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Immunization Works! September 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.
Update! Influenza Vaccine Supply and Recommendations for Prioritization
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published an article in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) which updates the influenza vaccine supply and recommendations for prioritization during the current influenza season.
Four manufacturers now expect to provide influenza vaccine to the U.S. population during the 2005--06 influenza season. Sanofi Pasteur, Inc., projects production of 60 million doses of TIV. Chiron Corporation projects production of 18--26 million doses of TIV. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Inc. – whose license application was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on August 31, 2005 – projects production of 8 million doses of TIV. MedImmune Vaccines, Inc., producer of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), projects production of approximately 3 million doses. However, because of the uncertainties regarding production of influenza vaccine, the exact number of available doses and timing of vaccine distribution for the 2005--06 influenza season remain unknown.
Given the uncertainties in doses and distribution, CDC recommends that the following priority groups receive TIV until October 24, 2005:- Persons aged >65 years with comorbid conditions
- Residents of long-term--care facilities
- Persons aged 2--64 years with comorbid conditions
- Persons aged >65 years without comorbid conditions
- Children aged 6--23 months
- Pregnant women
- Health-care personnel who provide direct patient care
- Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children aged <6 months
These groups correspond to TIV priority groups that were published previously in the event of vaccination supply disruption (please see www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5430a4.htm). Beginning October 24, 2005, all persons will be eligible for vaccination.
The tiered use of prioritization is not recommended for LAIV administration. LAIV may be administered at any time for vaccination of nonpregnant healthy persons aged 5--49 years, including most health-care personnel, other persons in close contact with groups at high risk for influenza-related complications, and others desiring protection against influenza. Additional information is available at www.cdc.gov/flu
To view the complete MMWR article, please visit
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5434a4.htm
Other Immunization News
One-Third of Parents Say They Lack Information About Immunizations
An article published recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM) concluded that while most parents agree they have access to enough immunization information, approximately a third did not. A perceived lack of immunization information was strongly linked to negative attitudes about immunizations and toward healthcare providers. Parents who disagreed that they had enough immunization information were more likely than those who agreed to feel somewhat or not confident in the safety of childhood immunizations (54.2 percent vs.17.9 percent); to believe that immunizations are not important (9.6 percent vs. 3.5 percent); to disagree that they trust their child’s healthcare provider’s vaccine advice (12.0 percent vs. 2.6 percent); to disagree that their child’s main healthcare provider is easy to talk to (13.4 percent vs. 1.4 percent); to report that they would not have their child immunized if it were not required by law (27.1 percent vs. 8.1 percent); to believe states should grant exemptions based on religious beliefs (43.3 percent vs. 24 percent); to believe that states should grant exemptions based on personal beliefs (37.5 percent vs. 18.2 percent); to not trust the government to establish policy for childhood immunizations (50.9 percent vs. 20.1 percent); to not trust public health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to set policy for childhood immunizations (23.8 percent vs. 6.5 percent); and importantly, to believe that parents should be allowed to obtain exemptions for their child even if it raised the risk of disease for everyone else (24.1 percent vs.12.9 percent).
The results suggest that basic information about the benefits and risks of vaccines presented by a trusted provider could go a long way toward maintaining and/or improving confidence in the immunization process. To view an abstract of the article and/or to obtain ordering information, please visit the AJPM’s Website at www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/07493797 (exit), and link to volume 29, issue 2 (August).
Hurricane Katrina
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed interim immunization recommendations for anyone involved in the emergency response to Hurricane Katrina. These recommendations are now posted CDC’s Emergency Preparedness and Response website: www.emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/responderimmun.asp
Additional Hurricane Katrina health information can be found at www.emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/katrina.asp
Temporary Conjugated Meningococcal Vaccine Shortage
Conjugated meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) is temporarily in short supply, due to high demand. Vaccine is being allocated in both the public and private sectors based on estimates of monthly needs as well as available supply. The supply-and-demand mismatch is expected to be short term. To access the most up-to-date information, please visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/shortages/default.htm
Meetings, Conferences, and Resources
Immunization Teleconference, October 13th
The National Immunization Program (NIP) is pleased to present a teleconference program titled “Current Issues in Immunization” on October 13th, 2005, at 12:00 PM EST. The program, designed to provide clinicians with the most up-to-date information on immunization, will focus on the 2005-06 Influenza Recommendations. The program will combine an online slide presentation with an audio discussion via a conference call phone line. A live question and answer segment is included in the one-hour program. Continuing Education credits will be offered for this course. To participate in the course, please register at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/netconferences.htm
CDC Announces Opening of the 2005--06 Flu Gallery
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the opening of the 2005--06 Flu Gallery. The Flu Gallery contains educational materials for use by providers and the public during the upcoming influenza immunization season. These materials reflect CDC’s vaccination recommendations and highlight the benefits of influenza vaccination. The Gallery contains print materials such as flyers, posters, and brochures, in color and black and white, English and Spanish. Many of the materials can be reproduced on an office printer. Materials can also printed by a professional (offset) printer.
