IAC's 2009 laminated immunization schedules are a must for every exam room at your practice site. We offer the laminated schedules for two age groups. The child/teen immunization schedule is for people ages 0 through 18 years; the adult schedule is for those older than 18. Though both are adapted from the immunization schedules that were posted on the CDC website in January, the laminated schedules offer these advantages over downloadable paper versions:

• Coated in thick plastic, the laminated schedules are washable and will hold up to a year's worth of use as teaching tools that give providers, patients, and parents authoritative information about the vaccines recommended for various age groups. You can also use them as a handy reference to consult at a moment's notice.
   
• For the second year in a row, IAC has added a significant feature to the two laminated schedules. Each includes a guide to contraindications and precautions for the pertinent age group (i.e., the child/teen schedule has a guide to contraindications and precautions for child/teen vaccines, and the adult schedule has a guide for adult vaccines). Healthcare professionals will find these guides extremely valuable in making an on-the-spot determination about vaccinating any patient they see in their practice.

The durable laminated schedules come complete with essential footnotes and are printed in color for easy reading. Each schedule has six pages (i.e., three double-sided pages), and when folded, measures 8.5" x 11".

To learn more about the schedules, to view images of each, or to order online or download an order form, visit www.immunize.org/shop

Prices start at $10 each for 1-4 copies and drop to $6.50 each for 5-19 copies. Discount pricing is available for 20 or more copies. For quotes on customizing or placing orders in excess of 999 schedules, call (651) 647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org

Making Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) available in more than 35 languages is a hallmark of IAC's website. The VIS home page is the website's most frequently visited section, receiving thousands of visits each day. IAC recently fine-tuned the look and navigation of the VIS web section, making it simple for visitors to find the most recent issue dates of VISs at a glance and to access up-to-date VISs easily.

Need to check for current VIS dates? IAC maintains a quick-reference chart of dates on the VIS home page. Check the dates on your VISs against the dates on the chart. If your supply of VISs contains any out-of-date ones, you can choose to search for VISs sorted alphabetically, as well as by vaccine name and language. Note: All VISs on IAC's site are in ready-to-print (PDF) format. You will need Adobe Reader to view them.

To view the VIS home page, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis

To view the "VISs Alphabetical" web page, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/?f=7

To view the "VISs by Vaccine" index page, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/?f=8

To view the "VISs by Language" index page, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/?f=9

Look for the new navigation column on the left side of the VIS home page. It provides quick links to more VIS web subsections, such as "How to Use VISs," "Other VIS Sources," "VISs in Alternative Formats," and "Michigan Versions of VISs." You will also find links to "More IAC Materials."

Are you interested in providing IAC with any new or updated translations of VISs? Read the letter of instruction at http://www.immunize.org/translating/trans_letter.pdf Then contact admininfo@immunize.org

For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in more than 35 languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at http://www.immunize.org/vis

U.S. Influenza activity is really on the move. In the week of February 22-28, CDC received reports of five more U.S. children killed by complications from influenza; the total of reported pediatric influenza deaths this influenza season now stands at 22. Thirty-one states have reported widespread influenza activity, up from 27 the previous week.

Yearly vaccination is the first and most important step in protecting against influenza and its complications. It is important to continue vaccinating into the spring months. The supply of influenza vaccine is robust; if you run out of vaccine in your work setting, please place another order.

For abundant information about influenza vaccination, visit the following two websites often. They are continually updated with the latest resources:

The National Influenza Vaccine Summit website at
http://www.preventinfluenza.org

CDC's Seasonal Flu web section at http://www.cdc.gov/flu

Using song and lyrics to raise awareness of the importance of influenza vaccination for its employees, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania created a five-minute video, "Baby, Be Wise--Immunize." It features scores of employees lip-synching to a doo-wop beat.

The video will be available on the home page of IAC's website through March 15. To access it, go to: http://www.immunize.org and click on the image under the words Video of the Week, which you'll find toward the top of the page. It may take a few moments for the video to begin playing; please be patient!

Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video every Monday. While you're at our home page, we encourage you to browse around--you're sure to find resources and information that will enhance your practice's immunization delivery.

To view IAC's video collection, go to:
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/video

On March 2, NCIRD updated its information on the supply status of vaccines recommended in the U.S. childhood and adolescent immunization schedule. The updated information is reprinted below.

To receive email notification of updated information, click on the URL above; then click on the link near the top of the page titled Get Email Updates (it's next to an image of a mailbox).

