|
Back to School
The new school year is just around the corner. This is an opportunity to discuss all vaccines, in addition to those that are required for school. Please offer your patients 6 months and older the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine (or refer them for vaccination) if they haven’t already been vaccinated.
Discuss ALL adolescent vaccines, those that are routinely recommended (Tdap, HPV, Men ACWY) and the availability of the MenB vaccine. If your patient has not received BOTH the MenACWY and MenB vaccines, he or she is not fully vaccinated against the most common form of bacterial meningitis among adolescents and young adults. Providers are encouraged to consider initiating the MenB series when the second dose of MenACWY is given.
|
|
Vaccine News
Domestic Measles Outbreak
The risk of measles remains low for most of the United States due to high immunization coverage and rapid case identification and response efforts. MMR vaccination remains the best protection against measles. Residents of and travelers to domestic measles outbreak areas with ongoing, community-wide transmission and international travelers may need additional doses of MMR vaccine.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is reporting the state’s first measles case of the year.
|
|
|
 |
|
Considerations for Nirsevimab
In most of the contiguous United States, the season for administering RSV preventive antibody to infants will resume in October. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends RSV vaccination of eligible infants between October and March for most of the continental US. Providers with nirsevimab inventory on hand after March should store the product for next season. To minimize vaccine loss/wastage, providers should not order nirsevimab doses at the end of the vaccination season for the purpose of using these doses during the next season.
|
Refrigerated Vaccine Shipper TagAlert
As per last month’s update, new temperature monitors (TagAlert) are now being used in refrigerated shipments from McKesson. Upon opening the box, providers should immediately press the blue Stop and Start Button until the Stop Icon appears and then read the indicator status to determine if the appropriate temperature was maintained during transit. Each shipment includes a flyer with directions and pictures to assist staff responsible for receiving the vaccines. Please turn off the TagAlert as soon as the shipment is opened.
In addition, please keep in mind the following:
- The EcoFlex coolers must be returned so that they can be reused. These coolers have an attached UPS shipping label on the inner box flap.
- The KoolTemp coolers do not need to be returned to McKesson and can be discarded.
- Refrigerated and frozen tag alerts do not need to be returned to McKesson and can be discarded.
|
|
|
New Age Indication for Flublok®
On March 31, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an expanded label for Flublok® to include individuals 9 years of age and older. This change was based on an immunobridging study comparing the immune response in patients aged 9-17 years to those aged 18-49 years.
|
|
⭐ Gold Star Awards (Feb/March 2025)
Outstanding VVFC Compliance
South Hill Family Medicine, South Hill
|
|
Adult Vaccine Update
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month
The month of May is designated as Hepatitis Awareness Month in the United States. This observance serves as a time to raise awareness about hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C while encouraging testing, vaccination, and timely treatment. During May, CDC and our public health partners work to shed light on the impact of these hidden epidemics by raising awareness of viral hepatitis while encouraging testing and vaccination. Hepatitis Awareness Month activities help to improve everyone’s understanding of viral hepatitis transmission and risk factors and to decrease social stigma against viral hepatitis.
|
|
|
|
