Vaccine Update for Healthcare Providers

Vaccine Resources

• Updated VIS and Interesting Medscape Video With Parallels to Vaccine Exemptions Dec. 2012
• Pertussis Resources and Influenza-Related Resources Nov. 2012
• October Needle Tips is Now Available, WHO Offers Free Vaccine Safety Course, and Washington State Shares Pertussis Campaign Research Findings Oct. 2012
• 2012 CDC Immunization Update, Pertussis Resources, CDC Expert Commentaries, and CDC Resources for Talking with Parents Sept. 2012
• National Immunization Awareness Month and Your Comments Can Help Kids Get Immunized Aug. 2012
• Summer Contest, Cleaning Closets and Talking to the Media July 2012
• VIS Updates, Pertussis Vaccination Outreach Letter, New Issues of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults, and New Spanish-Language Resource June 2012
• Resources for Vaccine Providers and Pilot Program Opportunity May 2012
• Adult Vaccine Resources Apr. 2012
• Videos, Print Materials, Observances, Contests and Awards Mar. 2012
• Influenza Immunization Excellence Award Nominations and Influenza Videos Feb. 2012
• IAC compiles HPV-related videos Jan. 2012

Updated VIS and interesting medscape video with parallels to vaccine exemptions

Updated vaccine information statements

The CDC recently announced updates to the following Vaccine Information Statements (VIS):

• Multiple Vaccines (DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV, Hepatitis B, and Rotavirus) – main change was to add intussusception as a rare adverse event for rotavirus
• Pneumococcal (PCV13) – updated to include revised adult recommendations
• Tdap and Td – updated to include recommendation for pregnant women

The end of each year is a good time to make sure you are using the most recent VIS. The table below shows the dates on the most current versions. If you need to access revised versions, go to the CDC’s dedicated VIS page where you can download and print the most current version of any sheet or download RTF files for use in electronic systems.

Interesting Medscape video with parallels to vaccine exemptions

In “You MUST let my bedsores kill me! You MUST!” Dr. Art Caplan, one of the country’s prominent bioethicists, tells an interesting story about a patient who upon hearing he would need to live the remainder of his days in a nursing home, refused to be turned and consequently succumbed to infections caused by bedsores. Dr. Caplan discusses how this patient’s decision affected the hospital staff and morale concluding that while individuals have rights to request withholding medical care, in certain scenarios these requests may impinge upon the rights of others, and, therefore, may not be appropriate to honor. His concluding statement, “. . .that’s your right to do, but that’s not something we can accept at this facility” rings of current discussions related to whether or not it is appropriate to turn away patients who refuse immunizations.

Watch the video»

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Pertussis resources and influenza-related resources

Pertussis resources

A series of videos featuring families affected by pertussis have been posted on the “What to Expect” website. Although the video clips are interspersed with sponsor clips from the “Sounds of Pertussis” campaign, the following three- to four-minute videos are worth sharing with families who might be wondering about the severity of pertussis:

• Moving Forward After Pertussis
• The Fight for Their Baby’s Life
• A Mother’s Loss

Watch the videos»

Group Health Cooperative also recently posted a four-minute video, “Surviving Whooping Cough: Michelle’s Story” which features a family whose infant daughter was affected by pertussis.

Watch the video»

Nurses Who Vaccinate blog posted a slide related to sources of pertussis transmission that can be shared via Facebook (October 24, 2012 entry).

Influenza-related resources

• Evaluation of diagnostic tests and training for sample collection: The November 2, 2012 MMWR published an evaluation of influenza diagnostic tests. The evaluation found that all tests could detect viral levels at the highest concentration, but sensitivity decreased with dilution indicating the importance of using good collection techniques and collecting samples at the peak of viral concentration (24-72 hours after onset of symptoms). The Joint Commission offers web-based coursework and videos to train personnel in appropriate testing and sample collection techniques.
• Don’t forget to bookmark the CDC’s weekly influenza surveillance reports page, so as the season gets underway, you can quickly get a handle on where influenza activity is widespread and monitor weekly reports. You can also sign up to get weekly emails with the information:
  • Weekly report
  • Weekly map only
  • Weekly pediatric mortality
  • Email updates
• National Influenza Immunization Week (NIIW) is December 2-8, 2012. Do you have an event planned in your area? If so, don’t forget to add it to the NIIW calendar. If not, consider using the momentum of the media attention to hold your own event.
• The National Influenza Vaccine Summit’s website has many additional resources; check it out here.

