Save the date! On July 28, Dr. William Atkinson will present "Improving Adolescent Immunization" webinar
Since the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made its first routine adolescent immunization recommendation for tetanus/acellular pertussis/diphtheria (Tdap) vaccine in 2005, several other important vaccines have been added to the ACIP’s recommended immunization schedule for adolescents. Now Tdap, meningococcal ACWY, meningococcal B (a “category B” recommendation, meaning it is recommended, but with individual clinical decision making), human papillomavirus (HPV), and influenza vaccines are all recommended for this age group. Although data from the
2014 National Immunization Survey–Teen (NIS-Teen) indicate vaccine coverage for adolescents is relatively high for the single recommended dose of Tdap, vaccines that require more than one dose to complete the series remain far below desired coverage levels.
To address this problem, William Atkinson, MD, MPH, IAC's associate director for immunization education, will present a one-hour webinar on adolescent immunization on July 28 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). During his presentation, Dr. Atkinson will review the recommendations for each adolescent vaccine, provide strategies to improve coverage rates in this population, and list available resources to assist immunization providers in their efforts to improve coverage rates.
Registration information for the webinar will be provided in next week’s issue of
IAC Express. In the meantime,
be sure to reserve July 28 from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. (ET) on your calendar.
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NAIIS’s Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System is now available for the 2016–2017 season
To assist clinics and others that are in need of influenza vaccine for the 2016–2017 influenza season, the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS) is pleased to announce that the Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System (IVATS) is up and operational. Several features to highlight include:
Please check back periodically for updates.
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August is National Immunization Awareness Month; 2016 communications toolkit now available
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. NIAM is sponsored by the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC). The 2016 edition of the communications toolkit, put out by NPHIC in collaboration with CDC, contains key messages, vaccine information, sample news releases and articles, sample social media messages, links to web resources from CDC and other organizations, and logos, web banners, posters, and graphics to use with social media. It also includes a media outreach toolkit and a place for you to share your NIAM activities and view what others are doing for NIAM, using the hashtag #NIAM16.
The observance features a different group each week of August:
- July/August: Ready for school? Check those vaccine records. (school-aged children)
- Week 1 (August 1–7): Vaccines are not just for kids (adults)
- Week 2 (August 8–14): Protect yourself and pass protection on to your baby (pregnant women)
- Week 3 (August 15–21): A healthy start begins with on-time vaccination (babies and young children)
- Week 4 (August 22–28): Ensure a healthy future with vaccines (preteens and teens)
CDC has provided the following suggestions to help providers promote vaccination during each week of NIAM.
- Update your materials with the latest information and key messages that are provided in the toolkit.
- Place matte articles (i.e., formatted, ready-to-print articles that are free to use in any publication) in newsletters, on your website, or in local news outlets. The articles provided in the toolkit assist in educating and motivating consumers to talk to their healthcare professional and get vaccinated, and also encourage healthcare professionals to strongly recommend the vaccines patients need. You can tailor the articles to your particular audience(s) to maximize their impact.
- Place NIAM logos and banners on your website and/or social media platforms to highlight your participation in NIAM.
- Create buzz for NIAM by using the social media messages in the toolkit. The messages are crafted in a way that enables you to use them as they are—or tailor them as you see fit for your audience(s).
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Association of Immunization Managers publishes new resource about selecting and using data loggers to monitor vaccine temperatures
You may know that a data logger is an electronic device that reads and records temperatures and then stores them in its internal memory. But are you confused about the qualities to consider when selecting a data logger and appropriately using it to monitor your vaccine storage temperatures? The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) has a great new resource to help.
The AIM Vaccine Storage and Handling Committee collaborated with AIM Corporate Alliance member Berlinger USA to develop A Step-by-Step Guide to Selecting and Using a Data Logger for Vaccine Inventory. This informative and concise resource summarizes: criteria for selecting a data logger; appropriately placing it within your vaccine storage unit; reading, recording, and reviewing observed temperatures; and what to do if vaccines are stored outside of the acceptable temperature range. This general information is applicable regardless of the type of data logger being used.
The new data logger guide is just one of the many helpful resources found on the AIM Vaccine Storage and Handling (VSH) resource page. The page also contains a link to the AIM Virtual Exhibit Hall webinar series, allowing providers to view vendor presentations of VSH-related products, and to access a library of additional VSH resources.
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IAC Spotlight! IAC enrolls five new birthing institutions into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll; four previously honored institutions qualify for additional years
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is pleased to announce that five new institutions have been accepted into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll. The birthing institutions are listed below with their reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rates in parentheses.
- Christus St. Michael Health System, Texarkana, TX (96%)
- Greene County General Hospital, Linton, IN (96%)
- Harrington Memorial Hospital, Southbridge, MA (98%)
- Harrison County Hospital, Corydon, IN (95%)
- Medical Center Hospital, Odessa, TX (95%)
The following three institutions are being recognized for a second year:
- 673rd Medical Group, JBER, AK (93%)
- Fort Madison Community Hospital, Fort Madison, IA (98%)
- Harrison County Hospital, Corydon, IN (98%)
[Note: Harrison County Hospital applied for two years at once.]
