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July 2021
This newsletter is meant to keep you up to date on issues related to vaccines quickly and easily. We welcome your comments and questions at vacinfo@email.chop.edu. |
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Announcements: New and updated videos, viral shedding concerns
New animation! How mRNA vaccines work
The Vaccine Education Center is excited to debut a new animation that shows how mRNA vaccines are processed. As viewers watch from inside the cell, they see the release of mRNA from vaccine microcapsules, spike protein production, and cellular processing of the spike protein before traveling with an activated dendritic cell to a nearby lymph node to witness T and B cell activation. As activated B cells produce antibodies, viewers watch the antibodies interfere with viral attachment before being reminded that this process protects them during future encounters with the virus.
The animation is available on the Vaccine Makers Project (VMP) YouTube channel. Feel free to share the link to the animation from your own websites or social media channels if you have had people ask how the mRNA vaccine work.
Subscribe to the VMP YouTube channel to find out when new videos are posted.
Meet our new “Technically Speaking” author
We are excited to announce the new author of the “Technically Speaking” article. Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Mercy and University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO. Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Humiston’s career has focused on three central aspects of immunization delivery, including research, quality improvement and education. She is a health services researcher with more than 140 peer-reviewed publications on innovative and practical approaches for improving vaccine delivery. Dr. Humiston has been the principal investigator on numerous maintenance-of-certification (MOC) vaccination quality improvement projects for both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Academic Pediatrics Association (APA). Her experience as an immunization educator includes development and implementation of print, in-person, video-based and online interactive forms of immunization education for clinicians. Dr. Humiston previously worked in (what was then) the Training Education Branch of CDC’s National Immunization Program. During her tenure with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), she was the project officer on a series of studies that led to successful demonstration of improved immunization-related communication with parents in primary care offices. She is currently collaborating on the development of a succinct, mixed methods, foundational immunization curriculum for pediatric and family medicine residents.
Most recently, Dr. Humiston’s work has focused on increasing rates of cancer prevention with HPV vaccine. She was co-principal investigator of the AAP’s “HPV Vaccination Project” and has served as the AAP representative on the American Cancer Society’s HPV Vaccination Roundtable and the Roundtable Steering Committee. She also provided leadership on HPV vaccination initiatives for the APA and now serves as co-chair of the APA’s “Special Interest Group on Immunization.” Dr. Humiston is also the Director for Research at the Immunization Action Coalition and previously served on the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), where she chaired the Communication and Public Engagement subcommittee.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Humiston to the Vaccine Update community! If you have topics that you would like to see Dr. Humiston write about or if you would like to reach her, please email vacinfo@chop.edu with the subject line “Technically Speaking.”
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News & views: Influenza season 2021-2022 — Do we know what to expect?
Do we know what to expect for the influenza 2021-2022 season? The short answer is no. After all, do we ever know what to expect during influenza season? But this year’s predictability is complicated by the ongoing circulation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. So, let’s take a look at what factors to consider, what to watch for and how to prepare.
2019-2020 and 2020-2021 influenza experiences
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released their report on influenza from late 2019 through 2020, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also released information in anticipation of the upcoming season. Go to the complete article to find out about the key takeaways from both reports.
Factors to consider for the upcoming influenza season
Globally, rates of influenza during the 2020-2021 season were significantly lower than typical. According to the WHO, several hypotheses might explain this observation, with the possibility of a convergence of some factors. Find out more in the full article.
Influenza vaccines
Only quadrivalent influenza vaccines will be available in the U.S. for the 2021-2022 season. Find out more about strains, co-administration with COVID-19 vaccines, recommended changes to timing of administration and more.
Takeaways for clinical practice
While the upcoming influenza season will be more unpredictable than usual, we can prepare ourselves, our patients and our communities by implementing a few suggested practices. Find out more.
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In the journals: The experiences of young adult COVID-19 long-haulers
Paul A. Offit, MD, Director, Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
One of the many worrisome aspects of COVID-19 is that, for many people, symptoms might persist for more than two months (so-called long-haulers). This phenomenon has been well described in patients who were initially hospitalized with severe respiratory symptoms.
