The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has released updated immunization schedules for children and adolescents and adults. DOH also released an easy-to-read adult immunization schedule to accompany the easy-to-read childhood and adolescent immunization schedule. The updated schedules include recommendations for flu, RSV, and COVID-19 immunizations for this upcoming respiratory season, as well as routine childhood immunizations and catch-up schedules for those who are behind on recommended vaccines.  

To view the updated schedules, visit DOH’s Immunization for Health Care Providers webpage. See also the September 17 press release for more information. 

All vaccines recommended by DOH remain available at no cost for children younger than 19 through Washington's Childhood Vaccine Program at participating providers. Uninsured adults ages 19 and older can receive recommended vaccines at no cost through the Adult Vaccine Program. 

Learn more: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) 

Want to see what’s happening with flu, COVID-19, and RSV across Washington? The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has updated its Respiratory Illness Wastewater Dashboard with new features that make the data easier to explore and understand. 

What’s new? 

• See flu activity statewide: A new view shows influenza A activity across Washington. 
• Follow recent trends: New 7-day trend lines show changes in influenza A, influenza B, and RSV. 
• Understand COVID-19 variants: Updated displays make variant data easier to interpret. 
• Learn how to use the dashboard: A new tutorial video walks you through the dashboard and its features. 

Check out the updated dashboard and see what the data can tell us about respiratory illness activity in Washington. 

Two New Measles Cases in Clark County 

Clark County Public Health is investigating two new measles cases in children who were not vaccinated. A person with measles was at River HomeLink in Battle Ground on September 17 while they could spread the disease. 

People who were exposed and are not vaccinated may be at risk. If you were exposed and develop measles symptoms, call your health care provider before going to a clinic or office. 

So far this year, Clark County has reported 21 measles cases. Of these, 19 people were not vaccinated. Visit Measles Cases in Washington State for more information on tracking measles across our state.  

Independent Measles Tracker 

Looking for another way to track measles cases in the U.S.? The U.S. Disease Tracker has an easy-to-use measles page with case information from 2025 to present, including data by state. The tracker is maintained by Johns Hopkins University in collaboration with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). 

October is Health Literacy Month! Clear, understandable health information helps people make informed decisions about their health, including decisions about vaccines. 

Health literacy means being able to find, understand, and use health information. As public health professionals, we can support health literacy by sharing information that is plain-language, culturally and linguistically appropriate, and accessible. 

When communicating about vaccines, use clear answers to common questions such as who needs a vaccine, when to get it, and where to get vaccinated. 

To learn more about health literacy and how to apply it in your work, visit our WA Portal Health Literacy page. 

What does an empty chair mean to you? On October 5, World Meningitis Day brings communities together to remember people affected by meningitis and highlight the importance of prevention, including vaccination. 

This year, the American Society for Meningitis Prevention (ASMP) is inviting people to participate in the #MyEmptyChair Campaign. Each empty chair represents a life impacted by meningitis—someone we’ve lost, a survivor, or a reminder of how quickly meningococcal meningitis can change a life. 

Pull up a chair, share the message, and help raise awareness. Learn more and join the #MyEmptyChair Campaign 

The idea is simple: every empty chair = a life impacted by meningitis 

Looking for ready-to-share respiratory season resources? Several national organizations have new tools to help you promote vaccination and prevention in your communities. 

• National Respiratory Communications Initiative: The new Tame It Social Media Toolkit includes ready-to-use graphics and social media copy. Unbranded and co-brandable materials feature flu, COVID-19, RSV, and pneumococcal disease—and show how vaccination can help keep these illnesses in check. 
• Vaccinate Your Family: The Respiratory Season Toolkit offers resources to help families PROTECT, PREPARE, and PREVENT respiratory illnesses throughout the season. 
• National Hispanic Medical Association: Bilingual respiratory illness resources bring trusted vaccine information together for families and providers, including RSV flyers and quick-reference cards for parents. Get a first look at Mamá Protectora, their upcoming campaign empowering mothers as health advocates for their families. 
• Public Health Communications Collaborative: Find ready-to-share social media graphics, carousels, and other resources to help answer questions about respiratory viruses and promote flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccination. New English and Spanish resources will be added throughout the season. 

Save these resources and share them with your communities this respiratory season! 

Looking for an easy way to help families learn about vaccines? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its Immunization Facts for Families handouts. The resources reflect the latest AAP immunization policies and the 2026 AAP Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. 

