MCAAP Immunization Initiative Update
November 2021
COVID-19 Vaccines Update

AAP COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign Toolkit
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created a COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign Toolkit to assist pediatric healthcare professionals in addressing parent and caregiver COVID-19 vaccines questions and concerns. The Toolkit includes articles, graphics, social media messages, and videos. It is designed to reach parents and caregivers, who have not yet vaccinated their eligible children, to encourage them to talk to a trusted provider.

Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Program: Weekly Bulletin
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health's (MDPH) Weekly Bulletin: What COVID-19 Vaccine Providers Need to Know, includes comprehensive updates and reminders for providers administering COVID-19 vaccines. Click here to go to the Bulletin webpage.

MDPH Updates CYSHN and COIVD-19 Vaccine Webpage
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has updated its Children & Youth with Special Health Needs (CYSHN) and the COVID-19 Vaccine webpage to include FAQs for vaccinating this population.

To learn more about disability-friendly vaccination events across the Commonwealth, check out VaxAbilities.com (Spanish language webpage). The VaxAbilities clinics will have appointments with extra time and staff to provide skilled support to people with disabilities and/or sensory support needs.
National Influenza Vaccination Week
is December 5-11, 2021

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is an awareness week focused on highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination. NIVW will be held this year from December 5 through December 11.

Early data from CDC's Weekly National Flu Vaccination Dashboard shows that influenza vaccination of children is down from last year at this time. Flu vaccination coverage as of the week ending November 6, 2021:

  • 6 percentage points lower for all children this season as of week ending November 6, 2021 compared with last season week ending November 7, 2020 (34.3% compared to 40.3%)
  • 8 percentage points lower for non-Hispanic White children this season compared with last season (35.3% compared to 43.3%)
  • Coverage for non-Hispanic Black children is 10 percentage points lower this season compared with non-Hispanic White children as of November 6, 2021 (24.9% compared to 35.3%)

Flu vaccination coverage for pregnant persons is lower for all race/ethnicity groups as of the end of October 2021 compared with the end of October 2020. Click here for more information.

Since we do not know how severe this influenza season will be, and influenza is co-circulating with COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, don't miss an opportunity to administer an influenza vaccine!

See the Resource Spotlight section for NIVW and additional influenza season resources.
9th Annual HPV-Related Cancer Summit

December 3, 2021, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET
December 10, 2021, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET

It's not too late to register for the Massachusetts HPV Coalition's 9th Annual HPV-Related Cancer Summit. The HPV Summit will be held as a virtual event over two days, on Friday, December 3th and Friday, December 10th. This two-day virtual event features national experts discussing the latest advances and best practices in HPV-related cancer prevention.

HPV Summit topics include:

  • Current Burden of HPV
  • Vaccine Hesitancy in the Time of COVID-19
  • Best Practices in Primary HPV Screening
  • Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis Survivor Story
  • Disparities in Cervical Cancer & Prevention
  • Genotyping and Cervical Self-Swab
  • Anal Cancer & Anal Cancer Screening
  • Oropharyngeal Cancer Prevention & Treatment
  • Implementing HPV Prevention in Your Dental Practice

Registration is open to all healthcare professionals, public health advocates, and community members interested in HPV-prevention. Both December 3rd and December 11th will feature separate tracks dedicated to cervical HPV and oral HPV prevention. Continuing education credits will be available. The registration fee is $25 to attend both days.

Click here for more information and to register for the HPV Summit.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Kelly Welch at kelly.teammaureen@gmail.com.
26th Annual MIAP Pediatric
Immunization Skills Building Conference

More than 300 participants attended this year's MIAP Conference, held virtually on October 28, 2021.

