Immunization Works August 2019 Newsletter | CDC

Immunization Works August 2019

Influenza

Flu Information and Resources:

For Health Care Professionals: Preparing Your Practice/Fight Flu Toolkit

As you prepare to have conversations with patients about flu vaccination, CDC has pulled together a suite of digital and print-off materials to help in effectively conveying the threat of flu and why flu vaccination is so important.

These resources include:

Print-offs – information, and strategies focused on making a strong flu vaccine recommendation
- Making a Strong Flu Vaccine Recommendationpdf icon
- Making a Strong Flu Vaccine Recommendation (Ages 50–64)pdf icon
- Making a Strong Flu Vaccine Recommendation (Ages 65+)pdf icon
- Making a Strong Flu Vaccine Recommendation (Ages 6 months–17 years) – coming soon
Preparing for questions parents may ask about vaccinespdf icon
Slide deck – Preparing Your Practice for Flu Seasonpdf icon
Materials for patients

For the General Public/Patients: CDC Digital Media Toolkit

We have updated this web page and related social media images and messages to reflect the upcoming flu season. You can also find a suite of public-focused educational materials here.

#WhyIFightFlu

CDC is currently collecting a variety of Flu Fighter profiles through partners that describe how members of the American public have been affected by flu and why they fight the often devastating disease. We are aiming to post these profiles after the annual flu vaccination season kickoff press conference, which will be hosted by NFID on September 26, 2019.

This hashtag campaign is focused on reinforcing the negative impact of flu and positive benefits of flu vaccination. we invite all of our partners to use the hashtag #WhyIFightFlu and share an answer to the question, “why do you fight flu?” as we move forward into flu season.

Additional Resources

Sign up to receive e-mail updates directly from CDC’s Flu Inbox if you aren’t already receiving them. You can unsubscribe at any time by e-mailing fluinbox@cdc.gov.
Follow CDC updates on CDC social media platforms at Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Access print and digital resources, including our award-winning series of animated images for a variety of audiences.
- Resources are available for those with high-risk conditions, including but not limited to diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and asthma.
CDC Digital Media Toolkit – resources for partners targeting the American public
Access partner success stories and consider submitting one of your own this season.
Syndicate information directly from CDC’s flu website to your organization’s website.
Order free printed copies of CDC flu materials. In the dropdown box under “Programs”, select “Immunizations and Vaccines (Influenza/Flu).” Please allow three to four weeks for delivery. CDC plans to replenish select print materials before the 2019–20 season begins.

Save the Date

September 26, 2019: Watch and promote the livestream of the annual flu vaccination season kickoff press conference hosted by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). Link will be shared closer to the kickoff.
- Instagram Stories Q&A, which will include a look at answering questions consumers have about flu and flu vaccine – 12–2 p.m. ET; more details coming soon
- COCA call featuring a discussion of influenza recommendations for children, in partnership with AAP –2 p.m. ET; more details coming soon
December 1–7, 2019: Join CDC in promoting flu vaccination before and during National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW). NIVW-specific updates, events, and resources will be posted on CDC’s NIVW web site.
TBD: Webinar focused on talking through the many different flu vaccines for the 2019–20 flu season and making a strong flu vaccine recommendation, tentatively set for early October
Throughout flu season: We will be sharing stories of why members of the American public fight flu with the hashtag #WhyIFightFlu

Projected Population Benefit of Increased Effectiveness and Coverage of Influenza Vaccination on Influenza Burden: A study published July 25 in Clinical Infectious Diseases used mathematical modeling to show how increases in influenza vaccine effectiveness or vaccination coverage would result in substantial reductions to influenza-associated illnesses in the U.S. The authors looked at a variety of influenza seasons, ranging in severity of activity. The authors found that, during the 2017–18 high-severity flu season, a 5% absolute increase in vaccine effectiveness (VE) would have prevented an additional 1,050,000 illnesses and 25,000 hospitalizations. They also found that a 5% absolute increase in overall vaccination coverage would have prevented an additional 785,000 illnesses (56% among those age 18–64 years) and 11,000 hospitalizations. In summary, small, attainable improvements in influenza vaccine effectiveness or vaccination coverage could lead to substantial additional reductions of influenza burden in the U.S. The article was written by Michelle Hughes, Carrie Reed, Brendan Flannery, Shikha Garg, Alicia Fry, and Melissa Rolfes of CDC’s Influenza Division, and James Singleton of CDC’s Immunization Services Division. You can read more here.

