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MCAAP Immunization Initiative Update
March 2024
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Stay Alert for Measles Cases | |
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Between December 1, 2023, and January 23, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was notified of twenty-three (23) confirmed U.S. cases of measles, including seven direct importations of measles by international travelers and two outbreaks with more than five (5) cases each. Most of these cases were among children and adolescents who had not received a measles-containing vaccine (MMR or MMRV), even if eligible. As of March 7, 2024, a total of forty-five (45) measles cases have been reported by seventeen (17) jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.
In January, in response to the increase in measles cases, CDC published a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) communication advising healthcare providers to remain on alert for measles cases.
The communication reviews the following recommendations for healthcare providers:
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Isolate: patients with suspected measles.
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Notify: local or state health departments about any suspected measles case to ensure rapid testing and investigation.
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Test: following CDC’s testing recommendations and collect either a nasopharyngeal swab or throat swab for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), as well as a blood specimen for serology from all patients with clinical features compatible with measles.
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Manage: in coordination with local or state health departments, provide appropriate measles post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to close contacts without evidence of immunity, either MMR or immunoglobulin.
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Vaccinate: make sure that all of your patients are up to date on measles vaccine, especially before international travel.
CDC recommends that international travelers be vaccinated against measles at least two weeks before travel, regardless of the international destination. Providers also should advise patients to watch for signs of measles upon their return from international travel.
Please see the Resource Spotlight section of this newsletter for additional respiratory season resources.
Reference: CDC COCA News (1/25/24)
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Respiratory Season Update
On March 1, CDC published updated recommendations for how people can protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV. As noted in CDC's press release, "The new guidance brings a unified approach to addressing risks from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV, which can cause significant health impacts and strain on hospitals and health care workers. CDC is making updates to the recommendations now because the U.S. is seeing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 and because we have more tools than ever to combat flu, COVID, and RSV."
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Source: CDC
Click here for more information.
The updated guidance is intended for community settings. CDC did not make changes to its respiratory virus guidance for healthcare settings.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
On March 7, in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), CDC published "Early Estimate of Nirsevimab Effectiveness for Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalization Among Infants Entering Their First Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season — New Vaccine Surveillance Network, October 2023–February 2024." In the multisite analysis of 699 infants hospitalized with acute respiratory illness (ARI) during their first RSV season, receipt of nirsevimab was 90% effective against RSV-associated hospitalization at a median of 45 days from receipt of nirsevimab to ARI symptom onset. This early effectiveness estimate supports existing CDC recommendations for the prevention of severe RSV disease in infants in their first RSV season.
Influenza
On February 29, in MMWR, CDC published "Interim Estimates of 2023–24 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States." Analysis of data from four vaccine effectiveness (VE) networks estimated interim pediatric influenza VE was 59%–67% in outpatient settings and 52%–61% against influenza-associated hospitalization. Interim adult influenza VE was 33%–49% in outpatient settings and 41%–44% against influenza-associated hospitalization. These findings indicate that the 2023–24 seasonal influenza
vaccine is effective at reducing the risk of influenza-associated outpatient visits and hospitalization.
CDC recommends that influenza vaccination should continue in all eligible persons six (6) months and older while influenza strains are still circulating.
Please see the Resource Spotlight section of this newsletter for additional respiratory season resources.
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2024 MDPH Immunization Updates
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) Immunization Division presents updates on immunization-related topics for health care providers every spring. This series of one-hour webinars takes place from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays in May and June.
The 2024 Immunization Updates schedule:
Wednesday, May 8, noon
Immunization Schedule Updates
Angela Fowler, MD, MPH, Associate Medical Director for Vaccine Preventable Diseases, MDPH
Wednesday, May 15, noon
Immunization 101
Laurie Courtney, MSN, RN, Immunization Nurse Manager & Perinatal Hepatitis B Coordinator, MDPH
Wednesday, May 22, noon
Epidemiology of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Massachusetts
Juliana Jacoboski Duncan, MPH, Epidemiologist, MDPH
Wednesday, May 29, noon
Vaccine Confidence - Improving the Vaccination Experience to Reduce Anxiety-Related Vaccine Hesitancy
Kelly Moore, MD, MPH, President & CEO, Immunize.org
Wednesday, June 5, noon
Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS)
Michelle Holmes, MPH, MIIS Interoperability Coordinator and Trainer , MDPH
Wednesday, June 12, noon
Vaccines for Children (VFC) Compliance and Vaccine Storage & Handling Training*
Dylan Kirby, MPH, Vaccine Management Unit Operations Coordinator VFC , MDPH
*Vaccine coordinators and backups can earn their VFC Certificate
All sessions are free and will be held via webinar (no in-person sessions). Registration will open in April. You will find updates including information about continuing education credits and the “on demand” VFC webinar here.
For questions about the Immunization Updates, please contact Ted Clark, Outreach Coordinator, MDPH Immunization Division, at ted.f.clark@mass.gov.