Recently, researchers from Norway examined the incidence of long-term symptoms in 16- to 30-year-old patients who were not initially hospitalized with COVID-19 (Blombert B, Mohn KG-I Brokstad KA, et al. Long COVID in a prospective cohort of home-isolated patients. Nat Med. 2021 June 23. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01433-3).
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Technically speaking — Vaxelis: What you should know
Sharon Humiston, MD, MPH, FAAP, Children’s Mercy and University of Missouri-Kansas City
Editor’s note: Please see the “Announcements” section of the newsletter for more information about Dr. Humiston’s background. We are so pleased to have her join the team that brings our readers the Vaccine Update each month!
Vaxelis™ is a hexavalent vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and hepatitis B. It is now available for use in children between 6 weeks and 4 years of age, regardless of whether they have private insurance or are covered by the Vaccines For Children (VFC) program. The vaccine, which was developed by the MCM Vaccine Co., a joint venture between Merck and Sanofi Pasteur, combines previously FDA-licensed versions of other commonly used vaccines:
- The same DTaP components as Pentacel®, Sanofi Pasteur
- The same inactivated poliovirus vaccine components as IPOL®, Sanofi Pasteur
- The same Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine component as PedvaxHIB®, Merck, but in a lower quantity
- The same hepatitis B vaccine component as Recombivax HB®, Merck
While two pentavalent vaccines, Pentacel® and Pediarix®, have been common options for reducing the number of shots in the infant vaccination series, Vaxelis represents the first six-component version.
Read the complete article to find details about:
- Key dates
- Scheduling
- Interchangeability
- Who should not get Vaxelis
- Coding and billing
- Other important information
- Additional helpful web links
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From the media: Two vaccine-related videos
Two recently available videos about vaccines may be of interest:
- The Story Behind the Anti-vaxx Movement in America — As part of its “Rise and Fall” series, Business Insider recently published a 12-minute YouTube video that describes the anti-vaccine movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Vax Plague of Doubt — Produced by Lars Ullburg, this 90-minute documentary, filmed a few years ago, was recently released on YouTube after the untimely passing of the producer. The film includes interviews with parents discussing their vaccine decisions; parents affected by vaccine-preventable disease, including a parent whose child was affected by the measles outbreak in California in 2014-2015; and pediatricians discussing their experiences and concerns related to vaccine hesitancy.
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On the calendar
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)! This year’s theme is “Get Back on Track with Routine Vaccines.” Don’t forget that the CDC has tools to help you promote this important opportunity to remind patients and families of the miracle of vaccines.
Also, check the calendar for updated meetings and webinars.
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On the Bookshelf: Two new books for children
If you keep a library of children’s books related to health and wellness, you’ll want to check out these two new publications:
- Mobi vs. The Shield: Community Immunity Saves the Day — Meet Mobi, “a pesky measles virus.” In this new book for children, created by The Immunization Partnership, Mobi is desperately trying to infect people in Townsville. But, Mobi is increasingly disappointed as he is escorted around town by Victor, “a superhero vaccine,” who is confident that the people of Townsville are protected by the shield of vaccines.
- Vaccines Explained — Written by Ohemaa Boahemaa, a public health and STEM advocate, and illustrated by Joyeeta Neogi, this book explains how vaccines work and why they’re important. The book is available from Language Lizard in multiple languages. A free lesson plan is also available.
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Vaccine resources: TTS animation, CHOP PolicyLab school mask guidance, and COVID-19 chatbot
TTS animation
The Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre recently released a short animation that describes thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, called TTS. The animation defines the terminology, describes the difference between TTS and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and provides details about the timing, symptoms and diagnosis of TTS.
Check it out today.
CHOP PolicyLab school mask guidance
The PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recently updated their guidance related to return to school. The guidance includes detailed discussions of the considerations for school officials as well as for individual families when it comes to masking, testing, and other mitigation strategies. Importantly, the updated guidance reflects the fact that this school year will be much different than last in that in-person learning can resume. The opportunity to vaccinate adults and older students has decreased the risk for everyone, particularly in highly immunized communities.
Also, as a reminder, the PolicyLab offers a county-level COVID-19 mapping tool, so you can see COVID-19 positivity rates.
COVID-19 chatbot
The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, recently released a new tool for answering questions young people may have about COVID-19 vaccination. Vira, the Vax Chatbot, provides simple answers to common vaccine-related questions.
Check it out today!
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