Network News — November 7, 2024

Webinar/Biennial Meeting

Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

Resources

Funding Opportunities

In the News

Announcements

Webinar/Biennial Meeting

Today! Virtual: National Network of Immunization Coalitions hosts webinar “Implementing the 2024–2025 RSV Recommendations: Older Adults, Pregnant People, and Infants/Young Children” on November 7 at 12:00 p.m. (ET).

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions will host a webinar titled Implementing the 2024–2025 RSV Recommendations: Older Adults, Pregnant People, and Infants/Young Children at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on November 7. The webinar will include speakers from the CDC and will cover the current CDC recommendations and best practices for implementing the recommendations, particularly related to maternal, birthing, and pediatric care coordination and documentation.

Register for the webinar.

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Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions highlights the Immunization Action Coalition of Washington

The Immunization Action Coalition of Washington (IACW) seeks to improve the health of Washington individuals and families by minimizing the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases and promoting equitable access to and optimal use of immunizations across the lifespan.

IACW hosts quarterly virtual meetings in February, May, August, and November, providing immunization stakeholders opportunities to network, collaborate, and share information about immunization-related news and resources. During IACW quarterly meetings, the coalition launched a series called Community Health Efforts Across Washington State, where guest speakers from various community health boards can share insights on existing vaccine hesitancy within the communities they serve and discuss the strategies they have implemented to build trust and enhance vaccine uptake.

In partnership with the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), IACW also presents the Immunization Champion Awards biennially. This initiative recognizes people and groups who raise public awareness of the importance of immunizations and work to keep Washingtonians immunized across the lifespan.

IACW is planning a 2025 CDC “The Pink Book” in-person training event and the next Washington State Immunization Summit, which is held every other year. More information will be shared. To stay updated, subscribe to IACW’s monthly ImmunityCommunity Connections newsletter.

The coalition strongly focuses on fostering community partnerships and providing public education about vaccines. IACW brings together a diverse range of traditional and nontraditional immunization stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, schools, community leaders, community health workers, community health boards, and public health agencies, to address gaps in vaccine access and awareness.

In addition, IACW staff members provide support to multiple task forces and local immunization coalitions, including the Hepatitis B Taskforce, HPV Free Taskforce, Pierce County Immunization Coalition, the Hepatitis Education Project, and projects focused on access to maternal vaccines.

WithinReach, which supports IACW, offers free online education opportunities for healthcare providers. One notable course, Vaccine Training for Medical Assistants, is popular among entry-level healthcare professionals and covers essential topics.

What sets IACW apart is its emphasis on collaborative education initiatives, especially in promoting and disseminating culturally sensitive and relevant vaccine information tailored to Washington’s multilingual communities. Overall, IACW’s engagement with the community is focused on collaboration, education, and trust-building to enhance immunization rates across Washington state.

Since its founding in 1994, the coalition has adapted to the evolving immunization landscape. Over the past three decades, IACW has successfully risen to meet many challenges, including the introduction of new vaccines, the transition of universal vaccine purchase to an insurance payor-funded program, and navigating the pandemic and post-pandemic times. With new vaccines rolling out and guidelines changing frequently, IACW’s commitment to adaptability and resilience remains a driving force behind its ability to engage and empower stakeholders in the immunization effort.

Visit the Immunization Action Coalition of Washington website for more information.

Follow IACW on social media:

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Immunize Kansas Coalition hosts Women’s Health Conference in western Kansas

Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) and its partners hosted Entre Mujeres: The Health of Women, a premier event for people of all ages in western Kansas. To best reach individuals within the community, the conference was Spanish-language predominant, with interpretation provided in both English and Spanish.

At Entre Mujeres, speakers shared about preventive health measures for breast and cervical cancer, including screenings and early detection methods, with emphasis on how the HPV vaccine can protect both women and men against HPV-related cancers. Following the presentation, community members had the opportunity to receive an HPV immunization on-site provided by the Finney County Health Department.

For a recap of the event, see the Entre Mujeres event web page.

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#WeThePeopleVax shares its Veterans Day campaign urging people to get their flu shots and updated COVID-19 vaccines to protect a veteran

#WeThePeopleVax is offering a social media campaign to urge people to get their COVID-19 and influenza vaccines to protect veterans.

Download and share the Veterans Day 2024 campaign materials.

For questions or to join the #WeThePeopleVax movement, visit the Get Involved web page.

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Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

Today! Virtual: National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit will host Melinda Wharton, MD, MPH, of CDC to provide an update from the October ACIP meeting on November 7 at 3:00 p.m. (ET).

