NJIN Monthly Newsletter

July 2022

In this edition of the NJIN monthly newsletter, we discuss several vaccine-related topics, including pediatric COVID vaccine updates, monkeypox, and a brief look at vaccine hesitancy and communication strategies.

COVID-19 Vaccine Updates

Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Dosing

Quick Reference Guide

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a quick reference guide for pediatric COVID-19 vaccine administration. We encourage all well-care providers and clinicians to review this new resource.

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Updated CPT Code for Moderna COVID Vaccine

As Pediatric offices are preparing for the expansion of age ranges for more pediatric patients and as COVID-19 vaccines become more accessible for smaller practices, it will be important to know how to code and be paid for the administration and counseling.

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FDA Authorizes Emergency Use for

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine

Novavax's protein-based adjuvanted vaccine is approved for people 18 years of age and older.


The vaccine contains an added ingredient to produce a stronger immune response. It is also a more traditional type of vaccine, in that it employs a whole, deactivated virus, while the two widely used vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer are mRNA-based.

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Updated COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ for Clinicians 

Our partners at the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) have developed several great resources to address any questions you may have as a vaccine giver. In addition to patient handouts and other patient-oriented resources, they have also developed a consolidated FAQ that is updated frequently. Additionally, NJDOH has developed a public-facing FAQ that can be accessed here.


Click the button below to access NJDOH's COVID-19 Vaccine - Healthcare Provider FAQ.

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A Study by Ohio University Researchers Suggests Ways to Overcome COVID Vaccine Hesitancy

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A study by two Ohio University researchers found that people opposed to getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can be persuaded, but it requires a targeted approach.


A healthcare worker administers a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a senior living facility in Worcester, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. [Hannah Beier | Bloomberg via Getty Images]

Berkeley Franz, medical sociologist and assistant professor of community medicine, and Lindsay Dhanani, assistant professor in psychology, reviewed multiple studies on vaccine hesitancy among both the general population and within specific groups.


“We tried to come up with estimates of who was most likely to take the vaccine, based on a variety of demographic factors, occupational factors and other kinds of identity factors, to try and make estimates about which groups had the most vaccine hesitancy,” Franz said.

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Multi-Lingual COVID-19 Patient Flyers

NJDOH has developed several patient-centered two-pagers that clinicians, advocates, and others are encouraged to publish and distribute as they see fit.


Languages Include:


Please click the language of your choice to be redirected to the two-pager


Arabic


Dari


English


French


Haitian Creole


Pashto


Portuguese


Spanish


Ukrainian

Featured Articles and Resources

US Regulators Clear Way for More

Monkeypox Vaccine Shipments

Thousands more doses of monkeypox vaccine are expected to soon begin shipping to the U.S. after federal health officials said they had completed an inspection of the overseas plant where they were manufactured.


The update from the Food and Drug Administration comes amid growing frustration about the limited access to the two-dose vaccine as thousands of people in New York City, California, and other parts of the U.S. await a chance to get the shot.


The U.S. government has purchased more than 1.1 million completed doses of the vaccine produced by Bavarian Nordic in Denmark. But the company said earlier this week it needed authorization from an on-site FDA inspection before it could begin sending most of them to the U.S.

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Quash the Dread of Pediatric Vaccine Conversations

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The art and science of vaccine communication has long been a topic of importance and interest. However, the game is changing with the exceptional public interest in vaccine creation and safety surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines. Clinicians must be attuned to what the public is hearing about vaccines and their general vaccine sentiment so we are ready to provide the most useful information. We can keep our finger on the pulse by following the news and social media, asking patients and community members directly for their thoughts and concerns on vaccines formally or informally, and by following broader population-based vaccine opinions through reputable survey mechanisms and research studies.

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Merck Presents Positive Results from Phase 1/2 Study Evaluating V116, Merck's Investigational Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine for Adults

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Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced the presentation of positive results from the Phase 1/2 study, V116-001, evaluating the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V116, the company’s investigational 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), in pneumococcal vaccine-naïve adults 18-49 years of age (Phase 1) and 50 years of age and older (Phase 2).


In both populations, V116 met the primary immunogenicity objectives and was well-tolerated with an overall safety profile generally comparable to PNEUMOVAX®23 (Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent) across age groups. In the Phase 2 part of the study, V116 demonstrated non-inferior immune responses to PNEUMOVAX 23 for all shared serotypes, and superior immune responses for the serotypes included in V116 but not included in PNEUMOVAX 23, based on study-defined criteria.


