IAC Express 2007
Issue number 666: May 29, 2007
 
Contents of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article.
  1. New: IAC website redesign underway, new web sections added
  2. IAC updates four of its immunization-education pieces
  3. CDC adds guidance for planning a large-scale influenza vaccination clinic to its influenza web section
  4. OSHA releases pandemic influenza guidance for healthcare personnel
  5. WHO's World Health Assembly reaches agreement on sharing influenza viruses and access to influenza vaccines
 
Abbreviations
AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; AMA, American Medical Association; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; IAC, Immunization Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; NCIRD, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; NIVS, National Influenza Vaccine Summit; VIS, Vaccine Information Statement; VPD, vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health Organization.
  
Issue 666: May 29, 2007
1.  New: IAC website redesign underway, new web sections added

Website redesign is in the works at www.immunize.org! The changes are geared to make it easy for visitors to explore the breadth of information on our website. You'll find three of the newly designed web pages really valuable. You can find them easily at the center top of our home page at http://www.immunize.org For details and to access them directly, read on:

The newest, "Vaccines and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in the News," lists URLs for news articles, features, opinion pieces, and editorials published in the news media about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. Here's the link:
http://www.immunize.org/vaccinenews

"What's New at IAC" is a chronological list of new and revised IAC materials. Here's the link: http://www.immunize.org/new

Check out the "New Releases" web page for just-published VISs from CDC, recommendations from ACIP, vaccine policy statements from AAP, and clinically relevant press releases. Here's the link: http://www.immunize.org/newreleases

Just below the blue banner at the top of IAC's home page, you'll find links to current and archived issues of "Needle Tips," "Vaccinate Adults," "Vaccinate Women," IAC Express, and Hep Express, as well as to Unprotected People Reports, print materials, resources, VISs, photos, videos, and more.

Other freshly designed IAC web sections include those for VISs, Unprotected People, and "Shop IAC"--all have been spotlighted in recent issues of IAC Express. Here are the direct links:

VISs: For VISs in more than 30 languages, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis

Unprotected People: For case histories, articles, and editorials about people who have suffered or died from VPDs, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports

"Shop IAC": For easy one-stop shopping for IAC's products available for purchase, go to: http://www.immunize.org/shop

Subscribe: If you haven't already subscribed to receive IAC's print publications "Needle Tips," "Vaccinate Adults," and "Vaccinate Women," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/subscribe

"Needle Tips": For current and archived issues, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/nt

"Vaccinate Adults": For current and archived issues, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/va

"Vaccinate Women": For current and archived issues, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw

IAC Express: For the complete archives, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/express

Hep Express: For the complete archives, go to:
http://www.hepprograms.org/hepexpress

"About Us": For a listing of who's who among IAC's staff, advisory board, and board of directors, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/aboutus

Going forward, more and more IAC web sections will be integrated into the new design, with the culmination of the web redesign featuring a brand new look for the home page, so check back often to monitor the changes taking place at www.immunize.org

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2 IAC updates four of its immunization-education pieces

IAC recently updated four immunization-education pieces. Details and links follow.

A question concerning long-term health problems was added to "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization."

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065scr.pdf

Updates were made to "Vaccinations for Adults: You're never too old to get immunized!"

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030a.pdf

"Administering Vaccines to Adults: Dose, route, site, needle size, and preparation," was revised to change the dosage information for live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV; nasal spray) to 0.2 mL (0.1 mL into each nostril); previously it was 0.5 mL (0.25 mL into each nostril).

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3084.pdf

"Unusual Cases of Hepatitis B Virus Transmission" was updated to add six new cases.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2100nrs.pdf

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3 CDC adds guidance for planning a large-scale influenza vaccination clinic to its influenza web section

CDC recently added two guidelines to its Influenza web section:

  1. "Guidelines for Large-Scale Influenza Vaccination Clinic Planning"
  2. "Guidelines for Large-Scale Influenza Vaccination Clinic Planning," including a supplement of provisional recommendations for the tiered use of inactivated influenza vaccine to be used only in the event of a vaccine shortage.

To access these resources, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/whatsnew.htm and click on the pertinent link.

To access a broad range of continually updated information on seasonal influenza, avian influenza, pandemic influenza, and swine influenza, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu

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4 OSHA releases pandemic influenza guidance for healthcare personnel

On May 21, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a press release announcing new safety and health guidelines for healthcare personnel in the event of an influenza pandemic. Portions of the press release are reprinted below.


The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has unveiled new safety and health guidance that will help healthcare workers and their employers prepare for a possible influenza pandemic. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers (available at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_pandemic_health.pdf) was released today by the agency. . . .

A comprehensive resource for healthcare planners and practitioners, the new guidance offers information and tools to assist the industry in preparing for and responding to an influenza pandemic. It includes technical information on infection control and industrial hygiene practices to reduce the risk of infection in healthcare settings; workplace preparations and planning issues; and OSHA standards that have special importance to pandemic preparedness planners and responders in the industry. . . .

To access the complete press release, click here.

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5 WHO's World Health Assembly reaches agreement on sharing influenza viruses and access to influenza vaccines

On May 23, WHO issued a press release regarding an agreement that was reached by the World Health Assembly (WHA) at its May 14-23 meeting. WHA is WHO's supreme decision-making body. Portions of the press release are reprinted below.

Also on May 23, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a statement on the topic made by Mike Leavitt, the HHS secretary; and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva issued a press release related to the WHA agreement. Links to both documents appear at the end of this IAC Express article.


Member States agreed [on] a resolution [that] will help all countries better prepare for the global public health threat [that] an influenza pandemic presents. The resolution, "Sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits," restates the general principles of the necessity of sharing both in the preparations for an influenza pandemic and the benefits that will flow from improved international cooperation and preparation, such as greater quantities of and equitable access to H5N1 and pandemic vaccines.

In her closing remarks, [WHO] Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan told the delegates, "All countries need to be aware of their obligations under the revised International Health Regulations [IHR]. When collective security is at stake, public opinion can carry great weight. After very considerable discussion, you have adopted a resolution on the sharing of influenza viruses and access to pandemic vaccines and other benefits. I want to underscore the importance of this decision. My responsibilities in implementing the IHR depend on this sharing. . . ."


To access the complete WHO press release, go to:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/wha02/en

To access the statement by HHS Secretary Leavitt, go to:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2007pres/05/pr20070523a.html

To access the press release from the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, go to:
http://geneva.usmission.gov/Press2007/0523WHAbirdflu.html

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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.IZ Express DisclaimerISSN 2771-8085

Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
  • Associate Editor
    Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
  • Writer/Publication Coordinator
    Taryn Chapman, MS
    Courtnay Londo, MA
  • Style and Copy Editor
    Marian Deegan, JD
  • Web Edition Managers
    Arkady Shakhnovich
    Jermaine Royes
  • Contributing Writer
    Laurel H. Wood, MPA
  • Technical Reviewer
    Kayla Ohlde

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