CVP Training Series

Join us for the next session of the Childhood Vaccine Program training series. This session will feature our nursing staff discussing the updates to Washington's immunization requirements for school entry.

July 21, 2022 – CVP Training Series: Updates to the WA Immunization Requirements

**Time: 12:00 pm**

Intended Audience: Providers, Vaccine Coordinators, School Nurses & Childcare Staff

• Join the Training Session
• Meeting ID: 886 5593 9404
• Passcode: 044311

You can also view pre-recorded webinars on our training webpage if you've missed a previous session. Check them out here.

2021-22 Flu Season Ends, Return Unused Vaccine

As of June 30th, any remaining flu doses from the 2021-22 season have expired. Please remember to return your unused and unopened flu vaccines to McKesson. When we return unused and unopened doses, the Program gets the taxes returned which helps fund future vaccine purchases.

Use the resources below if you need help returning your expired vaccines:

• Review of Vaccine Returns Process & Vaccine Loss Log Webinar
• Online Vaccine Returns Video
• Online Vaccine Returns Reference Guide

Provider Map Updated

The provider map has been updated to reflect the current providers enrolled in both the Childhood Vaccine Program and the Adult Vaccine Program. Please use this resource as needed to find other clinics enrolled near you. This map is accessible on our website and can be used by providers or patients to access publicly funded vaccines. 

If you have any questions regarding the provider map, please email WAChildhoodVaccines@doh.wa.gov. 

Immunize Washington 2022

The 2022 Immunize WA award winners will be announced on Aug 16, 2022. DOH will nominate and recognize all providers that meet the Immunize WA award levels for childhood and adolescent coverage rate. This is from data reported in Washington State Immunization Information System (WA IIS).

The measures for Childhood Series (HEDIS Combo 10) Gold 80% or higher, Silver 79%-80%, Bronze (4:3:1:3:3:14 series) 70% or higher. The Bronze award is new for 2022 for childhood rates, this was the previous gold and silver award before 2021.

For the Adolescent Series (HEDIS Combo 2) Gold 80% or higher, Silver 79%-80%, Bronze (1:1:1). There is no change to this measure.

For more information on Immunize WA, please visit our website. If you have any questions, please contact immunizewa@doh.wa.gov.

DT Vaccine to be Discontinued

Sanofi Pasteur has notified CDC that the company will discontinue production and distribution of Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids Adsorbed® (DT). The last lot was manufactured in October 2020 with an expiry date of April 2023. Sanofi expects to exhaust available supply by the end of 2022. 

Read Sanofi Pasteur's letter to providers here.

COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Recording Available

The WA Department of Health hosted the Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations and Booster Updates Webinar on June 29, 2022. The slides and recording are available on our webpage. Continuing education is available for nurses, medical assistants, pharmacists, and pharmacy techs for watching the recording. More immunization trainings, webinars, and webinar recordings with offer of continuing education can be found on our immunization training webpage.

New Vaccine Recommendations from ACIP Meeting in June

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met in June and approved recommendations for influenza vaccine for the 2022–2023 season, 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15) for children, and a new MMR vaccine. The recommendations need to be officially published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and vaccine added to the federal contract before providers can start ordering. We will provide more updates when available. Information from the meeting are summarized below.

Influenza vaccine recommendations for adults 65 years or older

• ACIP recommends that adults aged 65 years or older preferentially receive one of the following higher dose or adjuvanted influenza vaccines: quadrivalent high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine, quadrivalent recombinant influenza vaccine, or quadrivalent adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine.
• No preference for any one of these three vaccines.
• If none of these three vaccines is available, then any other age-appropriate influenza vaccine should be used.

PCV15 for children 19 years and younger

• PCV15 (Vaxneuvance, Merck) was licensed by the FDA on June 17 for use in children beginning at 6 weeks of age.
• Recommended schedule is the same as PCV13.
• No preference for PCV15 over PCV13.
• No changes were made to recommendations for PPSV23 in certain high-risk children age 2 through 18 years.
• ACIP voted to approve the policy statement: “PCV15 may be used as an option to PCV13 for children aged <19 years according to currently recommended PCV13 dosing and schedules.”

New MMR vaccine

• Newly FDA-approved MMR vaccine, Priorix (GSK).
• Despite high 2-dose vaccine coverage, measles and mumps continue to cause infections and outbreaks.
• ACIP welcomed the idea of having another brand.
• Priorix is a gelatin-free vaccine, beneficial for religious groups with objections to gelatin.
• ACIP voted to approve the policy statement: “MMR vaccine (Priorix, GSK) is recommended according to currently recommended schedules and off-label uses as an option to prevent measles, mumps, and rubella.”

For questions about the immunization schedule, the Immunization Information System forecast, or any other immunization clinical questions, please send an email to ImmuneNurses@doh.wa.gov. Check out the Immunization Training web page for more resources and training opportunities.