Pearls Summer 2025

Dane County Immunization Coalition Updates

Quarterly Educational Meeting

Mark your calendars! Our next quarterly educational meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 from 12pm to 1:30pm. Watch your email in the coming weeks for the agenda which will have the Zoom link.

A recording of our May 2025 meeting featuring Stephanie Borchardt from Wisconsin Department of Health Services talking about Polio Vaccine Recommendations and Documentation can be found here.  

Symposium

The Dane County Immunization Coalition 2025 Immunization Symposium was held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025! Click here to view the recording of Immunization in Rough Water: Challenges and Potential Solutions by Dr. Dorit R. Reiss, LLB, Ph.D. and Don’t Miss Your Shot: A Compassionate Approach to Vaccine Hesitancy by Dr. James Bigham, MD, MPH, FAAFP.

Immunization Updates

CDC Revises COVID Vaccine Recommendations for Children and Pregnant Adults

On May 30, 2025, the CDC updated COVID recommendations on the immunization schedules. For children 6 months through 17 years of age, the schedule now calls for vaccination based on shared clinical decision-making. This represents a change from the previous universal recommendation for this age group. Vaccines For Children (VFC)-eligible children are allowed to obtain COVID-19 vaccine at no charge through the VFC program after a shared clinical decision with their healthcare provider.

Pregnancy is now shaded gray (indicating “no guidance”) in both the adult and child and adolescent immunization schedules by medical indication. However, pregnancy continues to be considered a high risk condition by CDC, so now it reverts to that category which which supports self-attestation as sufficient for justifying vaccine delivery. Furthermore, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has issued standing orders to help providers to continue offer COVID vaccine in pregnancy.

DHS states:

“The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) continues to recommend the current COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy and for every person 6 months and older to protect from serious COVID-19 illness and to prevent spreading it to others. The current COVID-19 vaccine is safe during pregnancy, and vaccination can protect women and their infants after birth. Newborns depend on maternal antibodies from the vaccine for protection. Wisconsin will continue to cover the current COVID-19 vaccine for eligible Medicaid members, including children and individuals who are pregnant.”

No changes were made to recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination of adults who are not pregnant and age 18 years and older.

FDA and CDC Recommend Pause in Use of Ixchiq (Chikungunya Vaccine, Live) in Individuals 60 Years of Age and Older

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advise the live-attenuated chikungunya vaccine should not be used among people 60 years and older until reports of serious adverse events are further investigated.

Over the past few months, the CDC and FDA investigated six serious adverse events, including five hospitalizations, for cardiac or neurologic events following vaccination with IXCHIQ among older people.

Healthcare providers should report any adverse event following vaccination to VAERS, review the latest CDC Travel Health Notices for information on areas with chikungunya outbreaks, counsel patients traveling to areas with risk of chikungunya on how they can prevent mosquito bites, and discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination with your patients based on each traveler’s destination, trip duration, and age.

Another chikungunya vaccine, Vimkunya, is available and may be used.

Shared Clinical Decision-Making Guidance

Unlike routine, catch-up, and risk-based recommendations, shared clinical decision-making vaccinations are individually based and informed by a decision process between the health care provider and the patient or parent/guardian. With recent changes to immunization recommendations, this shared clinical decision-making page can help answer questions vaccine providers may have

Health Equity

Spanish Infographics for Vaccines and the Diseases They Prevent

The Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has new infographics available in Spanish that provide a brief overview of vaccines and diseases.

Promoting Immunization

The Science Behind the Vaccine Schedule

The Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has a new page devoted to explaining what the vaccine schedule is and what goes in to creating it.

ACOG Releases “Labor of Love” Podcast Discussing Maternal Vaccination and Other Topics

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) posted a new entry in its Labor of Love podcast series: Vaccinating for Two: Overcoming Challenges in Maternal Vaccines.

Immunization during pregnancy plays a vital role in protecting both patients and their babies. This episode provides health professionals with the latest guidance on immunization during pregnancy, including COVID-19, Influenza, RSV, and Tdap. Experts discuss co-administration strategies, proper documentation, and approaches to overcoming vaccine hesitancy and access barriers.

Immunize​.org Has Resources to Help Improve the Vaccination Experience

Immunize​.org has print and video tools to create a positive vaccination experience and ease injection anxiety in children and adults. Topics include fainting, addressing anxiety, and administering multiple vaccines during a single visit.

In the Media

NPR Story Explains Why COVID Vaccines Should Still Be Administered During Pregnancy

The CDC recently replaced its recommendation for use of COVID vaccines during pregnancy with “no guidance.” A story from NPR explains why these vaccines should still be used in pregnant patients.

New Documentary About the Smallpox Vaccine

Defeating a Virus That Killed Half a Billion People—The Plea is a documentary that tells the story of the first vaccine and the eradication of smallpox. The 25-minute film shows the impact of smallpox through various historical periods, using graphics and art to demonstrate the impact of the virus.

Why Is It So Hard To Stop a Measles Outbreak?

This short video from the New York Times explains why highly contagious diseases need higher vaccination rates to prevent outbreaks.

Vaccines Are Entering a Period of Simultaneous Expansion and Contraction

This article from Pharmacy Times discusses Vaccine Science is Advancing While Vaccination Rates are Declining