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Respiratory virus season is upon us, protect yourself with influenza and COVID-19 vaccines
Alyssa Strouse, MPH
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Division of Immunization
Every year, respiratory infections, such as influenza and COVID-19, cause millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths throughout the United States. The most effective way to prevent these infections is staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and to receive an annual influenza vaccination.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all persons aged ≥6 months who do not have contraindications receive a licensed and age-appropriate seasonal influenza vaccine. With the exception of vaccination for adults aged ≥65 years, ACIP makes no preferential recommendation for a specific vaccine when more than one licensed, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine is available. ACIP recommends that adults aged ≥65 years preferentially receive any one of the following higher doses or adjuvanted influenza vaccines: quadrivalent high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV4), quadrivalent recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV4), or quadrivalent adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV4). If these three vaccines are not available at the time of vaccine administration, then any other age-appropriate influenza vaccine should be used. 1
For most persons who need only one dose of influenza vaccine for the season, vaccination should ideally be offered during September or October. However, vaccination should continue after October and throughout the season as long as influenza viruses are circulating, and unexpired vaccine is available. Children aged 6 months through 8 years may require two doses of influenza vaccine to be fully protected for a season. Children that do not receive their second dose may still be at risk from developing illness from influenza infection. 1 Providers are encouraged to communicate the importance of the second dose of influenza vaccine to parents.
ACIP recommends that all persons aged ≥6 months with egg allergy should receive influenza vaccine. Any influenza vaccine (egg based or nonegg based) that is otherwise appropriate for the recipient’s age and health status can be used. It is no longer recommended that persons who have had an allergic reaction to egg involving symptoms other than urticaria should be vaccinated in an inpatient or outpatient medical setting supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions if an egg-based vaccine is used. Egg allergy alone necessitates no additional safety measures for influenza vaccination beyond those recommended for any recipient of any vaccine, regardless of severity of previous reaction to egg. All vaccines should be administered in settings in which personnel and equipment needed for rapid recognition and treatment of acute hypersensitivity reactions are available. 1
COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. Compared to people who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, unvaccinated people are more likely to get COVID-19, much more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, and much more likely to die from COVID-19. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are best protected from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations. 2
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax, to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. The 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines more closely target the XBB lineage of the Omicron variant and could restore protection against severe COVID-19 that may have decreased over time. It is anticipated the updated vaccines will be better at fighting currently circulating variants. 2
ACIP recommends everyone aged 5 years and older should get one dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. Children aged 6 months–4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine. There is no preferential recommendation for the use of any one COVID-19 vaccine over another when more than one licensed or authorized, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine is available. COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will continue to be updated as needed. 2
Protect yourself, your clients, your patients, and those around you, by staying up to date on all ACIP recommended vaccines. For best protection during this respiratory season, ensure everyone in your surrounding community is up to date on flu, COVID-19, RSV, pneumococcal and all pertussis containing vaccines.
References
1. Grohskopf LA, Blanton LH, Ferdinands JM, Chung JR, Broder KR, Talbot HK. Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2023–24 Influenza Season. MMWR Recomm Rep 2023;72(No. RR-2):1–25. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7202a1.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2023). Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#All
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Toolkits, resources, and strategies for addressing at-risk populations in emergencies
At-risk individuals are people with access and functional needs (temporary or permanent) that may interfere with their ability to access or receive medical care before, during, or after a disaster or public health emergency.
Examples of at-risk populations may include, but are not limited to children, pregnant women, older adults, people with disabilities, people from diverse cultures, people with limited English proficiency, people with limited access to transportation, people with limited access to financial resources, people experiencing homelessness, people who have chronic health conditions, and people who have pharmacological dependency.
During a disaster or emergency, public health and medical professionals need to take action to protect the health of at-risk individuals. In many cases, they are even required by law or executive order to address the needs of at-risk individuals during disasters and emergencies.
