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To: Maine Immunization Program Providers
From: Maine Immunization Program
Subject: Vaccine Borrowing Updates
Date: November 7, 2022
VFC providers are expected to maintain an adequate inventory of vaccine for all patients served - it is the responsibility of the provider to appropriately schedule and place vaccine orders and ensure vaccine stock is properly rotated to ensure timely use of short-dated vaccine.
Effective 9/2/22; Bidirectional VFC flu vaccine borrowing has been removed from the temporary authorizations that was put in place due to COVID-19. VFC vaccine borrowing guidance can be found in the MIP Policy and Procedure Manual.
Borrowing of vaccine between private and public inventories must be a rare, unplanned occurrence and CANNOT serve as a replacement system for a provider’s privately purchased vaccine inventory. All instances of borrowing must be properly documented and reported; and borrowed vaccine must be replaced.
Borrowing is approved only for instances when:
- There is a lack of vaccine stock because of delayed or spoiled shipments. This bidirectional borrowing does not apply to influenza vaccine.
- Vaccine will expire soon and will be lost if not used. Provider locations with a small privately insured patient population can use this option to administer short-dated, privately purchased vaccine to a VFC-eligible child and replace it with a longer-dated, VFC dose.
- New staff calculated ordering intervals incorrectly, leading to a lack of either private or public vaccine stock.
- VFC seasonal influenza vaccine stock is not yet available. Provider locations may use private stock, seasonal influenza vaccine for VFC-eligible children and replace it when VFC vaccine becomes available. This one-directional borrowing is unique to seasonal influenza vaccine.
* Hosting a temporary, off-site, and mass vaccination clinic without appropriate amounts of public and private vaccine does not qualify for borrowing.
Please notify the Maine Immunization Program whenever there are any instances of accidental administration of state vaccine to a non-eligible individual or the scenario falls into any of the reasons listed above for borrowing. We will ask any dose given in error to be replaced with private vaccine, the borrowing form must be completed and submitted for approval.
The Maine Immunization Program is unable to accommodate any borrowing for replacing private vaccine given to any VFC eligible individuals 18 years of age or younger.
If you have any questions, please contact the Maine Immunization Program at (207) 287-3746 or email: ImmunizeME.DHHS@maine.gov.
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