Issue 1,510: August 12, 2020
Top Stories
IAC Handouts
Featured Resources
Journal Articles and Newsletters
Education and Training
On the Lighter Side
Top Stories
Watch Protecting Health: Saving Lives on immunize.org; this 30-minute PBS documentary portrays the rich history and contributions of IAC
IAC is proud to announce that the award-winning PBS television documentary series, Visionaries, hosted by Sam Waterston, is launching its season with the story of Dr. Deborah L. Wexler, founder and executive director of the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC). The Visionaries episode, Protecting Health: Saving Lives, showcases Dr. Wexler’s commitment to supporting the nation’s healthcare professionals with immunization education information and materials. The 30-minute documentary follows Dr. Wexler’s passion from its origins in 1988 to 1990 while she provided care to undervaccinated children in the Hmong community of St. Paul, Minnesota, through to her founding and continued leadership of IAC, a nationally renowned provider of immunization education resources. In 1989–90, undervaccination of children took its toll on the nation with a resurgence of measles, killing 123 people, primarily children younger than 5 years of age, including three Hmong 1-year-olds in Saint Paul. Dr. Wexler responded by establishing the Immunization Action Coalition to educate and advocate for the importance of vaccination. The Visionaries documentary beautifully captures Wexler's passion for prevention and her ability to attract a circle of preeminent vaccination experts to carry out the mission of IAC.  Protecting Health: Saving Lives makes a powerful case for vaccination, addressing and defusing the fears that fuel the antivaccine movement, showcasing stories of vaccine-preventable disease, and recognizing the science that has saved millions of lives through vaccination. Today, the success of vaccination in preventing deadly diseases is threatened by a small but vocal number of individuals opposed to vaccination. It is hoped that this Visionaries documentary will help allay concerns and widen the understanding of how important vaccines are. Protecting Health: Saving Lives will premiere on many PBS stations nationwide beginning in mid-August, but you can watch it right now on IAC’s website at www.immunize.org/aboutus/iac-film-history.asp. To learn more about Visionaries, visit www.visionaries.org.
Ask the Experts: Hepatitis A web page has been updated to include the newest ACIP guidance
IAC recently updated its Ask the Experts: Hepatitis A web page to reflect the new comprehensive ACIP recommendations for the use of hepatitis A vaccines published by the CDC in MMWR on July 3, 2020. Major changes include a routine hepatitis A vaccine catch-up recommendation for all children ages 2–18 years not previously vaccinated and a recommendation for routine vaccination of all adults living with HIV infection. The web page also addresses why people who need clotting factor supplements for bleeding disorders are no longer at increased risk of hepatitis A virus infection. Finally, this web page addresses CDC's new guidance about when to consider giving immune globulin, in addition to vaccine, to prevent illness after exposure to hepatitis A virus.
IAC’s overarching Ask the Experts gateway page links to an additional 28 topic pages with more than 1,000 Q&As.
IAC’s team of experts includes Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH (lead); Carolyn Bridges, MD, FACP; William Atkinson, MD, MPH; and Deborah Wexler, MD.
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August is National Immunization Awareness Month; promote vaccination with resources from CDC's website
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the efforts of healthcare professionals to protect patients of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination.
It is critical to maintain routine vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect both individuals and communities. Routine vaccination prevents illnesses that lead to additional medical visits, hospitalizations, and further strain on the healthcare system. This year, CDC is calling on its partners to amplify these important messages when communicating with parents, pregnant women, healthcare professionals, and other adults.
CDC’s NIAM web page includes two toolkits, one for reaching healthcare professionals and the other for reaching parents and patients. Each includes key messages, sample social media content, and educational resources. CDC is encouraging its partners to share these messages and resources throughout the month of August using the hashtag #ivax2protect.
CDC will host an Instagram Q&A event for parents on August 24 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET to answer questions about the importance of maintaining routine immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents can tune in and participate on CDC’s Instagram feed.