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October Needle Tips

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) recently published the October issue of Needle Tips. Topics in this issue include:

• Special Focus on Influenza Vaccination, including summary of 2012-2013 vaccines, discussion of mandatory influenza immunization for healthcare workers, screening for contraindications, and a compilation of educational materials and posters.
• Editorial: HPV Vaccination: How Can We Do Better?
• Updates on vaccine recommendations, schedules and news from the CDC
• Fact sheet about the importance of cocooning babies
• And more!

Be sure to check out the latest issue or archives and consider signing up to receive future issues.

WHO offers free vaccine safety course

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a new vaccine safety course. The course was designed with an understanding that people who work in this area come with different levels of understanding and different needs, yet must be able to communicate with a common language.

Subject areas include vaccines, adverse events, pharmacovigilance, vaccine safety stakeholders and communication. Modules include assessments, case studies and supplementary tools.

To learn more about the course or review the modules, go to www.vaccine-safety-training.org.

Washington state shares pertussis campaign research findings

In response to the whooping cough epidemic occurring in the state of Washington, the Thurston County Health Department and the state health department collaborated in a partnership funded by the Group Health Foundation to create an informational campaign directed toward community members. The campaign is using a website, online banner ads, billboards, social media and target outreach to educate the population about the importance of immunizations. The campaign is targeted around findings showing that while people understood the importance of vaccination, they were confused by which vaccines they and their children should get and whether or not they had them. The campaign website is http://www.silencewhoopingcough.org.

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2012 CDC immunization update, pertussis resources, CDC expert commentaries, and CDC resources for talking with parents

2012 CDC Immunization Update

The CDC recently held its annual webcast providing an update on immunizations. The event can be viewed online and contains information related to:

• HPV
• Influenza
• Pertussis outbreaks
• ACIP recommendations for healthcare personnel
• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for immuno compromised adults
• Vaccine storage and handling
• Vaccine briefs

Presenters included Iyabode Akinsanya-Beysolow, MD, MPH; Andrew Kroger, MD, MPH; Raymond Strikas, MD, MPH; and JoEllen Wolicki, BSN, RN. The program is 2.5 hours in length.

Pertussis resources

The following information and resources related to pertussis may be of help during the current outbreaks:

• CDC Update on outbreaks in Washington and around the country audio recording and PDF of reported pertussis cases
• Infographic: The science of whooping cough created by CanadaDrugCenter.com
• CDC posters

CDC expert commentaries

The CDC and Medscape have collaborated to provide a series of short videos related to immunizations, infection control and travel medicine. To check out the available videos, go to the CDC channel of Medscape.

CDC resources for talking with parents

The CDC recently revised several resources for providers to use when communicating with parents about vaccines; revised pieces are available online and include the following:

• Understanding MMR Vaccine Safety
• Understanding How Vaccines Work
• Understanding the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
• Ensuring the Safety of Vaccines in the United States
• Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety

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National Immunization Awareness Month and Your Comments Can Help Kids Get Immunized

National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). Whether your office hosts special events during August or promotes immunizations at other times of the year, resources are available to help:

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is using NIAM to promote the immunization schedule for infants and children, the importance of cocooning, and global efforts to get vaccines to children in the developing world. Read more about the AAP’s efforts»
•  CDC has various resources and materials available on its dedicated page»
• NIAM Toolkit»
• The Vaccine Education Center always has materials available explaining vaccine science and safety» 

Help Shot@Life Raise Funds

Twenty dollars is the cost to immunize a child in the developing world with four life-saving vaccines: measles, pneumonia, rotavirus and polio. During August you can get a child immunized with these 4 vaccines through the Shot@Life campaign, Blogust, the Blog Relay for Good! Bloggers are posting in support of Shot@Life every day; for every comment made on a Blogust post throughout the month, $20 will be donated to the Shot@Life campaign. Shot@Life is a program of the United Nations Foundation.

