Previous News and Updates

ACIP Immunization Recommendations (July 29)
This report updates the 2009 recommendations by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the use of influenza vaccine for the prevention and control of influenza—including the updated recommendation to vaccinate all those aged six months or older against influenza and to include the H1N1 strain in this year's vaccine.

ACIP Immunization Recommendations (July 29)
This report updates the 2009 recommendations by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the use of influenza vaccine for the prevention and control of influenza—including the updated recommendation to vaccinate all those aged six months or older against influenza and to include the H1N1 strain in this year's vaccine.

New CDC Q&A: Central Vaccine Recovery Program
The CDC has provided information on the federally-coordinated program to recover unused and expired 2009 H1N1 vaccine from those providers who signed Provider Agreements.

New Webinar: The Flu Ends with U
The Virtual Immunization Communication Network hosted a webinar on July 22 featuring, Kristine M. Sheedy, PhD, Associate Director for Communication Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The webinar focused on communications strategies for spreading important messages about flu prevention and vaccination.

H1N1 Case Studies
These five case studies, provided by NACCHO's Partners in Preparedness, illustrate how local health departments collaborated with local businesses and universities to respond to and mitigate the effects of the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

Resources for Partnering with Pharmacies and Retail Locations
The Association of State and Local Health Officials (ASTHO) has produced an operational framework for partnering with pharmacies that includes templates for memoranda of understanding (MOUs).

HHS Public Health Emergency Authorization Expired on June 23
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has decided not to renew the authorization based on rates of vaccination and a decline in H1N1 activity. The HHS continues to encourage prevention methods and vaccination against H1N1.

NIH-Funded Study Finds H1N1 Vaccine Protects Against 1918 Virus
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a press release on the findings of a recent study demonstrating that H1N1 vaccine may lend immunity to other forms of the virus. 

Statement from WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan (June 3)
The World Health Organization declared that the H1N1 pandemic is continuing, with the highest levels of activity in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia.

MMWR Report: Surveillance for Guillain-Barré Syndrome (June 2)
The CDC has released its findings on the surveillance of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following H1N1 2009 monovalent vaccine. If confirmed, the excess risk for GBS associated with 2009 H1N1 vaccine is comparable to the excess described for some trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine.

Study: Glaxo Adjuvanted H1N1 Shot
Reuters has reported (May 26) the findings of a British study comparing vaccines. Shots containing adjuvants, or boosters, offered increased immunity to children. 

WHO Updates International H1N1 Situation (June 18)
The World Health Organization has updated information on the status of pandemic influenza across the globe. The regions with the highest levels of activity are Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South and Southwest Asia.

Tamiflu Counterfeit on the Market (June 17)
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) notified consumers and healthcare professionals about a potentially harmful product represented as “Generic Tamiflu” being sold online. FDA tests revealed that the fraudulent product does not contain Tamiflu’s active ingredient, oseltamivir, but cloxacillin, an ingredient in the same class of antibiotics as penicillin. Anyone who encounters or has in their possession possibly fraudulent drugs should contact the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigation.

CDC Q&A: Average and Median Ages of 2009 H1N1-Related Deaths in the U.S., Spring and Fall 2009 (June 17)
Information gathered from confirmed cases to help understand how H1N1 affected the population.

Memorandum Report: 2009 H1N1 School-Located Vaccination Program (June 16)
This report from the Office of the Inspector General assesses the successes and failures of the school-located vaccination clinics and offers recommendations for future vaccination efforts.

CDC Presents Summary Highlights from the H1N1 Response (June 16)
This webpage summarizes key events of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and CDC's response activities for historical purposes.

MMWR: Deaths and Hospitalizations Related to 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Influenza—Greece, May 2009–February 2010 (June 11)
This report summarizes the findings from information collected by Greek health authorities on the number of lab-reported H1N1 cases, hospitalizations, and emergency visits due to influenza-like-illness and confirmed hospitalizations and deaths in hospitals due to H1N1 influenza.

H1N1—One Year Later
Director of the CDC, Dr. Thomas Friedman, looks back on the past year since the first H1N1 outbreak and calls for "more timely vaccine availability and stronger support for local health partners such as public clinics, schools, and other community institutions."

