By Diane C. Peterson, on behalf of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit

Dear Colleague:

Most vaccine manufacturers are on schedule to have significant supply of
seasonal influenza vaccine for the 2009-10 vaccination season and are
currently working on the production of pandemic influenza vaccine. A
decision about administering pandemic influenza vaccine will be made
later this summer. While awaiting this decision, CDC stresses the
importance of providing pneumococcal and seasonal influenza vaccines to
all persons indicated to receive them.

To facilitate vaccination against seasonal influenza, the National
Influenza Vaccine Summit is once again producing a laminated influenza
vaccination pocket guide to assist healthcare professionals in
vaccinating patients against seasonal influenza. Other than the dates
and the insertion of the word "seasonal," the information in the
proposed 2009-10 pocket guide will be basically the same as that found
in the 2008-09 version. Therefore, healthcare providers may continue to
use the "2008-09 Influenza Vaccination Pocket Information Guide" or use
the proposed 2009-10 version. Please note that we won't be able to make
a decision about the production of a pandemic influenza pocket guide
until later this summer.

In addition, the Summit is seeking funding for the production and
distribution of a laminated "Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccination
Pocket Guide" as a companion to the influenza pocket guide. CDC
continues to recommend vaccination against pneumococcal infections with
either pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) or, for children
younger than 5 years, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Indications
for use of these vaccines have not changed in response to the
circulation of the pandemic influenza virus; however, a greater risk of
community-acquired bacterial pneumonia following influenza infection has
been reported to be greater during influenza pandemics. Healthcare
providers should therefore be alerted to the importance of administering
PPSV to all people for whom it is recommended: unvaccinated people age
65 years and older, as well as younger people who are at increased risk
for pneumococcal disease.

These pocket guides are intended for use by healthcare providers only,
not by patients. Please discourage your members from ordering individual
copies from the National Influenza Vaccine Summit or the Immunization
Action Coalition as we have neither staff nor the funding to fill such
orders.

Both pocket guides will be available at no cost to your agency or
organization. To estimate the quantity of both pocket guides that we
need to print, we need you to please place your order as early as
possible but no later than July 31. If we are unable to secure funding
for the PPSV guides, we will notify you via email. To order either or
both pocket guides in quantity, go to
http://www.preventinfluenza.org/pocketguides From this page, you can
view the current drafts of full-sized images of each pocket guide. We
hope to begin shipping in August.

For up-to-date information on both seasonal and pandemic influenza,
visit the website of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit at
www.preventinfluenza.org

Diane C. Peterson, on behalf of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit
Associate Director for Immunization Projects
Immunization Action Coalition
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