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Immunization Works! September 2007 issue
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Immunization Works Monthly Immunization Update is provided to professional organization partners for broad distributino to their members and constituencies. The immunization information provided is non-proprietary.
Front Page News
Get Ready for Influenza Season: Influenza vaccine manufacturers are projecting that as many as 132 million doses of vaccine will be available for this season. Three manufacturers have already begun to ship this season’s influenza vaccine, with almost all of the vaccine expected to be shipped and distributed in October and November.
On September 19, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), in partnership with the Summit, will sponsor the 10th Annual Influenza/Pneumoccoccal News Conference, which will be broadcast via live Web cast and telephone. More information about this event can be found at
www.visualwebcaster.com/NFID-NewsConference-2007
To promote influenza vaccination and improve protection of infants, children, and adolescents, NFID recently formed the Childhood Influenza Immunization Coalition (CIIC). CIIC held a teleconference in August and will continue to coordinate efforts across partners to improve influenza immunization rates among young children.
CDC has many influenza resources available at www.cdc.gov/flu/ and a gallery of educational materials for the public and healthcare providers at www.cdc.gov/flu/gallery
Please check the CDC’s Flu Gallery for new materials throughout the influenza season.
The National Influenza Vaccine Summit -- a partnership of more than 100 stakeholders representing both public and private organizations in influenza vaccine research, production, distribution, advocacy, and administration -- has a website with additional influenza resources: www.preventinfluenza.org (exit)
In addition, the American Medical Association (AMA) hosts the Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System (IVATS) on its website. IVATS, a tool to assist healthcare professionals in finding vaccine to purchase, can be found at
www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16919.html (exit)
CDC encourages anyone who wants to be protected against influenza to seek vaccination, especially those at increased risk for influenza-related complications as well as those who live with or care for people at high risk – including health care providers, children between 6 months and up to 5 years of age and people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease, as well as people 50 years old and older.
While the best time for vaccination is October and November before the influenza season typically begins, vaccination can still provide protection in December and later because during most years influenza does not peak until February or later. Since influenza is unpredictable, and different types and strains of influenza circulate throughout the flu season, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that influenza vaccine be offered throughout the influenza season – even after influenza has appeared or begun appearing in a community.
To help get the word out about late season vaccination, National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) will take place November 26–December 2. More information about NIVW will be available in future issues of Immunization Works.
Other News & Summaries
Nation’s Childhood Immunization Rates Remain High: The nation′s childhood immunization rates remain at or near record levels, according to 2006 National Immunization Survey (NIS) estimates published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The NIS Survey looks at the routinely recommended childhood immunization series: four doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine; three doses of polio vaccine, one or more doses of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine; three doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (Hib); three doses of hepatitis B vaccine; and one or more doses of varicella or chickenpox vaccine. This set of immunizations begins shortly after a child is born and continues up to two years of age. The 2006 estimates continue the trend of more children being protected against vaccine-preventable diseases each year. According to the CDC′s annual National Immunization Survey (NIS), the percentage of U.S. children 19 to 35 months of age who have received the recommended series of childhood vaccines was 77 percent in 2006, statistically similar to the 76.1 percent in 2005. As in previous years, there were substantial state and local differences in the percentages of children who received recommended vaccinations as well as in the percentage who had received all of the recommended vaccine series. The NIS data also suggested that there continue to be small racial/ethnic differences in the percentage of 19- to-35-month-old children receiving the recommended vaccination series. These differences are likely related to socioeconomic status and household income rather than race. The full report can be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5634a2.htm
Adolescent Vaccination Coverage below 2010 Goals: This year, for the first time, CDC’s National Immunization Survey (NIS) included adolescent vaccination data. The data, published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), show adolescent rates below the United State’s Healthy People 2010 goal of achieving greater than or equal to 90 percent vaccination coverage among adolescents 13-15 years old for certain vaccines. The NIS data included estimates of the percentage of 13- to-17-year-old children who had received recommended immunizations for measles-mumps and rubella vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, varicella vaccine, tetanus-diphtheria or tetanus, reduced diphtheria and acellular pertussis and meningococcal conjugate vaccine. The tetanus, reduced diphtheria and acellular pertussis and meningococcal conjugate vaccines, which are specifically targeted for use in adolescents, were licensed and recommended in the U.S. in 2005. The percentage of adolescents who had received recommended vaccines varied widely by both vaccine and age, with the Healthy People 2010 goals for adolescents ages 13-15 years not being met for any of the vaccines. The lowest estimates were associated with the most recently recommended vaccines. About 60 percent of 13-to-17 year olds received a tetanus-diphtheria or tetanus, reduced diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccination since age 10, but only 10.8 percent for tetanus, reduced diphtheria and acellular pertussis alone, and 11.7 percent had received a meningococcal conjugate vaccine vaccination. The full report can be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5634a3.htm