Responses were measured 30 days post-vaccination by serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) geometric mean titers (GMTs), a measure of functional antibody activity.

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Education Opportunities

2022 Pink Book Web-on-Demand Series:

General Best Practices Pt. 1 Now Live

The Pink Book Web-on-Demand Series Update on General Best Practices is now live. Andrew Kroger, MD, MPH, Medical Officer, Communications and Education Branch (CEB), Immunization Services Division (ISD), National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) will provide an update on vaccination general best practices. Suzanne Johnson-DeLeon will moderate this session.

 

There is no registration process to view this presentation. Questions about the material presented can be submitted to nipinfo@cdc.gov

 

A new video will be released every Tuesday through November 1, 2022. Join us next week for the General Best Practices Pt. 2 & Vaccine Safety presentation. 

 

Please visit the Pink Book Series webpage for the 2022 release schedule and additional information. Continuing Education will be available for this event. 

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The Immunization Resource Center: Advancing Protection Against Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

One of the most important health initiatives in our lifetimes is to improve vaccination rates for vaccine-preventable diseases. In the United States, immunization is high in children but decreases substantially into adulthood. Disparities in vaccination rates also vary widely depending on geography, race or ethnicity, age, and comorbid conditions. Patients who are unvaccinated for vaccine-preventable diseases place an extraordinarily high burden on the US healthcare system, with costs exceeding $7 billion every year. Healthcare professionals along with the entire multidisciplinary team need to be armed with strategies to maximize vaccination opportunities.


Click the button below to access several CME-accredited resources.

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Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy:

Pregnant Individuals & Other Vulnerable Populations

Though much progress has been made since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers must still manage new cases, new variants, and new information. This four-module course will address vaccine hesitancy among vulnerable populations, with an emphasis on pregnant and recently pregnant individuals, and the strategies health care professionals can implement to address these issues.

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Using Social Media for

Public Health Communications

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Comms Crash Course: Using Social Media for Public Health Communications, will take place on Tuesday, July 26, 2-3 pm ET / 11 am - 12 pm PT. The discussion will offer fundamental social media strategies and best practices to address public health communications challenges. From inclusive and accessible language to channel-specific strategies, this webinar will provide actionable tips and tactics from communications experts on digital and social media in public health. Register today to learn how public health professionals are using social media to build trust and expand their reach.


This timely conversation will feature Desarae A. Bradham, MPH, Social Media Manager, Philadelphia Department of Public Health; and Lindsay Smith Rogers, Associate Director, Content Strategy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This webinar will be moderated by Carrie Fox, Founder and CEO of strategic communications firm Mission Partners.

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Vaccine Spotlight

Monkeypox

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What is Monkeypox?


Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.


Monkeypox was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research. Despite being named “monkeypox,” the source of the disease remains unknown. However, African rodents and non-human primates (like monkeys) might harbor the virus and infect people.


The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, monkeypox had been reported in people in several central and western African countries. Previously, almost all monkeypox cases in people outside of Africa were linked to international travel to countries where the disease commonly occurs or through imported animals. These cases occurred on multiple continents.


Monkeypox Vaccination What You Need to Know


  • Two vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are available for preventing monkeypox infection – JYNNEOS (also known as Imvamune or Imvanex) and ACAM2000.
  • In the United States, there is currently a limited supply of JYNNEOS, although more are expected in the coming weeks and months.
  • There is an ample supply of ACAM2000. However, this vaccine should not be used in people who have some health conditions, including a weakened immune system, skin conditions like atopic dermatitis/eczema, or pregnancy.
  • No data are available yet on the effectiveness of these vaccines in the current outbreak.
  • People are considered fully vaccinated about 2 weeks after their second shot of JYNNEOS and 4 weeks after receiving ACAM2000. However, people who get vaccinated should continue to take steps to protect themselves from infection by avoiding close, skin-to-skin contact, including intimate contact, with someone who has monkeypox.
  • To better understand the protective benefits of these vaccines in the current outbreak, CDC will collect data on any side effects and whether the way the person was infected makes any difference in how well the vaccine protects them.
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Monkeypox Vaccination Resources for Healthcare Providers


Access the CDC's Monkeypox Information Page Here