The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published the Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for Ages 18 Years or Younger, United States, 2022, and the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for Ages 19 Years or Older, United States, 2022.

Updates to this year's schedules are reviewed in the following articles, published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), on February 18, 2022:

See the Resource Spotlight section of this e-newsletter for additional immunization schedule resources.

Click here to register!

The Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, designates this Live web-based activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This program has been offered by the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. A maximum of 1.0 contact hours for this program will be provided in accordance with the regulations governing continuing education requirements for the following Boards of Registration:

Pharmacists may receive up to 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ in accordance with 247CMR 4.00.

Registration is free; pre-registration is required. Click here to register.

On February 8, in preparation for the the possible Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 6 months through 4 years as early as the end of February, MDPH and MCAAP published updated pediatric COVID-19 vaccine guidance for pediatric healthcare providers. However, on February 11, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was postponing its February 15 Advisory Committee meeting to discuss the request of authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months through 4 years of age. FDA noted in the announcement that, "Based on the agency’s preliminary assessment, and to allow more time to evaluate additional data, we believe additional information regarding the ongoing evaluation of a third dose should be considered as part of our decision-making for potential authorization."

On February 11, CDC updated its Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Approved or Authorized in the United States. The CDC guidance provides important details on use of COVID-19 vaccines. Healthcare professionals administering or counseling patients on COVID-19 vaccination should review the changes detailed on the webpage.

See the Resource Spotlight of this e-newsletter for additional COVID-19 vaccine resources.

Reference: IZExpress, 2/16/22

In its most recent Weekly Influenza Update (2/18/22), MDPH notes that influenza severity in Massachusetts was low for the week of February 6-12, 2022. Overall influenza-like illness (ILI) activity is minimal. All regions are reporting minimal ILI activity.

Nationally, sporadic influenza activity continues, and some regions are reporting increases in influenza activity.

Influenza activity can be unpredictable and may continue well into the spring. CDC recommends vaccination while influenza strains are still circulating. It's not too late to vaccinate!

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) Immunization Division presents free updates on immunization-related topics for health care professionals every spring. MDPH is pleased to announce the 2022 Immunization Updates:

Registration for the updates will open in April. The updates will be held via webinar (no in-person sessions). The updates are free of charge; pre-registration is required. Additional details will be posted as they become available here.

In January, the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), the nation’s premier source of immunization information for all frontline immunizers, re-branded its flagship website to become Immunize.org. The rebrand confirms Immunize.org’s 31-year legacy of service in support of nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and medical assistants who administer vaccines, and the state and local immunization coalitions who work to improve vaccination access. This mission was elevated to critical importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With this rebrand, Immunize.org affirms its mission to work alongside its public health, nonprofit advocacy, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industry partners throughout the immunization community to provide free access to comprehensive vaccination education resources and to advocate for policies that better protect the public from all vaccine-preventable diseases.

In the coming months, Immunize.org will unveil a new website platform with improved searchability to keep accurate, up-to-date educational resources at the fingertips of immunizers and the public.

Reference: IAC press release (1/12/22)

Immunize.Org