IAC Express 2010

To aid in efforts to vaccinate against influenza, the Immunization Action Coalition is inviting IAC Express readers to place orders now for bulk quantities of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit's 2010-11 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Pocket Information Guides. They're free--you can order them in the hundreds or thousands!

These laminated, 3.75 x 6.75-inch, 2-color cards serve as a convenient reference for front-line healthcare professionals who vaccinate patients. The cards provide the following information:

• Indications, contraindications, and precautions for the injectable and intranasal seasonal influenza vaccines
• Clear direction regarding which children need 2 doses of influenza vaccine this year
• Dosage, route of administration, and indicated age group for all the various seasonal influenza vaccine products
• Talking points for discussing seasonal influenza vaccination with patients

See an image of the seasonal influenza vaccine pocket guide at http://www.preventinfluenza.org/fluguide/pocketguide_flu.pdf

These pocket guides also serve as a reminder to keep giving seasonal influenza vaccine throughout influenza season (through the spring months).

The Summit is also pleased to be able to offer pocket guides for the administration of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV). See an image of the PPSV pocket guide at http://www.immunize.org/ppvguide/pocketguide.pdf

Each of these pocket guides is designed to be used by healthcare professionals only; THEY ARE NOT PATIENT HANDOUTS.

HOW TO ORDER
Place your order at http://www.preventinfluenza.org/pocketguides There is no cost for the pocket guides, shipping, or handling within the U.S. They're going fast, so to avoid disappointment, place your order ASAP!

If you have questions, email admininfo@immunize.org

BACKGROUND
These pocket guides were developed by, and are being provided under the sponsorship of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, http://www.preventinfluenza.org The Summit brings together public and private stakeholders to facilitate and promote influenza vaccination. The pocket guides are also distributed by many major medical, nursing, and pharmacist organizations, specialty societies, state health departments, Indian Health Service Area facilities, Quality Improvement Organizations, Visiting Nurse Associations, community vaccinators, and many others.

Thanks for your dedication to immunization, and don't forget to keep vaccinating against seasonal influenza through the spring months!

IAC encourages IAC Express readers to watch "Listen to Your Momma," a 30-second video of a mother attempting to persuade her adult son to get his family vaccinated against influenza. The video was developed by the Maryland Partnership for Prevention (MPP).

The video will be available on the home page of IAC's website through October 31. To access it, go to: http://www.immunize.org and click on the image under the words Video of the Week. This video and three other influenza videos developed by MPP are available at http://www.immunizemaryland.org

Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video every Monday. To view an IAC Video of the Week from the past, go to the video archive at http://www.immunize.org/votw

Looking for help digging through the current medical literature to find practical articles about vaccines and immunization? Look no further. IAC's Journal Articles web section provides a chronological catalog of vaccine-related peer-reviewed articles organized by vaccine and topic area. This section offers users live links to the abstracts and/or full text of thousands of practical and clinically relevant journal articles on vaccine-related topics. The Journal Articles web section includes articles segmented by 19 vaccine-preventable diseases; vaccination procedures and storage and handling; vaccination laws and exemptions; vaccination needs of groups such as healthcare personnel, pregnant women, and travelers; communication about vaccine issues; and dozens of other topics.

To find articles in your areas of interest, visit http://www.immunize.org/journalarticles

IAC recently revised "Hepatitis B: Questions and Answers," a resource for both healthcare professionals and their patients. New statistics were added, and some URLs were changed. Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4205.pdf

To access a table with links to IAC's Q&A handouts for each vaccine, go to: http://www.immunize.org/handouts/vaccine-questions.asp

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Immunization Branch, recently updated its award-winning training video, "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults." The 25-minute program can be used to train new employees and to refresh the skills of experienced staff. The video demonstrates the skills and techniques needed to administer vaccines to patients of all ages. It includes instruction on the following:

• Selecting, preparing, and administering injectable, oral, and nasal vaccines
• Documenting immunizations
• Making patients comfortable and educating them
• Facilitating staff and patient communication

Prices start at $17 each for 1-9 copies and are greatly reduced for large orders, dropping to $4.25 each for 1,000-1,500 copies.

To learn more about the DVD, and find out how to order it, go to: http://www.immunize.org/shop/toolkit_iztechdvd.asp

For quotes on larger quantities, call (651) 647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org

The Immunization Action Coalition is the only nationwide vendor of this new DVD.

Note for healthcare settings located in California: Contact your local health department immunization program for a free copy.

The National Influenza Vaccine Summit (NIVS) has made IAC and its other partner organizations aware of recent activities and information concerning influenza vaccination. Here's what NIVS has shared:

(1) THE FLU VACCINE FINDER

• Accessing a flu clinic
  As IAC Express reported on October 4, the 2010-11 Flu Vaccine Finder tool is now live and ready to assist the public in locating influenza vaccination clinics. To search for clinics in or near a zip code or particular city, access the Flu Vaccine Finder at this link: http://www.flu.gov/whereyoulive Enter the pertinent zip code or city, and hit "Go."
   
• Listing your clinic
  If you would like to list your clinic in the Flu Vaccine Finder, visit the American Lung Association's website for details: http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/influenza/flu-vaccine-finder/administrator.html
   
• Adding the Flu Vaccine Finder widget to your website
  A widget is an application that displays the featured content directly on personalized home pages, blogs, and other sites. After you embed the Flu Vaccine Finder widget using the code provided, no maintenance is required. Flu.gov and CDC will update the content automatically. Click the link below if you would like to display the Flu Vaccine Finder widget on your website: http://www.flu.gov/news/socialmedia/index.html#flulocator

(2) NFID ANNUAL INFLUENZA/PNEUMOCOCCAL PRESS CONFERENCE
On October 7, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and 10 of the nation's leading medical and public health groups held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Among those speaking at the conference were Thomas Frieden, MD, MPH, director, CDC; Daniel Jernigan, MD, MPH, deputy director, CDC's Influenza Division; Stephan L. Foster, Pharm.D, president, American Pharmacists Association; and William Schaffner, MD, president, NFID.

To access a webcast of the press conference, go to: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=72638 Registration (required) is free.

(3) NFID SURVEY OF PHYSICIANS REGARDING INFLUENZA VACCINE
NFID commissioned a survey to assess personal and practice-based behaviors regarding influenza vaccination among primary care physicians and pediatricians. According to the survey, 92 percent of physicians personally discuss the vaccine with their patients. In addition, 95 percent of physicians plan to get vaccinated themselves--an impressive statistic, given the 40 percent influenza vaccination rate among healthcare professionals in general.

To access information on the NFID survey, go to: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/files/72638/Physician%20Survey%20Backgrounder%20FINAL.pdf