The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS) will host Melinda Wharton, MD, MPH, Associate Director for Vaccine Policy and Executive Secretary of the ACIP, NCIRD, CDC, who will provide an update from the October ACIP meeting. The brief update will occur at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on November 7. Registration is not required.

Join the meeting on November 7 at 3:00 p.m. (ET).

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Virtual: Do you have questions about the Immunize.org website? Register for the next Immunize.org Website Office Hours on November 13 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or November 14 at 12:00 p.m. (ET).

Learn simple tips and tricks for using our website efficiently by registering for our Website Office Hours on Wednesday, November 13 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) or Thursday, November 14 at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Prepared content is identical for both sessions.

We will open each 45-minute session with a short, live demonstration on navigating the Vaccines A–Z website section and address questions submitted in advance. Submit questions in advance when you register, or submit your questions live on Zoom during the session.

Register today for the Immunize​.org Website Office Hours session most convenient for you:

Mark your calendar for our future Immunize​.org Website Office Hours. Due to the holiday season, we will hold only one pair of sessions in November and one pair in December.

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Virtual: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia hosts Current Issues in Vaccines webinar titled “Preventing the Next Pandemic: Why It Is Important to Know the Origin of SARS-CoV-2” on December 4 at 12:00 p.m. (ET); CE credit offered

The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) will present a 1-hour webinar titled Preventing the Next Pandemic: Why It Is Important to Know the Origin of SARS-CoV-2 at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on December 4. Part of its Current Issues in Vaccines series, the webinar will feature Paul Offit, MD, director of the VEC.

Free continuing education credits (CME, CEU, and CPE) will be available for both the live and archived events.

Register for the webinar.

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Resources

Immunize​.org shares new QR code tables for easy, one-click access to current VISs

Two new resources from Immunize​.org now put VISs at your fingertips with simple QR code tables that, when scanned, will always go to the current VIS for any listed vaccine.

  • QR Code Links to All Vaccine Information Statements (VISs), a 3-page PDF that includes a QR code for every available VIS and the Immunization Information Statement (IIS) for RSV preventive antibody. Travel and other nonroutine vaccines are included. A QR code for the main translations page at Immunize​.org is also provided to facilitate access to all available VIS translations. This resource is ideal for facilities that provide comprehensive vaccination services, including travel vaccines.
  • QR Code Links to Routinely Recommended Vaccine Information Statements (VISs), a 2-page PDF with only the VIS QR codes for immunizations listed on the CDC-recommended immunization schedules for children or adults. A QR code for the main translations page at Immunize​.org is also provided to facilitate access to all available VIS translations. This resource is ideal for facilities that provide routine immunizations to children or adults.

   

These QR codes do not go out of date when VISs change. When a VIS is updated, the QR code will automatically link to the updated version online at Immunize​.org. Download these resources today.

If QR code compilations are helpful to you, you may also want to use Immunize​.org’s QR Code Links to Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) Translations: Influenza (Flu) Vaccine (Inactivated or Recombinant), which contains QR codes for every available translation of the injectable influenza vaccine VIS.

Related Links

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Vaccinate Your Family offers latest news and perspectives on immunizations through regular postings on its “Latest News” web page

Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) offers its Latest News resource page where you can find updates on trending vaccine topics, new recommendations, the latest science, and much more. VYF publishes information regularly, so you know where to find the latest news and perspectives from the immunization world.

Find relevant news articles from VYF on its Latest News web page.

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American Academy of Pediatrics launches free virtual reality resource to teach providers how to have more effective immunization conversations

The American Academy of Pediatrics, in partnership with Bodyswaps, launched a free, 30-minute virtual reality training course titled Increasing Immunization Confidence to help pediatricians and their team members have more effective immunization conversations. The course is an immersive and interactive learning module where participants join a virtual pediatric clinic and engage in immunization scenarios with parents who are hesitant about vaccinating their children.

With virtual coaching that follows and adapts to your progress, participants will increase their understanding of:

  • Establishing a culture that promotes immunization confidence
  • Opening the conversation with a strong recommendation using the presumptive format
  • Responding with empathy to concerns about immunization using motivational interviewing
  • Tailoring communication to different individuals and situations

View the training course.

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ACOG releases new materials to support healthcare professionals in recommending RSV prevention through maternal vaccination or infant immunization

ACOG released updated guidance for clinicians regarding use of Pfizer’s RSV vaccine, Abrysvo, during pregnancy.

