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Welcome to the Vaccines for Respiratory Illnesses Newsletter! Here you'll find the latest news and information on respiratory illness vaccine related topics.
- Latest News
- Clinical Updates
- Training and Events
- Resources
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February is Black History Month. We celebrate and honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society, from activists and civil rights pioneers to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more!
February is . Immunize.org recognizes the contributions of Black Americans to vaccinology throughout history. Here are a few:
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Onesimus, an enslaved man, introduced the idea of smallpox variolation in the United States in the 1700s.
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Louis Tompkins Wright, the first Black surgeon on staff at Harlem Hospital in New York City, developed a new way to give the smallpox vaccine in the 1920s and 1930s.
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Loney Clinton Gordon was one of three women to develop the pertussis vaccine in the 1940s.
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Henrietta Lacks' cancer cells from the 1950s contributed to the development of the first polio vaccine, the HPV vaccine, and the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Mae C. Jemison, the first Black astronaut, worked in vaccine research at CDC in the 1980s and 1990s.
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Kizzmekia S. Corbett-Helaire, while a viral immunologist at NIH in 2020, played a key role in developing the Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
Poorer health outcomes result, in part, from lower vaccination rates among Black Americans. Immunize.org encourages everyone to do their part to close the gaps in vaccination awareness, access, affordability, and coverage to ensure that everyone benefits from vaccination.
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A: Four vaccines are recommended during pregnancy: influenza (flu), COVID-19, Tdap and RSV. Certain vaccines are recommended during pregnancy to protect babies, the pregnant person or both. In some cases, the recommendation is focused on protecting the fetus. In other cases, the focus is on protecting the pregnant person because changes to the body during pregnancy increase the risk of experiencing severe disease if infected. In all cases, protection is the goal. Check out this Parents PACK article from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center to learn more about:
- Who most benefits from the vaccination (pregnant person or baby)
- The recommended timing for receipt of each vaccine
- Why the timing matters
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Flu hospitalization rates are higher so far this season than at the same time during each of the past 15 years. Based on data available for week 6, this season is now classified as a high severity season overall and for all age groups (children, adults, older adults) for the first time since 2017-2018.
Interestingly, this is the first winter that flu deaths passed Covid-19 deaths. The week ending January 25, 2024, was the first time that the percent of deaths for influenza (1.7%) was higher than the percent of deaths for COVID-19. The percent of deaths for influenza has continued to increase and is 2.6% for the week ending February 8, 2025.
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As flu cases surge, it's important to remember: it's not too late to get a flu vaccine!
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Flu activity has been very high in Washington. Though flu symptoms can be mild for some, others are at higher risk of hospitalization and even death. Check out these resources below to promote flu vaccination and prevention in your patients and communities:
Looking for more? Check out our flu materials and flu facts pages.
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On February 5, 2025, the Spokane Regional Health District announced the first confirmed death from pertussis (whooping cough) in Washington since 2011. To stay updated on whooping cough cases in Washington, check DOH’s Pertussis Weekly Update which is updated every Friday. Learn more about pertussis and the vaccines to help prevent it.
The child, under the age of 5, passed away in November of 2024, and the death was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the end of January 2025. Although pertussis was confirmed as the cause of death, there were other health factors that contributed. The child received some doses of the DTaP vaccine but had not completed the series.
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent severe illness from whooping cough. To achieve adequate community-wide protection from pertussis, 92-94% of the population needs to be up to date on their vaccinations. DOH urges all families and caregivers who interact with infants and young children to ensure they’re up to date on their whooping cough vaccinations.
Vaccination Recommendations:
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Infants and young children: DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis) vaccines are recommended for children at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age, and again at 4-6 years.
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Adolescents and adults: A Tdap booster shot is recommended for individuals aged 11-12, and every 10 years thereafter.
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Pregnant people: Pregnant people should receive the Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, ideally between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, to protect their newborns.
Special Note: Immunity to pertussis following Tdap vaccination wanes after a few years. However, there's no recommendation to administer booster doses to maintain protection against pertussis. Adults do need a booster dose every 10 years to maintain protection against tetanus and diphtheria. Although these doses are aimed to protect against diphtheria and tetanus, health care providers can administer either Td or Tdap.