Additionally, the following institution is being recognized for a third year:
- Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO (92%)
The Honor Roll now includes 266 birthing institutions from 34 states and Puerto Rico. Seventy-eight institutions have qualified for two years, 23 institutions have qualified three times, and one institution has qualified four times.
The Honor Roll is a key part of IAC’s major initiative urging the nation’s hospitals to Give birth to the end of Hep B. Hospitals and birthing centers are recognized for attaining high coverage rates for administering hepatitis B vaccine at birth and meeting specific additional criteria. The initiative urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll online.
To be included in the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, a birthing institution must have: (1) reported a coverage rate of 90 percent or greater, over a 12-month period, for administering hepatitis B vaccine before hospital discharge to all newborns, including those whose parents refuse vaccination, and (2) implemented specific written policies, procedures, and protocols to protect all newborns from hepatitis B virus infection prior to hospital discharge.
Honorees are also awarded an 8.5" x 11" color certificate suitable for framing and their acceptance is announced to IAC Express’s approximately 50,000 readers.
Please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page that lists these institutions and their exceptional efforts to protect infants from perinatal hepatitis B transmission.
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One healthcare organization joins IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll for mandatory healthcare worker vaccination
Nearly 600 organizations are now enrolled in IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll. The honor roll recognizes hospitals, medical practices, professional organizations, health departments, and government entities that have taken a stand for patient safety by implementing mandatory influenza vaccination policies for healthcare personnel.
Since May 11, when IAC Express last reported on the Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll, one additional healthcare organization has been enrolled.
IAC urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply.
Newly added hospital
- Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Omaha NE
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Free bulk quantities of pneumococcal and zoster vaccination laminated pocket guides available from IAC for distribution within your organization and at conferences
Bulk quantities of two recently updated laminated pocket guides for use by healthcare professionals are yours free for the ordering! The guides address issues related to the administration of (1) pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13) and polysaccharide (PPSV23) vaccines and (2) zoster vaccine.
These concise pocket guides provide front-line healthcare personnel with quick reference information highlighting:
- Indications and contraindications for each vaccine
- Targeted populations to be vaccinated
- Details on how to administer the vaccines
- Talking points for discussions with patients
Each guide is laminated for durability, and the compact size (3¾" x 6¾") is designed to fit in a shirt or lab coat pocket.
The pocket guides are available at no cost to your organization. However, to assist us in controlling our mailing costs, we ask that you order in bulk (with a minimum order of 25) and that you manage the distribution of the guides (e.g., through internal networks, educational forums, member meetings, mass mailings) to your constituents.
To view the pocket guides and place your order, please visit www.immunize.org/pocketguides or click on either image below. These cards are for healthcare professional use only, not for distribution to patients.
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IAC HANDOUTS
“Influenza Vaccine Products for the 2016–2017 Influenza Season” now available
IAC recently released Influenza Vaccine Products for the 2016–2017 Influenza Season. The resource for providers offers information about vaccine products recommended for the 2016–2017 season, including age indications and billing codes.
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IAC's Handouts for Patients & Staff web section provides healthcare professionals and the public more than 250 FREE English-language handouts (many also available in translation), which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely.
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IAC updates and reformats “Personal belief exemptions for vaccination put people at risk”
IAC recently updated and reformatted Personal belief exemptions for vaccination put people at risk. Examine the evidence for yourself. The resource now includes journal articles through 2016.
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“Recommendations for Pneumococcal Vaccine Use in Children and Teens” updated and reformatted
IAC updated and reformatted Recommendations for Pneumococcal Vaccine Use in Children and Teens. This resource was updated to clarify recommendations on catch-up scheduling.
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VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS
Spanish translations of the HPV9, Meningococcal (MCV4/MPSV4), pediatric multi-vaccine, and PCV13 vaccine VISs are now available in rich text format (RTF)
If your organization utilizes an electronic medical records system such as GE Centricity or Epic, you may need Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) in a format other than a PDF file. To accommodate the need for electronic record-friendly formats, IAC has added VIS Spanish translations in rich text format (otherwise known as RTF) for the following recently updated VISs: HPV9, Meningococcal (MCV4/MPSV4), pediatric multi-vaccine, and PCV13 vaccine.
Providing Spanish translations of VISs in RTF is possible because of IAC's five-year cooperative agreement with CDC to support IAC’s role as the official clearinghouse of VIS translations.
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WORLD NEWS
WHO publishes travel guidelines from the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia for Hajj travelers in Weekly Epidemiological Report
WHO published Health conditions for travellers to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), 2016 in the July 1 Weekly Epidemiological Record. A selection from article is reprinted below.
Updating immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases in all travellers is strongly recommended. Preparation for international travel provides the opportunity to review the immunization status of travellers. Travellers who are incompletely immunized can be offered routine vaccinations recommended in national immunization schedules (these usually include diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles and mumps), in addition to those needed for the specific travel (e.g. meningococcal vaccination for Hajj).
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AAP Ohio Chapter releases Fast Vax Facts app
The Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics released a free new app,
Fast Vax Facts. The app includes easy-to-access vaccine information for both parents and health providers. The app is found in the
iTunes stores for iOS devices and the
Google Play store for Android devices.