The MIAP Conference Organizing Committee would like to thank the following people and organizations for participating in this year's MIAP Conference:

Plenary Speakers Presenters - Kathy Hsu, Andrew Kroger, Paul Offit, Pejman Talebian, and
A. Patricia Wodi

Breakout Session Presenters - Rattana Bip, Tricia Charles, Joyce Cohen, Laurie Courtney, Alexandra DeJesus, and Ronald Samuels

Plenary and Breakout Session Moderators - Joseph Conte, Sharon Leary, Cynthia McReynolds, Veasna Ngoun, and Amy Sgueglia

Plenary and Breakout Session Technical Managers - Alexandra Burke, Ted Clark, Cynthia McReynolds, Becca Millock and Pamela Worthington

Conference Exhibitors - American Cancer Society, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, The Massachusetts Adult Immunization Coalition, MCAAP Immunization Initiative, Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association, Moderna, Sanofi Pasteur, Seqirus, and Team Maureen

Unrestricted Educational Grant - Sanofi Pasteur

The Committee also would like to thank Ron Samuels, MD, MPH, FAAP, for serving as MIAP President for the past 20 years. Dr. Samuels' expertise and leadership have been instrumental to the success of the MIAP Conference!

Finally, the MIAP Conference Organizing Committee would like to thank this year's attendees! We hope to see you again in 2022!

The conference presentations are available on the conference website. Click on "Speakers." Scroll down and click on "View Profile." Presentations can be found under "Speaker Documents."

2021 MIAP Conference Awardee

David Caron, Jr., PharmD
Chief Pharmacy Officer, Chief Compliance Office
Martha's Vineyard Hospital

David Caron, Jr, PharmD, Chief Pharmacy Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, was recognized as the 2021 Massachusetts Immunization Action Partnership (MIAP) Conference Awardee at the 26th Annual MIAP Pediatric Immunization Skills Building Conference.

This annual award recognizes individuals who or groups which have made an outstanding contribution to pediatric immunization in Massachusetts. The recipient of this award is an individual or an organization that has demonstrated leadership, initiative, innovation, collaboration and/or advocacy. Click here to read about this year's awardee, David Caron.

Congratulations to David, for the incredible work that he is doing to improve immunization rates!
Resource Spotlight

2021-2022 Influenza Season
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Additional Resources
  • Ask the Experts Influenza webpage (Immunization Action Coalition)
  • Mass.Gov Influenza information for healthcare and public health professionals webpage

Catch-Up on Recommended Childhood Immunizations
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Resources to Encourage Routine Childhood Vaccinations webpage
  • Childhood Vaccination Communication Toolkit for Clinicians
  • You Call the Shots: Vaccinating Adolescents handout

MDPH COVID-19 and Influenza Updates and Bulletins
Provider Education and Meetings

Massachusetts HPV Coalition
9th Annual HPV-Related Cancers Summit
December 3 and December 10, 2021, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
This year's Summit will be held virtually over two days. Continuing education credit will be offered. Click here for more information and to register.

CDC Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call
Molecular Approaches for Clinical and Public Health Applications to Detect Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 Viruses
December 9, 2021, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Continuing education credit will be offered. Click here for more information.

MDPH Immunization Division On-Demand Webinars
COVID-19 Vaccine Training: Storage, Handling, Administration and Safety
The MDPH Immunization Division is pleased to present free, accredited COVID-19 Vaccine Training. The training modules include: COVID-19 Vaccine Storage and Handling, Vaccine Administration, Vaccine Safety, and Vaccine-Specific Information. Continuing education credits can be earned for completing all training modules.
Click here for more information.

MDPH Immunization Division On-Demand Webinar
2021 Vaccine Storage and Handling VFC (Vaccines for Children) Compliance Training
Vaccine Coordinators and Backups - Earn your VFC Certificate by watching this video - 2021 Vaccine Storage and Handling VFC Recorded Webinar. This webinar fulfills the annual VFC compliance training. Your VFC certificate will be emailed within two weeks after you complete and pass a post-test. The webinar is recorded, so you may watch it anytime. 
Objectives:
  • State the requirements and recommendations for proper storage and handling of vaccines
  • Summarize the latest federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program requirements
Click here to visit our website!