Shot of Prevention

It’s important for doctors, nurses, health care professionals and parents to keep informed about changes to the recommended immunization schedule.    Today’s report from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) details the changes to the 2012 schedule as suggested by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).  Some of the more significant changes concern the following:

Tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine administration among health care personnel and pregnant women.  Specifically, if pregnant women have never received the Tdap vaccine, it is recommended that they be immunized during their second or third trimester rather than in the immediate postpartum period.  Addionally, for children who received Tdap as a catch-up dose at age 7 through 10 years, “an adolescent dose should not be given.”

Routine administration of hepatitis B vaccine in people with diabetes. 

The addition of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine for boys and young men.  In regards to boys, the HPV4 vaccination is recommended in boys 11 to 12 years of age, with catch-up vaccinations at age 13 to 21.  However, it is acceptable to begin HPV4 vaccination in boys as young as 9 years of age. 

A booster dose of the meningococcal vaccine for children at age 16 is now recommended.  The previous schedule recommended immunization at age 11 or 12, but due to waning immunity and higher risk in the late teen years, the new booster recommendation is intended to ensure that protection is maintained through the high-risk window, which occurs between 16 and 21 years, when many are living in close quarters, such as in college dormitories.

It also should be noted that the ACIP recommends that children 6 months to 8 years of age receive two doses of influenza vaccine during the current season if they did not receive at least one dose of the vaccine during the 2010-11 season.  It also clarifies the guidance for clarifies the guidance for giving the flu shot to kids with egg allergies. For more complete details on the changes, please refer to the following resources:

2012 Immunization Schedule for Children 0-6 years

2012 Immunization Schedule for Adolescents 7-18 years

2012 Adult Immunization Schedule

If you should have any questions, let us know and we will attempt to direct them to our scientific advisory board for clarification or response.

Shots aren’t just for babies.

In fact, it is recommended that children receive booster shots for various preventable diseases throughout their adolescent years.  And recently, since bacterial meningitis has proven to be a serious, sometimes fatal, disease that is easily spread on college campuses, several states have begun requiring a meningitis vaccine for college students living in dorms.  However, as a direct result of Senate Bill 1107, the state of Texas has now taken these precautions one step further. As of January 1st, a new law has taken effect that makes Texas the first state to require a bacterial meningitis vaccine for all college students under the age of 30, even if they are not living on campus.

Students will be required to provide evidence of vaccination by Friday, Jan. 27 by providing an official immunization record, school vaccination record or the signature or stamp of a physician or health official showing the month, day and year the vaccination or booster was administered.  Though other states often require meningitis vaccinations for 11- and 12-year-old students – with a recommended booster dose at 16 – none go as far as Texas law. Most states only attempt to make students aware of the vaccine, but Texas will be the first to require the vaccination during the five-year period before, or at least 10 days prior to, the first day of the semester for all students.

In a recent article, published in The Monitor, Kim McKay, interim dean of enrollment at South Texas College is quoted as saying, “…we are trying to take all of the proper precautions to protect the health and well-being of our students.”

As you can see in the video below, meningitis often strikes quickly and aggressively.  Since many people are unaware of just how serious the consequences can be, it’s best to hear about the implications of this disease from families who have had first hand experience to share.

While this video was compiled by the National Meningitis Association, there are numerous other stories like these compiled on the Shot by Shot website.

If you know a college student who is currently home on winter break, suggest that they be vaccinated before they return to campus.  We also encourage you to share these stories with friends and  family and check the immunization records for your younger children as well.  A simple vaccine can help save the lives and limbs of those you love.

For more information, please check out these great resources:

National Meningitis Association

Meningitis Angels

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  Meningitis Questions and Answers 

When I was first approached to contribute to this blog, I wasn’t sure I would have enough material to contribute on a regular basis.  Since then, I’ve recognized that when it comes to immunization issues, there is just so much to discuss.  Now, as I reflect on the past year, I realize that one of the greatest gifts I’ve received has been becoming part of this special community.  

Throughout the past year, we have seen continuous growth among the readers of this blog and the participants on our Vaccinate Your Baby Facebook page.  We continue to attract a caring community of parents, medical professional, health care workers and public health advocates who actively participate in immunization discussions by offering their thoughts, opinions, experiences and expertise.  We hope that we can continue the momentum, and ask that you suggest your family, friends and work colleagues join us for more lively conversations in the new year. 

As we “wrap” up 2011, we will be highlighting our most popular posts of the year.  If you’ve read them before, you can now share them with others and encourage them to join us for more immunization discussions.  If you’ve yet to see these posts, than you may be interested in seeing what issues have captured the attention of our regular participants.   

Today I’ll be highlighting a post that addresses a recurring question I hear from parents; “Why Worry About the Unvaccinated?”  Without the proper understanding of both the benefits and limitations of vaccines, it’s difficult to understand how the unvaccinated population could ever pose a threat to anyone but themselves.  However, this post encourages readers to consider the unintended consequences for all.  

Why Worry About the Unvaccinated?

Time and again, we hear this from parents who choose not to vaccinate their children.

“If your child is vaccinated, why are you worried about them catching anything from my child?”

This is a common response from parents when it is suggested that a purposely unvaccinated child poses a threat to others.

One thing that many parents may not understand is that while vaccinations are highly effective, and greatly decrease the chance of contracting preventable diseases, no vaccine is 100% effective.    According to CDC reports, “most routine childhood vaccines are effective for 85% to 95% of recipients.   For reasons related to the individual, some will not develop immunity.”

