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Immunization Works! April 2005 issue
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Works Monthly Update is provided to national health care provider and consumer groups for distribution to their members and constituencies. The immunization information provided is non-proprietary and is encouraged to be widely disseminated and shared.
Two-Tiered Pre-booking & Distribution Strategies Recommended for 2005-06 Influenza Season
To plan for the 2005—06 influenza season, CDC encourages implementation of a two-tiered pre-booking strategy by manufacturers, distributors, and customers of inactivated vaccine. This pre-booking strategy requires customers of inactivated vaccine to provide two requests for supplies, using 1) the number of doses needed based on anticipated demand among persons in the priority groups, in the event vaccine supply is limited, and 2) the number of doses needed based on priority group use, plus other groups, if supplies prove sufficient to meet demand from other persons seeking vaccination.
The following priority groups should be used as a guide for pre-booking orders for inactivated influenza vaccine:
- Persons aged >65 years.
- Persons aged 2--64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions.
- All women who will be pregnant during the influenza season.
- All children aged 6--23 months.
- Health-care workers involved in direct patient care.
- Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged <6 months.
- Residents of nursing homes and long-term--care facilities.
- Children aged 6 months--18 years on chronic aspirin therapy.
Individuals who fall outside of this group should be immunized only if there is an adequate supply of influenza vaccine.
Whenever feasible, CDC also encourages a distribution strategy in which partial shipments are first shipped to all pre-booked customers early in the vaccination season, followed by additional shipments later in the season. This strategy will enable all providers to administer vaccine initially to those persons at high risk, even when supplies are limited.
For more information visit www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5412a4.htm
Other Immunization News
New Immunization Recommendations for High Risk Adults < 65 Years
According to a report from The Task Force on Community Preventive Services, choosing the right interventions could improve vaccination coverage of high risk adults < 65 years old. A report from the Task Force, a private group that studies the effectiveness of different types of health interventions, provides recommendations for interventions that target three vaccinations: influenza, pneumococcal polysaccharide, and hepatitis B. To increase targeted vaccination coverage, the Task Force recommends a combination of interventions that include selected interventions from two or three categories of interventions (i.e., increasing community demand for vaccinations, enhancing access to vaccination services, and provider- or system-based interventions). The Task Force also recommends provider reminders, when implemented alone, to improve targeted vaccination coverage. More information can be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5405a1.htm
Available Now: New VIS Statement for Meningococcal Vaccines
A new meningococcal Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) was recently posted to coincide with the licensure and distribution of the new meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra™). This VIS is to be used for both Menactra and the existing meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine. However, existing stocks of the older (7/28/03) VIS for the polysaccharide vaccine may still be used for that vaccine only. The new VIS is considered an interim edition, pending publication of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations and addition of the vaccine to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The new VIS statement can be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/VIS/
Vaccine Coverage Rates Reported for 2004-2005 Influenza Season
Research shows that the designation of priority groups in October 2004 -- in response to the unexpected shortfall in influenza vaccine supply -- successfully directed the nation's influenza supply to those at highest risk. Influenza vaccination coverage levels through January 2005 among adults in priority groups nearly reached those in recent years, whereas coverage levels among adults not in priority groups were approximately half of levels in 2003, in part because 9.3% of those unvaccinated persons in non-priority groups declined vaccination this season. In addition, vaccination coverage among children aged 6-23 months was notable (48.4%), given that 2004--05 was the first year this group was recommended for influenza vaccination. For more information visit www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5412a3.htm
Meetings, Conferences, and Resources
National Infant Immunization Week
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual observance to promote the benefits of immunizations and to focus on the importance of immunizing infants against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases by age two.
This year NIIW will again be held in conjunction with the Pan American Health Organization's Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA), April 23-30, 2005. The U.S. will join together with 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere to concurrently promote the need for routine vaccinations for infants and children during the last week in April. Additional information is available on the NIIW website www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/
New, Web-based Toolkit for Vaccine Storage and Handling
CDC is pleased to announce the availability of a new resource for healthcare personnel who provide immunization services. The Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit is a web-based, comprehensive resource that provides detailed information on the proper storage and handling of vaccines, including recommendations and resources. The Toolkit covers such topics as maintaining the cold chain, proper equipment and temperature monitoring and vaccine preparation and disposal. The Toolkit is available on the CDC's Vaccines & Immunizations website at http://www2a.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/shtoolkit/default.htm
Eighth Annual Conference on Vaccine Research
The 8th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research will be held May 9-11, 2005 at the Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor Hotel. Conference highlights will include a keynote address by Dr. David Heymann of the World Health Organization on Lessons Learned, Responding to the First Global Outbreak of SARS. Other conference sessions will focus on conjugate vaccine issues, influenza and vaccine for emergency pandemics, therapeutic vaccines and vaccinology impact of recent advances in immunology. For the first time, the conference will offer a reduced registration fee for Physicians-in-Training. For additional information visit www.nfid.org/conferences/vaccine05
Job Openings within the National Immunization Program
NIP is committed to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates for a wide range of positions. Researchers, Medical Officers and Epidemiologists as well as other specialties are often needed to fill positions within NIP. We encourage all interested parties to apply for these positions. For a current listing of positions available at NIP, please visit www.cdc.gov/hrmo/hrmo.htm. Once at the site, conduct a search for "National Immunization Program".
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Content last reviewed on April 27, 2005
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
