CDC/MMWR Watch [to 20 September 2014]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html

:: CDC Ebola Surge: 2014 – Fact Sheet
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
The 2014 Ebola outbreak is the largest in history and the first Ebola outbreak in West Africa. This outbreak is actually the first Ebola epidemic the world has ever known — affecting multiple countries in and around West Africa.

MMWR for September 19, 2014 / Vol. 63 / No. 37

:: Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel — United States, 2013–14 Influenza Season
Excerpt; Editor’s text bolding
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that all health care personnel (HCP) be vaccinated annually against influenza (1). Vaccination of HCP can reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality among both HCP and their patients (1–4). To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among HCP during the 2013–14 season, CDC analyzed results of an opt-in Internet panel survey of 1,882 HCP conducted during April 1–16, 2014. Overall, 75.2% of participating HCP reported receiving an influenza vaccination during the 2013–14 season, similar to the 72.0% coverage among participating HCP reported in the 2012–13 season (5).
Coverage was highest among HCP working in hospitals (89.6%) and lowest among HCP working in long-term care (LTC) settings (63.0%). By occupation, coverage was highest among physicians (92.2%), nurses (90.5%), nurse practitioners and physician assistants (89.6%), pharmacists (85.7%), and “other clinical personnel” (87.4%) compared with assistants and aides (57.7%) and nonclinical personnel (e.g., administrators, clerical support workers, janitors, and food service workers) (68.6%).
HCP working in settings where vaccination was required had higher coverage (97.8%) compared with HCP working in settings where influenza vaccination was not required but promoted (72.4%) or settings where there was no requirement or promotion of vaccination (47.9%). Among HCP without an employer requirement for vaccination, coverage was higher for HCP working in settings where vaccination was offered on-site at no cost for 1 day (61.6%) or multiple days (80.4%) compared with HCP working in settings not offering free on-site vaccination (49.0%). Comprehensive vaccination strategies that include making vaccine available at no cost at the workplace along with active promotion of vaccination might be needed to increase vaccination coverage among HCP and minimize the risk for influenza to HCP and their patients…
:: Influenza Vaccination Performance Measurement Among Acute Care Hospital-Based Health Care Personnel — United States, 2013–14 Influenza Season
:: Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Pregnant Women — United States, 2013–14 Influenza Season
:: Use of 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
:: Announcement: Now Available Online: Final 2013–14 Influenza Vaccination Coverage Estimates for Selected Local Areas, States, and the United States