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Download Dr. Gary Marshall's The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (“The Purple Book") as a new app for iOS devices or purchase as a print book
The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (“The Purple Book,” 2015) is a comprehensive source of practical, up-to-date information for vaccine providers and educators. Its author, Gary S. Marshall, MD, has drawn together the latest vaccine science and guidance into a concise, user-friendly, practical resource for the private office, public health clinic, academic medical center, and hospital. This book is now available as a new app for iOS devices.
Information about the iOS app version of The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians
The Vaccine Handbook App contains the 5th edition of the book, updated with the latest immunization schedules and recommendations. The app enhances the utility of an already valuable print resource by including functions like keyword search, internal links, bookmarking, quick access to schedules and tables, hyperlinks to external sources, and the ability for real-time updates. A resources section provides ready access to authoritative immunization-related websites. Available through a collaboration between the publisher and Sanofi Pasteur, registration as well as reporting under Open Payments is required. (Offer void in Minnesota.) Click on the image below to visit the relevant App Store page to download this resource today.
Information about the print version of The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians
The fifth edition of this valuable guide (560 pages) is available on IAC's website at www.immunize.org/vaccine-handbook. The price of the handbook is $29.95 each, plus shipping charges. Discount pricing is available for more than 10 copies. Order copies for your staff or for distribution at an upcoming conference.
Quantity Discount Pricing
- 1–10 books: no discount + shipping
- 11–50 books: 5% + shipping
- 51–100 books: 10% + shipping
- 101–500 books: 15% + shipping
- 501–1000 books: 20% + shipping
For quotes on larger quantities, email admininfo@immunize.org.
Order your copy today! Click on the image below to visit the "Shop IAC: The Vaccine Handbook" web page.
About the Author
Gary Marshall, MD, is professor of pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky, where he serves as chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases and director of the Pediatric Clinical Trials Unit. In addition to being a busy clinician, he is nationally known for his work in the areas of vaccine research, advocacy, and education.
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Still available! IAC's sturdy laminated versions of the 2016 U.S. child/teen immunization schedule and the 2016 U.S. adult immunization schedule—order a supply for your healthcare setting today!
IAC's laminated versions of the 2016 U.S. child/teen immunization schedule and the 2016 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. Both schedules are eight pages (i.e., four double-sided pages) and are folded to measure 8.5" x 11".
Laminated schedules are printed in color for easy reading, come complete with essential tables and footnotes, and include contraindications and precautions—a feature that will help you make an on-the-spot determination about the safety of vaccinating patients of any age.
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 email admininfo@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.
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JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
June issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available
CDC recently released the June issue of its monthly newsletter Immunization Works and posted it on the website of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The newsletter offers the immunization community information about current topics. The information is in the public domain and can be reproduced and circulated widely.
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
University at Albany School of Public Health to offer July 21 webinar on maternal immunization
As part of their Public Health Live! series, the University at Albany School of Public Health is offering a webinar titled
The Importance of Maternal Immunization on July 21 at 9:00 a.m. (ET). This webinar, led by Rhoda Sperling, MD, and Elizabeth Rausch-Phung, MD, MPH, will review current recommendations and best practices for maternal immunization, the benefits of immunization against influenza and Tdap, as well as recommendations for putting successful prenatal immunization programs into practice. The webinar will be available online for two weeks after the live presentation.
Registration (required) is open now.
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Weekly CDC webinar series on "The Pink Book" chapter topics continues through September 21; register now
CDC is presenting a 15-part webinar series to provide a chapter-by-chapter overview of the 13th edition of Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (also known as "The Pink Book"). This is a live series of one-hour webinars that started June 1. Recordings of sessions will be available online after each webinar. All sessions begin at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Information about receiving continuing education credit will be available for each session after it is archived. CE credit may be available for up to a year after the date it was live.
Registration and more information is available on CDC's Pink Book Webinar Series web page.
Download Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Order Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
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CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
Indiana Immunization Coalition “The Pink Book” training scheduled for October 12–13
The Indiana Immunization Coalition will be offering a two-day, in-person course covering Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases ("The Pink Book") on October 12–13. The Pink Book Training is a comprehensive review of immunization principles, as well as vaccine-preventable diseases and the recommended vaccines to prevent them. The course will cover the most up-to-date immunization information from ACIP presented by faculty from CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Registration is available here.
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ASK THE EXPERTS
Question of the Week
The meningococcal conjugate vaccine recommendations state that a routine second dose of meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine needs to be given at 16 years of age. Children with asplenia or other high-risk conditions should receive a booster dose every 5 years. If a child with a high-risk condition receives a dose of MenACWY at age 9 years (and a second primary dose 8 weeks later), should they receive a booster dose at age 14 years (5 years after the primary series), or should they receive a dose at age 16 years as recommended in the routine schedule?
The MenACWY booster dose should be given at 14 years (5 years after the primary series) and every 5 years thereafter. The every 5-year booster dose schedule for persons with high-risk conditions takes precedent over the routine second dose schedule.
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.
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