- NEW! Immunize.org posts standing orders templates for administering 2025–26 COVID-19 vaccines and updates “Checklist of Current Versions of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance and Clinic Support Tools.”
- Canada loses measles elimination status; what does that mean?
- Plan now for National Influenza Vaccination Week on December 1–6. Use these toolkits and resources to spread influenza vaccine awareness.
- “Nurse’s Anti-HBs Was Positive, Now Negative: Does She Need HepB Vaccine?” Watch the 1-minute video, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube.
- Vaccines in the news
Notable Publications
- Virtual: NFID hosts webinar titled “Pulse Check: What's at Stake This Respiratory Season” on December 3 at 12:00 p.m. (ET) as part of its 2025–2026 Respiratory Season News Briefing series. CME credit offered.
- Virtual: December 4–5 ACIP meeting will discuss vaccine safety, childhood and adolescent immunization schedule, and hepatitis B vaccines
- Virtual: Register for Immunize.org Website Office Hours. Join a 30-minute discussion about image library, webinars, videos, and social media content on December 10 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or December 11 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Recorded sessions archived.
ACIP now recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all people age 6 months or older following shared clinical decision-making. Professional medical societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), have issued their own recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination, including routine vaccination for certain groups. These standing orders templates include links to published guidance from CDC and professional medical societies. The standing orders also provide background information on high-risk conditions, including immunocompromising conditions and treatments that warrant use of the dosing schedule for people with moderate or severe immunocompromise. Those who use these templates should adapt them as needed to fit their organization’s decision to follow the recommendations of the CDC or a relevant professional medical society.
- Standing Orders for Administering 2025–2026 Formula mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine to Children 6 Months through 11 Years
- Standing Orders for Administering 2025–2026 Formula mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine to Individuals 12 years and older
- Standing Orders for Administering 2025–2026 Formula Nuvaxovid (Sanofi-Novavax) Adjuvanted Protein COVID-19 Vaccine to Individuals 12 Years and Older
The resource checklist is updated when significant new COVID-19 vaccine resources are released. The version date of this, and every Immunize.org document, appears within the footer. All who offer COVID-19 vaccination should review reference materials and replace them as needed with current versions.
Related Links
- CDC: Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States main page
- Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: COVID-19 main page
- Immunize.org: Package Inserts & EUAs: COVID-19 web page
- AAP: Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: ACOG Releases Updated Maternal Immunization Guidance for COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV
- American Academy of Family Physicians: COVID-19 Vaccine: Fall 2025–26 Immunization Recommendations
On November 10, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced that Canada lost its measles elimination status as a result of uninterrupted transmission of measles virus in the country for the past 12 months. This also means a loss of the overall measles elimination status for the World Health Organization (WHO) Region of the Americas, which includes Canada. The Region of the Americas is the only region of the world to achieve measles elimination.
The Public Health Authority of Canada released a statement on November 10 addressing the country’s loss of measles elimination status amid rising regional outbreaks. Canada reports 5,162 confirmed cases in 2025, through November 1.
As a result of related, ongoing measles outbreaks in communities with inadequate measles vaccination rates, the United States and Mexico are on a similar path to lose elimination status in coming months. The United States could mark 12 months of continuous transmission after January 20, 2026, followed by Mexico in February 2026. As of November 13, CDC reported 1,723 confirmed measles cases in 2025 in 42 states.
The History of Vaccines website, produced by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, published a blog post on November 10 with a thorough explanation of how measles elimination status is determined, how it is lost, and how it can be re-established. An excerpt from the blog post appears below.
The only way to prevent measles is through vaccination. Community protection through measles elimination is sustainable when measles vaccination rates among children reach 95% or higher. Immunize.org offers measles-related resources for the public on several of our affiliated websites:
- VaccineInformation.org: Measles web page
- LetsGetRealAboutVaccines.org: Measles web page
- Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: Measles main page
- History of Vaccines: How Regions Earn and Keep Their "Measles-Free" Status web page
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CDC: Measles Cases and Outbreaks main page
- CDC: Be Ready for Measles toolkit
- Health Canada: Measles and Rubella Weekly Monitoring Report
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Outbreak Response Innovation: Measles Outbreak Response main page
- Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: Measles main page
Plan now for National Influenza Vaccination Week on December 1–6 Use these toolkits and resources to spread influenza vaccine awareness.