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MMWR

National, Regional, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Age 13–17 Years in the U.S., 2018: ACIP recommends routine vaccination of persons age 11–12 years with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY), and tetanus and reduced diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap). A booster dose of MenACWY is recommended at age 16 years, and catch-up vaccination is recommended for hepatitis B vaccine (HepB), measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR), and varicella vaccine (VAR) for adolescents whose childhood vaccinations are not up to date.

In 2018, 51.1% of adolescents age 13–17 years were up to date with the HPV vaccine series, and 68.1% had received more than 1 dose of HPV vaccine. During 2017–2018, the increase in HPV vaccination coverage was attributable to increases among males only (increase of 4.4 percentage points in males who were up to date versus 0.6 in females). Coverage with more than 1 MenACWY dose increased by 1.5 percentage points to 86.6%. Among persons age 17 years, coverage with more than 2 MenACWY doses increased by 6.5 percentage points to 50.8%. Coverage with more than 1 dose of MenB among persons age 17 years was 17.2% (95% confidence interval=14.9%–19.9%). No significant increases were observed for coverage with more than 3 hepatitis B doses; more than 2 measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine doses; and more than 1 and more than 2 varicella vaccine doses among adolescents without a history of varicella disease. Please read the August 23 MMWR for the full report.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (HPV) for Adults: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): Vaccination against HPV is recommended to prevent new HPV infections and HPV-associated diseases, including some cancers. ACIP routinely recommends HPV vaccination at age 11 or 12 years; vaccination can be given starting at age 9 years. Catch-up vaccination has been recommended since 2006 for females through age 26 years and since 2011 for males through age 21 years and certain special populations through age 26 years. The August 16 MMWR updates ACIP catch-up HPV vaccination recommendations and guidance published in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Routine recommendations for vaccination of adolescents have not changed. In June 2019, ACIP recommended catch-up HPV vaccination for all persons through age 26 years. ACIP did not recommend catch-up vaccination for all adults age 27 through 45 years, but recognized that some persons in this age range who are not adequately vaccinated might be at risk for new HPV infection and might benefit from vaccination. Therefore, ACIP recommended shared clinical decision-making regarding potential HPV vaccination for these persons.

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Resources and Information

Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers (IQIP): On July 1, 2019, IQIP replaced Assessment, Feedback, Incentives, and eXchange (AFIX) as CDC’s national immunization quality improvement program. IQIP promotes and supports the implementation of VFC provider-level immunization quality improvement strategies designed to increase vaccine uptake among children and adolescents in adherence to the routine schedule recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Visit the IQIP website for additional information.

Pediatricians Answer Parent’s HPV Vaccine Questions in New “Can I Ask You a Question” Videos: CDC’s new “Can I Ask You a Question” video series for parents is now available for viewing. In the series, real pediatricians use their expertise to answer parents’ questions about the HPV vaccine and why it’s important for preventing cancer. The videos feature pediatricians answering friends’ questions about the HPV vaccine in a casual setting and reflect some of the most common questions parents have about the HPV vaccine.

You can find all the videos on the CDC website and on YouTube. You can find a Spanish version of one of these videos on YouTube, too.