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IAC Spotlight! Our IAC Image Library gateway page leads you to a gallery of photos to educate staff and patients about the importance of vaccination
The IAC Image Library gateway page offers photos to educate staff and patients about the importance of vaccination. The gallery of digital images includes photos of people affected by vaccine-preventable diseases; micrographs of viruses, bacteria, and pathology specimens; and pictures of healthcare professionals vaccinating children, teens, and adults. All of the images are free to download. Please follow any copyright requirements noted.
To easily locate this gateway page, use the “Guide to Immunize.org” at the bottom of every immunize.org web page.
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IAC’s MenB Vaccination Honor Roll has added two new colleges that protect their students
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is pleased to announce that two new post-secondary institutions have been enrolled into its MenB Vaccination Honor Roll for requiring or recommending meningococcal serogroup B vaccine for students.
The newly added institutions are listed below. Clicking on the institutions' names brings you to the place on the school's website that details their vaccine requirements and recommendations.
Currently, there are 264 honorees, with 40 colleges and universities requiring MenB vaccination for their students and 224 recommending it.
In May, IAC launched the MenB Vaccination Honor Roll to recognize exemplary institutions that have taken the lead in establishing policies requiring or recommending meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccination to protect their students.
Please help us to grow the honor roll by notifying us of colleges or universities that require or recommend MenB vaccination for its students. Colleges and universities may apply for the honor roll or you can alert us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Please visit the MenB Vaccination Honor Roll web page to find resources such as news stories about meningitis B outbreaks, personal stories from families affected by meningitis B, journal articles, and links to organizations that work to prevent meningitis.
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Voices for Vaccines releases podcast “The Big Conspiracy” discussing anti-vaccine conspiratorial thinking and how we can nudge people toward rational thought
Voices for Vaccines (VFV) has posted a new entry in its Vax Talk podcast series: The Big Conspiracy. Often, when talking with people who doubt vaccines, one finds conspiracy theories. Why are anti-vaxxers prone to conspiratorial thinking and what can be done to incline people toward rational thought instead? In this episode, Karen Ernst, VFV executive director, and Dr. Nathan Boonstra, pediatrician, Blank Children’s Hospital, Des Moines, discuss these matters with Dr. Stephan Lewandowsky, chair in cognitive psychology at the University of Bristol.
Voices for Vaccines is a national organization of parents and others who are dedicated to raising the level of the voices of immunization supporters. VFV invites everyone who values vaccines to become a member, use VFV tools in their own community, and sign up for VFV’s free newsletter. Please spread the word to your friends and colleagues to join VFV!
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Not-to-miss immunization articles in the news These recent articles convey the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination.
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Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus information CDC, NIH, WHO, and Johns Hopkins are closely monitoring the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Check the resources below for the latest information. Stay in touch with your local and state health departments. Related Links
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IAC Handouts
IAC updates "Skills Checklist for Vaccine Administration" self-assessment tool for healthcare staff
IAC recently revised its three-page self-assessment tool for healthcare staff, Skills Checklist for Vaccine Administration, to incorporate a link to additional infection and control measures to be undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Featured Resources
Families Fighting Flu offers social media, print, and digital resources to raise awareness and educate others about the flu To help educate others about influenza and advocate for awareness about the dangers of the flu and the importance of flu prevention, Families Fighting Flu has created print and digital resources for advocates and educators. The Flu Educational Materials gateway page includes:
 These educational materials and social media graphics are available as free downloadable files and can also be ordered as hard-copy materials for doctors’ offices, healthcare clinics, schools, and other important places within your community. Please share these resources during this flu season! Related Links
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Vaccinate Your Family and Young Minds Inspired offer a vaccine lesson plan for educators at daycares and preschools to use with parents, grandparents, and other caregivers Vaccinate Your Family collaborated with Young Minds Inspired to create a lesson plan to inform and educate parents and child caregivers about the key role they play in protecting their children against serious vaccine-preventable diseases. The simple curriculum includes a complete teaching kit, color poster, parent and grandparent letters, vaccine information resources, and take-home activities for young children to help them learn how to stay healthy through handwashing and vaccines.  Share the resources with daycare centers and preschools in your community. Access the lesson plan. Related Links
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In our “Video of the Week,” a mother reflects on her son’s life cut short by complications from measles disease In this moving video, Stolen Futures: A Mother Looks Back on Her Son's Early Years, from VaccinesToday, Max’s mother tells us that Max, too young to be vaccinated, got measles at 6 months of age. As a 10-year-old, he developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a late complication of measles, went into a coma, and died 10 years later. Max’s brother produced this video to show the danger of measles.  Visit the VOTW archive. Back to top
Check out the website www.Give2MenACWY.org to enhance your efforts at increasing rates of MenACWY booster and other adolescent vaccinations
Last fall IAC implemented a major upgrade to www.Give2MenACWY.org, promoting the importance of adolescent vaccination and administering a booster dose of MenACWY vaccine at age 16.
