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Technically Speaking
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November 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
Prevent Shoulder Injuries Caused by Missing the Deltoid Muscle When Injecting Vaccines!
Published November 2020
It's essential that you know how to choose the proper site on the arm when administering vaccines. A correctly placed injection not only will optimize the protection afforded by the vaccine, it also will help you avoid the risk of shoulder or arm injury resulting from an injection placed too high or too low in the arm.

Knowing exactly where to inject a vaccine is critical whether you’re "catching up" children, teens, and adults on their missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, getting patients vaccinated against influenza, or administering COVID-19 vaccines in the near future.

The websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), and the California Department of Health Immunization Program are rich with practical tools and resources on how to identify the correct spot for administering vaccines. For example, the two CDC videos listed below have a combined total of more than 500,000 views, and the IAC materials listed are among the top downloads accessed on our website. Be sure to check out these and the other great materials shown below.

Watch these brief videos from CDC

Refer to these instructions from IAC

Use these job aids from the California Department of Public Health Vaccines For Children program (EZIZ)

Additional Resources

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 19, 2020.
This page was reviewed on November 19, 2020
2020 ISSUES >> view all issues
DECEMBER 2020
FDA issues EUA for Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine; CDC approves its use and provides clinical guidance
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?
JUNE 2020
Preventing Preventable Vaccine Administration Errors in Your Medical Setting
MAY 2020
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
MARCH 2020
Now Available to Order! IAC's Laminated Versions of CDC's 2020 Immunization Schedules
FEBRUARY 2020
Sign up for IZ Express—the Best Way to Stay Current with Weekly U.S. Immunization News, Information, and Resources
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
CDC Updates Recommendations on the Use of HPV Vaccine
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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This website is supported in part by a cooperative agreement from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (Grant No. 1NH23IP922654) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. The website content is the sole responsibility of IAC and does not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.