August Highlights National Immunization Awareness Month
As National Immunization Awareness Month concludes this August, it is a good time to review and update your vaccination schedules before the fall season begins.
NIAM Logo Graphics
Image credit: CDC
As August ends and fall approaches, it's National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), a time to highlight the critical role of vaccinations for everyone. The initiative encourages individuals to consult trusted healthcare providers to stay current with their vaccinations. This underscores the importance of maintaining routine vaccinations throughout life. With busy schedules often interfering with healthcare appointments, NIAM is a reminder to consult with your doctor, nurse, or healthcare provider to ensure you and your family are up to date on essential vaccines.1
The CDC offers a range of tools and resources to support healthcare practices, staff, and the public during NIAM and beyond. Here’s a summary of these tools:1
- Educational Courses: Healthcare staff can engage in CDC’s Immunization Education and Training courses to enhance their knowledge about vaccines.
- Supportive Practice Environment: Create a welcoming space where patients and parents feel comfortable asking questions about vaccines.
- Proven Strategies: Implement effective strategies to encourage patients and parents to stay up to date on vaccinations.
- Immunization Schedules: Make vaccination schedules easily accessible by displaying them on your practice’s website.
- Vaccine Recommendation Tools: Utilize tools like the PneumoRecs VaxAdvisor Mobile App to assist in making vaccine recommendations.
- Accurate Information Sharing: Provide clear and up-to-date information about vaccine recommendations, including those for COVID-19 and RSV.
- Interactive Quizzes: Use the Adult Vaccine Quiz and Childhood Vaccine Quiz to help individuals determine the vaccines they need.
- These resources are designed to support healthcare providers in educating patients and encouraging timely vaccinations, and help the public stay informed about their vaccination needs.
For Fall 2024, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends the following:
CDC's ACIP recommends the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older. These vaccines reduce asymptomatic infections, emergency visits, and hospitalizations, with significant protection against severe illness, particularly for vulnerable groups. Although, protection may decrease over time, and there are ongoing investigations into potential links to Guillain-Barré syndrome and ischemic stroke, especially in older adults.2
The ACIP has reaffirmed the annual influenza vaccination for 6 months and older. For solid organ transplant recipients aged 18-64 on immunosuppressive therapy, high-dose or adjuvanted inactivated flu vaccines are recommended, with no preference among these options. The upcoming flu vaccines will be trivalent, excluding the B/Yamagata strain. Safety monitoring has not revealed new concerns.2
Overall, vaccination season usually starts in the fall, with the flu vaccine recommended from September to November to guard against winter flu. COVID-19 vaccines are available year-round, but new guidance and updated formulas often come out leading into the fall. Getting vaccinated during this time provides better protection during peak illness periods. The CDC’s resources, including educational courses, recommendation tools, and quizzes, are designed to keep everyone informed and up-to-date.
References
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). July 9, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam/index.html
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Day 2. CDC. June 27, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. Accessible via: https://www.youtube.com/live/DQslT3K9L8
