Weekly Vaccine Digest 4/21

County of Los Angeles, California sent this bulletin at 04/21/2023 03:29 PM PDT

Weekly Vaccine Digest 4/21

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Dear Colleagues and Partners,  

Below are the LACDPH weekly vaccine administration and order updates, upcoming webinars, and newsworthy events. Attached to this email you will find a pdf version of this digest.

If you received this email and would like to be added to our listserv, please contact our COVID-19 Provider Vaccine Call Center at covidvaccinereq@ph.lacounty.gov

Table of Contents

·        Page 1: Welcome, Order and Administration Reminders

·        Page 2-3: COVID-19 Bridge Program, Authorization and Recommendation of Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines as Primary Series

·        Page 3-4: Stay up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines, Dispose of Monovalent Pfizer and Moderna

·        Page 4: Vaccine Marketplace Reminder, HHS Intent to Amend the PREP Act Declaration, Upcoming/Past Meetings, Webinars, Calls and Resources

·        Page 5-6: LACDPH & CDPH Provider Office Hours Link, Therapeutics

Order and Administration Reminders

  • REMINDER: Please place all orders in myCAvax by the Monday 4/24/23 5pm deadline. Ordering calendar and cadence can be found here.
  • UPDATE: Jynneos vaccine ordering and reporting in myCAvax will now begin April 24th.A training of ordering and reporting Jynneos vaccines in myCAvax will occur April 26th. Please email mpoxvaccine@ph.lacounty.gov for questions.
  • REMINDER: Please report all COVID-19 doses administered within 24 hours to your medical record system and to CAIR as soon as practicable and no later than 72 hours.
  • REMINDER: Record Vaccine Waste in myCAvax. Job aid can be found here.
  • REMINDER: To reduce waste, Providers should:
    • Place small orders and re-order as inventory is used up, even if this means placing more frequent orders.
    • Utilize the Vaccine Marketplaceto share and obtain excess vaccines with neighboring Providers.
    • Schedule infants/toddlers on the same day to maximize vaccination opportunities. See Wastage and Missed Vaccination Opportunitiesfor more information.
    • AND, as always, please continue to vaccinate all who are eligible. 
  • UPDATED: CDPH COVID-19 Provider Operations Manual can be found here.
  • UPDATED: Clinical talking points for Pediatric Providers can be found here.
  • Temperature excursion worksheet can be found here.
  • CDPH COVID-19 Vaccine Timing Schedule can be found here.
  • CDC anaphylaxis job aid can be found here.
  • CDC coadministration resources can be found here.
  • CDC COVID-19 FAQs can be found here.
  • CDC COVID-19 Print Resources can be found here.
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Product Guide can be found here.
  • CDC Guidance on Vaccine Administration Errors and Deviations can be found here.
  • Vaccine Expiry Checkers:

COVID-19 Bridge Program

  • HHS announced this week the creation of the ‘HHS Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments’, known as the COVID-19 Bridge Program.
  • The intent of this program is to maintain access to COVID-19 prevention and care for uninsured adult populations.
  • Vaccine and operations funding is expected to support this program
  • CDC is working to define the program, implementation approach, etc. More information will be forthcoming once details are outlined.
  • More information can be found here.

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Authorization and Recommendation of Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines as Primary Series

  • This week, FDA authorizedand CDC recommended
    • The use of Moderna and Pfizer Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine for primary series use for individuals 6 months and older. 
    • Additional doses of these vaccines for certain populations.
  • Monovalent Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are no longer authorized by FDA or recommended by CDC for use in the United States. Therefore, providers are no longer able to order Pfizer and Moderna monovalent mRNA vaccines doses and should only use bivalent vaccine for all doses administered to individuals 6 months of age and older.
  • Moderna and Pfizer Bivalent Vaccine Recommendations:  
    • Individuals ages 6 years and older who have already received an updated (bivalent) mRNA vaccine do not need to take any action unless they are 65 years or older or immunocompromised. 
    • CDC’s new recommendations allow an additional updated (bivalent) vaccine dose for adults ages 65 years and older and additional doses for people who are immunocompromised.  
    • CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 years and older receive an updated (bivalent) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they previously completed their (monovalent) primary series. 
    • For young children, multiple doses continue to be recommended and will vary by age, vaccine, and which vaccines were previously received. See the updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Factsheetand the updated Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Factsheet for details.  
  • Monovalent Vaccines that Remain Authorized for Use 
    • Use of the monovalent Novavax vaccineis still permitted and authorized for use in individuals 12 years of age and older. Use of the monovalent Janssen (J&J) vaccine also remains authorized for individuals 18 years old age and older, until its expiry on May 6, 2023.
  • ACIP Slides from 4/19/23 can be found here.
  • Updated materials from FDA
  • Updated CDC Interim Clinical Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccine can be found here once they’ve been posted.