The journal Stanford Medicine has devoted the lion share of its spring 2009 issue to a special report on vaccines and immunization. Titled "Hot Shots: Vaccines under the gun," the report comprises articles that examine vaccines and vaccination from many angles. The table of contents follows:

• A letter from former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, president and co-founder of Every Child By Two
• The demonization of immunization: Shots get the once over
• What is a vaccine? Immunization demystified
• Asking how: Vaccine side effects probed
• When science gets hijacked: NBC News chief medical editor tells why she broke her silence
• Insourced to India: A vaccine for a scourge of the developing world
• Peet's passion: The medical education of Amanda Peet
• Field yields: Can genetically-engineered plants provide vaccines?
• Shoot it, don't smoke it: An injectable tobacco-grown vaccine
• Golden needles: Vaccines for seniors
• Grow up: What to do when immunity wanes

In addition, the Departments section of the spring issue includes another vaccine-related article, "Backstory--A vaccine against vampires: The genetics of TB hold the key."

To access Stanford Medicine's spring issue, go to:
http://stanmed.stanford.edu/2009spring

Originally held on February 19, the webcast "Vaccines: Wading through the Confusion" is now available on the website of the California Department of Public Health. The 1.5-hour video features a panel of medical, scientific, public health, and communication professionals discussing parents' questions and fears about vaccines. It also includes parents whose lives have been touched by vaccine-preventable diseases or by autism.

To access the video, go to: http://www.brochure2blog.org/publichealthcafe Note: The video begins with about five minutes of recorded music; the panel discussion follows.

The website of the What to Expect Foundation recently added a 14-minute video to its web section on childhood immunization. The video features Heidi Murkoff, the author of the popular What to Expect When You're Expecting prenatal and parenting books, and Dr. Jay M. Lieberman, pediatrician and professor of pediatrics, University of California School of Medicine, Irvine.

The video, which can be viewed in short segments, answers questions about the number, safety, and timing of childhood vaccinations. To access the video, go to:
http://www.whattoexpect.com/child-vaccinations

An array of downloadable immunization information is also available from the link above, including the "What to Expect Guide to Immunizations," available in English and Spanish.

The What to Expect Foundation is the nonprofit arm of the What to Expect When You're Expecting book series.

Dated 9/18/08, the most current version of the interim multi-vaccine VIS is available for the first time in Korean. IAC gratefully acknowledges the Minnesota Department of Health for the translation.

To access the Korean version of the interim multi-vaccine VIS, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/ko_multi.pdf

To access the English version of the interim multi-vaccine VIS, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_multi1.pdf

For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in more than 35 languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at http://www.immunize.org/vis

For general information about VISs from CDC's website go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis

NCIRD recently added a new online tool to its website--a sortable table of basic information about vaccines licensed for use in the U.S. It allows users to access information by vaccine name, abbreviation, trade name, and manufacturer. As an example, a user who was interested in finding out about Kinrix would click on the "trade name" column heading to get a listing of vaccines sorted alphabetically by trade name. From there, the user would learn that Kinrix is a DTaP-IPV inactivated combination vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and licensed for intramuscular administration to children ages 4-6 years as the fifth dose of DTaP and the fourth dose of IPV. Pretty slick!

To access the table, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/about/terms/USVaccines.html

NOTE: The abbreviations given in the table are the standardized vaccine abbreviations agreed upon by various groups and individuals within CDC and beyond. They are intended to provide a uniform approach to vaccine references used in ACIP immunization recommendations, MMWR articles, NCIRD's Pink Book, AAP's Red Book, and other publications. For more information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/vac-abbrev.htm

CDC published "Hepatitis C Virus Transmission at an Outpatient Hemodialysis Unit--New York, 2001-2008" in the March 6 issue of MMWR. A summary made available to the press is reprinted below in its entirety.

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

The second and third semesters of the Coalition University's three-part training series will be held in Baltimore on March 18-19 and May 13, respectively. Intended for health promotion professionals, the related Points Across VI conference is scheduled for May 14, also in Baltimore. Information on the Coalition University's second and third semesters and Points Across VI follow.

COALITION UNIVERSITY'S SECOND AND THIRD SEMESTERS
The Coalition University series is designed to provide the multi-disciplinary skill set necessary for creating, maintaining, and participating in successful coalitions.

The second semester will focus on conflict management, fundraising, strategic planning (part I), board development, and cultural competency. The third semester will cover volunteer management, media relations, strategic planning (part II), advocacy, and program evaluation.

To download the Coalition University class schedule and registration information in ready-to-print (PDF) format, go to: http://www.edcp.org/pdf/Coalition_University_Reg.pdf Note: Limited space is still available for the second semester.

POINTS ACROSS VI
This year's Points Across conference is titled Back to the Basics. It will present information on professional development and self-care for health promotion professionals. To download information about the conference, including registration information, go to:
http://www.edcp.org/pdf/2009_Points_Across_VI_Brochure.pdf

For additional information on either the Coalition University or Points Across VI, email info@immunizemaryland.org or call (410) 902-4677.

CDC published "Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication--Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2008" in the March 6 issue of MMWR. A summary made available to the press is reprinted below in its entirety.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5808.pdf