Weekly Vaccine Digest 03/29/2024

County of Los Angeles, California sent this bulletin at 03/29/2024 01:23 PM PDT

Weekly Vaccine Digest 03/29/2024

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Dear Colleagues and Partners!

Below are the LACDPH weekly vaccine administration and order updates, upcoming webinars, and newsworthy events. Attached you will find a pdf version of this document and links from this week’s LA County DPH Provider Immunization Office Hours. To view past CDPH recordings, slides and other important information on the VFC, VFA, BAP and LHD 317 programs please visit https://eziz.org/.

If this message was forwarded to you, and would like to be added to our listserv, please contact our COVID-19 Provider Vaccine Call Center at covidvaccinereq@ph.lacounty.gov

Table of Contents

·         Page 1-2: Measles Update, AB1797 Reminder

·         Page 3-5: National Public Health Week, COVID-19 Testing Update, COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf Life Update, Influenza Update, Jynneos Update

·         Page 5-7: CDC Routine Vaccine Storage Labels, Respiratory Disease Immunziation Recommendations, Upcoming Webinars, LACDPH & CDPH Provider Office Hours Link

Measles Update and Alerts

CDC Health Advisory

Increase in Global and Domestic Measles Cases and Outbreaks: Ensure Children in the United States and Those Traveling Internationally 6 Months and Older are Current on MMR Vaccination

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform clinicians and public health officials of an increase in global and U.S. measles cases and to provide guidance on measles prevention for all international travelers aged ≥6 months and all children aged ≥12 months who do not plan to travel internationally. Further details can be found in the full HAN CDC HAN.

California Department of Public Health – Health Advisory

Immediate Respiratory Isolation Recommended for Persons with Suspected Measles

In order to identify cases of measles and prevent spread, California healthcare proiders should immediately isolate suspected cases and contact their local health department promptly. …CDPH HAN.

CDPH Measles Web Page

Includes links to current outbreak information, Disease Investigation, and Laboratory Guidance.

LACDPH Measles Resources

LA County healthcare providers should be on alert for additional measles cases.

Healthcare providers should 1) assure that their patients are up to date on measles-containing vaccine (MMR or MMRV) or are otherwise immune, 2) immunize all international travelers aged 6 months or older for whom there is no documentation of immunity, and 3) immediately report suspect measles to Public Health. All healthcare personnel should have documentation of immunity to measles.

Share messages reminding Californians to make sure they and their children are up to date on the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine and other recommended routine vaccines, including flu and COVID-19, especially before travel.

Suggested Message: Protect Your Family from Measles this Spring Break

Measles cases have been confirmed in California and the U.S. in recent weeks. Cases have been linked to overseas travel, reflecting the global rise in measles cases. Share messages encouraging everyone to stay up to date with measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations (MMR), and other routine vaccines, especially if they plan to travel abroad for spring break. 

AB1797 Reminder

As of 1/1/2023, all California healthcare providers who administer vaccines are required to enter/submit patient vaccination information to a CA Immunization Registry (CAIR2).

CAIR2 users submit to CAIR2 which includes all vaccinations given for all ages and TB test results that must be reported​

Healthcare providers must enter/submit Race and Ethnicity for each patient receiving vaccinations to CAIR2. This is to support the assessment of health disparities in immunization coverage.

  • If a patient prefers not to share this information, you may select the “Prefer not to say” option in CAIR2.
  • From 1/1/2023 to 1/1/2026, the law also allows Schools and licensed Childcare facilities to look-up students’ COVID-19 vaccination status for attendance purposes. 

For more information and AB1797 FAQs please visit: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CAIR/Pages/AB1797-Registry-FAQs.aspx

National Public Health Week (April 1-7)

Next week marks the 29th annual National Public Health Week (NPHW)! To honor this occasion, Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) has highlighted public health campaigns that have helped create safer, stronger, and healthier communities over the last 30 years.

In addition PHCC messaging, a wealth of resources from the American Public Health Association (APHA) can be found here to share with your communities during National Public Health Week.

There will be an attached document to this digest with additional April Awareness Campaigns!

COVID-19 Testing Updates

CDPH At-Home Testing Program: As of February 29, 2024, the CDPH At-Home Testing Program has come to an end and COVID-19 at-home tests are no longer available to request from CDPH.

Professional CLIA-waived tests: Professional tests available to facilities with their own CLIA-waiver and state facility license through June 30, 2024. Eligible facilities would be Skilled Nursing Facilites, Long-Term Care Facilities and Community Clinics.

BinaxNOW CLIA-waived tests have extended expiration dates through July 2024.

We have depleted our inventory of COVID/Flu A&B multiplex tests. Should these tests become available again, we will notify this group of their availability.

