The Vaccine Advocacy module highlights the importance of understanding advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels; how to identify an action and craft an effective advocacy message; and how to identify partners and champions for maximum impact.

Objectives:

• Understand advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Identify advocacy partners and coalitions.
• Identify advocacy champions and contact methods.
• Craft an effective advocacy message.

Key Points:

• Understand your advocacy focus: Identify a vaccine-related issue that aligns with your expertise and community needs, and determine whether local, state, or federal action is appropriate.
• Build partnerships and identify champions: Work with coalitions, community organizations, medical societies, and other partners, while identifying decision-makers who can influence relevant policies.
• Craft a clear advocacy message: Develop a concise message that identifies the desired action and combines a compelling story, supporting facts, and a memorable closing statement.

The Common Vaccine Concerns module covers the most commonly reported vaccination concerns of parents and patients. As many of these concerns are also addressed in other CVEP modules, we refer you to these modules for additional details.

Objectives:

• Demonstrate the ability to clearly and accurately address a patient’s vaccine concern during an office visit.
• Using plain language, summarize why it is better to develop immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases through vaccination than through “natural infection.”
• Compose a social media post for parents that explains the safety of a vaccine adjuvant (e.g., aluminum, thimerosal).

Key Points:

• Vaccines remain essential: Vaccine-preventable diseases can still cause serious illness and outbreaks, particularly when vaccination rates decline. Vaccination protects individuals and the broader community.
• Vaccines are safer than natural infection: The recommended vaccine schedule does not overwhelm the immune system, and vaccination provides controlled immunity without the risks of complications associated with natural infection.
• Address concerns with evidence and empathy: Understanding vaccine ingredients, safety monitoring, common concerns, and strategies to reduce injection anxiety can help providers communicate confidently. A strong provider recommendation is especially important when addressing hesitancy.

In this Vaccine Safety module, you will get a brief introduction to vaccine safety in the U.S. This module should increase your confidence in vaccine recommendations to accurately answer questions from patients and families.

Objectives:

• Describe how vaccines are developed, licensed, and recommended for use in the immunization schedule.
• Describe the U.S. vaccine safety monitoring system.
• Differentiate contraindications and precautions for specific vaccines.
• Identify parents’ and patients’ most common concerns about vaccines and relevant facts related to these concerns.

Key Points:

• Vaccines undergo extensive testing, at least as thorough as any other medical intervention, and they continue to undergo safety monitoring after they are licensed.
• Many apparent vaccine adverse events, when studied with large control groups, are found to be as common in unvaccinated controls as in those who were vaccinated.
• While many vaccine-preventable diseases are now less common in the U.S., reintroduction can occur at any time, and remaining unvaccinated is a risk not work taking.

The Vaccines Preventing Bacterial Meningitis module focuses on the clinical presentation of meningitis, emphasizing the bacterial agents for which vaccines are available.

Objectives:

• Identify patients who have risk factors for bacterial meningitis.
• Evaluate the common clinical manifestations of bacterial meningitis through a history and physical exam of a patient.
• Apply CDC vaccination recommendations to clinical practice, especially as they relate to:
  • Indication (i.e., to whom the vaccines should be given) and
  • Vaccination timing (i.e., when the vaccines should be given)
• Explain the rationale for administering meningitis vaccines to patients and their families.

Key Points:

• Three major vaccine-preventable causes: Hib, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae are major causes of bacterial meningitis, and vaccination has dramatically reduced disease and related complications.
• Know the vaccination schedules: Routine Hib and pneumococcal vaccinations begin in infancy, while MenACWY is routinely given at 11–12 years, with a booster at 16 years. MenB vaccination may be considered for adolescents ages 16–23 through shared clinical decision-making and is recommended for certain high-risk groups.
• Recognize bacterial meningitis quickly: Typical symptoms include fever, headache, neck stiffness, and altered mental status. CSF typically shows neutrophil-predominant leukocytosis, low glucose, and elevated protein; treatment should not be delayed when bacterial meningitis is strongly suspected.

