC. The
"Community Guide" contains dozens of activities to raise awareness of the
importance of immunizations and improve immunization rates. The "Implementation
Handbook" contains a variety of reproducible materials for parents, providers, and
specific target audiences. Both the "Community Guide" and "Implementation
Handbook" can be downloaded from the web at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/niiw
Warning: each booklet is roughly 40-50 pages in length. If you don't want to download
them, the materials can be obtained by mail from Joy Dorsey at NIP's Community
Planning and Outreach Branch:
E-mail jec1@cdc.gov or click here: mailto:jec1@cdc.gov
Telephone: 404-639-8375
Fax: 404-639-8555 Attention: Joy Dorsey
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February 19, 1999
MMWR PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON PROGRESS TOWARD POLIOMYELITIS ERADICATION IN PAKISTAN
An article entitled "Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication Pakistan,
1994-1998" was published in the February 19, 1999, issue of the MMWR. Despite
Pakistan's strong commitment to polio eradication, polio remains endemic in Pakistan. In
1997 Pakistan reported 1,147 polio cases, which constituted 22% of cases reported
worldwide. However, surveillance and laboratory data from 1998 indicate that previous
widespread poliovirus circulation was geographically localized for the first time and
polio cases were reduced by 74% from 1997 to 1998, with an 88% decrease in the most
populous province (Punjab).
The article further describes polio eradication activities in Pakistan, including the
impact of routine and supplementary vaccination on polio incidence.
To access the complete article, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056503.htm
TO GET A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR (delivered weekly), go to the MMWR
website and sign up. When you sign up, you will also automatically begin to receive all
new ACIP statements which are published as MMWR's "Recommendations and Reports."
To get the MMWR website, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/mmwr.html |