CDC recommends a single dose of Abrysvo for eligible pregnant patients between 32 weeks and 36 weeks and 6 days of gestation who do not have a planned delivery within 2 weeks. In most of the contiguous United States, pregnant patients at this gestational stage are eligible to receive Abrysvo from September 2024 through January 2025. Those eligible for Abrysvo are those who have never received a dose of RSV vaccine and are not planning to have their infant receive the RSV preventive antibody, nirsevimab (Beyfortus, Sanofi).

Clinicians should counsel patients that either Abrysvo during pregnancy or infant receipt of Beyfortus is a safe and effective way to prevent severe RSV disease in infants.

Get Your Recommended RSV Vaccine During Pregnancy

Use ACOG’s materials to talk about receiving routine vaccines during pregnancy: RSV, COVID-19, influenza, and Tdap.

Related Links

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Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia shares RSV Q&As, updated vaccine safety booklets in English and Spanish, and a new website section on vaccine ingredients

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Vaccine Education Center (VEC) released two new Q&A sheets related to RSV:

Both Q&A sheets can be downloaded and photocopied for distribution.

View VEC’s Vaccine- and Vaccine Safety-Related Q&A Sheets main page for additional Q&A sheets.

The Vaccine Education Center also recently updated (and retitled) its vaccine safety booklet, Vaccine Safety and Your Family: Separating Fact from Fiction (view in Spanish). The booklet is excerpted with permission from the recently released book published by Columbia University Press (CUP), Vaccines and Your Family: Separating Fact from Fiction, and contains a code to get a 30% discount on the complete book.

Order the booklet online or in printable form.

Finally, the VEC website content on vaccine ingredients now includes a section titled Ingredients by Vaccine. This new section shows the vaccines and organizes the ingredients by antigen, adjuvant, stabilizers, preservatives, and residual by-products. Currently, the section includes routinely recommended vaccines for children and adults but not combination or nonroutine vaccines. These categories will be added over time.

View VEC’s Ingredients by Vaccine main page.

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UCI Health Infection Prevention and Epidemiology offers free downloadable posters with evidence-based information encouraging COVID-19 and influenza vaccination

UCI Health Infection Prevention and Epidemiology offers free downloadable posters through the Educational Materials to Bring Resilience Against Contagious Events (EMBRACE) project, an initiative funded by the CDC. This series of 12 posters provides evidence-based information to encourage the uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. The posters cover essential topics such as vaccine effectiveness, safety, and common myths.

View and download the posters.

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Funding Opportunities

National Association of County and City Health Officials announces funding opportunity titled “Strengthening Immunization Program Communications and Outreach Capacity”; applications due November 15

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), with support from CDC, offers Strengthening Immunization Program Communications and Outreach Capacity, a technical assistance and capacity-building opportunity that will provide local health departments (LHDs) with resources to strengthen their communications on immunizations across the lifespan. Through this funding opportunity, NACCHO will issue up to ten awards in fixed priced contracts equaling $40,000 each to LHDs selected to participate.

For details and instructions, see the Request for Applications.

Applications must be submitted through the online submission form no later than November 15 at 11:59 p.m. (ET). In fairness to all applicants, NACCHO will not accept late submissions.

Questions about the application process can be directed to NACCHO’s Immunization Program at immunization@naccho.org.

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Available funding opportunities may be found on the Partnering for Vaccine Equity Resource Hub

Partnering for Vaccine Equity’s Funding Opportunities main page offers a list of open funding opportunities related to vaccination and health equity.

Please reach out to PHEbranch@cdc.gov if your organization has a funding opportunity to add to the list.

See the funding opportunities.

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In the News

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Announcements

Announcements from the National Network of Immunization Coalitions

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions reminds you of the important ways every coalition can plug into the power of our network:

  • Bookmark National Network of Immunization Coalitions’ Calendar of Events on its website, immunizationcoalitions.org, to learn about upcoming national, regional, state, and local conferences; workshops; and virtual educational opportunities.
  • Subscribe to IZ Express, the free weekly e-newsletter produced by Immunize.org, for immunization-related news, new and updated recommendations, educational materials, and educational opportunities.
  • Urge your coalition members to sign up for IZ Coalitions Network News, the monthly e-newsletter for the National Network of Immunization Coalitions that features news of interest to immunization coalitions and nonprofit organizations. To subscribe, send a request to info@immunizationcoalitions.org asking to be included.
  • Be sure that your coalition is listed and information is up to date on the National Network of Immunization Coalitions website. To add your coalition or make updates, please email info@immunizationcoalitions.org.
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