Summer contest, cleaning closets and talking to the media

Summer contest

Are you hitting the roads this summer? Watch for billboards reminding drivers of the importance of timely immunizations and cocooning infants who are too young to be vaccinated. Every Child By Two (ECBT) and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) have worked together to design catchy ads, such as “Not Vaccinated? No Kisses!” with an adorable baby whose face is scrunched up in disgust, and “Vaccine-preventable diseases are just a plane ride away” with a raincoat-clad child peering into a large open suitcase.

If you spot any of these ads on billboards or bus shelters, you can enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Learn more on ECBT’s “Shot of Prevention” blog.

Cleaning closets

If you have been doing any cleaning or just have an old stack of CDs or DVDs that you want to get rid of, you might consider supporting the Autism Science Foundation’s (ASF) latest fundraiser. Once you know how many discs you have, box them up, enter the information at www.CDSweep.com, and they will send you a prepaid FedEx label. ASF will get 50 cents for each disc.

Talking to the media

Do you work with a local immunization coalition, have a parent who wishes to advocate for vaccines, or for other reasons find yourself talking with reporters about vaccines? If you answered “yes,” you should be aware of a new webinar titled “Vaccine 101 and Media Training” now available from ECBT. ECBT’s executive director, Amy Pisani, and PR Firm APCO Worldwide’s senior vice president, William Pierce, present information pertaining to: 

• Vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases
• Strategies for crafting vaccine messages
• Ways to successfully communicate different media formats, including interviews, quotes, letters to the editor and op-eds.

Access Vaccine 101 and Media Training»

A second webinar, related to autism, is also available. Alison Singer, founder of the Autism Science Foundation, presents information about autism that is useful for vaccine advocates, including:

• An overview of autism and the state of current research
• A review of the CASE method for helping people approach information from a more logical and less emotional standpoint

Access Autism 101 for Vaccine Advocates» 

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VIS updates, pertussis vaccination outreach letter, new issues of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults, and new Spanish-language resource

Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) updates

In an effort to make Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) more available for integration into electronic systems, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in the process of making all VIS available in rich text format (.rtf). From this format, they will be able to be changed into other file formats using Microsoft Word. As of June 7, 2012, MMR, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and polio VIS have been completed. All will be available on the VIS page of the CDC website.

Two-dimensional barcodes have now been added to several VIS, including MMR (previously announced), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HPV, polio, Japanese encephalitis, meningococcal, Td and Tdap, and typhoid.

PDFs of VIS can be downloaded to mobile phones as well.

Pertussis vaccination outreach letter

The American Academy of Pediatrics, along with several partner groups, released a letter to healthcare providers related to pertussis vaccination. The second page of the letter includes a pertussis vaccine dosing guide. Check it out online or post a copy where your staff can easily refer to it.

New issues of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) released the May 2012 issue of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults. Needle Tips is for healthcare professionals who administer vaccines. Vaccinate Adults only includes the content from Needle Tips that relates to adult patients.

New Spanish-language resource

The History of Vaccines has announced Spanish translations of several of their materials as well as a Spanish language Twitter account: @historiavacunas. The Spanish resources can be found on the History of Vaccines website.

