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Technically Speaking
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October 2020
Technically Speaking
A Monthly Column by Deborah Wexler, MD
Deborah Wexler MD
IAC Executive Director Dr. Deborah Wexler writes Technically Speaking, a column featured in each issue of Vaccine Update for Healthcare Professionals, the monthly e-newsletter from the Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Technically Speaking columns cover practical topics in immunization delivery such as vaccine administration techniques, storage and handling, contraindications and precautions, and scheduling.
Subscribe to VEC's Vaccine Update for Healthcare Professionals to stay up to date on vaccine-related issues, including reviews of recently published journal articles, media recaps, and announcements about new resources and webinars. To subscribe, visit the Vaccine Update Newsletter Sign-up Form
The archive of past Technically Speaking columns is also available through links on the right side of this web page.
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
ACIP Updates Recommendations on the Use of MenACWY and MenB Vaccines
Published October 2020
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice's (ACIP's) updated guidance for meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y vaccine (MenACWY) and meningococcal serogroup B vaccine (MenB) was recently published in the MMWR Recommendations and Reports. This publication, Meningococcal Vaccination: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2020, replaces and consolidates all previously published ACIP meningococcal vaccine recommendations. The descriptive terminology "shared clinical decision-making” has been added for the 2-dose MenB vaccination series in persons age 16–23 years. The guidance also contains new recommendations for off-label administration of booster doses of MenB for persons at increased risk for serogroup B meningococcal disease, including microbiologists and people age >10 years with persistent complement deficiencies, complement inhibitor use, or anatomic or functional asplenia. Booster doses are recommended one year following completion of a MenB primary series followed by MenB booster doses every 2–3 years thereafter. A one-time booster dose also is recommended for persons at increased risk during an outbreak.

A summary (from Box 1, found on page 3 of the publication) of the ACIP recommendations for MenACWY and MenB vaccines is reprinted below.

ACIP recommends MenACWY vaccination for the following groups:

  • Routine vaccination for adolescents age 11 or 12 years, with a booster dose at age 16 years.
  • Routine vaccination of persons age >2 months at increased risk for meningococcal disease (dosing schedule varies by age and indication, and interval for booster dose varies by age at time of previous vaccination):
    • Persons with certain medical conditions including anatomic or functional asplenia, complement component deficiencies (e.g., C3, C5–C9, properdin, factor H, or factor D), complement inhibitor (e.g., eculizumab [Soliris] or ravulizumab [Ultomiris]) use, or human immunodeficiency virus infection.
    • Microbiologists with routine exposure to Neisseria meningitidis isolates.
    • Persons at increased risk during an outbreak (e.g., in community or organizational settings, and among men who have sex with men [MSM]).
    • Persons who travel to or live in countries in which meningococcal disease is hyperendemic or epidemic.
    • Unvaccinated or undervaccinated first-year college students living in residence halls.
    • Military recruits.
  • Booster doses for previously vaccinated persons who become or remain at increased risk.

ACIP recommends MenB vaccination for the following groups:

  • Routine vaccination of persons age >10 years at increased risk for meningococcal disease (dosing schedule varies by vaccine brand; boosters should be administered at 1 year after primary series completion, then every 2–3 years thereafter):
    • Persons with certain medical conditions, such as anatomic or functional asplenia, complement component deficiencies, or complement inhibitor use.
    • Microbiologists with routine exposure to Neisseria meningitidis isolates.
    • Persons at increased risk during an outbreak (e.g., in community or organizational settings, and among MSM).
  • Vaccination of adolescents and young adults age 16–23 years with a 2-dose MenB series on the basis of shared clinical decision-making. The preferred age for MenB vaccination is 16–18 years. Booster doses are not recommended unless the person becomes at increased risk for meningococcal disease.
  • Booster doses for previously vaccinated persons who become or remain at increased risk.

Additional Resources

From CDC

From IAC

The archive of past Technically Speaking columns is also available through links on the right side of this web page.
 
This page was updated on November 1, 2020.
This page was reviewed on October 23, 2020
2020 ISSUES >> view all issues
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NOVEMBER 2020
Prevent Shoulder Injuries Caused by Missing the Deltoid Muscle When Injecting Vaccines!
OCTOBER 2020
ACIP Updates Recommendations on the Use of MenACWY and MenB Vaccines
SEPTEMBER 2020
Is It 0.25 mL or 0.5 mL? What Is the Correct Dose of Injectable Flu Vaccine for Children Younger Than 3?
JULY 2020
Choosing Proper Needle Length for Vaccination of Children and Adults: What Should You Consider?
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Preventing Preventable Vaccine Administration Errors in Your Medical Setting
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IAC Launches New MenB Vaccination Honor Roll Recognizing Colleges and Universities That Require or Recommend the Vaccine to Protect Their Students
APRIL 2020
Our Society Deserves Vaccination: Two New Educational Pieces from IAC Explain the Science Supporting Vaccines and the Value of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
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Now Available to Order! IAC's Laminated Versions of CDC's 2020 Immunization Schedules
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JANUARY 2020
CDC Releases 2020 Version of Its Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit
    >> view all issues
2019 ISSUES >> view all issues
DECEMBER 2019
ACIP Updates Its Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations for Adults Age 65 Years and Older
NOVEMBER 2019
ACIP Votes to Approve That Tdap and Td Vaccines May Now Be Used Interchangeably
OCTOBER 2019
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SEPTEMBER 2019
"Dear Colleague" Call-to-Action Letter from AAFP, AAP, ACHA, ACOG, APhA, SAHM, and IAC Stresses Importance of Implementing Immunization Visit at 16 Years of Age
AUGUST 2019
Newly Designed and Easy to Navigate—Visit Give2MenACWY.org to Enhance Your Efforts to Increase Rates for MenACWY Booster Doses and Other Adolescent Vaccinations
JULY 2019
ACIP Updates Its Guidance on the Use of HPV, PCV13, HepA, HPV, and MenB Vaccines at June 26–27 Meeting
JUNE 2019
Looking for New Tools and Resources to Help Increase Your Clinic's HPV Vaccination Rates? Here Are Some Great Ones!
MAY 2019
How to Protect Children, Adults, and Healthcare Personnel from Measles
APRIL 2019
Refresher! Use of Pneumococcal Vaccines in Infants and Children, as well as in Children with Health Conditions
MARCH 2019
With Measles "Breaking Out" All over the United States, Here Are Some Good Educational Resources
FEBRUARY 2019
Questions about Proper Vaccine Storage and Handling? CDC's Redesigned Toolkit Has Answers!
JANUARY 2019
Want to Avoid Vaccination Errors? These Print Materials and Slide Sets Will Help You!
    >> view all issues
 
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