In the HPV module, we review key facts about diseases caused by HPV and how the use of the HPV vaccine can prevent infection.

Objectives:

• Describe the HPV virus and potential sequelae of infection with the HPV virus.
• Identify the recommended vaccine schedules and spacing between HPV doses based on a patient’s age and health status (e.g., immunocompromised or immunocompetent).
• Demonstrate the clinical skills, techniques, and procedures for an effective introduction to vaccination using the “same way, same day” approach.
• Respond accurately, in plain language to patients’ and parents’ common questions about HPV vaccination.

Key Points:

• HPV vaccination prevents serious disease: HPV is extremely common and can cause multiple cancers and genital warts. HPV vaccination is safe, effective, and provides long-lasting protection.
• Vaccination should start early and follow recommended schedules: HPV vaccination can begin at age 9, with 2 or 3 doses depending on age and immune status. Adults ages 27–45 may consider vaccination through shared clinical decision-making.
• Strong provider communication matters: Providers should recommend HPV vaccination confidently using the “same way, same day” approach, address questions with empathy, and keep communication open when parents hesitate or decline.

The Influenza module covers the basics about influenza and influenza vaccines. It will help learners understand CDC’s influenza vaccine recommendations and answer frequently asked questions.

Objectives:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the clinical features and complications of influenza.
• Understand that the influenza virus mutates constantly and why repeated vaccines are needed.
• Identify the different types of influenza vaccines available in the United States and use current AAP recommendations.

Key Points:

• Influenza is constantly evolving and can cause significant illness. Antigenic drift requires annual vaccine updates, while antigenic shift can produce novel viruses capable of causing pandemics. Influenza can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, neurologic complications, myocarditis, and worsening of chronic conditions.
• Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone ≥6 months of age. Children under 9 years may require two doses, and adults ≥65 years should preferentially receive a high-dose, recombinant, or adjuvanted vaccine when available. Egg allergy is not a contraindication to influenza vaccination.
• Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of complications. This includes young children, older adults, pregnant people, individuals with certain chronic or immunocompromising conditions, and their caregivers/contacts. Influenza vaccination can reduce severe outcomes such as hospitalization and ICU stays, even when it does not completely prevent infection.

The Vaccine Communication module focuses on vaccination-relevant communication methods and interpersonal skills.

Objectives:

• Assess attitudinal barriers to various vaccines among vaccine-hesitant individuals.
• Create a plan for approaching families at each level of vaccine hesitancy.
• Model the “presumptive” approach to vaccination.
• Based on moral, legal, and clinical considerations, propose a clinic policy on dismissing families or patients who choose to refuse vaccination.

Key Points:

• A strong, confident provider recommendation is one of the most important tools for addressing vaccine hesitancy. A presumptive approach—assuming the family will vaccinate—should generally be used when introducing vaccines.
• Effective communication requires listening, empathy, and plain language. Avoid overwhelming families with information, shaming them, or using medical jargon. Motivational interviewing techniques, including OARS (Open questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, and Summary), help clinicians understand and address specific concerns.
• Use a structured 5-step approach and maintain the relationship. The framework is: Assume → Recommend → Listen → Ask permission/Address concerns → Recommend again. If a family remains hesitant, leave the door open for future conversations and help them identify trustworthy, evidence-based vaccine information.

In the Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella module, we focus on various rashes associated with vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs).

Objectives:

• Identify the characteristic rashes associated with VPDs.
• Distinguish rashes associated with VPDs from other common rashes.
• Recognize rashes that need medical attention.

Key Points:

• Recognize characteristic rashes: Understanding the rash patterns and associated symptoms of measles, rubella, mumps, and varicella helps clinicians make timely diagnoses and distinguish VPDs from other common illnesses.
• Know the clinical risks: Measles and varicella are highly contagious and can cause serious complications, while rubella is particularly concerning during pregnancy because of the risk of congenital rubella syndrome. Mumps can cause complications including orchitis, oophoritis, myocarditis, and hearing loss.
• Vaccination is essential for prevention: MMR and varicella vaccination substantially reduce disease and help maintain community immunity. Clinicians should also recognize appropriate isolation, testing, vaccination, and post-exposure prophylaxis measures when VPDs are suspected or confirmed.

