On January 30, 2008, CDC posted a multi-vaccine VIS on its website. This new VIS may be used in place of individual VISs whenever routine birth through 6-month vaccines (DTaP, IPV, Hib, hepatitis B, PCV, and rotavirus) are administered, or when combination vaccines are used (e.g., Pediarix or Comvax).

The multi-vaccine VIS is available from the IAC website at http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_multi1.pdf and the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-multi.pdf

Because many healthcare professionals have had questions about using this new resource, CDC has added a "Frequently Asked Questions" page to its website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/multi-vis-faqs.htm If you have a question about the new VIS that is not covered in the above, please email crw4@cdc.gov

CDC has developed a flyer for clinicians regarding the proper use of Hib vaccine during the current shortage. The text of the flyer reads:

On March 5, CDC issued a correction to the "Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0-18 Years, U.S. 2008." The correction is in the "Catch-up Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 4 Months to 18 Years Who Start Late or Who Are More than 1 Month Behind."

The entry for HPV vaccine catch-up was changed to indicate that the third dose needs to be administered not earlier than 24 weeks from the first dose. The minimum intervals between dose 1 and dose 2 as well as between dose 2 and dose 3 remain unchanged.

The corrected catch-up schedule may be found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm#catchup

The official U.S. immunization schedule for children and teens is available in its entirety at
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm

On March 6, CDC hosted a telebriefing about the public health response to childhood vaccine safety. The call was intended to answer some of questions and misstatements that have arisen in the media in response to a recent vaccine injury compensation case. As discussion of individual claims filed under the Childhood Vaccine Injury Act is prohibited without the written consent of the person who submitted the information, the experts on the call did not discuss specifics of the case, but rather provided general information on related terms and concepts, especially mitochondrial diseases and disorders.

To access the transcript of this call, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/transcripts/2008/t080307.htm

To read a March 3 statement by the Health Resources and Services Administration on autism and the Vaccine Injury Program, go to:
http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2008/vaccinestatement.htm

For information about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, visit http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation

To read about the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Office of Special Masters, visit
http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/vaccine-programoffice-special-masters

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Childhood Influenza Immunization Coalition have developed an online, interactive Influenza Vaccine Algorithm to help healthcare professionals determine the number and timing of vaccine doses needed to protect patients age six months to nine years.

To access the algorithm program, go to:
http://www.preventchildhoodinfluenza.org/resource/algorithm.php

To explore other resources from the Childhood Influenza Immunization Coalition, visit their website at
http://www.preventchildhoodinfluenza.org

CDC recently added two resources to its Seasonal Flu web section:

• "The 2007-2008 flu season"
• "Influenza antiviral drug resistance"

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

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is offering a webcast series on pandemic influenza, with the first seminar scheduled for March 13, at 2:00 PM ET. These live discussions are intended to help state planners with the next round of pandemic influenza planning. Questions can be submitted by email in advance of the webcast. For more information, go to: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/news/panflu_webinar.html

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

To access more information on pandemic and avian influenza from HHS, go to: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/index.html

IAC recently revised three of its print educational resources, "Vaccine Administration Record for Adults," "Questions Parents Ask About Baby Shots," and "Guide to Contraindications and Precautions to Commonly Used Vaccines."

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated "Vaccine Administration Record for Adults," go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2023.pdf

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated "Questions Parents Ask About Baby Shots," go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4025.pdf

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated "Guide to Contraindications and Precautions to Commonly Used Vaccines," go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3072a.pdf

CDC published "Cost of Vaccinating Refugees Overseas Versus After Arrival in the United States, 2005" in the March 7 issue of MMWR. A summary made available to the press is reprinted below in its entirety.

CDC published "U.S.-Incurred Costs of Wild Poliovirus Infections in a Camp with U.S.-Bound Refugees--Kenya, 2006" in the March 7 issue of MMWR. The first paragraph is reprinted below.

CDC published "Errata: Vol. 57, No. 6" in the March 7 issue of MMWR. This article refers to a report in the February 15 issue of MMWR, found at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5706a2.htm The text of the errata follows in its entirety.

Influenza is currently circulating, and vaccination should continue from now until May. Visit the following websites often to find the information you need to keep vaccinating. Both 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

The eighth National Conference on Immunization & Health Coalitions will be held in San Francisco on May 21-23, 2008. The deadline for standard registration is May 15.

To access comprehensive conference information, go to:
http://www.sfimmunize.org/page2.html

For the fifth year in a row, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has produced the National Healthcare Quality Report and the National Healthcare Disparities Report. These reports measure trends in effectiveness of care, patient safety, timeliness of care, patient centeredness, and efficiency of care.

These reports are mandated by Congress and draw on more than three dozen databases, most sponsored by federal health agencies. Some of the information is related to immunization.

The Quality and Disparities Reports are available online at www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr07.htm, by calling (800) 358-9295, or by sending an email to ahrqpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov

A live two-day "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases" course will be held in Atlanta on April 15-16, at CDC.

This two-day course provides the most current information available in the constantly changing field of immunization. It offers a comprehensive overview of immunization; general recommendations; and vaccine storage, handling, and administration. The course will also highlight one or more emerging issues in the field.

Space is limited, so please register early. Continuing education credits will be provided. For registration information, download the course brochure found at
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/downloads/atl-brochure2008.pdf

For more information, please contact Laverne Graham at (404) 639-8225.

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America's (SHEA) Annual Scientific Meeting will be held April 5-8, in Orlando, Florida.

This year's SHEA conference will include sessions on employee health and vaccination, pediatrics and the autism/vaccine debate, and the emergence of non-vaccine serogroups in pediatrics. SHEA received a record number of abstracts this year, and the meeting will feature more than 300 presentations of up-to-date research.

For more information on the conference, go to:
https://registration.expoexchange.com/showshe081/default.aspx

For more information about SHEA, visit their website at http://www.shea-online.org

Tuberculosis takes more than 1.6 million lives each year and drug-resistant TB is a growing threat around the world, with more than 45 countries (including the United States) reporting extensive drug-resistant TB.

World TB Day is March 24. Go to the Stop TB Partnership website at http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/2008 to download educational materials and plan World TB Day activities.

On March 13, the Global Health Council, the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation, and the American Thoracic Society are sponsoring a Congressional briefing on TB issues and research. For information on attending, go to: http://www.globalhealth.org/news/article/9695