• Flu.gov H1N1 Timeline
• The Science Behind Developing the H1N1 Vaccine, by Anthony Fauci, National Institutes of Health
• Health and Human Services Video: A Year in Review

Emergency Use Authorization (EUAs)
CDC has updated the EUA for antivirals and devices used in the treatment of H1N1.

Resources from the CDC

• Q&A: Morbid Obesity as a Risk Factor for Hospitalization and Death Due to 2009 H1N1
  
• Q&A from National Influenza Vaccination Week Webinar: 2009 H1N1 Influenza and its Impact on People with Chronic Medical Conditions: Questions and Answers
  
• New Print Materials Available in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hmong, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese:
• • Protect yourself from H1N1. Get the vaccine.
    
  • Children should get the vaccine.
  • Everyday Preventive Actions That Can Help Fight Germs, Like Flu

Study: Vaccinating Children Helps Protect Wider Community
The results of a study conducted among Hutterite religious colonies in Canada show that vaccinating children can reduce infection rates in the greater population. For more information, see the press release from the National Institutes of Health.

Pandemic Planning Guide for Pediatric Medical Offices
Based on input collected from experts in the field of pediatrics, the CDC has released a planning guide to help pediatric medical offices prepare for a pandemic emergency situation. The guide is available on the CDC Web page for Preparedness Resources for Pediatric Offices and Hospitals.

New Graphs and Estimates of the Impact of H1N1
The CDC has released updated estimates (March 5) of morbidity and mortality for 2009 H1N1

New Resources Available from the CDC

• Q&A: Underlying Health Conditions among Adults and Children Hospitalized with 2009 H1N1
• Q&A: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2009 H1N1 Flu Modules for Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Vaccination
• Q&A: 2009 H1N1 Impact by Race and Ethnicity
• Reduction of Inventory and Allocations at the McKesson 2009 H1N1 Vaccine/Ancillary Supply Distribution Depots

Expansion of ACIP Recommendations for Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
On Wednesday, Feb. 24, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) expanded the annual influenza vaccination recommendation to include all individuals six months and older, beginning with the 2010–2011 influenza season. An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that next year’s seasonal influenza vaccine should include a strain of the H1N1 virus.

CDC Announcement: Reduction of Inventory and Allocations at the McKesson 2009 H1N1 Vaccine/Ancillary Supply Distribution Depots (Feb. 22)
In order to retain reasonable inventory to fulfill orders while reducing storage levels, the CDC will gradually reduce the inventory at its distribution depots over the course of the next two months. This document describes the reduction strategy and its impact upon grantees.

New MMWR Report: Outbreak of 2009 H1N1 on a Peruvian Navy Ship (Feb. 19)
This document describes a June H1N1 outbreak on a ship that occurred five days after it had docked in San Francisco, CA. The report provides information on the symptoms of those infected, testing results, and prevention and treatment measures.

Q&A: Flu-Related Hospitalizations and Deaths in the U.S. from Apr. 30, 2009 – Jan. 30, 2010 (Feb. 17)
The CDC has adopted an updated method for measuring the full impact of 2009 H1N1 and released new estimates in February. This document provides a comprehensive analysis of the updated estimates of H1N1-related hospitalizations and deaths.

CDC Announced Non-Safety Related Voluntary Recall of Sanofi Pasteur Vaccine
In recent testing of its influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccine, Sanofi Pasteur found some lots of vaccine had potency below pre-specified limits. The manufacturer is conducting a non-safety related voluntary recall of any unused doses of these affected lots. On Feb. 2, Sanofi Pasteur sent a packet with return instructions to providers who received the vaccine.

• Q&A: Recall of Sanofi Pasteur 2009 H1N1 Vaccine
  

Feb. 2: CDC Announced a Shortened Expiration Period for Some Lots of Sanofi Pasteur Pre-Filled Syringes

• Q&A: Shortened Expiration Period For Sanofi Pasteur 2009 H1N1 Vaccine in Pre-filled Syringes 
  

New CDC Web Page: Guidance on Communicating Pediatric-Related Influenza Information
The purpose of this document is to provide a suggested approach, based on input from pediatric stakeholders, to communicating pediatric-related information on pandemic influenza at the community level in a step-by step manner.              