Emergency planning resources and toolkits for at-risk populations are available from many organizations, including the U.S. department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, there are collaborative efforts, such as the Disaster Preparedness to Promote Community Resilience project, involving the U.S. Department of Veterans Affair (VA), HHS, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
TOOLKIT: Maternal-Child Health Emergency Planning
Women who are pregnant, postpartum, and/or lactating, and infants and young children have specific access and functional needs that must be considered in planning for and providing support during and/or after a disaster or emergency.
Evidence suggests that disasters and emergencies cause stress that can result in and/or increase the risks of adverse birth outcomes among pregnant women, such as spontaneous miscarriages, preterm births, and low-birthweight infants.
The HHS Maternal-Child Health (MCH) Emergency Planning toolkit is designed to improve the capacity of health care, public health, and social services professionals to address maternal and child health in emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities.
The toolkit, built with federal MCH experts and partners, outlines basic planning steps, highlights key resources and promising practices, and explains critical data and information to be integrated into emergency planning for MCH populations.
This toolkit provides guidance and advice to address the needs of women who are pregnant, postpartum, and/or lactating and typically developing infants and young children in emergencies.
TOOLKIT: Homelessness Emergency Planning
Individuals and families experiencing homelessness are some of the most underserved members of our society and they are often disproportionately impacted by disasters and emergencies. This toolkit from the Departments of Veteran’s Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development is designed to help homeless service providers address the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in emergencies. It includes three sections: 1) Creating and Inclusive Emergency Management Systems; 2) Guidance for Homeless Service Providers; and 3) Guidance for Health Care Providers.
TRAINING: HHS/ASPR Access and Functional Needs (AFN) Web-Based Training
This training highlights information from federal guidance, laws and executive orders that require non-discrimination for addressing AFN—both specific and nonspecific to a disaster context.
Participants will learn how to use the Communication, Maintaining Health, Independence, Support and Safety, and Transportation (CMIST) Framework to address a broad set of common AFN irrespective of specific diagnoses, status, or labels. Additionally, the training provides tools and resources for addressing AFN during disaster preparedness, response, and recovery activities. Participants will find relevant data, recommended partners, and links to tools and information so that they may immediately apply what they have learned and successfully address AFN in their communities.
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ASPR TRACIE Roundtable: Lessons Learned from the Pediatric
Tripledemic- Systems, Staff, Space, and Supplies
In case you missed the roundtable: panelists shared lessons learned from the 2022-2023 pediatric surge due to influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus. Participants learned about successes and challenges in information sharing, the use of specialty resources in response (e.g., Medical Operations Coordination Centers), augmenting staff, the use of telemedicine, and coordination with supply chain and coalition partners on medication shortage solutions.
CDC Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call: Protecting Infants from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
During this COCA Call, presenters will give a comprehensive overview of the CDC’s new recommendations to prevent severe RSV disease in infants, including clinical guidance and considerations for administering RSV immunizations to infants and pregnant people during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy.
If you are unable to attend the live COCA Call, the recording will be available for viewing a few hours after the live event ends.
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
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MIREQUEST Training for Hospitals and Healthcare Coalitions
The Division of Emergency Preparedness and the regional Healthcare Coalitions are resuming annual training and exercising of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) request. This training will provide hospital and healthcare coalition staff with an update to the SNS mirequest.org website in preparation for the SNS Exercise in March 2024.
Several training sessions are being made available to help ensure that everyone is able to attend at least one. The training is straightforward, there are user guides and they will allow for a question and answer period.
October 31, 2023 and November 3, 2023 Virtual Sessions
MI-TRAIN Course ID: 1112532
Preparedness Lunch and Learn
The Preparedness Lunch and Learn series continues on November 21 with a presentation from the 51st Civil Support Team. Topics will continue to build knowledge for emergency managers in hospitals and other healthcare facilities as well as coalitions, local health departments, tribes and others. The series is the third Tuesday every month from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. EMS, NHA, CME, CNE Credits will be offered.
November 21, 2023 - 51st Civil Support Team
MI-TRAIN Course ID: 1112627
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The Guardian of Public Health is a monthly newsletter from the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care (BEPESoC), 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 Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care | 1001 Terminal Rd, Lansing, MI 48906 | 517-335-8150
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