Vaccination Coverage Among Children in Kindergarten: A report in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) shows increasing vaccination coverage among kindergarten children in the 2006-07 school year. According to the report, 75% of states have reached the Healthy People 2010 objective of at least 95% coverage for all of the vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for children in kindergarten. These results underscore the effectiveness of school-entry requirements in increasing vaccination coverage. However, they also highlight a need for more standardized vaccination reporting among states. The full report can be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5632a3.htm
Additional information regarding assessing and reporting vaccination coverage among children entering school is available at
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/stats-surv/schoolsurv/default.htm
Meetings, Conferences, & Resources
HHS Seeks Nominations for HP 2020 Committee: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the establishment of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 and solicited nominations for appointment to the Committee. The Department seeks nominees with expertise across a broad range of areas related to health promotion, disease prevention, and public health benchmarking. Nominations are due September 20, 2007. Self-nominations are permitted. Nominations must be received by September 20, 2007. For more information about the Healthy People 2020 development process and to view the full text of a Federal Register Notice — along with details of the required nomination package contents — visit the Healthy People Web site at www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020 (exit)
Meningococcal VIS: CDC has updated its Meningococcal Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) to be consistent with the revised Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations concerning Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV4). ACIP recently recommended MCV4 for all children and adolescents 11-18 years of age. The updated VIS can be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis
NAIAW in September: National Adult Immunization Awareness Week (NAIAW) is September 23rd through September 29th. This year marks the 20th consecutive observance of NAIAW and is a great opportunity for individuals and organizations to promote the importance of adult and adolescent immunization. More information can be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/naiaw/default.htm
2007 Clinical Vaccinology Course: The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will co-sponsor a course with the Emory Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and the Emory Vaccine Center, to be held November 9-11, 2007 in Bethesda, MD. CDC and other partners have collaborated on the development of this course, which focuses on new developments and issues related to vaccines. The course is intended for physicians, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, vaccine program administrators, and other health and public health professionals. More information can be found on NFID’s website at www.nfid.org/ (exit)
Next ACIP Meeting: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will hold its next meeting on October 24-25, 2007 at the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. This meeting is open to the general public, but advanced registration is required. More information can be found on ACIP’s website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/ACIP/default.htm
On-Site Training in Atlanta: A two-day Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases course will be held in Atlanta on April 15 and 16, 2008 at CDC. Course registration and information will be posted soon at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/onsite-trg.htm
Upcoming Broadcasts, Webcasts and Netconferences: Please mark your calendars for upcoming broadcasts and webcasts from CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD):
- September 13, 2007, 12 Noon – 1:00 PM EST, New Influenza Vaccine Recommendations (Netconference)
- October 11, 2007, 12 Noon – 1:00 PM EST, Travel Health Issues Including Malaria (Netconference)
- December 13, 2007, Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
(Satellite Broadcast)
More information about these and other training opportunities can be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/default.htm
Save the Date, Immunization & Health Coalitions Conference: The 8th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions will be held in San Francisco, CA from May 21-23, 2008 at the Downtown Marriott. Please see future editions of Immunization Works for more information.
CDC Training Opportunities: Through established programs, CDC offers many unique training opportunities in infectious disease, including international opportunities. For a current listing of CDC training opportunities, please visit www.cdc.gov/phtrain
CDC Job Openings: CDC is committed to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates for a wide range of immunization positions. Researchers, Medical Officers and Epidemiologists as well as other specialties are often needed to fill positions within CDC. For a current listing of positions available at CDC, including international opportunities, please visit www.cdc.gov/employment
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Content last reviewed on September 17, 2007
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