Aimed at healthcare professionals, the site was revised to incorporate updated materials and to highlight the importance of all recommended vaccines for 16-year-olds. A simplified navigation structure makes locating information a breeze.
The colorful Give2MenACWY.org website is divided into five easy-to-access sections:
- Vaccinate Teens – The tools included on this web page offer helpful information on teen vaccination schedules and tips for improving adolescent vaccination rates
- Give 2 Doses – Fewer than half of teens have received the recommended second dose of MenACWY vaccine; this web page offers tools to help providers improve second dose coverage
- 16-Year-Old Visit – These resources help both providers and their patients remember the important vaccines recommended for 16-year-olds
- Tools for Providers – These tools from CDC, IAC, and other organizations explain meningococcal ACWY vaccine recommendations and assist in improving adolescent coverage for all recommended vaccines
- Resources – This section assists provider efforts to improve adolescent vaccination rates; the materials are subdivided into subsections for print materials, links to organizations involved in adolescent immunization, personal stories about the importance of vaccination, and additional resources of interest
Additional time savings are provided by the site’s single location where all website materials are listed according to whether they are primarily of interest to providers or to patients/parents. Other sections relate to general adolescent immunization, as well as meningococcal disease and vaccine information.
Visit Give2MenACWY.org and enjoy browsing (and deploying) its bountiful resources, brought to you by IAC's collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur.
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Prepare for flu season by ordering IAC’s "FLU VACCINE" buttons and stickers! IAC “FLU VACCINE” buttons and stickers are flying out of IAC’s office by the thousands! Their bright red color helps broadcast your important message about the need for flu vaccination. And the cost is nominal.  “FLU VACCINE” BUTTONS The button measures 1.25" across and carries a bold message! Pin on lab coats, uniforms, other clothing, tote bags, or backpacks to show support for flu vaccine. Buttons are delivered in bags of 10 buttons per bag. Click here for pricing and ordering information for "FLU VACCINE" buttons. “FLU VACCINE” STICKERS Measuring 1.5" across, these stickers adhere well to clothing and have an easy-peel-off back. Stickers are delivered to you cut individually (not on rolls)—available in bundles of 100. Click here for pricing and ordering information for “FLU VACCINE” stickers. Visit Shop IAC for additional items, including "Vaccines Save Lives" enamel pins, patient record cards, and a vaccine administration training video. Back to top
Journal Articles and Newsletters
“Why Should I Have My Child Vaccinated?” is a one-page handout for parents, published in JAMA Pediatrics In its July 27 issue, JAMA Pediatrics made available a one-page handout for parents titled “Why Should I Have My Child Vaccinated,” which was published within an article titled Opting Out of Vaccines for Your Child. This patient page spells out the need for routine vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, to catch up from recent lapses in office visits and vaccine delivery. The page urges parents to seek information from trusted sources, think about what their child might miss out on if they decide against vaccination, and to not believe vaccination myths.  Access the parent handout here.
