Pearls Winter 2025
Dane County Immunization Coalition Updates
Quarterly Educational Meeting
Mark your calendars! Our next quarterly educational meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 from 12pm to 1:30pm. Watch your email in the coming weeks for the agenda which will have the Zoom link.
A link to view our November 2024 meeting featuring Brianna Murnan from Wisconsin DHS and Gabrielle Rude WCHQ can be found here.
Board Member Updates
We are pleased to welcome Luciano Wallace from UnityPoint Health – Meriter!
Teri Kuntzsch is our new Chair! We look forward to Teri’s leadership! Ryan Bender will become Vice Chair and Cara Winsand will be our Secretary. Bobbie Rogers will remain our Treasurer.
Grand Rounds
The UW Department of Pediatrics and the Dane County Immunization Coalition hosted grand rounds in December. This lecture featured Dr. Sean O’Leary, MD, professor of pediatrics at University of Colorado, discussing strategies for promoting vaccination with vaccine-hesitant parents and patients. The lecture can be viewed here.
Immunization Updates
CDC Updates COVID Vaccine Recommendations
In October 2024, ACIP recommended that all persons aged ≥65 years and persons aged 6 months–64 years who are moderately or severely immunocompromised receive a second 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine dose 6 months after their last dose. Further, ACIP recommended that persons aged ≥6 months with moderate or severe immunocompromise may receive additional doses based on shared clinical decision-making.
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.
CDC Updates MenB Schedule
In October 2024, ACIP updated recommendations for MenB-4C (Bexsero, GSK) to align the dosing interval and schedule with the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label and align it with recommendations for MenB-FHbp (Trumenba, Pfizer). ACIP now recommends MenB-4C as a 2-dose series with doses administered at intervals of 0 and 6 months for healthy adolescents and young adults aged 16–23 years based on shared clinical decision-making and as a 3-dose series with doses administered at 0, 1–2, and 6 months for persons aged ≥10 years at increased risk.
Health Equity
Video Series for Healthcare Professionals and Community Workers to Address Vaccination Barriers
The Public Health Foundation (PHF), partnering with Wellness Equity Alliance, developed a four-part pediatric vaccination video series for healthcare professionals and community health workers. This video series is designed to improve pediatric vaccination rates, reduce vaccine hesitancy among parents and caregivers, and promote equitable healthcare access and workforce development. The series includes:
Module 4: “Broadening and Optimizing Pediatric Vaccine Access”
Module 1: “Communicating about Pediatric Vaccines”
Module 2: “Health Equity in Pediatric Vaccination”
Module 3: “Activating Trusted Partners in Pediatric Vaccination”
Promoting Immunization
Vaccinate with Confidence, Motivational Interviewing and Misinformation
The CDC’s Vaccinate with Confidence page offers strategies for providers when talking to patients about vaccines, and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) has a Motivational Interviewing on-demand learning activity available for CE. The American Pharmacists Association launched its APhA Vaccine Confident Playbook. This user-friendly, action-oriented resource is designed to enhance pharmacist-patient conversations regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Each “topic brief” addresses the vaccine hesitancy issues most likely to be encountered by pharmacists. This approach will engage each person on an individual level to address any concerns and counter misunderstandings.
Vaccine Fears Overturned by Facts
Immunize Kansas Coalition released its Vaccine Fears Overturned by Facts booklet. This free resource provides science-based answers to common questions about vaccine ingredients and safety using concise and relatable graphics.
Wisconsin Vaccination Rate Data
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has vaccination rate dashboards for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. These dashboards display vaccination data by location, age group, and demographics. The influenza dashboard also highlights how the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) aligns with influenza vaccination coverage. DHS also provides data on respiratory illness activity in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin DHS Creates Monster Videos to Promote Vaccination
These videos can be shared to he help promote vaccination!
Infographics Available to Promote Vaccination in Childhood
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) developed vaccine discussion guides that pair with infographics. The guides are typically one page long and describe background on the infection, how it spreads, why families should vaccinate, options for vaccinations, and more. These can be paired with an infographic when talking with the family.
- Maternal and infant guides
- Childhood guides (up to age 6)
- Adolescent guides
In the Media
PBS Offers Free Streaming of Shot in the Arm Documentary on Vaccine Hesitancy
Shot in the Arm, a documentary exploring vaccine hesitancy, is now being streamed, free of charge, thanks to the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), through its website and the PBS Passport app. A description of the documentary appears below.
Both skeptical and hopeful, Shot in the Arm – from Academy Award-Nominated filmmaker Scott Hamilton Kennedy and Executive Producer Neil deGrasse Tyson – explores vaccine hesitancy historically and in the context of our modern pandemic. Can we replace cynicism with healthy curiosity and bridge the political divides that make us sick? Featuring: Tony Fauci, Paul Offit, and Robert Kennedy, Jr.
Stream it for free at pbs.org/show/shot-in-the-arm and request it on your local PBS stations.
Published on Feb 10 2025
Categories: Pearls