National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW), December 1–6, is a time to remind everyone that annual influenza vaccination is a critical step toward protecting your health this winter. CDC has not yet posted NIVW-specific materials for the 2025–26 season. However, several public health organizations posted tools that healthcare providers and public health communicators can use to recommend flu vaccination during this year’s NIVW observance, including:
- American Hospital Association: 2025 United Against the Flu Fall Toolkit features content about availability of influenza vaccine for at-risk and vulnerable populations.
- American Lung Association: Fight Flu Social Media Toolkit provides downloadable social media posts, graphics, hashtags, and messaging to help advocates promote annual flu vaccination.
- California Department of Health: Flu Vaccine Toolkit provides downloadable materials and messaging to help organizations promote flu vaccination.
- NFID: From Wild to Mild: The Power of Flu Vaccination campaign promotes annual influenza vaccination to reduce the severity of influenza. It offers downloadable, co-brandable graphics and animations in English and Spanish.
- NFID: Flu Vaccination Is More Important Than Ever This Flu Season highlights the importance of getting a flu vaccine this season, especially to protect vulnerable individuals and ease pressure on healthcare systems.
- Public Health Communications Collaborative: Communicating About Flu and COVID-19 Vaccination in 2025–26 provides updated key messages, best practices, and audience-tailored guidance to support communications about flu vaccine.
Additionally, IZ Express published a list of respiratory season toolkits in our October 29 issue to aid your RSV, COVID, and influenza vaccination communication this season.
Related Links
- CDC: 2025–2026 Flu Season web page
- Immunize.org: Vaccines A–Z: Influenza main page
“Nurse’s Anti-HBs Was Positive, Now Negative: Does She Need HepB Vaccine?” Watch the 1-minute video, part of the Ask the Experts Video Series on YouTube.
This week, our featured episode from the Ask the Experts Video Series is titled Nurse’s Anti-HBs Was Positive, Now Negative: Does She Need HepB Vaccine? The video briefly describes why no action is needed when a patient with a remote history of HepB vaccination has a negative hepatitis B surface antibody titer now, but the patient’s records document a protective hepatitis B surface antibody titer after vaccination in the past. This scenario is most likely to occur when the patient is a healthcare professional.
The 1-minute video is available on our YouTube channel, along with our full collection of quick video answers to popular Ask the Experts questions.
Like, follow, and share Immunize.org’s social media accounts and encourage colleagues and others interested in vaccination to do likewise.
- Facebook at ImmunizeOrg
- Instagram at ImmunizeOrg
- LinkedIn at ImmunizeOrg
- YouTube at ImmunizeOrg
These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
- KFF Health News: Conflicting Advice on COVID Shots Likely to Ding Already Low Vaccine Rates, Experts Warn (11/14/25)
- Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Editorial: Public Trust: The Vaccine Against Vaccine Hesitancy (11/12/25)
- The Texas Tribune: The Number of Whooping Cough Cases in Texas Is the Highest It’s Been in 11 Years (11/11/25)
- The Guardian: Pediatricians Fill Vaccine Messaging Void Left by CDC amid Bad Flu Season (11/11/25)
Immunize.org Website and Clinical Resources
Today, we turn the spotlight on Immunize.org's External Resources main page, where content from credible and trustworthy partners dedicated to immunization is showcased. You’ll find links to:
- Vaccine Manufacturers: includes contact information for companies and listings of their vaccines
- Vaccine Apps: a selection of immunization-related apps (Apple or Google Play) for providers or patients to use on phone or tablet
- Email News Services: links to respected publications covering vaccine-preventable diseases and more
- Immunize.org Partners: alphabetical listing of key organizations and professional societies with descriptions and links to websites
To access the External Resources menu, click on the “Clinical Resources” tab found atop each page and then “External Resources” in the left-hand column. The menu in the center links to the four categories described above.
If you are aware of resources that we should include on these pages, please email admin@immunize.org or complete the contact form.
Recap: Immunize.org updates "Vaccines Work!" with table showing how rates of each vaccine-preventable disease fell after introduction of vaccination
Immunize.org updated its popular Vaccines Work! 1-page document with revised CDC data on how much rates of each vaccine-preventable disease dropped after introduction of routine vaccination.