Order professional CLIA-waived tests here: https://labsupport.powerappsportals.us/ordercovidprofessionaluse/

COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf Life Updates

As we approach COVID-19 vaccine expiration dates, please double-check the expiry of your vaccine to ensure you are not inadvertently administering expired vaccine. Manufacturers will continue to ship vaccine until they are within 30 days of expiry. To manage this reduction in shelf life for COVID-19 vaccines, providers should order smaller quantities of vaccine and re-order as needed.

Influenza Updates

  • Flu activity has been declining, but significant activity can continue into the spring.
  • Continue vaccinating until the last flu dose expires!
  • This season’s flu vaccines have been shown to protect against flu-related medical visits and hospitalizations across all age groups.
    • Vaccine effectiveness 45-67% from CDC and CDPH data

2024-2025 U.S. Flu Vaccines Expected to Be All Trivalent

  • Current influenza vaccines are quadrivalent and contain 2 influenza A (H1N1 & H3N2) and 2 influenza B (Victoria & Yamagata) strains.
  • B/Yamagata influenza viruses have not been detected in the world since March 2020. Given this, experts have recommended that this strain be removed, resulting in a trivalent flu vaccine.
  • At the 3/5/24 FDA VRBPAC meeting, it was announced that U.S. manufacturers are expected to transition from quadrivalent to trivalent influenza vaccines by the 2024- 2025 season.
  • FDA anticipates that there will be an adequate and diverse supply of approved trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines for the U.S. in the 2024-2025 season.

JYNNEOS Updates

Commercialization

  • JYNNEOS will be available on the commercial market after April 1, 2024
  • No changes to current ordering process for now – no-cost JYNNEOS vaccine will continue to available. Please continue placing your orders in myCAvax.
  • More information will be provided as it becomes available, so stay tuned!

Vaccine Ordering and Waste Reporting Bugs in myCAvax

  • RESOLVED – Providers who are inactive in Bridge Access Program, but active in the Outbreak Program were unable to submit orders. Orders were only saved as drafts. ​
  • RESOLVED –  No Outbreak Program drop-down option on the Waste Report Form​, so providers were unable to submut Jynneos waste reports in myCAvax.
    • As of the morning of March 29th, providers can submit Jynneos waste reports again.
    • The drop-down option for the Outbreak Program is available.  ​

Ordering and Waste Reporting Reminders

  • Minimum order size: 5 vials – If you want less than 5 vials, please leave a note in the comments section when placing an order. ​
  • No maximum order size – We will fill based on your administration data, storage capacity, and inventory at our warehouse. Order justification may be needed. Orders may be reduced.
  • Leave a note in the comments section if you want to receive frozen vials, or orders will be delivered at refrigerated temperature​
    • Jynneosvaccine is good for 8 weeks at refrigerated temperature.​
  • Report waste as the number of FULL vials wasted NOT partial vials ​
    • If doing intradermal administration and you don't finish the vial, do not report this partially used vial as waste. 

CDC Routine Vaccine Storage Labels

Storage labels for routinely recommended vaccines are now live on the CDC website

These include new vaccines such as mpox and RSV, which have been formatted to be consist with the COVID19 vaccine labels

 COVID-19 Vaccine labels can be found here: Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax

Respiratory Disease Immunization Recommendations Update

The current spread of respiratory diseases is slowing; continue recommending immunizations and follow the timing guidelines below for COVID, flu, and RSV immunizations to keep your patients protected throughout the entire year! 

1

  • Continue administering remaining doses of nirsevimab to infants and toddlers through the end of March. 
  • Unused/unexpired VFC supply of nirsevimab and prenatal Abrysvo cannot be returned to McKesson. Please save these doses for the next RSV season and label these “Keep for Fall.” 
  • For more information please visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/vaccines/

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UPCOMING WEBINARS

  • VFA Provider Office Hours Tuesday, April 9, 2024, from 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM (PT).
  • CDPH Infection Prevention Webinar from 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  • California Immunization Coalition Annual Summit
    • Location: The Safe Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento, CA - June 5-6, 2024 Registration Link

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LACDPH & CDPH Provider Office Hours Link

LA County Department of Public Health Provider Immunization Office Hours Information

  • Every other Wednesday from 9am-10am – April 10, 2024

To request meeting slides or be added to our Office Hours listserv, please email covidvaccinereq@ph.lacounty.gov

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

+1 323-776-6996,,350547595#   United States, Los Angeles

Phone Conference ID: 350 547 595#

California Department of Public Health Provider Office Hours Registration Link

  • NOTE: The next Provider Office Hours will be held next week Friday April 5 from 9am-10:30am.
  • Complete one-time registration here.
  • Meeting recordings and slides can be found here.

Providers should add staff names to the Provider Listserv to receive weekly emails and updates. To be added, please email blanca.corona@cdph.ca.gov