August 8, 2024
With August being National Immunization Awareness Month, it’s time to begin recommending vaccination for the 2024-25 respiratory season, says the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
MDH is asking physicians to recommend the seasonal influenza vaccine and the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to all people 6 months of age and older. In addition, MDH is recommending that all infants are protected by either maternal RSV vaccination or infant nirsevimab immunization for the 2024-25 RSV season. Older adults should be protected from RSV by following the ACIP recommendation to immunize people 75 years of age and older and 60-74 years of age who are at risk of severe RSV disease.
Here is additional background information from MDH:
RSV vaccines may be co-administered with other vaccines.
Data showed that nirsevimab was up to 98% effective in preventing hospitalization in infants during the 2023-2024 season.
The influenza vaccine will be a trivalent formulation with the B/Yamagata vaccine component removed since influenza B/Yamagata viruses have not been detected since March 2020.
Providers should prepare to offer the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine year-round according to ACIP recommendations, as it is not considered a seasonal vaccine at this time.
ACIP recommends high-dose and adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccines as acceptable options for people 18 through 64 years of age who have had a solid organ transplant.
MDH is promoting seasonal influenza vaccine for farm workers who also may be at risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, H5N1 to decrease possible co-infections.
MDH can address clinical vaccination questions through its health.vaccineSME@state.mn.us inbox.
May 15, 2025
The House passed its version of the Health and Human Services (HHS) omnibus budget bill on May 12, and the Senate passed its version two days later. The bills differed greatly but both bodies were able to come to an agreement on May 15.
May 15, 2025
Legislative leaders from both bodies have been meeting regularly with Gov. Tim Walz to reach an overall agreement on the size of the state budget for the next two-year period. On May 15, Walz and legislative leaders held a press conference to announce they have reached an agreement on overall spending levels for the next biennium.
May 15, 2025
Registration is now open for the 2025-2026 cohort of the MMA’s Minnesota Physician Leadership Institute (MNPLI).