BQ Journal Vol 43 - Q2 2021 - 22

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal
law and CDC policy.¶
During the study period, the average denominator populations
were 27,194,802 in 2019 and 26,916,993 in 2020 for PCV13
and PPSV23, and 18,752,789 in 2019 and 18,701,076 in 2020
for Td/Tdap and RZV. Among Medicare beneficiaries, weekly
rates of vaccination for each of the four vaccines declined precipitously
after the national emergency declaration, compared with
the corresponding weeks in 2019 (Figure). During January 5-
March 14, 2020, weekly percentages of Medicare beneficiaries
vaccinated with PPSV23, Td/Tdap, and RZV were consistently
¶ 45 C.F.R. part 46, 21 C.F.R. part 56; 42 U.S.C. Sect. 241(d); 5 U.S.C. Sect.
552a; 44 U.S.C. Sect. 3501 et seq.
higher than were those during the corresponding week in 2019.
Weekly vaccination rates dropped sharply during the first week
after the national emergency declaration on March 13, with
declines ranging from 25% for PPSV23 to 62% for RZV. The
largest declines in weekly vaccination rates occurred during
April 5-11, 2020, for PCV13, PPSV23, and Td/Tdap and
during April 12-18, 2020, for RZV, when weekly vaccination
rates dropped by 70% for Td/Tdap to 89% for RZV. After
reaching this nadir, vaccination rates began to recover gradually.
At the end of the study period (week commencing July 12), the
weekly vaccination rate for PPSV23 was 8% higher than that
during the corresponding week in 2019, but weekly vaccination
rates for other examined vaccines remained 24% (Td/Tdap) to
43% (RZV) lower.
FIGURE. Percentage of Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years who received PCV13,* PPSV23, Td/Tdap, and RZV† vaccines, by week§ - United
States, January 6-July 20, 2019¶ and January 5-July 18, 2020
Weekly vaccination rate in 2019
0.19
100
0.18
0.17
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
52 16 1152912261024721 5
FebApr
19
Jan
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
100
5192 16 1152912261024721 5
FebMar
Jan
AprMay
Week starting date, 2020
JunJul
MarMar
MayJun
Td/Tdap
Jul
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
100
5192 16 1152912261024721 5
FebMar
Jan
AprMay
Week starting date, 2020
Source: Medicare enrollment and claims data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Chronic Conditions Warehouse. https://www2.ccwdata.org/web/
guest/home
Abbreviations: ACIP = Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; PCV13 = 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; PPSV23 = 23-valent pneumococcal
polysaccharide vaccine; RZV = recombinant zoster vaccine; Td/Tdap = tetanus-diphtheria or tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine.
* ACIP voted to stop recommending routine PCV13 use among adults aged ≥65 years in June 2019.
† In October 2017, RZV was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by ACIP preferentially over Zoster Vaccine Live for use in
immunocompetent adults aged ≥50 years.
§ Calculated as the percentage of the study sample of Medicare enrollees who received ≥1 dose of the corresponding vaccine during that week.
¶ The starting date of the first examined week in 2019 is January 6.
246
MMWR / February 19, 2021 / Vol. 70 / No. 7
US Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diagnostics I Pharmaceuticals I DxRx Solutions I Continuing Education I News
22
A Henry Schein Publication
JunJul
Jan
PCV13
First confirmed case
in the United States (Jan 20)
National emergency
declared (Mar 13)
Weekly vaccination rate in 2020
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.17
0.18
0.19
100
5192 16 1152912261024721 5
FebApr
MayJun
RZV
Jul
PPSV23
First confirmed case
In the United States (Jan 20)
National emergency
declared (Mar 13)
Weekly vaccination rate (%)
Weekly vaccination rate (%)

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BQ Journal Vol 43 - Q2 2021

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