Education and Training
“Influenza’s Impact on Our Youth—Overcoming Barriers to Reduce the Burden of Disease: Solutions for Awardees and Providers” webcast will be held Aug 18 and 26 A webinar titled “Influenza’s Impact on Our Youth—Overcoming Barriers to Reduce the Burden of Disease: Solutions for Awardees and Providers” featuring Audrey M. Stevenson, PhD, MPH, MSN, division director of Family Health Services at Salt Lake County Health Department, and Todd H. Wolynn, MD, president and CEO of Kids Plus Pediatrics. The program is made available by Sanofi Pasteur. Dates offered include August 18 at 2:00 p.m. (ET) and August 26 at 3:00 p.m. (ET). Participants of this webcast will learn about new and engaging tools to improve communication and reduce vaccine hesitancy. These solutions will help professionals set new immunization goals and more efficiently and confidently communicate the benefits of annual influenza vaccination for children and adolescents. CME/CE credit will not be offered for this program. Register for the August 18 webinar. Register for the August 26 webinar.
Indiana Immunization Coalition offers August 19 webinar on preparing for flu during the pandemic The Indiana Immunization Coalition will present Preparing for Seasonal Flu during the COVID-19 Pandemic webinar on August 19 from 3:00–4:00 p.m. (ET). The webinar will focus on community strategies to encourage dialogue about the flu and how we talk about concomitant flu and COVID-19. The speaker, Chad Priest, JD, MSN, RN, is chief executive officer of the American Red Cross in Indiana and adjunct assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Indiana School of Medicine. Free continuing medical, pharmacy, and nursing education credits will be offered. Register for this webinar. Related Link
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Oregon HPV Virtual Summit offers presentations with the goal of reducing HPV-associated cancers on August 19–20 Sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the 2020 Virtual Oregon HPV Summit will offer two sets of three 1-hour presentations on August 19 at 12:00–3:30 pm (PDT) and August 20 at 9:00-12:30 pm (PDT). Collaborate, learn, share best practices, and stay informed on reducing HPV-associated cancers. The virtual summit is open to healthcare providers of any discipline, public health organizations, community organizations, school health workers, students, and anyone interested in increasing HPV vaccination rates. Day one will focus on building your foundation of knowledge about the HPV vaccine. Day two will focus on actionable steps to increase HPV vaccination rates in Oregon. Registration is free. Registration information Related Link
Hep B Coalition of Washington offers “Hepatitis B Health Disparities in Refugee and Immigrant Communities”; free CE available The Hepatitis B Coalition of Washington and International Community Health Services (ICHS) released a free e-course, Hepatitis B Health Disparities in Refugee and Immigrant Communities that offers CME, CNE, and AAMA credit. This course will provide tools for working with immigrant and refugee patients. Participants will learn about hepatitis B transmission and epidemiology, prevention through vaccination, screening procedures, and treatment guidelines. The course also covers barriers that refugees and immigrants face regarding hepatitis B and discusses communication tools to work with these populations.
Register for the course. Back to top
On the Lighter Side
Wearing a hazmat suit may not be the easiest way to prevent disease, suggests this 2009 parody video
A man navigates the world in his hazmat suit to protect himself from the flu in this 2009 archived PSA titled Hazmat Suit, produced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The video is part of a PSA collection curated by vaccine expert William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH.  Previous videos mentioned in “On the Lighter Side” are available when viewing this Vimeo video. Back to top
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Video of the Week
 Stolen Futures: A Mother Looks Back on Her Son's Early Years: In this moving video from VaccinesToday, Max's mother tells us that Max, too young to be vaccinated, got measles at 6 months of age. As a 10-year-old, he developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a late complication of measles, went into a coma, and died 10 years later. Max's brother produced this video to show the danger of measles.
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