This explains why, during an outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease, an unvaccinated child can increase the risk of disease for everyone that may be exposed, even if the people who have been vaccinated vastly outnumber those who have not.  It is not uncommon for a small portion of the vaccinated population to be infected, However, that does not prove that vaccinations are not effective.  To truly understand the risks, you need to know more than just the number of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated who have become infected.  You have to appreciate the percentages that are involved.  For instance, this example offered on the CDC website, explains this concept quite clearly:

“In a high school of 1,000 students, none has ever had measles. All but 5 of the students have had two doses of measles vaccine, and so are fully immunized. The entire student body is exposed to measles, and every susceptible student becomes infected. The 5 unvaccinated students will be infected, of course. But of the 995 who have been vaccinated, we would expect several not to respond to the vaccine. The efficacy rate for two doses of measles vaccine can be higher than 99%. In this class, 7 students do not respond, and they, too, become infected. Therefore 7 of 12, or about 58%, of the cases occur in students who have been fully vaccinated.

As you can see, this doesn’t prove the vaccine didn’t work – only that most of the children in the class had been vaccinated, so those who were vaccinated and did not respond outnumbered those who had not been vaccinated. Looking at it another way, 100% of the children who had not been vaccinated got measles, compared with less than 1% of those who had been vaccinated. Measles vaccine protected most of the class; if nobody in the class had been vaccinated, there would probably have been 1,000 cases of measles.”

When we consider this in relation to what is currently happening in our own communities today, we see why there is reason for the vaccinated to be concerned.  (To continue reading this blog post, click here.)

This is hard to admit, but it’s December 15th and I just found my holiday spirit…yesterday.

Sure, I went through the motions of decorating the house. Heck, I even trimmed the tree and managed to adorn the outside with twinkling icicles.  The  “holiday music all-the-time” radio station has been playing continuously since Thanksgiving andour  Elf on the Shelf tradition has been in full swing.  Unfortunately, none of this has seemed to help.

Honestly, I was beginning to feel a bit like a Scrooge and I’ve procrastinated everything from Christmas cards to holiday shopping.

But that all changed yesterday.

As I set out early yesterday morning, to begin what I feared was going to be a dreadful day of shopping, I realized that my Ebenezer mood was disappearing as quickly as a plate of warm cookies and milk.   I filled my bags with the perfect gifts for everyone on my list.  From the elementary school teacher, to the helpful neighbor hosting tomorrow’s Christmas party, to a church volunteer, down to my very own children.

And just like that, I discovered the missing ingredient. The one thing that has finally made all the difference. Read more…

Walking through the streets of New York City, there is always so much to see – especially at this time of year.  The sidewalks are crowded with busy shoppers, excited tourists and holiday celebrants.

On Thursday morning, more than 3.5 million people will line the streets, and more than 50 million viewers will tune in to glimpse some of the most elaborate and creative floats imaginable.  The scale of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is immense, and as viewers raise their eyes, they will not only see amazing helium balloons of Snoopy and Buzz Lightyear, but they may also catch a glimpse of some special baby faces.

These baby images are part of a special public service announcement that had aired in on the Times Square CBS “Super Screen” at 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenue, earlier this month.  The captivating video is now being prominently displayed on the double screens above the famous Macy’s Department Store, at the corner of 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

This public service announcement, created by Every Child By Two as part of their Vaccinate Your Baby campaign, will consist of two silent, fifteen second spots that will run once per hour through January 3rd.  The fabulous Macy’s location is ideally targeted to reach the huge crowds that congregate in this area of Manhattan from Thanksgiving through the busy New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square.

Due to recent outbreaks of measles and whooping cough, and the continued loss of lives from seasonal influenza, Every Child By Two is reminding parents of the dangers of vaccine preventable diseases and the importance of timely immunizations for their children.  Since the organization was founded 2o years ago, it has been their goal to help ensure that the four million children born each year in the U.S. are not lost to preventable diseases.  With the support of many public health organizations, the Vaccinate Your Baby campaign message encourages childhood immunizations as the safest, most effective way to control and eradicate infectious diseases that continue to pose a threat to our personal and public health.

If you happen to be in the Big Apple over the holidays, or even if you’re enjoying the festivities on TV, be sure to keep an eye out for the video below.  We’d love to hear about your personal sightings in our comments section.  After all, for Every Child By Two, this is like a little “Miracle on 34th Street”.

Amy Pisani, Executive Director, Every Child By Two

It’s not often enough that we recognize the many important accomplishments made in regards to childhood immunizations over recent decades.   Just last week, colleagues traveled from far and wide to join together at the majestic Smithsonian Portrait Gallery and American Art museum to honor the  successes of vaccines, and the ongoing collaborations between dedicated individuals that make the field of vaccines such an incredible place to work.

“I believe it is due to the truly collaborative spirit that defines our field.  The vaccine community does not compete like many other fields.  Instead there is an unfailing willingness to work together as a powerful force to ensure that needed programs are developed and shared with one another for the good of public’s health.”  She concluded her comments by stating, “Without your willingness to collaborate with one another and ECBT on the mission to ensure the timely vaccination of all children, we would not be celebrating the incredible strides made in vaccines over the past several decades.”

Dr. Richard Besser as Master of Ceremonies

Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser, of ABC News, was an extraordinary master of ceremonies for the evening.  It was intriguing to hear how Dr. Besser’s expansive career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has contributed to his perspective on immunizations and how his work culminated with his appointment as Acting CDC Director.  Now, in his position within the media, he is able to affirm the struggles that we face in attempting to “make news” out of the positive benefits of timely vaccinations.  Though as Dr. Besser admitted, it may not always be easy to make the pitch, Dr. Besser’s persistent coverage of vaccine-related news stories are stellar examples of how he has been able to educate viewers regarding the science of vaccines and turn stories of disease prevention into actionable news. Read more…