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Resources for vaccine providers and pilot program opportunity

Resources for vaccine providers

A few resources to help with the practice of vaccine administration came to our attention over the last month:

• A video on proper storage and handling of vaccines is now available from the CDC. The 25-minute video is from the 2012 Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases course series. Additional information about vaccine storage and handling is available on the CDC’s dedicated page.
• Immunization Action Coalition recently published the latest edition of “Ask the Experts.” The May 2, 2012 issue includes questions and answers related to Tdap, HPV, and pneumoccocal vaccines.
• New adolescent vaccine materials were recently released by the CDC; new materials include:
  • Preteens and teens need vaccines - a 30-second video in Spanish
  • Fact sheets for parents 
  • Fact sheet and Reminder/recall e-cards for providers
  • HPV article discussing HPV recommendations for girls and boys that can be used in other publications free of charge
  • Website for parents
  • Website for adolescents

Pilot program opportunity

The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) is partnering with the Shot@Life Campaign to increase awareness of the importance of vaccines globally. The AAP is currently looking for 20 to 30 pediatricians to help pilot educational materials related to the campaign. The pilot materials include information cards, posters, and specially designed adhesive bandages to be used after giving shots. Volunteers will be asked to:

• Attend a one-hour webinar in June
• Display information cards which include a coloring sheet
• Display one or two posters
• Use the specialty adhesive bandages after giving vaccines
• Provide feedback to the AAP and Shot@Life groups via a survey or teleconference The program will be tested during the months of July, August and September. If you are interested, contact Terrell Carter, the AAP’s Manager of Global Immunization Programs by email at tcarter@aap.org. Recruitment is expected to be completed by early June. If successful, the program will be expanded at the AAP’s national convention in New Orleans in October.

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Adult vaccine resources

Providers caring for adults have often had a lack of options for providing resources for their patients thereby making the job of getting adults immunized more difficult. Even for pediatric care providers, knowing about vaccine resources related to adult immunizations can be helpful. One of the most obvious benefits of adult immunization is demonstrated with recent “cocooning” efforts using the Tdap vaccine; therefore, we thought it would be helpful to make readers aware of some new and revised materials as well as others that have been available:

• An adult vaccination website sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases was recently re-launched with a revised format and improved search function. The site also includes tools to use with patients and in social media campaigns.
• The American Academy of Microbiology recently released a report titled “Adult Vaccines: A Grown Up Thing to Do.” Both a 13-page report and a patient brochure are available.
• Vaccinate Adults is a publication of the Immunization Action Coalition that provides up-to-date information about all aspects of adult immunizations. Subscriptions for the e-newsletter are free.
• Vaccines and Adults: A Lifetime of Health is a 46-page booklet offered by the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP and co-branded with the American Medical Association. The booklet can be printed and photocopied or ordered for distribution to patients.
• Various materials are available from the CDC, including videos, e-cards, and print information.

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Videos, print materials, observances, contests and awards

Videos

• A few vaccine-related videos were recently added to Medscape:
  • Fire Patients Who Won’t Vaccinate? – Dr. Paul Offit comments on an article published in the Wall Street Journal about vaccine-hesitant parents.
  • Don’t Dismiss Patients Who Won’t Vaccinate – Dr. Arthur Caplan from the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania discusses why he believes physicians should not dismiss families from their practices who choose not to vaccinate, and provides ideas to help physicians persuade parents to vaccinate their children.
  • Testing for Lyme Disease: Follow the Steps – Dr. Barbara J.B. Johnson from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discusses considerations related to the diagnosis of Lyme disease and the caveats to be aware of when using serologic testing.

• The Florida Bureau of Immunization has posted nine learning video modules related to immunizations. Continuing education credits are available for viewers. Credits are awarded per module, so you can complete only the modules of interest. A total of 4.5 credits will be awarded for successful completion of all nine modules. Modules include:
  • Vaccine Safety: A History of Protection and the Truth Behind the Fiction
  • We’re In It Together: Herd Immunity & Completing Immunization Coverage
  • Childhood and Adolescent Immunizations
  • CDC Spotlight: Dr. Kroger Speaks on Vaccine Science and Safety Net
  • CDC Spotlight: Dr. Kroger Speaks on Vaccine Recommendations Across the Lifespan
  • Immunization Insights: Dr. Offit Speaks on Vaccine Safety
  • Immunization Insights: Dr. Offit Speaks on Childhood and Adolescent Vaccines
  • Pediatric Perspectives: Dr. Schaechter Speaks on Keeping Patients on Track with Vaccines
  • Pediatric Perspectives: Dr. Schaechter Speaks on Increasing Vaccination Rates

