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Universal Adult Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendations
Pat Fineis, Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program Coordinator
Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable liver infection that is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Many people who get HBV may never show any signs or symptoms of having the virus. A person may never know they have the virus and can unknowingly share the virus with others.
HBV is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen by having unprotected sex with someone who has HBV, by sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment, or by sharing toothbrushes, razors, or anything that may contain contaminated blood. HBV can live outside of the body for at least 7 days and still be infectious.
Over 20,000 acute (brand new) HBV infections occur every year in the U.S. and approximately 2 million people are living with chronic (life-long) HBV. Chronic HBV can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, or even death. Rates of HBV infection in adults has increased over the years for those 40 years of age and older, while vaccination coverage for adults has decreased.
On November 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to discuss universal hepB vaccine for adults and voted to recommend:
- Adults 19 through 59 years should receive hepB vaccines
- Adults 60 years and older with risk factors for hepB infection should receive hepB vaccines
ACIP further voted to recommend:
- Adults 60 years and older without known risk factors for hepB infection may receive hepB vaccines
Why is adult hepB universal vaccination being recommended now? As many as 60 million Americans spanning 3 generations – Baby Boomers, Gen X, and some Millennials – were born before the guidelines for hepB universal infant vaccination in 1991 and may not be protected against HBV. Many people without clear risk factors or those unaware they were at risk, have been infected. Almost 85% of adults in the U.S. fall into a higher-risk group, including those with diabetes and kidney disease.
Through these new recommendations, hepB vaccine will be available for adults and for anyone who wants to be protected from getting HBV. Contact your local health department or your medical provider for more information on how to get your vaccines.
For additional hepB information go to:
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Promoting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance: recommendations from the Lancet Commission on Vaccine Refusal, Acceptance, and Demand in the USA
Since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in the USA in January, 2020, over 46 million people in the country have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Several COVID-19 vaccines have received emergency use authorisations from the US Food and Drug Administration, with the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine receiving full approval on Aug 23, 2021. When paired with masking, physical distancing, and ventilation, COVID-19 vaccines are the best intervention to sustainably control the pandemic. However, surveys have consistently found that a sizeable minority of US residents do not plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
The most severe consequence of an inadequate uptake of COVID-19 vaccines has been sustained community transmission (including of the delta [B.1.617.2] variant, a surge of which began in July, 2021). Exacerbating the direct impact of the virus, a low uptake of COVID-19 vaccines will prolong the social and economic repercussions of the pandemic on families and communities, especially low-income and minority ethnic groups, into 2022, or even longer. The scale and challenges of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign are unprecedented. Therefore, through a series of recommendations, we present a coordinated, evidence-based education, communication, and behavioural intervention strategy that is likely to improve the success of COVID-19 vaccine programmes across the USA.
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COVID-19 After Action Review Toolkit
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The COVID-19 pandemic created an extraordinary public health challenge, requiring state, local, Tribal and territorial public health agencies and their partners to mount emergency responses amid ever-changing information. As the pandemic progresses, it is critical for those working on COVID-19 response, recovery, and resiliency activities to reflect on what they have learned to better position themselves for ongoing COVID-19 work and future public health emergencies.
An After Action Review is a powerful tool that can help organizations reflect, assess, learn, and improve. Organizations can use the review retrospectively to assess previous work or activities, or it can serve as a useful tool to guide in-action reviews of ongoing work or activities. Mathematica, in collaboration with the Public Health Foundation, has developed a toolkit to help organizations conduct effective, equitable, and trauma-informed After Action Reviews.
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Medical Device Cybersecurity Distinguished Speaker Series
An upcoming joint U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and UCSF-Stanford Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI) speaker series consists of one-hour virtual lectures on cybersecurity topics with application to medical device security and biomedical engineering.
The key goal is to introduce key concepts of cybersecurity science and engineering via distinguished academic speakers to the biomedical engineering and manufacturing communities. Topics covered include human factors for cybersecurity, trustworthy medical device software, security engineering for machine learning, cybersecurity of computer vision, threat modeling, software bills of materials, software safety, cybersecurity regulations, and the science of cybersecurity. This speaker series is an educational opportunity, not intended to discuss FDA policy.
The speaker series takes place monthly, on the third Thursday of each month from 12:00 – 1:00PM EST.
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The Guardian of Public Health is a monthly newsletter from the Bureau of EMS, Trauma and Preparedness (BETP) within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The Guardian aims to provide readers with relevant content on topics that affect the public health of Michigan's citizens and communities.
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This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement number 1NU90TP922062-01-00, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Bureau of EMS, Trauma & Preparedness | 1001 Terminal Rd, Lansing, MI 48906 | 517-335-8150
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