Vaccine Blurbs #243: FluMist Update

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Washington State Department of Health | January 29, 2025


FluMist Update

Orders processed after January 3rd will not contain the FluMist vaccine.

Unfortunately, several orders processed before this date that had shipping delays due to weather, received expired FluMist vaccine.

This vaccine qualifies for the FluMist replacement Program. All requests need to be made by 5:00pm this Friday, January 31st.

Please reach out to the FluMist Replacement Program for CDC at 1-877-633-7375 or by e-mailing flumistreplacement@mckesson.com between 7:00 am-7:00 pm CST (5:00 am-5:00pm PST).


TDVax is No Longer Available

TDVax is no longer available for order as the manufacturer has ceased production of this vaccine.

Orders placed after January 7th that included TDVax will not receive the vaccine. Additionally, some orders placed in late December and early January that experienced shipping delays may not receive TDVax. When orders containing unviable vaccines were returned to McKesson, new vaccines had to be selected, but by that time, TDVax was no longer available.

All providers should now have Tenivac Td vaccine available to order. Providers who did not receive the originally ordered TDVax must submit a new order for Tenivac.

The Td vaccine is no longer under allocation; however, we kindly ask providers to be mindful of the quantities they order for use.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.


Vaccine Coordinator Training Overview Recording Now Available

The recording of the January 9th CVP Training Series: Vaccine Coordinator Training Overview is now available. The slides from that training are also available for reference. The recorded training providers guidance for completing the new annually required trainings. This new DOH Vaccine Coordinator Training takes the place of the annual You Call the Shots training.

You can find this training and other past trainings, as well as announcements for future training opportunities, on the CVP Training webpage


Are You Ready for Provider Agreement Renewal?

Now is a good time to ensure your clinic is prepared for the upcoming Childhood Vaccine Program provider agreement renewal period which occurs between March and April this year. To help your agreement renewal go smoothly please ensure:

  1. All thermometer calibrations are up to date.
  2. Gather your practice profile data for the calendar year 1/1/24-12/31/24. Instructions for generating a VFC Profile Report in the IIS can be found in the Provider Agreement Renewal Guide
  3. Your primary and backup vaccine coordinators have completed the new annual training requirements in 2025. Primary and back-up vaccine coordinators must complete this annual training requirement within the current calendar year, prior to their provider agreement renewal deadline. It is also best practice to have all staff who handle and administer vaccines complete the training as well. 

Remember that training requirements have changed this year. You Call the Shots modules have been replaced by the Childhood Vaccine Program's new annual Vaccine Coordinator Training.


CVP Training Series: Provider Agreement Renewals

Please join us Thursday, February 20, 2025 for our next CVP Training Series. This month we will be covering the annual provider agreement renewal process. 

Topic: Provider Agreement Renewal

Date: February 20, 2025
Time: 12 noon
Primary Audience: Providers and Vaccine Coordinators for the Childhood Vaccine Program

Register Here


Help Us Improve Childhood Vaccination Rates in Washington State!

We need your insights as a primary care provider to identify and address barriers to vaccinating children aged 0-3 years. This short survey from the Washington chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics will guide efforts to improve vaccine access and uptake. It takes just a few minutes, and your input will make a difference!

Deadline: February 7, 2025.

Thank you for helping us protect our youngest patients.


APhA’s Vaccine Confident Website

APhA

The American Pharmacists Association's (APhA) Vaccine Confident website offers educational webinars, podcasts, patient resources, and video success stories to build vaccine confidence. The website links to the Conversation Guide web page, which offers suggestions on vaccine communications with patients and families. The website also offers two interactive vaccine access maps showing pharmacy vaccination locations and healthcare provider locations.

Clinical Corner

FDA adds Guillain–Barré Syndrome warning to the prescribing information for RSV vaccines Abrysvo and Arexvy

FDA recently published an FDA Safety Communication with revisions to package inserts. Data suggest a small increased risk of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) that may occur 42 days after vaccination with either Abrysvo (Pfizer) or Arexvy (GSK). FDA noted that the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh the risks. Here’s a summary of the communication:

  • Analyses of all GBS cases based on claims data suggest an increased risk of GBS during the 42 days following vaccination. About 9 excess cases of GBS per million doses of Abrysvo and about 7 excess cases of GBS per million doses of Arexvy were noted for adults 65 years of age and older.
  • Background risks of GBS in study populations influence excess GBS case estimates and may differ between studies and analyses.
  • Available evidence is insufficient to establish a causal relationship. FDA determined that the benefits of vaccination with Abrysvo and Arexvy continue to outweigh their risks.
  • Suspected adverse events may be reported to VAERS.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center Resources

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has many great resources for health care providers. See the links to resources below.

Provider Vaccination Prompts During Patient Visits

Provider prompts show that patients are due for specific vaccines so they are not overlooked during a visit. Prompts include active identifiers that a patient is due for vaccination, such as an electronic health record (EHR) alert, a verbal cue from a nurse, or a ‘sticky note’ left on a patient’s chart, or a checklist that a provider can refer to during each patient visit. When designing prompts, offices should consider their setting and what works best with clinic workflows. 

Tools for Addressing Pain and Fear of Needles During Vaccinations

Online modules on vaccine communication; CE credit available


AAP resources

 The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently shared resources for families and providers. In addition, there’s an interactive map showing state-specific data on immunization rates in comparison to national rates, and vaccine exemption laws.

AAP Immunization Discussion Guides

COVID-19 resources

Vaccinations Across America Map

This interactive map allows immunizers and families to see state-specific data on immunization rates in comparison to national rates and vaccine exemption laws. The map also shows immunization rates broken down by different demographics, such as insurance coverage, race/ethnicity, urbanicity, and poverty level. 


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.


Helpful Hints

Do you know what is considered a qualified container for vaccine transport? Check out these new CDC videos for guidance on qualified containers and packouts: 

These videos can also be found on the Childhood Vaccine Program Storage and Handling webpage