View the modules»

Print materials

The Immunization Action Coalition released its February issues of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults, a shortened version of Needle Tips for those who work only with adult patients. These publications contain ready-to-print educational materials for healthcare professionals and their patients, vaccine news highlights and IAC’s popular “Ask the Experts” Q&A column with answers by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts Andrew Kroger, MD, MPH; Donna Weaver, RN, MN; Iyabode Akinsanya-Beysolow, MD, MPH; and William Atkinson, MD, MPH.

• View or download Needle Tips»
• View or download Vaccinate Adults»

Observances

National Infant Immunization Week will be held April 21-28, 2012. The theme is “Love them. Protect them. Immunize them.” Consider hosting an event in your office or community to highlight the importance of keeping infants up to date on their immunizations. Read what others are doing, submit your plans, or get ideas»

Contests and awards

• $500 for the best disease prevention project – PKIDS is currently sponsoring a contest for nonprofits and health departments on their Facebook page. Entries must be submitted via Facebook by mid-April. The top three nominees will be posted for online voting (also via Facebook). Enter or get more details»
  
• ANA Immunity Award - The American Nurses Association (ANA) accepts nominations for nurses who are immunization champions. Two winners are selected three times a year. Winners are featured on the ANA's immunization website and receive a trophy and lapel pin. Nominate someone or get more details»

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Influenza immunization excellence award nominations and influenza videos

Influenza immunization excellence award nominations

Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2012 National Influenza Vaccine Summit (NIVS) Immunization Excellence Awards to recognize those who have made extraordinary contributions toward improving influenza vaccination rates during the 2011-2012 influenza season. The four award categories include:  

Nominations (self or others) are due by COB March 2, 2012. The nomination form and additional information are available from the NIVS website. 

Awards will be presented to a winner and an honorable mention recipient in each category during the National Influenza Vaccine Summit meeting in Atlanta in May.

Influenza videos

• Medscape offers expert commentary by Dr. Joe Bresee from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discussing studies related to influenza disease and immunization in cardiac patients. Watch the video. Note: If you are not already signed up for Medscape, you may need to register for free before being able to view the video.
• The CDC has many videos related to influenza on its influenza website, www.cdc.gov/flu.
• As part of the Kohl’s and Children’s Influenza Prevention Project for Kids, the campaign sponsored it’s third annual Kids PSA Contest in which middle and high school students in Minnesota were asked to submit a six- to 120-second video about influenza prevention. Check out this year’s entrants and see how much fun the students had while learning about how to prevent “the flu.”
• Minnesota Children’s Hospital also has a series of short video clips featuring Frankie and Franny: The Flu Fighters. Watch the videos and see how to find out about using them with your patients.

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IAC Compiles HPV-related videos

In honor of Cervical Health Awareness Month, the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) recently catalogued HPV-related videos to make them easily accessible in one location.

IAC also has an exhaustive list of print resources, recommendations, and journal articles available on the HPV page of their website.

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• Overall Season Activities
• Healthcare Personnel Campaign
• Immunization Coalitions/Public Health/Community Campaign
• Corporate Campaign
• Medscape offers expert commentary by Dr. Joe Bresee from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discussing studies related to influenza disease and immunization in cardiac patients. Watch the video.
  Note: If you are not already signed up for Medscape, you may need to register for free before being able to view the video.
• The CDC has many videos related to influenza on its influenza website, www.cdc.gov/flu.
• As part of the Kohl’s and Children’s Influenza Prevention Project for Kids, the campaign sponsored it’s third annual Kids PSA Contest in which middle and high school students in Minnesota were asked to submit a six- to 120-second video about influenza prevention. Check out this year’s entrants and see how much fun the students had while learning about how to prevent “the flu.”
• Minnesota Children’s Hospital also has a series of short video clips featuring Frankie and Franny: The Flu Fighters. Watch the videos and see how to find out about using them with your patients.