Please visit the online gallery often because in addition to “late season” promotional materials, new materials will be added if there are changes in vaccine supply and target audiences. The Flu Gallery can be found at www.cdc.gov/flu/gallery
New Module Released for "You Call the Shots":
The National Immunization Program (NIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the release of “Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis,” the second of 13 proposed modules for the web-based course, “Immunization: You Call the Shots.” The module includes descriptions of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; information on the vaccines to protect against these diseases; and recommendations for vaccine use. The module, however, does not include a discussion of the new diphtheria and tetanus toxoid-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines for adolescents and adults. Information on these vaccines will be included at a later date, following the publication of Tdap recommendations in a future edition of CDC’s MMWR.
"Immunization: You Call the Shots" is a free, interactive, self-study course that participants can complete at their own pace. It is intended for introductory training of healthcare professionals who provide immunizations and can serve as a reference for all immunization providers. Physicians, nurses, health educators, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals are invited to apply for continuing education credits. The course can be accessed from NIP’s website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/youcalltheshots.htm
New Resource: Planning for a Possible U.S. Influenza Vaccine Shortage
The National Immunization Program (NIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the development of a new resource to aid state/local public health and immunization programs and partners in planning for a possible vaccine shortage during the 2005-06 influenza season. “The Interim Guideline: Planning for a Possible U.S. Influenza Vaccine Shortage, 2005-06” includes planning practices and activities found to be effective in the 2004-05 trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) shortage. A set of TIV shortage scenarios applying these practices is included as an appendix to the document. The Guideline can be found at www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/pdf/vaccshortguide.pdf 
Pandemic Influenza Update, October 6th
On October 6, 2005, the California Distance Learning Health Network and the California Department of Health Services will Webcast a California update concerning public health preparedness for Pandemic Influenza. The 90 minute program will provide essential information and highlight the interventions needed to minimize the consequences of a pandemic event. Continuing education credits will be offered for this course. For more information, or to register, please visit www.cdlhn.com (exit)
Kids Need Flu Vaccine, Too! Online Resource Kit
A new program called “Kids Need Flu Vaccine, Too!" now features online resources for in-practice use by clinicians and other health care providers to help educate parents about influenza and the importance of annual influenza vaccination among infants and children. The new materials were developed by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The goals of the program are supported by the National Influenza Vaccine Summit. The online resources are free and available for download at the “Kids Need Flu Vaccine, Too” website at http://64.242.251.230/index1.html (exit)
Submit an Abstract to NIC
Abstracts are now being accepted for the 40th National Immunization Conference (NIC). The conference, to be held March 6-9, 2006, at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, will comprise six topic tracks: Adult and Adolescent Immunization, Epidemiology and Vaccine Safety, Health and Risk Communications, Immunization Information Systems, Programmatic Issues, and Policy and Legislation. To submit an abstract, please visit the NIC Web site at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/nic
Participants can also register at the NIC Web site. Please register before January 13, 2006 to obtain the best rate.
NIP Needs Pilot Testers
The National Immunization Program (NIP) has an ongoing need for volunteers to pilot test immunization training courses. Volunteers are particularly needed in the following occupations: physicians, pharmacists, health educators, medical assistants and nurses. To learn more about becoming a pilot tester, please send an email to nippilot@cdc.gov.
Job Openings within NIP
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. Interested parties are encouraged to apply for these positions. For a current listing of positions available at NIP, please visit www.cdc.gov/hrmo/hrmo.htm
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Content last reviewed on September 5, 2005
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
