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April 26, 2024
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National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is April 22 to 29. The purpose of the week is to highlight the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine preventable diseases. Visit National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) for key messages and resources. |
Join us on May 22, from noon to 1 p.m., for the second webinar in our HPV vaccination improvement series, implement “Start at Age 9” Approach in Your Practice: Strategies to Improve HPV Vaccination Rates. Dr. Vanessa Slots, M.D, pediatrician from M Health Fairview, will share her experiences with starting the HPV vaccine series at age 9, challenges and solutions she’s navigated, benefits she’s experienced in her practice, and strategies for improving vaccination coverage rates. The webinar is open to anyone who plays a role in the vaccination process including front desk staff, care coordinators, medical assistants, ordering providers, others who play a role in promoting HPV vaccination. All attendees will receive continuing education unit credit (CEUs).
For more information about the program and to access the first webinar’s recording co-hosted by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the American Cancer Society, visit IQIP HPV Vaccination Improvement Project.
As of April 1, Bavarian Nordic, the manufacturer of the JYNNEOS vaccine for mpox, has opened vaccine orders through commercial wholesalers. Until now, all doses of this vaccine were requested through MDH from the Strategic National Stockpile. You will need to directly purchase doses for your insured patients recommended to receive this vaccine. Plan to build this vaccine into your clinic budget now to ensure continued access. Visit Mpox Vaccine in Minnesota for more information and look for future updates on vaccine availability for eligible patients through the Vaccines for Children and the Uninsured and Underinsured Adult Vaccine programs.
Over the past year, Minnesota has welcomed an increasing number of newcomers. Many of these arrivals are from Central and South America (Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico), West Africa, and Eastern Europe. Depending on health care availability in their home country, newcomers may not have had vaccination opportunities prior to arrival. Here are some tips for helping them get up to date on needed vaccines:
- Vaccine doses administered outside the United States should be accepted as valid if schedules and doses are compatible with current recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Invalid doses should be repeated (e.g., record indicates a vaccine dose was given before birth, spacing or timing of vaccination is not compatible with ACIP recommendations).
- Only records of vaccine doses that include the dates of receipt (month, day, and year) are acceptable. Consider the use of date formats where day is listed before month [dd-mm-yyyy].
- If vaccination records are not available, vaccinate as appropriate per ACIP recommendations. Self-reported vaccine doses without written documentation are not acceptable.
- Vaccine names may be documented in languages other than English, or the names or components of vaccines may be unfamiliar to U.S. clinicians. Language translation assistance is available at:
Serologic testing before vaccination is generally not recommended or necessary for most newcomers. The cost of testing may be a deterrent to patients and may lead to a missed opportunity to vaccinate. Serologic testing for certain antigens may be considered when the clinician determines that it is in the best interest of the patient. Visit CDC: ACIP Vaccine Information Sources Guidelines for Immunization for more information on special situations.
For additional information, visit Newcomer Immunization Guidance for Health Professionals (PDF).
Some commercial laboratories have now joined the MDH Public Health Laboratory in offering measles PCR testing. Suspect measles cases need to be reported to MDH at time of specimen collection, per the MN Disease Reporting Rule. Immediate notification of a suspect case is needed so MDH and local public health staff can initiate a preliminary response prior to the confirmation of a measles positive PCR result. A timely response in identifying exposed and suspected cases is critical since the time frame to provide post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to susceptible persons is short. MMR must be administered within 72 hours of first exposure and immune globulin must be administered within 6 days of first exposure.
If providers are using commercial laboratories for measles PCR and notify MDH after they learn of the positive result, it may already be too late to provide PEP to susceptible infants, children, pregnant or immunocompromised persons.
PCR is recommended to confirm measles. Measles IgM can be done in addition to PCR but should not be the only method used as false positives are common.
Find additional information and resources at:
Contact MDH at 651-201-5085 or 1-877-676-5414 (toll-free) with questions.
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