Maine Immunization Program Update: December 2020

Maine Immunization Program Update

December 2020

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National Influenza Vaccination Week

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is December 6 – 12, 2020. NIVW is an annual observance in December to remind everyone six months and older that there’s still time to get vaccinated against flu to be protected during the upcoming winter and holiday months. Together, we can use NIVW as a nationwide call to action to encourage those who have not already, to get their annual flu shot, especially those with chronic conditions. Visit the U.S. CDC’s NIVW Digital Toolkit page for more resources and information on how to participate in NIVW.

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8 Things to Know About Vaccine Planning

With the possibility of one or more COVID-19 vaccines becoming available before the end of the year, here are 8 things you need to know about where those plans currently stand.

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How is CDC Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations?

CDC is making coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations for the United States based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP is a federal advisory committee made up of medical and public health experts who develop recommendations on the use of vaccines in the United States. ACIP holds regular meetings, which are open to the public and provide opportunity for public comment.

ACIP Resources:

Meeting agendas, minutes, live meetings, and presentation slides

For more information, please visit the U.S. CDC website.


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Vaccine Administration

Proper vaccine administration is critical to ensure that vaccination is safe and effective. CDC recommends that all health care personnel who administer vaccines receive comprehensive, competency-based training on vaccine administration policies and procedures BEFORE administering vaccines.

The Vaccine Administration e-Learn Tool, a self-paced vaccine administration course is also a great resource that provides comprehensive training using videos, job aids, and other resources. 

For more information on vaccine administration, click here.

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COVID-19 Vaccination Provider Support

The U.S. CDC website features a COVID-19 Vaccination Provider Support page which includes:

With information coming in quickly and changing rapidly, it's important to stay up-to-date!

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REMINDER : Reconciliation of Temperatures

As a friendly reminder, we would like to stress the importance of reconciling and entering your storage unit temperatures into ImmPact. We require that this be done AT LEAST every 30 days, however, entering on a weekly basis is ideal.

Frequently Asked Questions

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With an influx of calls coming into our program regarding COVID-19, we would like to share some of the most frequently asked questions we have received recently.

Q: When will a COVID-19 vaccine be available in the United States?

When a vaccine is authorized or approved in the United States. Supplies will increase over time, and all adults should be able to get vaccinated later in 2021.

Q: How do I get added to the list to get vaccinated?

A: There is no list. Maine will distribute vaccine based on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation of priority groups.

Q: Who do I contact if I want to volunteer to administer COVID-19 vaccine?

A: www.maineresponds.org

Q: If we have ultra-cold units available to store COVID-19 vaccine, who should we contact?

A: COVIDSupportME@maine.gov

For more information on questions relating to COVID-19, please contact 2-1-1.


The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) updates hepatitis A and polio Q&A handouts for in-depth understanding of these vaccines


Hepatitis A: Questions and Answers

Polio: Questions and Answers