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Delivered an Important Message to a School-Based Vaccine Clinic
On Jan. 7, Sebelius visited the H1N1 vaccine clinic at Carlin Springs Elementary in Arlington, VA, to remind Americans that children nine and under require two doses of the vaccine. 

Updated: Letter to the American People about the H1N1 Flu Vaccine
NACCHO has joined other health organizations in urging Americans to protect themselves, their families, and their communities by receiving the H1N1 vaccine.

New Podcasts Available for Clinicians on H1N1 and Pregnant Women
CDC and Medscape partnered together to create a video series designed to provide information to physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. Two podcasts featuring CDC's Dr. Sonja Rasmussen discussing guidelines related to H1N1 Influenza and pregnancy are now available on the CDC Web site.

• 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine and Pregnancy
• Antiviral Medications for Treatment of 2009 H1N1 Influenza and Pregnancy

Updated Estimates of 2009 H1N1 Influenza Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths (Jan. 15)
The CDC monitors influenza activity levels and trends and virus characteristics through a nationwide surveillance system and uses statistical modeling to estimate the burden of flu illness (including hospitalizations and deaths) in the United States.

Q&A for Health Officials: Fraud and Abuse Related to H1N1
The CDC continues to receive reports regarding charges, distribution, and marketing irregularities involving the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine and ancillary supplies. This Q&A provides information for state/local immunization programs on reporting fraud and abuse.

New Facebook Application: Find a Clinic, Get Vaccinated, Fight the Flu
Flu.gov has created a Facebook application to encourage vaccination. "I'm a Flu Fighter"  allows users to select a Flu Fighting character and tell their friends that they received the flu vaccination and urge others to do the same. Users can also learn more about the flu vaccine and use the vaccine locator to find a clinic nearby where they can get vaccinated.

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW)
The 2010 NIVW was scheduled for Jan. 10–16. One of the many goals for the week's activities and outreach initiatives is to engage at-risk populations who are not yet vaccinated.

NIVW Resources

• Free Web Tools
• Print Materials for Healthcare Professionals
  
• "Not Too Late to Vaccinate" E-Card for Friends, Family, Coworkers
• One-Pager for Faith-Based Organizations
  
• Bulletin Message for Faith-Based Organizations
• Letter from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

PSAs Available for Use by Local Health Departments
CDC will make available public service announcements (PSAs) for satellite broadcast to promote NIVW. NACCHO encourages local health departments to contact local television stations and/or appropriate partners with information on how to access these PSAs.

Harvard Public Health Poll: Majority of Parents Who Tried to Get H1N1 Vaccine for Their Children Were Successful
A poll by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health shows the shortage of H1N1 vaccine for children is easing. Three-quarters of parents who tried to get the vaccine for their children were able to do so. The study also concluded the following:

• 55 percent of adults said they do not intend to get the H1N1 influenza vaccine;
  
• 35 percent of parents do not intend to get the vaccine for their children, largely due to safety concerns; and
  
• 22 percent of adults in high priority groups for the vaccine have received it.

MedImmune 2009 H1N1 Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) Recall
MedImmune has announced a non-safety-related recall of certain lots of 2009 H1N1 Influenza A LAIV. The following additional information (released Dec. 22) is available:

• Q&A document
• Actions for providers and distributors

Non-Safety Related Voluntary Recall of Certain Lots of Sanofi Pasteur H1N1 Pediatric (0.25 mL, for 6-35 month olds) Vaccine in Pre-Filled Syringes
In testing of the amount of antigen in its influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccine, Sanofi Pasteur found four distributed lots of single-dose, pre-filled syringe pediatric (0.25 mL) vaccine with antigen content lower than required potency levels. The manufacturer is conducting a non-safety related voluntary recall of these affected lots of vaccine. The CDC posted a related Q&A (released Dec. 15) on their Web site.