The Vaccines in Adults module will introduce routine vaccine recommendations for adults with certain medical conditions.

Objectives:

• Apply the AAP 2026-2027 immunization schedule recommendations for adult patients with special healthcare needs.
• Develop a plan for meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations based on an adult patient’s age, underlying illness, and vaccination history.
• Identify the routinely recommended vaccines that are and are not contraindicated based on an adult patient’s age and underlying illness.

Key Points:

• Individualize adult vaccination: Adults with chronic conditions, immunocompromising conditions, or other risk factors may need vaccines beyond the routine adult schedule.
• Prioritize vaccination before high-risk events: When possible, administer indicated vaccines before starting immunosuppressive therapy or undergoing splenectomy, and understand vaccine-specific contraindications and precautions.
• Know condition-specific recommendations: Special populations—including people with HIV, asplenia/complement deficiencies, chronic diseases, CSF leaks or cochlear implants, healthcare personnel, and MSM—have specific vaccination considerations, particularly for pneumococcal, meningococcal, hepatitis, influenza, and other vaccines.

In the Travel Vaccines module, we introduce you to vaccines and the vaccine-preventable diseases that are relevant to consider for people leaving the U.S. It will focus on travel vaccine recommendations against endemic diseases such as yellow fever, typhoid, rabies, and Japanese encephalitis, as well as other key considerations when discussing international travel with your patients.

Objectives:

• Describe a major clinical sign/symptom of infection for at least four vaccine-preventable diseases associated with international travel.
• List other diseases for which there are prophylactic medications or environmental precautions that should be discussed before travel to certain countries.
• Utilize the CDC Yellow Book to select appropriate vaccines for travel internationally.
• Recommend appropriate routine immunizations before travel.

Key Points:

• Travel vaccination should be individualized. Pre-travel recommendations should consider the traveler’s age, health history, destination, duration and purpose of travel, activities, and accommodations. Routine vaccinations should be reviewed and may need to be accelerated, particularly for children and travelers visiting friends and relatives (VFR).
• Several vaccine-preventable diseases require destination-specific planning. Important travel vaccines include those for yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, typhoid, and meningococcal disease. Some require multiple doses or must be administered a certain amount of time before travel, making early assessment important.
• Vaccines are only part of travel disease prevention. Travelers should also use mosquito-bite protection, safe food and water practices, hand hygiene, and malaria chemoprophylaxis when indicated. The CDC Yellow Book and CDC Travelers’ Health website are key resources for current, destination-specific recommendations.

The COVID-19 Vaccines module will introduce you to the differences between epidemics and pandemics, the basics of the SARS-COV-2 virus and COVID-19 vaccines, and provide resources to keep you up to date.

Objectives:

• Summarize how COVID-19 vaccines are designed to trigger the development of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein.
• Understand the severity of COVID-19 disease, the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the reasoning for the current vaccine recommendations.
• Apply the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines in a clinical setting. Read Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccine in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement.

Key Points:

• COVID-19 can cause a wide range of illness, from asymptomatic or mild infection to severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Older adults and people with chronic conditions or weakened immune systems are at greater risk for severe outcomes. COVID-19 can also cause complications such as MIS-C and Long COVID.
• COVID-19 vaccines target the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to stimulate protective immune responses. mRNA vaccines provide temporary instructions for cells to make spike protein; they do not alter human DNA and cannot cause COVID-19. Protein subunit vaccines use purified viral protein to stimulate immunity.
• Vaccination is especially important for preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death, particularly among higher-risk populations. Because COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and available products continue to evolve, clinicians should rely on current CDC, AAP, ACIP, FDA, and other authoritative guidance.

The Vaccine Pain Mitigation module helps you learn methods for reducing suffering, building trust, and helping parents accept vaccination for their children.

Objectives:

• Reduce the pain of vaccination through techniques that can be adapted to varying situations.
• Reduce the stress of the immunization experience using low-cost techniques.

