Pearls Fall 2024

Dane County Immunization Coalition Updates

Quarterly Educational Meeting

Mark your calendars! Our next quarterly educational meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 12pm to 1:30pm. Watch your email in the coming weeks for the agenda which will have the Zoom link.

Board Member Updates

Shannon Ripp has stepped down as a board member as her role at Access Community Health Centers has changed. We thank Shannon for her service and are pleased to welcome Lindsey Miller from Access!

Grand Rounds

The UW Department of Pediatrics and the Dane County Immunization Coalition are pleased host grand rounds on Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. This lecture will feature Dr. Sean O’Leary, MD, professor of pediatrics at University of Colorado. The event will be on Zoom here.

Immunization Updates

CDC Updates Flu Recommendations

The CDC recommends all people 6 months of age and older get a flu shot. For those who are 65 years of age or older, the CDC recommends an enhanced flu vaccine (Fluzone High Dose or Fluad), however if these vaccines are not available, it is ok to administer a regular flu shot. It is more important to not miss an opportunity to vaccinate than it is to give an enhanced flu vaccine.

New this year is the CDC saying that solid organ transplant patients 18 to 64 years old who are receiving immunosuppressive therapy may receive an enhanced flu vaccine. For more information, please visit the CDC website.

CDC Updates Use of RSV Vaccines in Adults 60 and Older

On June 26, 2024, ACIP voted to update respiratory syncytial virus vaccine recommendations. The CDC now says all adults who are 75 years of age and older should get a dose of RSV vaccine. Adults 60 to 74 years of age with the following risk factors should get at dose of RSV vaccine:

Chronic cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart failure, coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease [excluding isolated hypertension])
Chronic lung disease (e.g., chronic obstructive lung disease [COPD], emphysema, asthma, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis)
End-stage renal disease or dependence on hemodialysis or other renal replacement therapy
Diabetes complicated by chronic kidney disease, neuropathy, retinopathy, or other end-organ damage, or requiring treatment with insulin or SGLT2 inhibitor
Severe obesity (body mass index of 40 kg/m2 or greater)
Chronic liver disease (e.g., cirrhosis)
Neurological or neuromuscular conditions causing impaired airway clearance or respiratory muscle weakness
Chronic hematologic disorders (e.g., sickle cell disease, thalassemia)
Moderate or severe immune compromise whether attributable to a medical condition or receipt of immunosuppressive medications or treatment
Individual lives in a nursing home or other long-term care facility that provides assistance with activities of daily living (excluding independent senior living facilities and retirement communities)
Individual has other chronic medical conditions or risk factors not listed above that might increase their risk of severe RSV disease
Individual may be classified as frail

RSV vaccine is given as a single dose once. If the patient already had the RSV vaccine, they do NOT need another dose. For the full recommendations, please visit the CDC website.

On October 22, 2024 the FDA approved the use of RSV vaccines down to the age of 18 for those with risk factors, but the CDC has not approved this expansion yet.

CDC Recommends Second Dose of COVID vaccine for People 65 Years and Older and for People Who are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised

The CDC recommends people 65 years and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised to receive a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after their first dose. See Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People for the most up to date information for this group of people and the CDC website for the full recommendations.

CDC Lowers the Age for Adult Pneumococcal Vaccination

The CDC now recommends routine pneumococcal vaccination for patients 50 years of age and older. Previously, the age was 65 years and older. Adults 18 to 49 years old with risk factors should also be vaccinated. See the CDC website for the full recommendations.

2024 Immunization Update Available

The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin has an immunization update that is free. It can be watched on demand and comes with one credit of CE for pharmacists.

Reported Cases of Pertussis Continuing to Increase Statewide

As of September 30, 2024, Wisconsin had 849 confirmed cases statewide. Fifty-four counties have had at least one case since January 1, 2024. While cases range in age from 1 month to 82 years, just under half (42%) of the cases are in adolescents aged 11–18 years. Forty-two infants have been identified with Pertussis and eight have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. The most recent Pertussis case count data can be found on the DHS website.

DHS also has resources available:

The DHS Immunization Rate Data page contains information, reports, and interactive dashboards on vaccination rates in Wisconsincine is to be administered during a clinic (e.g., influenza).

The Communicable Disease Case Reporting and Investigation Protocol: Pertussis has been updated. It contains up-to-date information on laboratory testing, clinical presentation, and treatment for Pertussis.

The 2023 Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) Surveillance Summary report summarizes information on select VPDs among Wisconsin residents as reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) through the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS).

The DHS Outbreaks, Recalls, and Investigations webpage contains weekly updates on Pertussis case counts in Wisconsin.

The DHS Vaccine Preventable Diseases webpage contains VPD information, reports, and forms.

Health Equity

Vaccines Publishes “Inequality in Immunization 2024”

The journal Vaccines published a special issue called “Inequality in Immunization 2024.” The issue features research and review articles that deepen our understanding of immunization inequalities and is available here.

Immunization awareness campaign toolkit available in Spanish

Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) launched its #FirstDayVax Back to School campaign to promote the importance of back-to-school immunizations. For students from elementary school to college, vaccinations are a critical step in keeping students, schools, and communities healthy. Find the sharable assets in the #FirstDayVax Toolkit, also available in Spanish.

Voices for Vaccines offers free online course on handling conversations about vaccine hesitancy and establishing trust, even if you are not a healthcare professional

Voices for Vaccines (VFV) is offering Becoming Trusted Messengers, a free online course intended for anyone, including people who are not healthcare professionals, interested in supporting vaccine confidence in their community. This course offers an easy, evidence-based method of handling vaccine hesitancy online or in person.

Promoting Immunization

HPV Vaccine: A Cancer Vaccine!

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes most cases of cervical cancer, and vaccination against HPV can prevent most cases of cervical cancer. The virus can cause penile cancer in men and anal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer in men and women. The CDC recommends that all children and adults 26 years of age and younger be vaccinated against HPV. The vaccine is routinely given as a 2 or 3 dose series between the ages of 9 and 12. This vaccine is not required for school entry in Wisconsin, however it is recommended by the CDC and thanks to the vaccine cervical cancer is the most preventable of all female cancers.

The Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative’s HPV vaccination infographic is a great way for clinicians to talk with their patients and the parents of their patients about the importance of HPV vaccination.

For details about the HPV vaccine, please visit the CDC website.

Respiratory Virus Vaccine Promotion

Wisconsin DHS has published respiratory illness vaccine promotion communication toolkits and resources. Each toolkit contains patient education and outreach tools, sample press releases, and sample social media messages. Please let your patients know that it is never too late to get a flu, COVID-19, or RSV (if eligible) vaccine and continue to communicate the importance of respiratory illness vaccines for all eligible people.

Toolkits:

Resources:

Resources to Increase Adult Vaccination Rates

The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit recently revised its practical tools designed to improve access to and administration of ACIP-recommended vaccines. These revisions incorporate findings from the Summit’s Operationalizing Adult Immunization Task Group, that identified policy and operational barriers that hinder access to immunizations. These tools align with the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) Standards for Adult Immunization Practice.

The updated fall 2024 resources include:

Also available is Immunize.org’s “Vaccinations for Adults: You are never too old to get vaccinated!” handout.

In the Media

Article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Highlights Wisconsin’s Low Immunization Rates

A recent article reports on low vaccination rates in Wisconsin, especially among kindergartners.

Measles is Serious and Deadly

Washington Post article talks about what is like to survive measles.

Published on Oct 30 2024

Last Updated on Dec 13 2024

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