Infectious IDeas, a podcast series from NFID, brings leading experts together for thought-provoking conversations. In a special compilation episode, Fact vs. Fiction: Top Vaccine Myths Debunked, Marla Dalton, CAE, and William Schaffner, MD, revisit some of the most common myths and misconceptions busted by past guests.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists releases Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation: A Social Media Toolkit
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released its Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation: A Social Media Toolkit after ACOG released its updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccination. The toolkit features social media graphics and sample messages to help educate and encourage pregnant patients to make the choice to get vaccinated.
View the toolkit.
We the People Vax, founded by immunization coalitions from Arizona, California, and Indiana, is a group of coalitions and health organizations raising awareness of the patriotism of strengthening communities via vaccination. Their latest campaign, The Holidays 2025, is designed for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, and includes:
- An MP4 video to share as a post on social media platforms
- Two static graphics
- Sample messages for easy and effective sharing
In its October 28 issue, Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology published Multisociety Guidance for Infection Prevention and Control in Nursing Homes, developed by a collaboration of major infection-prevention societies, including Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), American Geriatrics Society (AGS), and the Post‑Acute and Long‑Term Care Medical Association (PALTmed).
Recommendations address:
- Contracting and onboarding processes for employees and consultants requiring documentation of infection prevention and control (IPC) training and vaccination status
- Training in communicating and receiving IPC-specific information during transfers, including vaccination status
- Adherence to federal, state, and local requirements for vaccination of workers, contractors, consultants, and visitors
- Adoption of multimodal interventions to increase acceptance of CDC-recommended vaccines
- Implementation of policies for vaccination of residents and workers that include education, training, and monitoring of vaccination-acceptance rates
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will host its third webinar in its 2025–2026 Respiratory Season News Briefings series titled Pulse Check: What's at Stake This Respiratory Season at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on December 3. The panel includes NFID Medical Director Robert H. Hopkins; Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, former CDC director; and Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development.
Speakers will focus on new barriers to getting vaccinated, including access, payment, differing recommendations, and widespread misinformation. This briefing will provide a pulse check with new survey findings, expert perspectives, and personal stories that will highlight:
- New challenges in protecting public health during the current respiratory season
- What’s at stake for individual families, communities, and the U.S. healthcare system
- The immediate and long-term implications for public health
CME and CNE credit are available. There is no fee to participate in this activity, but preregistration is required.
Register for the webinar.
NFID hosts monthly webinars to increase awareness of the importance of infectious disease prevention and treatment. CME, CNE, and CPE credits are available for select recordings. View all archived NFID webinars.
Virtual: December 4–5 ACIP meeting will discuss vaccine safety, childhood and adolescent immunization schedule, and hepatitis B vaccines
CDC will convene the ACIP on December 4–5, starting at 9:00 a.m. (ET). The announcement, posted on November 12, indicates the meeting will discuss vaccine safety, the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule, and hepatitis B vaccines. Recommendation votes may be scheduled for the hepatitis B vaccine and its consideration for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Request an opportunity for oral public comment or submit written comments to the committee by November 24. A draft agenda is available now; agenda items are subject to change.
No registration is required to watch webcasts of live ACIP meetings or listen via telephone.
Related Links
- CDC: ACIP main page for access to webcast, agendas
- CDC: ACIP Meeting Information for presentation slides, content from previous meetings, and information about future meetings
Virtual: Register for Immunize.org Website Office Hours. Join a 30-minute discussion about image library, webinars, videos, and social media content on December 10 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or December 11 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Recorded sessions archived.
To learn simple tips and tricks for using our websites efficiently, please register for our next set of Website Office Hours on Wednesday, December 10, at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or Thursday, December 11, at 12:00 p.m. (ET). The same content will be covered in both sessions.
We will open each 30-minute session with a short, live demonstration on navigating our image library, webinars, videos, social media (YouTube) website sections. You can submit questions when you register or live on Zoom during the session.
Register today for Immunize.org Website Office Hours (content is the same for both):
The archive of previous Website Office Hours content is posted at Immunize.org’s "Webinars & Videos" page.
Mark your calendar for future Immunize.org Website Office Hours.
About IZ Express
IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. NH23IP922654 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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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