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AAP Clinical Report
Strategies for Improving Vaccine Communication and Uptake
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases, the Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine, and the Committee on Bioethics recently published a clinical report, “Strategies for Improving Vaccine Communication and Uptake.” The report reviews the concepts and underlying determinants of vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy, describes the relationship between vaccine hesitancy and costs of preventable medical care and provides resources for addressing specific vaccine concerns.
The report includes detailed information and tables that pediatric healthcare providers can use to review their knowledge of the recommended immunization schedule and vaccine safety. It provides tools that can support pediatric healthcare providers in their vaccine communication and immunization delivery, including:
- A summary of vaccine safety monitoring systems,
- Facts and messages to debunk common vaccine myths,
- A flowchart showing when and how to apply specific communication techniques during a vaccine conversation,
- Links to websites with detailed information to address common vaccine concerns.
The report also reviews a variety of approaches that pediatric practices and individual pediatricians have taken to address families who choose to refuse or delay vaccinations for their children.
The clinical report is published in the March 2024 issue of Pediatrics.
Reference: O’Leary ST, Opel DJ, Cataldi JR, Hackell JM; American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Infectious Diseases., Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine, Committee on Bioethics. Strategies for Improving Vaccine Communication and Uptake. Pediatrics. 2024;153(3):e2023065483.
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MVCP Update
The Massachusetts Vaccine Confidence Project (MVCP) is a collaboration of the Immunization Division, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH); the Massachusetts Adult Immunization Coalition (MAIC), and the Massachusetts Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP).
The MVCP’s mission is to increase vaccine confidence throughout Massachusetts to ensure that all residents are fully protected against serious, vaccine-preventable disease. This is accomplished through the development of educational activities and science-based resources and training materials for healthcare providers and the public, and collaboration with organizations which support immunization.
The MVCP will be exhibiting at these upcoming conferences:
- Massachusetts School Nurse Organization Spring 2024 Conference (3/16/24);
- 29th Annual Massachusetts Adult Immunization Annual Conference (4/2/24);
- 26th Annual Massachusetts Association of Public Health Nurses Conference (5/9/24)
If you plan to attend any of these conferences, please stop by to say hello!
Click here to visit the MVCP website.
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Resource Spotlight
Measles
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
CDC
MDPH
- MDPH Communication: Immunization Requirements Apply to International Students at All Grade Levels (3/1/24)
- Infectious disease surveillance, reporting, and control website
2023-2024 Respiratory Season
Dashboards
- MDPH's Massachusetts Viral Respiratory Disease Dashboard. The dashboards provide data on contagious respiratory viruses, including acute respiratory diseases, COVID-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Massachusetts. The data presented helps track trends in respiratory disease and vaccination activity across Massachusetts.
- CDC's Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RESP-NET) Dashboard. Weekly reports of hospitalizations across the United States due to three vaccine-preventable seasonal respiratory viruses: COVID-19, influenza, and RSV.
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CDC's FluView, Weekly U.S. Surveillance Report website (seasonal influenza activity)
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CDC's FluVaxView website (current season preliminary influenza vaccine data)
Recently Published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
Bulletins and Newsletters
- Weekly Flu Report dashboard, MDPH
- Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS) Monthly Update - March 2024, Issue 24
- MDPH Vaccine Management Update - March 2024
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Upcoming Events and Meetings
March 26, 2023, 6:30 PM
MCAAP Immunization Initiative
MCAAP Immunization Initiative Advisory Committee Meeting
The meeting will be virtual. If you would like to attend the meeting or have questions, please contact Cynthia McReynolds (cmcreynolds@mcaap.org).
April 1-5, 2024
Unity Consortium
Adolescent Immunization Action Week (#AIAW24)
Click here for more information.
Tuesday, April 2, 2024, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Massachusetts Adult Immunization Coalition (MAIC)/MDPH
29th Annual MA Adult Immunization Conference - 2024: Confidence and Compassion in a Complex Vaccine World
Boston Marriott Newton, Newton, MA
Visit the Conference website for complete conference information
April 22-29, 2024
CDC
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW)
NIIW is a yearly observance highlighting the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Click here for more information.
May 8, 2024, 4:00 PM
Massachusetts Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP)
MCAAP Annual CME and Business Meeting - "Adolescent Wellness in the 21st Century"
The meeting will be virtual. Click here for more information and to register for the meeting.
May and June 2024
MDPH
2024 Immunization Updates Webinars
Webinar registration will open in April. Click here for more information, including the 2024 schedule.
On Demand Meetings and Recordings
MCAAP Immunization Initiative Webinar Series
Updates in ACIP Recommendations for the 2024 Childhood/Adolescent and Adult Immunization Schedules (recorded 2/1/24)
Click here to access the webinar recording, presentation and resources.
2024 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Update (recorded 1/18/24)
Click here to access the webinar recording, presentations and resources.
2023-2024 Influenza Season Update (recorded 9/28/23)
Click here to access the webinar recording and resources.
Vaccine Refresher! Preventing Vaccine Administration Errors (recorded 6/29/23)
Click here to access the webinar recording and resources.
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