Nominations Open for 2019 HPV Vaccine is Cancer Prevention Champion Award: CDC, the American Cancer Society, and the American Association of Cancer Institutes are partnering for the third annual “HPV Vaccine is Cancer Prevention Champion” Award. The Champion award recognizes clinicians, clinics, practices, groups, and health systems that are going above and beyond to foster HPV vaccination among adolescents in their communities. The award recognizes up to one champion from each of the 50 U.S. states, 8 U.S. territories and freely associated states, and the District of Columbia. Recognize a deserving health care professional in your state by nominating them for the award. Learn more about the award and how to submit a nomination by visiting the “HPV is Cancer Prevention Champion” Award website, or send an e-mail to preteenvaccines@cdc.gov.

Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, 13th Edition (the Pink Book): Published by CDC, NCIRD, and the Public Health Foundation (PHF), the Pink Book provides health care professionals with the most comprehensive information available on vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. The Pink Book is available for purchase from the PHF Learning Resource Center, and the chapters and appendices can be viewed or downloaded from the NCIRD vaccines site.

“Keys to Storing and Handling Your Vaccine Supply” Video: Two of the most important safeguards for the nation’s vaccine supply are proper vaccine storage and handling. An updated web-on-demand video, titled “Keys to Storing and Handling Your Vaccine Supply,” is designed to decrease vaccine storage and handling errors by demonstrating recommended best practices and addressing frequently asked questions. Continuing Education (CE) is available.

Vaccine Administration e-Learn: An e-Learn on vaccine administration is now available. Proper vaccine administration is critical for ensuring that vaccines are both safe and effective. Vaccine administration errors happen more often than you might think. Of the average 36,000 reports received annually by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), about 1,500 are directly related to administration error. Some of the most common vaccine administration errors include:

Not following the recommended immunization schedule
Administering improperly stored or expired vaccine and/or diluent
Administering the wrong vaccine—confusing look-alike or sound-alike vaccines such as DTaP/Tdap or administering products outside age indications

The e-Learn is a free, interactive, online educational program that serves as a useful introductory course or a great refresher on vaccine administration. The self-paced e-Learn provides comprehensive training, using videos, job aids, and other resources to accommodate a variety of learning styles, and offers a certificate of completion and/or Continuing Education (CE) for those that complete the training.

For more information, please contact nipinfo@cdc.gov.

Current Issues in Immunization NetConferences: Immunization netconferences are live, one-hour events combining an online visual presentation with simultaneous audio via telephone conference call, along with a live question-and-answer session. Registration, Internet access, and a separate phone line are needed to participate. Please visit the netconference web page for additional information and to view archived webcasts.

You Call the Shots Modules: You Call the Shots is a series of interactive, web-based training courses developed through the Project to Enhance Immunization Content in Nursing Education and Training. These courses are ideal for medical or nursing students, new vaccination providers, or seasoned health care providers seeking a review. Please visit the You Call the Shots web page to view all the modules. Continuing Education (CE) is available for viewing a module and completing an evaluation.

Measles and Mumps Resources: CDC aims to continue increasing awareness of measles and mumps among individuals and families and to encourage MMR vaccination. To support disease prevention and vaccination educational efforts, CDC has developed a variety of measles and mumps resources, including fact sheets, podcasts, and matte articles. Some of the measles graphics are also available in Spanish.

CDC and Medscape: This special series of commentaries, part of a collaboration between CDC and Medscape, is designed to deliver CDC’s authoritative guidance directly to Medscape’s physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care providers. In this series, CDC experts offer video commentaries on current topics important to practicing clinicians. NCIRD has contributed to a variety of commentaries. You will need to sign up and log in as a member to view the commentaries and registration is free.

Immunization Resources: Various publications are available for ordering at CDC-INFO On Demand. You can search for immunization publications by using the “Programs” drop-down menu and selecting “Immunization and Vaccines,” or you can search by “Title.” The 2019 recommended immunization schedules are available for ordering.

CDC Job Openings: CDC is committed to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates for a wide range of immunization and other positions. Researchers, medical officers, epidemiologists, and other specialists are often needed to fill positions within CDC. For a current listing, including international opportunities, please visit CDC’s employment web page.

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