Fall 2023 ACIP Update on Meningococcal, RSV, COVID-19, and Other Pediatric Vaccines

Abstract

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group of medical and public health experts that provides advice to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), normally meets three times per year to develop US vaccine recommendations. The ACIP met October 25-26, 2023, to discuss meningococcal vaccines, mpox vaccines, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines, influenza vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines, and the combined pediatric and adult immunization schedules for 2024. The ACIP also held special meetings on September 12th and September 22nd to discuss COVID-19 2023-2024 vaccine recommendations and RSV immunization in pregnant women. This update summarizes the proceedings of these meetings that are most relevant to the pediatric population. Major updates for pediatric clinicians include recommendations for XBB monovalent COVID-19 immunization for the 2023-2024 respiratory season, the recently licensed pentavalent MenABCWY meningococcal vaccine and mpox vaccination in high-risk young adults and discussion regarding the parallel strategies of protection against RSV disease in infants via maternal immunization during pregnancy or direct prophylaxis of infants with nirsevimab.