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Stay Up-to-Date with COVID-19 Vaccines

  • Adults and children aged 6 years and older are up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines if they got a bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Children 6 months through 5 years of age who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are up to date if:
    • They are 6 months to 4 years of age and got at least 3 COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least one bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
    • They are 5 years of age and got at least 1 bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
  • Children 6 months through 5 years of age who got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are up-to-date if they got at least two Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least one bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
  • You may be eligible for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses if:
    • You are 65 years of age and older and got your first bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine booster 4 or more months ago.
    • You are moderately or severely immunocompromised and received a bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine booster 2 or more months ago.
  • If you are unable or choose not to get a recommended bivalent mRNA vaccine, you will be up-to-date if you got the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine doses approved for your age group

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Dispose of Monovalent Pfizer and Moderna

  • Separate monovalent vaccines from your inventory and dispose of them so they are not accidentally used.
    • Enter the waste in myCAvax as "waste" and then select "other"
    • Expecting large waste reports due to this so please don't be concerned about waste numbers
  • What about Comirnaty?
    • Although technically still authorized, Comirnaty should be disposed of.

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Vaccine Marketplace Reminder

With products phasing out and expiring, this is a reminder that the Vaccine Marketplace is a great space for all providers to share & request doses of all vaccine types. For those who may need a refresher on what the marketplace is link here  or how to post, there is an interactive provider guide CDPH has released link here

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HHS Intent to Amend the PREP Act Declaration

  • Key features changing under the upcoming amended declaration include:
    • Extending coverage for COVID-19 vaccines, seasonal influenza vaccines, and COVID-19 tests through December 2024.
    • Extending coverage through December 2024 for Federal agreements.
    • Ending of coverage for certain activities.
      • COVID-19 vaccination by non-traditional providers (e.g., recently retired providers and students); and
      • COVID-19 vaccinations across state lines by licensed providers and pharmacists and pharmacy interns.
    • Ending of coverage for routine childhood vaccinations. Once there is no emergency in effect, PREP Act coverage will no longer extend to all routine childhood vaccinations by pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy technicians (not applicable in California).
  •  
  • Some of the key features that will not change under the amended declaration include:
    • No immediate impact on USG distributed COVID-19 countermeasures.
    • No change to coverage for certain prescribing and dispensing of COVID-19 oral antivirals.
    • No change to the “Test to Treat” program.
  • HHS Intent to Amend Declaration Under the PREP Act fact sheet can be found here.

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Upcoming/Past Meetings, Webinars, Calls and Resources

New Quickinar Series: Successful Strategies for Vaccine Management

  • Join CDPH for a new, biweekly quickinar series on successful strategies for COVID-19 vaccine management. Each quickinar is 30 minutes, from 12:00PM-12:30PM. Register here.

CDPH Afternoon TEAch webinars

  • Wednesday, April 26th from 12pm-1:00pm. Registration link can be found here

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

Pfizer COVID-19 Medical Updates and Trainings

  • Educational resources can be found here.

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

  • Educational resources are available on Moderna’s website can be found here

Biweekly myCAvax and MyTurn Office Hours

  • Registration link can be found here

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LACDPH & CDPH Provider Office Hours Link

LA County Department of Public Health Provider Office Hours Information

  • Every other Wednesday from 9am-10am - Next meeting: 04/26/23
    • NOTE: Effective 2/01/23 the Office Hours will be held on a biweekly basis
  • This meeting has been combined with the Mpox Office Hours call. Part one of the meeting will focus on COVID-19 issues while the second part will address Mpox vaccine issues.
  • MS Teams meeting link below; please create a recurring calendar invite with this link.
  • To request meeting slides, please email covidvaccinereq@ph.lacounty.gov

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

+1 323-776-6996,,350547595#   United States, Los Angeles

Phone Conference ID: 350 547 595#

California Department of Public Health Provider Office Hours Registration Link

  • Every Friday from 9am-10:30am.
  • Complete one-time registration here.
  • Meeting recordings and slides can be found here.
  • Providers should add staff names to the Provider Listserv to receive weekly emails and updates. To be added, please email blanca.corona@cdph.ca.gov

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COVID-19 Therapeutics

  • For updated product EUAs, reimbursements, sample prescriptions, patient eligibility checklists, and more, please see our DPH Therapeutics Provider website.
  • End of Federal PHE: What Happens?
    • Many required cost-sharing & coverage rules expire at the federal level
      • Medicaid will only require reimbursement for FDA-approved treatments; whether EUA medicines are covered will vary state-by-state
    • CMS 1135 waivers expire
    • Medicaid and CHIP operational flexibilities expire (different timelines depending on specific waiver type)
    • Certain federal HIPAA privacy and security rules, including ones about telehealth, testing sites, and web-based vaccine appointment scheduling expire
    • CMS rules about diagnostic testing provisions, requirements for reporting and testing in LTCFs, and enhanced Medicare payments to hospitals for COVID-19 treatment expire
    • Note: National emergency has already ended. Main impact is ERISA health plans must disregard “outbreak period” (3/20/23 – 60 days after 4/10/23) when determining enrollment eligibility periods
    • HPOP Transition Update
      • ASPR* announced on Saturday that the launch of the new HPoP is delayed. They have not issued a new date. We will continue with the regular system until further notice.
      • Active provider contacts maintain access with their existing logins. o Inventory reporting requirements remain in effect.
      • Current HPoP users will receive an email on the day of the launch to reauthenticate accounts in the new system.
    • We will provide updates on the transition as we receive more information.