CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) recently launched its new Vaccines & Immunization website. The site, www.cdc.gov/vaccines, replaces www.cdc.gov/nip--and features a new look, a new feel, and many more resources!

The website format was redesigned using web-usability testing and was changed to a topic-driven layout. The change in format makes it quicker and easier for web visitors to find materials and critical answers to questions related to vaccinations and immunizations.

Check out the new left column navigation and the following new and updated sections to access timely, accurate, and credible CDC vaccine and immunization information by subject or audience type:

NEW!
Schedules (see them all in one place)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules

EXTENSIVELY UPDATED!
Information about vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases (not only are they all easier to find, but related information is included on one page: disease information, Q&As about disease and vaccine, who should not be vaccinated, what happens after vaccination, photos, vaccine shortages and delays, potential new vaccines, clinical resources, provider education, patient education materials, etc.) http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac

UPDATED!
Publications (now also sorted by type: Vaccine Information Statements (VISs), flyers, posters, textbooks, etc.)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs

UPDATED!
Requirements and laws (easier to find school and state requirements, HIPAA, etc.)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/laws

UPDATED!
Vaccination records (easier to find information on interpreting, recording, finding your vaccination records, etc.)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/immuniz-records.htm

NEW!
Immunization and vaccination (easier to find in one location: overview, common questions, why immunize? how vaccines work, etc.)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen

NEW!
Recommendations and guidelines (ACIP, vaccine management, vaccine storage and handling, provisional recommendations, VFC resolutions, reminder systems, recalled vaccines, etc.) http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs

NEW!
Patient-education materials for providers (now find them all in one place)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/patient-ed.htm

NEW!
Resources and answers for parents (what parents need to know, how vaccines prevent disease, common misconceptions, what risks parents take if not vaccinating their children, parents guide, etc.)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/parents.htm

UPDATED!
Resources for specific groups of people (adults, children, pregnant women, travelers, international adoption, racial and ethnic populations, people with specific diseases/conditions, etc.)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps

NEW!
Resources for immunization program managers (now listed on one page)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/program-mgrs.htm

UPDATED!
Materials and contact information for the media
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news

And much more!

Please note that all CDC vaccine safety information is now located at http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/iso/#general

Be sure to bookmark http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines and visit the new site often for the latest and most credible immunization information from CDC.

CDC is committed to being your trusted source for immunization information. CDC values your feedback and welcomes any suggestions or comments about the new website. Send comments to ncirdwebteam@cdc.gov

IAC recently developed ready-to-print versions of some of the CDC-reviewed Q&A material located on IAC's Vaccine Information website (www.vaccineinformation.org). The website is intended for the public, health professionals, and the media.

The newly formatted Q&As present information on the following diseases and vaccines: mumps, pertussis, and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV). In the next several weeks, IAC Express will announce the availability of more ready-to-print Q&As on additional vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccines.

Organized in an easy-to-follow Q&A format, these pieces can be printed and handed out to patients to help educate them about the seriousness of VPDs and the importance of vaccination. Links to the new ready-to-print Q&As follow:

To access "Mumps: Questions and Answers," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4211.pdf

To access "Pertussis: Questions and Answers," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4212.pdf

To access "PPV: Questions and Answers," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4213.pdf

In the IAC Express of June 4, we announced newly formatted Q&As on the following diseases and vaccines: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and measles. Following are the direct links to them:

To access "Hepatitis A: Questions and Answers," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4204.pdf

To access "Hepatitis B: Questions and Answers," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4205.pdf

To access "Measles: Questions and Answers," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4209.pdf

To access IAC's online disease/vaccine Q&A material for patients and parents, go to: http://www.vaccineinformation.org and click on the pertinent link(s).

IAC recently updated two of its immunization-education pieces. Details follow.

The adult-patient checklist "Do I Need Any Vaccinations Today?" was revised to update the information on risk factors for hepatitis B virus infection.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the piece, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/4036need.pdf

The information on the storage for nasal-spray influenza vaccine was revised on the professional-education piece "Vaccine Handling Tips."

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the piece, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3048.pdf

The Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recently published a two-page education sheet, "Shingles: What you should know." Intended for patients and providers, the sheet answers the most frequently asked questions about shingles disease and vaccine. English- and Spanish-language versions are available.

Health professionals can order two 50-sheet pads in each language at no charge. Additional pads are available for $3, plus shipping.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the sheet, click here.

To order online, go to:
http://www.chop.edu/vaccine/vec/vec_order.cfm

Order by email at vaccines@email.chop.edu or by phone at (215) 590-9990.

For additional ordering information, go to:
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=75982

On June 4, the website of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) posted questions and answers about the safety and efficacy of Gardasil human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. To access it, click here.

The June 5 issue of Hep Express, an electronic newsletter published by IAC, is now available online. It is intended for health professionals, program planners, and advocates involved in prevention, screening, and treatment of viral hepatitis.

IAC Express has already covered some of the information presented in the June 5 Hep Express; titles of articles we have not yet covered follow.

• CDC offers online resources for those working to prevent perinatal HBV infection
• Public Health Reports supplement features articles about the integration of viral hepatitis prevention services
• Hepatitis B Foundation develops booklet for persons infected with HBV [hepatitis B virus]
• APAMSA [Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association] sponsors spoken-word performance piece on hepatitis B on its website
• HBF [Hepatitis B Foundation] Liver Specialist Directory goes global
• Journal articles you may have missed

To access the June 5 issue, go to:
http://www.hepprograms.org/hepexpress/issue57.asp

To sign up for a free subscription to Hep Express, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/subscribe

To access previous issues of Hep Express, go to:
http://www.hepprograms.org/hepexpress

In May, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published "The Jordan Report: Accelerated Development of Vaccines 2007." The report was prepared under the supervision of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

According to the introduction, the 2007 edition outlines a number of significant advances made in infectious disease vaccine research and development since the previous edition was published in 2002. In addition, it offers a variety of perspectives from experts in the field on timely immunization topics, including adolescent vaccine platforms and vaccine supply.

To access the report online, click here.

The Immunization Coalitions Technical Assistance Network (IZTA) conference call on July 10 will provide an overview of pre-teen vaccine campaigns at the state and national levels. IZTA is a program of the Center for Health Communication, Academy for Educational Development.

The presenters are Kari Sapsis, MPH, health communication specialist, Office of Health Communication, CDC/NCIRD; and Natalie Nakahara, MFA, creative director, Information and Education Section, California Department of Health Services, Immunization Branch.

The July 10 call will be held at 2PM, ET. To register, send an email to izta@aed.org Include this message: "Sign me up for the pre-teen vaccine call."

For additional information, or to access earlier programs, go to: http://www.izta.org/confcall.cfm

CDC published "Erratum: Vol. 56, No. 18" in the June 8 issue of MMWR. It concerns an error that appeared in the article titled "Characteristics of Persons with Chronic Hepatitis B--San Francisco, California, 2006," which was published in the May 11 issue of MMWR. The erratum is reprinted below in its entirety.

To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html