Key Points:

• Reduce pain and anxiety: Pain mitigation builds trust and may improve acceptance of future vaccinations. Assess vaccination-related anxiety and use the CARD™ System (Comfort, Ask, Relax, Distract) to support a better experience.
• Optimize the vaccination experience: Reduce wait times, create a calming environment, use neutral communication, and apply proper injection techniques—including avoiding aspiration and giving the most painful vaccine last.
• Use age-appropriate pain-control strategies: Distraction, comfort positioning, breastfeeding for infants, topical analgesics, and devices such as Buzzy or ShotBlocker can help reduce pain and distress during vaccination.

This Vaccines in Pediatrics module will introduce you to routine vaccine recommendations for children and adolescents with certain medical conditions.

Objectives:

• Apply the AAP immunization schedule recommendations for pediatric patients with special healthcare needs.
• Develop a plan for Hib, meningococcal, and pneumococcal vaccinations based on a pediatric patient’s age, underlying illness, and vaccination history.
• Identify the routinely recommended vaccines that are and are not contraindicated based on a pediatric patient’s age and underlying illness.

Key Points:

• Vaccinate early and follow the routine schedule whenever possible. Children with chronic or immunocompromising conditions are at greater risk for vaccine-preventable diseases and complications. Vaccination should not be unnecessarily delayed, and indicated vaccines should ideally be given before immunosuppressive therapy begins.
• Immunocompromised children may need modified vaccine schedules and special precautions. Additional doses may be recommended for vaccines such as Hib, HPV, pneumococcal, and meningococcal vaccines. Live vaccines—including LAIV, MMR, and varicella—require particular caution, with recommendations influenced by the child’s specific condition and, for children with HIV, CD4 count and percentage.
• Certain medical conditions require additional protection against specific diseases. Children with asplenia or persistent complement deficiencies have increased risk for pneumococcal, Hib, and meningococcal disease and may require additional vaccination. Because recommendations can be complex, clinicians should use current CDC/AAP guidance and reliable clinical decision-support resources.

The Vaccines in Social Media module highlights the pros and cons of social media and includes strategies to combat misinformation at various levels.

Objectives:

• Describe how social media influences parents’ decisions about childhood vaccination, including both benefits and risks.
• Explore vaccines affected by social media-driven misinformation.
• Apply practical strategies to counter vaccine misinformation and promote credible, evidence-based information.

Key Points:

• Social media can influence vaccine decisions: It can spread misinformation and increase hesitancy, but it can also promote vaccination when credible, evidence-based information is shared.
• Healthcare professionals can help counter misinformation: Empathetic communication, strong evidence-based recommendations, and directing patients to trusted resources can help build vaccine confidence.
• Proactive engagement is important: Healthcare professionals and social media platforms can reduce misinformation by promoting credible information, monitoring emerging misinformation, engaging communities, and using trusted experts and resources.

This Rotavirus module covers the basics of rotavirus disease and vaccination. It will help you to develop an understanding of the CDC’s recommendations and provide answers to parents’ frequently asked questions.

Objectives:

• Utilize American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) vaccination recommendations regarding indication and timing.
• In plain language, explain the rationale for administering the rotavirus vaccine.

Key Points:

• Rotavirus disease: Rotavirus is a highly contagious cause of gastroenteritis in infants and young children, spread primarily through the fecal-oral route. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and hospitalization, and previous infection does not provide permanent immunity.
• Vaccination: Rotavirus vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe disease and reducing rotavirus-related healthcare visits and hospitalizations. The U.S. vaccines are Rotarix (2 doses) and RotaTeq (3 doses), administered orally during infancy.
• Administration & safety: Vaccination should follow recommended age and dose intervals, with the series completed by 8 months of age. Key contraindications include SCID, history of intussusception, and severe allergic reaction to a previous dose or component. If an infant spits up or vomits after vaccination, the dose should not be repeated.

This Vaccination During Pregnancy module is designed for clinical personnel who care for pregnant women and are ready to increase immunization rates in their practice.