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Bird flu has sickened tens of millions of animals, but is known to have infected only 68 people in the U.S. To date, human-to-human transmission of avian influenza A(H5) virus (H5 bird flu) has not been identified in the United States.
If the virus starts to spread among humans on a larger scale and there's evidence of sustained transmission from person to person, that would be a serious warning sign that it's time for vaccines. We're not there yet! For most of the general public, bird flu isn't a major threat, but it's worth keeping an eye on.
Bird Flu Resources:
- CDC's Avian Influenza (bird flu) Social Media Toolkit is available to assist partners in communicating about bird flu prevention. This digital toolkit includes sample social media copy and associated graphics available for download.
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EXCITE now offers a new website, H5N1 Educational Resources, where you can find all of the latest information on the H5N1 bird flu spread, how dairy farmers and workers can protect themselves, and resources for discussing the virus with your communities.
- The American Medical Association (AMA) posts its Bird Flu (H5N1) Resource Center, which includes question and answers, clinical resources, and updates. The video updates feature Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, AMA’s vice president of science, medicine, and public health.
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Abrysvo vaccine is no longer recommended during pregnancy in most of the United States. Continue protecting infants with nirsevimab (Beyfortus) through March. While the onset and duration of RSV season may vary throughout the United States, nirsevimab is typically administered October through the end of March in most of the continental US. Refer to the 2025 CDC Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents or to Immunize.org’s nirsevimab standing orders template for details. There are no issues with nirsevimab supply.
RSV continues to circulate widely. CDC recommends administration of nirsevimab (Beyfortus, Sanofi) through March 31 to all susceptible infants younger than 8 months of age in most of the contiguous United States. As with RSV vaccination during pregnancy, specific recommendations concerning timing of RSV immunization in tropical areas or in Alaska may vary due to differences in RSV seasonal patterns. RSV preventive antibodies provide immediate protection to the young child. Nirsevimab is important for all infants not otherwise protected against RSV if they are younger than 8 months. Those who are at high risk for severe RSV disease age 8 months through 19 months should also get nirsevimab during their second RSV season.
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Confident health care provider recommendations for influenza vaccine are powerfully persuasive. This influenza season has been a tough one, and it is far from over. To help you maximize patient protection, Immunize.org, in collaboration with CSL Seqirus, updated the 65+ Flu Defense website.
This helpful site includes information, tools, and tips for communicating with adults age 65 and older about the scope and severity of influenza. Resources include:
Older adults are at increased risk of severe influenza, COVID-19, and RSV illness, including hospitalization and death, especially if they are not up to date on these vaccinations. A clinician recommendation is the most important reason why a patient will get vaccinated. Check out the updated website to assist your ongoing efforts in protecting this vulnerable population.
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The February issue of epiTRENDS has been published with an article about the art of keeping up-to-date on immunizations. epiTRENDS is a monthly online publication produced by the Washington State Department of Health for those interested in epidemiology and public health practice in Washington State.
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Registration is now open for the next “Current Issues in Vaccines” webinar, featuring Dr. Paul Offit. Scheduled for April 2, 2025, at noon ET, Dr. Offit will discuss: Is a Bird Flu Pandemic Likely?
The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Thomas F. McNair Scott Endowed Research and Lectureship Fund, which allows us to provide free continuing education credits (CME, CEU, and CPE) for these sessions. The webinar series is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. Find out more or register today.
On the Calendar- Learn more about meetings available to professionals, vaccine webinars scheduled for 2025, CE opportunities available through the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and related health observances.
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FOR SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE FACILITIES
FOR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES
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If you aren't already signed up for Vaccines for Respiratory Illnesses Newsletter, please visit the Department of Health's email subscribers page here. Once you enter your email, on the next page expand the Immunization topic, select Vaccines for Respiratory Illnesses Newsletter, and click submit.
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This newsletter summarizes content beginning the week of February 9, 2025 and was sent out on February 21, 2025. |
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