These short, easy-to-read fact sheets in English and Spanish can help clinicians answer common vaccine questions and support conversations with families. They cover topics such as how serious a disease can be, how it spreads, vaccine side effects, and more. Handouts can be printed or shared digitally before or after a vaccine visit. Each fact sheet also links families to more information from HealthyChildren.org through a QR code or link. 

AAP has a relevant and timely short 1-minute measles YouTube video for families, sharing the importance of keeping children vaccinated. The AAP also has a one-page measles fact sheet for families to supplement the video. 

Explore the resources and share them with families at your next vaccine visit! 

We usually think of vaccines as a way to prevent infections. But researchers are also studying vaccines that could help treat cancer after it develops. 

These are called therapeutic cancer vaccines. Instead of training the immune system to fight a virus or bacteria, they help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. Because each person’s cancer can be different, some of these vaccines may be personalized to a person’s specific cancer. 

Researchers are studying new approaches, including mRNA cancer vaccines. Recent clinical trials have shown promising results, but more research is needed before these vaccines are widely available. 

Want to learn more? Keep reading to explore how therapeutic mRNA vaccines work, what researchers have learned from recent melanoma trials, and the challenges that remain. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning about an increase in people being exposed to animals that may have rabies compared to last year. Some health departments have also reported more cases where people received rabies vaccines or treatment incorrectly. Errors include: 

• Vaccine or human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) administration at the wrong anatomic site. 
• Combining the vaccine and HRIG in the same syringe. 
• Administering the vaccine and HRIG in the same anatomic site. 
• Using an incorrect rabies vaccine schedule. 

Health care providers should carefully assess a person’s risk of rabies before giving treatment. When treatment is needed, providers should follow CDC recommendations for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). 

COVID-19 vaccine ordering is now open in the IIS for providers who selected COVID-19 vaccine on their provider agreement. 

Key Ordering Information: 

• Orders are processed Wednesdays. The first processing day will be Friday, October 2 because of the federal fiscal year-end. Wednesday processing will resume the following week. 
• Supply is limited. COVID-19 vaccine is under allocation, so the number of doses available each week will be limited. 
• Submit orders early. Allow at least 3 days for order approval. Orders must be in “Pending State Approval” status by the end of the business day before the processing day. 
• Orders may be reduced. If demand is greater than available supply, orders will be adjusted based on the Vaccine Allocation and Equity Plan. 

Have 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine? Stop using and return remaining doses once you receive your first shipment of the 2026–2027 formulation. Reconcile your IIS inventory using “Spoiled” and “Expired BUD.” Submit the return before inactivating the vaccine in the IIS. 

Resources: 

• AVP COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Ordering & Receiving Guide 
• 2026–2027 State-Supplied COVID-19 Vaccines At-a-Glance 
• Vaccine Recommendations | Washington State Department of Health 

Related News: CDC greenlights COVID vaccines for vulnerable children after nearly 1-month delay | CIDRAP 

Have questions about this season’s vaccines? Immunize.org has released 10 updated Ask the Experts Q&As covering flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines, as well as Vaccine Information Statements. 

These expert answers can help health care providers prepare for the 2026–27 respiratory season. More seasonal content is being updated, and Immunize.org will share updates as new sections are ready. 

Explore the answers: Visit Immunize.org’s Ask the Experts for these updated Q&As and more than 1,300 answers to common questions about vaccines and vaccine administration.  

The Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP), based at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), has announced plans to conduct independent systematic reviews of the scientific evidence on meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines for children and young adults. The reviews will examine the safety and effectiveness of currently licensed vaccines, disease burden and epidemiology, and evidence for populations at increased risk of severe disease. 

The reviews will build on previous evidence assessments conducted by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and evaluate research published since those reviews. Researchers will assess peer-reviewed studies, surveillance data, real-world vaccine effectiveness, and post-licensure safety evidence. The reviews will also examine evidence related to coadministration with other routine childhood vaccines and identify gaps in the existing evidence.  

The VIP expects the reviews to be completed early 2027. The project’s announcement includes additional information about the scope and method of the reviews. Read the Vaccine Integrity Project announcement.  

Congenital measles is rare—but clinicians need to know what to look for. As measles cases increase, infants born to people who had measles during pregnancy may be at risk. 

Affected infants may have fever, rash, and jaundice and can become seriously ill. Some infants may have no symptoms at birth but could face long-term health problems. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has added a new Congenital Measles: Frequently Asked Questions page to Red Book Online. The resource covers signs and symptoms, evaluation and treatment, infection prevention, follow-up, and prevention. 

For clinicians: Add this resource to your measles toolkit and share it with colleagues who care for pregnant people, newborns, and infants.