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Immunization

ACIP Updates Adult Vaccine Schedule

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has updated its recommended adult immunization schedule.1

The update includes new or clarified recommendations on the hepatitis B vaccine, the pneumococcal vaccine, and the recombinant zoster vaccine. The panel also included updates to the “special situations” sections for vaccination against human papillomavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), and varicella. COVID-19 vaccines may be administered on the same day as any other vaccines. 

All adults aged 19 to 59 years are now recommended to receive a 2-, 3-, or 4-dose regimen of the hepatitis B vaccine. Further, all adults aged 60 years or older are eligible for vaccination, though the panel outlines risk-based recommendations for this patient population.

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) should be administered to all adults aged 65 years or older who have not previously been vaccinated with the pneumococcal vaccine or whose vaccination history is unknown, and adults aged 19 to 64 years with specific underlying medical conditions or risk factors who have not been previously vaccinated or whose history is unknown. Both groups of individuals may receive a dose of the 15-valent vaccine (PCV15) or the 20-valent vaccine (PCV20). Individuals who receive PCV15 should also receive a dose of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23).

The recombinant zoster vaccine is now recommended to adults 19 years or older who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed because of disease or therapy. There is no current recommendation for vaccination of the zoster vaccine during pregnancy.

“Providers should administer all due and overdue vaccines according to the routine immunization schedule during the same visit,” panel authors concluded in an accompanying article.2 “In addition, providers should implement strategies to catch up all patients on any overdue vaccines.”

—Leigh Precopio

 

References:

  1. Schedule changes & guidance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated February 17, 2022. Accessed February 22, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/schedule-changes.html
  2. Murthy N, Wodi AP, Bernstein H, Ault KA; Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Recommended adult immunization schedule, United States, 2022. Ann Intern Med. Published online February 18, 2022. doi:10.7326/M22-0036[AMD3]