Issue Number 212            November 27, 2000

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

  1. Looking for influenza vaccine? CDC is making available an additional 9 million doses
  2. Visit CDC's influenza vaccine availability website for updates on obtaining vaccine
  3. CDC publishes report on measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome in the United States and Mexico
  4. Pneumococcal conjugate VIS now available in Farsi
  5. Reminder! Abstracts for the 2001 Immunization Registry Conference due January 15
  6. Educational videos on hepatitis available from the Hepatitis Foundation International

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(1)
November 27, 2000
LOOKING FOR INFLUENZA VACCINE? CDC IS MAKING AVAILABLE AN ADDITIONAL 9 MILLION DOSES

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has contracted with Aventis-Pasteur, Inc., (Av-P) for the production of an additional 9 million influenza vaccine doses. The 9 million doses to be sold are not intended to substitute for vaccine that has already been ordered and is expected to be delivered. 

Applications for vaccine orders from health care providers and programs for the 9 million doses will be accepted by Av-P through December 3, 2000. Wholesale distributors can apply to purchase vaccine starting December 4, 2000. All requests must be for a minimum of 10 vials (100 doses) per shipping destination. The price for this federally guaranteed influenza vaccine will be $29.88 per 10-dose vial for the public sector and $50.00 per 10-dose vial for the private sector. All vaccine sales are final and returns will not be allowed.

Once an application has been received by Av-P, notification of order acceptance will be provided to the applicant before mid-December. Delivery is anticipated between December 12, 2000, and January 5, 2001.

To obtain an application for vaccine order placement, go to Av-P's website at http://www.vaccineshoppe.com and click on the link "Fluzone Application Form," or call (800) 720-8972. Completed application forms should be faxed to (888) 889-7129. Orders for this vaccine will not be taken by telephone.
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(2)
November 27, 2000
VISIT CDC'S INFLUENZA VACCINE AVAILABILITY WEBSITE FOR UPDATES ON OBTAINING VACCINE

CDC's National Immunization Program (NIP) has developed an influenza vaccine availability website to provide information about the potential availability of influenza vaccine from manufacturers and distributors. In addition, the website lists state and local immunization projects, which may have information about vaccine availability among local providers. Go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/flu-vac-supply

If you have questions regarding this website, please contact Toni Harbour or Gary Coil at (404) 639-8222. Additional information and assistance can be obtained by contacting CDC's National Immunization Program by e-mail at nipinfo@cdc.gov or by calling the National Immunization Information Hotline at (800) 232-2522.
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(3)
November 27, 2000
CDC PUBLISHES REPORT ON MEASLES, RUBELLA, AND CONGENITAL RUBELLA SYNDROME IN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO

CDC published an article titled "Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome--United States and Mexico, 1997-1999" in the November 24, 2000, issue of MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT (MMWR).

The article notes that the United States and Mexico have achieved the Pan American Health Organization goal of eliminating endemic transmission of measles by 2000.

The Editorial Note from this article reads as follows:

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Since the measles epidemic during 1989-1991, substantial progress has been made in vaccination programs in Mexico and the United States, as evidenced by the control of measles in both countries. Mexico reported no cases during 1997-1999, despite enhanced surveillance for measles that includes investigating more than 1500 suspected cases each year. In the United States, the low number of reported cases, the preponderance of importation-related cases, the geographic isolation of each case, and the lack of a recurring viral measles strain indicate that measles is no longer endemic in the United States. The consistent detection of imported measles cases is evidence of the sensitivity of U.S. measles surveillance. The benefit of concurrent improvements in measles control is demonstrated by the absence of imported cases from Mexico into the United States during 1997-1999.

The United States is on the verge of eliminating indigenous rubella and CRS. However, rubella outbreaks continue to occur, primarily among Hispanics from countries where no national routine rubella vaccination program exists or where a program has been implemented only recently. Because universal rubella vaccination in Mexico was introduced in 1998, ongoing rubella and CRS surveillance will be important to document the impact of the new program. After successfully implementing measles-rubella (MR) vaccination
among health-care personnel, Mexico implemented MR vaccination campaigns among at-risk adolescents and adults, including junior and senior high school students and teachers in October 2000. Mass vaccination of adolescents and adults will accelerate the decline in rubella and CRS cases and prevent the re-entry of measles.

Measles remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The United States and Mexico have achieved the PAHO goal of eliminating endemic transmission of measles. For countries undertaking measles elimination, integrating rubella control into measles elimination activities is a preferred strategy because of the similar surveillance activities and intervention target groups for MR/MMR vaccine. In countries where the health burden from rubella has been documented and where immunity among women of childbearing age can be assured, implementing a universal childhood rubella vaccination program with more than 80% coverage will lead to a decline in rubella and CRS.

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For the complete text of this article, including the figures and notes, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4946a3.htm

HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR:
To obtain a free electronic subscription to the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR), visit CDC's MMWR website at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr Select "Free MMWR Subscription" from the menu at the left of the screen. Once you have submitted the required information, weekly issues of the MMWR and all new ACIP statements (published as MMWR's "Recommendations and Reports") will arrive automatically by e-mail.
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(4)
November 27, 2000
PNEUMOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VIS NOW AVAILABLE IN FARSI

A new Farsi translation of the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) is now available on the IAC website.

To obtain the PCV7 VIS in Farsi, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/fapnPCV7.pdf

Thanks to the California Department of Health Services, Immunization Branch, for providing the translation into Farsi.

For a list of all the translations of the VIS for PCV7, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/#pneumococcal2

For a list of all VISs available in Farsi, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/#farsi

To obtain copies of all other VISs, including some in up to 23 languages, visit IAC's website at: http://www.immunize.org/vis/

IAC's website also has links to CDC instructions on how to use VISs and their legal requirements. For "Vaccine Information Statements: What You Need to Know," go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/instr00.htm

For "Instructions for Use of Vaccine Information Materials (Vaccine Information Statements)," go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/instr2.pdf
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(5)
November 27, 2000
REMINDER! ABSTRACTS FOR THE 2001 IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY CONFERENCE DUE JANUARY 15

Abstracts for the 2001 Immunization Registry Conference are due by January 15, 2001. Scheduled for July 9-11 in Little Rock, Ark., this conference will help participants exchange information, share ideas on building support for immunization registries, expand partnerships and collaboration, promote innovative uses of registry data, explore funding strategies, and identify the benefits of immunization registries for providers, public health programs, and families.

For detailed information on submitting abstracts or registering for the conference, go to: www.cdc.gov/nip/registry/2001broc.pdf (link discontinued).

For a detailed list of additional upcoming immunization and hepatitis conferences and events, visit IAC's "Calendar of Events" at: http://www.immunize.org/calendar/
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(6)
November 27, 2000
EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS ON HEPATITIS AVAILABLE FROM THE HEPATITIS FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL

Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI) offers two hepatitis education videos. "Respect Yourself, Protect Yourself," an award-winning video on hepatitis B and C, is now available in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin, plus a version for African Americans. The new video "The Silent Stalker" is appropriate for college audiences, STD clinics, rehabilitation centers, and corrections facilities. These nine-minute videos include straightforward messages about hepatitis and liver wellness.

Each video costs $35, including postage. You'll also receive HFI's "Quick and Easy Primer," which discusses additional ways to present hepatitis information. For more information, contact HFI at (800) 891-0707 or visit HFI's website at http://www.hepfi.org

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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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