Objectives:

• Explain the importance of vaccination during pregnancy for the following infections with respect to benefits for the pregnant person, the fetus, and the young infant.
• Communicate the safety of vaccination during pregnancy.

Key Points:

• Maternal vaccination protects both the pregnant person and newborn. Pregnancy increases the risk of severe disease from certain infections, while newborns are often too young to be vaccinated. Maternal antibodies can provide passive protection to the infant.
• Influenza, Tdap, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines provide important benefits during pregnancy. Influenza vaccine can be given during any trimester; Tdap is recommended during every pregnancy, preferably at 27–36 weeks; maternal RSV vaccination with Abrysvo® is generally given at 32–36 weeks during RSV season; and COVID-19 vaccination protects pregnant people and young infants.
• Available evidence supports the safety of recommended vaccination during pregnancy. Studies presented in the module have not found increased risks of significant adverse pregnancy or infant outcomes with recommended influenza, Tdap, RSV, or COVID-19 vaccination. Effective communication about infection risks, vaccine benefits, and safety is essential to improving maternal immunization rates.

This Vaccine Fundamentals module will introduce vaccine fundamentals, e.g., types of vaccines (e.g., live, inactive), vaccine components (e.g., antigens, adjuvants), and the current U.S. vaccine schedules.

Objectives:

• Distinguish the difference between innate and adaptive immunity.
• Explain the difference between prime and booster doses of vaccines.
• Interpret the annual CDC vaccine schedules to tailor individual vaccine recommendations based on a patient’s age, vaccination history, and health status (e.g., healthy, asplenic, pregnant).
• Locate trusted sources of vaccine information for healthcare providers and their patients and families.

Key Points:

• Understand how vaccines work: Vaccines stimulate adaptive immunity to create targeted, long-lasting protection against disease.
• Know vaccine types and components: Clinicians should understand the differences among live, inactivated, subunit, conjugate, recombinant, and nucleic acid vaccines, as well as the roles of antigens, adjuvants, stabilizers, preservatives, and residuals.
• Use current recommendations and trusted resources: Follow CDC vaccination and catch-up schedules, consider patient-specific factors, and use reliable resources to guide vaccine recommendations and patient discussions.

In this Hepatitis A module, you will learn about hepatitis A transmission, epidemiology, disease severity, vaccine safety, and current immunization recommendations, including vaccination for children, at-risk adults, and post-exposure protection.

Objectives:

• Discuss the epidemiology and pathogenesis of hepatitis A (HAV) infection.
• Identify the rationale behind HAV immunization recommendations.
• Demonstrate how to integrate current HAV immunization recommendations in practice.

Key Points:

• HAV infection is a contagious, vaccine-preventable disease transmitted primarily by the fecal-oral route.
• HAV infection can cause serious liver disease in immunodeficient patients and those with underlying liver disease.
• HAV vaccine is recommended for all children 12 -23 months, 2-18 years (catch-up), adults with certain risk factors, and previously unvaccinated persons >12 months old traveling to the developing world.
• HAV vaccine is safe and highly effective.

This Hepatitis B module covers transmission of hepatitis B, as well as its epidemiology, disease complications, vaccine safety, and current immunization recommendations, including guidance for infants and other special populations.

Objectives:

• Discuss the rationale behind the current hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine recommendations.
• Characterize the modes of transmission and pathogenesis of HBV and its clinical and public health impact.
• Incorporate current HBV immunization recommendations in practice.

Key Points:

• HBV can cause serious, lifelong disease: Hepatitis B is transmitted through infected blood and body fluids. Chronic infection can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Infants are at especially high risk of developing chronic infection.
• HepB vaccination is highly effective and broadly recommended: All infants should receive a birth dose, followed by the recommended series. Routine vaccination is recommended for children and adults through age 59, with vaccination also recommended or offered to adults ≥60 based on risk factors or individual preference.
• Special populations require careful attention: HepB vaccination is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers should receive both HepB vaccine and HBIG as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 12 hours. Selected populations may also require post-vaccination serologic testing.