IAC HANDOUTS FEATURED RESOURCES
TOP STORIES The Immunization Action Coalition is relocating! Location, location, location! After twenty years at 1573 Selby Avenue in Saint Paul, we are excited about moving our offices across town to newly designed quarters at the dynamic Court International building. Here’s our shiny new address after July 18: Immunization Action Coalition 2550 University Avenue West Suite 415 North Saint Paul, MN 55114 Our phone and fax numbers will not change.
Back to top Reminder: July issues of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults available online The July 2014 issues of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults are available online. Vaccinate Adults is an abbreviated version of Needle Tips with the pediatric content removed. Click on the images below to download the entire July issues (PDF) of Needle Tips and/or Vaccinate Adults.   Needle Tips: View the table of contents, magazine viewer, and back issues. Vaccinate Adults: View the table of contents, magazine viewer, and back issues. If you would like to receive immediate email notification whenever new issues of Needle Tips or Vaccinate Adults are released, visit IAC's subscribe page to sign up. Back to top Measles count continues to rise in Washington state On July 10, the Washington State Department of Health issued a press release about outbreaks of measles in the state. The first four paragraphs are reprinted below. Washington has had more measles cases so far this year than in the past five years combined. State health officials are sounding the alarm to remind people that vaccination is the best protection against the spread of this serious and preventable disease. So far in 2014 there have been 27 measles cases in Washington, up from the five reported in 2013. The most recent cases reported in the past month have been in King County (11 confirmed cases) and Pierce County (two confirmed cases). This is the third measles outbreak in our state this year and the number of cases so far is the highest reported in any year since 1996. People can check the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and Multicare websites for a list of places visited by cases while they were contagious. Anyone who visited places at the listed dates and times should find out if they’ve been vaccinated for measles or have had the disease. Washington’s trend reflects the national trend. From Jan. 1 to July 3 of this year, the U.S. has experienced the highest number of cases since elimination of ongoing measles virus circulation in the U.S. was documented in 2000. Almost all of these cases are attributed to 17 outbreaks. The resurgence is linked to several factors—people not being vaccinated, and the fact that measles is still common in many parts of the world including parts of Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa. Travelers with the measles continue to bring the disease to the U.S. and it spreads when it reaches communities where groups of people aren’t vaccinated. Related Links
CDC publishes interim guidance for polio vaccination and travel CDC published Interim CDC Guidance for Polio Vaccination for Travel to and from Countries Affected by Wild Poliovirus in the July 11 issue of MMWR (pages 591–594). This report was previously published as an MMWR Early Release on July 7, and was covered in IAC Express on July 8. This report provides an update on CDC policy for polio vaccination of travelers for health protection. The "Vaccine Recommendations and Requirements" and "Vaccine Recommendations for Travelers to Countries with WPV [wild poliovirus] Circulation" sections are reprinted below. Vaccine Recommendations and Requirements Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and CDC recommendations are evidence-based and provide public health recommendations to the general public on the basis of the best available epidemiological and scientific data to prevent poliovirus infection. This includes recommendations for travelers visiting countries with WPV circulation in the last 12 months or countries and provinces where they will be in situations with a high risk for exposure to persons with imported poliovirus infection. Three countries are still endemic for polio (Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan). Countries where WPV has circulated during the previous 12 months include those endemic countries and those with polio outbreaks or environmental evidence of active WPV circulation during this time (Cameroon, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Israel, Somalia, and Syria). Travelers working in health-care settings, refugee camps, or other humanitarian aid settings in these and neighboring countries might be at particular risk for exposure to WPV. Recommendations for vaccination under the International Health Regulations differ from ACIP and CDC recommendations and include exit requirements for proof of polio vaccination when leaving the country at borders or through airports. If implemented by a country, these requirements could be mandatory and are intended to prevent exportation of WPV. Vaccine Recommendations for Travelers to Countries with WPV Circulation Persons at greatest risk for acquiring polio are unvaccinated persons. In the United States, infants and children should be vaccinated against polio as part of a routine immunization series. Before traveling to areas with WPV circulation, all travelers should ensure that they have completed the recommended age-appropriate polio vaccine series and have received a booster dose, if necessary. Related Links
Ideas to help you celebrate National Immunization Awareness Month in August Every year in August, National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of immunization and the need for improving national vaccination coverage levels. The National Public Health Information Coalition, in collaboration with CDC, has developed a National Immunization Awareness Month Communication Toolkit that includes key messages, vaccine information, sample news releases and articles, sample social media messages, and links to web resources from CDC and other organizations. The observance features a different population each week:
Back to top Dr. L.J Tan, IAC's chief strategy officer, moderates Medscape video on improving adult immunization rates Medscape recently posted a 30-minute video titled A Practical Guide to Improving Adult Vaccination Rates in Your Practice. In this session, Litjen (L.J) Tan, PhD, chief strategy officer, IAC, and Ruth Carrico, RN, PhD, University of Louisville, both experts in adult immunization practices, offer a step-by-step guide to improving adult vaccination rates. Continuing medical education credit is available for completing a course and taking a test afterward. Login (free) is required to access the online courses. You can also search Medscape's CME & Education section for topics of interest. Back to top IAC HANDOUTS IAC offers several immunization schedules designed for patients across the age span IAC wants to remind you that during the last year we created a new selection of patient- and parent-friendly schedules. Please review them to see if they might be of help to you in your work setting.
