ImmunizeDelaware

01/12/2026

Health Dept. warns of possible measles exposure at PHL airport, 30th Street Station and Amtrak train

01/08/2026

01/08/2026

The Delaware Academy of Medicine and Public Health strongly supports the continued use of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Universal infant vaccination has led to a 99% reduction in childhood hepatitis B infections in the U.S. — a proven public health success grounded in decades of evidence.

Despite recent changes to federal recommendations, no new data support delaying the birth dose. Screening alone cannot prevent all cases, particularly when infections occur late in pregnancy or prenatal care is delayed or missed.

We stand with the American Academy of Pediatrics and leading medical organizations in urging clinicians to continue advocating for the hepatitis B birth dose to protect infants from lifelong liver disease and cancer.

Read our full statement at delamed.org

01/06/2026

01/06/2026

01/02/2026

Not the way we wanted to kick off 2026...

As of yesterday, nine children have died from the flu this season. The CDC estimates there have been approximately 3,100 total flu deaths, over 81,000 hospitalizations, and 7.5 million infections nationwide.

Hospitalizations have nearly doubled in just one week, jumping from 9,944 to 19,053 between December 13 and December 20. NY is reporting its highest number of flu cases ever recorded in a single week. CO is seeing record hospitalizations, reaching levels they didn't hit until late January last season.

For context: last year was the deadliest non-pandemic flu season for U.S. children on record, with 280 pediatric deaths by season's end. We're on a faster, steeper trajectory this year.

What you need to know:
-It is NOT too late to get the flu shot
-Anyone over 6 months old can get vaccinated, including pregnant women
-The flu shot cannot give you the flu
-This year's vaccine isn't a perfect match; the dominant strain (H3N2 subclade K) emerged after the vaccine was finalized. BUT even a mismatched vaccine still provides meaningful protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. It lessens severity and duration, meaning you'll be less sick for a shorter time.
-Even people with egg allergies can get the flu shot
-For people with needle phobia, there's a nasal spray option (FluMist). Talk to your clinician about eligibility (generally healthy people ages 2-49, with some exclusions).
-If you've never had the flu shot and never had the flu: congrats, you got lucky. This is a brutal season, and you don't want to test that luck now.
-It takes about 2 weeks to build protection after vaccination, so the sooner the better
-You can get your COVID-19 and flu shots at the same time; same arm or different arms, doesn't matter

If you get sick:
-There are FDA-approved antiviral treatments (like Tamiflu/oseltamivir) that can shorten your illness and reduce severity, but they work best when started within 48 hours of symptom onset. Don't wait.
-Some states have test-to-treat programs at pharmacies where you can test positive and get a prescription on the spot without a trip to the ER. Call your pharmacy to ask.
-If you're high-risk, contact your doctor early about antivirals.
-Hydration and sleep are your best friends!

Other ways to protect yourself and others:
-Mask with an N95 or equivalent
-Improve ventilation when gathering indoors
-Test before gatherings, especially if you're seeing vulnerable loved ones

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/flu-treatments-cases-spike-us/story?id=128804398

12/17/2025

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

Keep updated on immunization news. Read IZ Express Issue Number 1850.

12/15/2025

From the ACIP meeting and subsequent response, increases in influenza A(H3N2) subclade K cases in the Northern Hemisphere, more measles cases, and an mpox clade 1b human-to-human transmission out of the endemic region, there is a lot of news this week! Stay warm, Delaware!
https://immunizedelaware.org/wp-content/uploads/December-15.pdf

12/12/2025

Eliminating the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose recommendation because cases are low is like canceling car insurance because you haven’t crashed today.

Hepatitis B didn’t disappear by luck, it disappeared because we chose to protect babies before they were exposed. Rolling back the birth dose doesn’t make kids safer. It makes them vulnerable again.

Vaccines work quietly in the background until they’re gone.

Public health shouldn’t be a political experiment.