IAC's Handouts for Patients & Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public more than 300 handouts, including translations, which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely. Back to top FEATURED RESOURCES San Diego partnership creates new immunization handout for pregnant women and their prenatal care providers "Immunizations for San Diego Kids," a grant-funded project in San Diego that works to increase childhood immunizations and decrease personal belief exemptions, has developed a new handout for pregnant women based on focus group feedback and a literature review. The goal is to move the discussion about childhood immunizations to pregnancy instead of the busy time after birth. The prenatal care provider can initiate the discussion, give the pregnant woman the brochure at the time of her Tdap or influenza vaccination, and suggest that she schedule an appointment with the baby’s healthcare provider to further discuss immunization. The brochure and other resources can be accessed from the project's website at www.WhyImmunizeKids.org. "Immunizations for San Diego Kids" is a partnership of Rady Children's Hospital–San Diego, Children's Physicians Medical Group, Children's Primary Care Medical Group, California Chapter 3 of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and First 5 San Diego. Related Links
IAC's sturdy laminated versions of the 2014 U.S. child/teen immunization schedule and the 2014 U.S. adult immunization schedule—order a supply for your healthcare setting today! IAC's laminated versions of the 2014 U.S. child/teen immunization schedule and the 2014 U.S. adult immunization schedule are covered with a tough, washable coating; they will stand up to a year's worth of use in every area of your healthcare setting where immunizations are given. The child and adolescent schedule has eight pages (i.e., four double-sided pages) and is folded to measure 8.5" x 11". The adult immunization schedule has six pages (i.e., three double-sided pages) and is folded to measure 8.5" x 11".
  PRICING 1–4 copies: $7.50 each 5–19 copies: $5.50 each 20–99 copies: $4.50 each 100–499 copies: $4.00 each 500–999 copies: $3.50 each For quotes on customizing or placing orders for 1,000 copies or more, call (651) 647-9009 or emailadmininfo@immunize.org. You can access specific information on both schedules, view images of both, order online, or download an order form at the Shop IAC: Laminated Schedules web page. Related Link Back to top Ask the Experts Question of the Week We have an adult who was diagnosed with polio as a child with some residual effects. This adult will be traveling overseas and the CDC travel website recommends a dose of polio vaccine. Should he be vaccinated with polio vaccine even though he had polio in the past? Answer: Immunity to one of the serotypes of polio does not produce significant immunity to the other serotypes. A history of having recovered from polio disease should not be considered evidence of immunity to polio. It would be appropriate to vaccinate this adult if he will be traveling to an area for which polio vaccination is recommended. About IAC's Question of the Week Each week, IAC Express highlights a new, topical, or important-to-reiterate Q&A. This feature is a cooperative venture between IAC and CDC. William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, IAC's associate director for immunization education, chooses a new Q&A to feature every week from a set of Q&As prepared by experts at CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. We hope you enjoy this new feature and find it helpful when dealing with difficult real-life scenarios in your vaccination practice. Please encourage your healthcare professional colleagues to sign up to receive IAC Express at www.immunize.org/subscribe. If you have a question for the CDC immunization experts, you can email them directly at nipinfo@cdc.gov. There is no charge for this service. Related Links
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About IZ Express
IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. 1NH23IP922654 from CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Immunize.org and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.
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ISSN 2771-8085
IZ Express Disclaimer
ISSN 2771-8085
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