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Minnesota Department of Health
June 24, 2021
Good afternoon,
Here are the COVID-19 vaccine provider updates for June 18 to June 24, 2021.
Please be sure to track your Pfizer vaccine that is being stored at regular freezer temperatures. It can only be in the freezer for two weeks, then it needs to be moved to the refrigerator and used within a month. Every provider site should have a way to track the dates vaccines were received, thawed, and used. When you put Pfizer in the vaccine freezer, put a big note with the date it needs to be moved to the refrigerator on the door. When you move it to the refrigerator, make a note of the date it must be used by on the box, shelf, or door.
Whenever vaccine is past these dates, mark it “Do Not Use” and call the manufacturer for guidance; they may have additional information about stability. If no longer viable, dispose of vaccine and complete the Nonviable Vaccine Report in MIIC. Learn more at Reporting Nonviable COVID-19 Vaccine to MIIC (PDF).
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on June 23, 2021, to discuss vaccine safety with mRNA vaccines following reported cases of myocarditis in vaccine recipients.
Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is the inflammation of the lining outside the heart. In both cases, the body's immune system is causing inflammation in response to an infection or some other trigger. While myocarditis can be serious, most of these cases have occurred in males ages 16-30 and have been mild and self-limited. Symptoms can include abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
Health care providers should consider myocarditis in an evaluation of chest pain after vaccination and report all cases to VAERS. To submit an event, go to VAERS: Report an Adverse Event. Use the checklist on this page to help gather information needed when submitting a report: VAERS 2.0_Checklist (PDF).
The benefit of receiving vaccination still outweighs the risk of serious complications and death from COVID-19. The CDC will be updating the interim clinical considerations and the emergency use authorization (EUA) fact sheets for health care providers and recipients following the ACIP recommendations, continue to watch for updates.
As a reminder, there is an excellent quick reference guide on the CDC website, U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Product Information that provides basic information on the proper storage, preparation, and administration of all three vaccines.
This document compares the requirements for all three vaccines in an easy to read, side-by-side format. You can find the document at COVID-19 Vaccine: Quick Reference Guide for Healthcare Professionals (PDF)
COVID-19 provider guide and appendices have been updated at COVID-19 Vaccine Providers.
- Main guide: Updated language on use of the guide (page 4); updates to reconstitution information (page 11)
- Appendix B (Moderna): Minor updates to vial language under “preparing individual doses” (page 6).
- Appendix E (data quality): Updates to include Janssen vaccine and Pfizer 12 years and older authorization; updates to validity section.
Janssen vaccine on backorder
Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines are currently on backorder. Sites can continue to request Janssen vaccine doses in MIIC and MDH will help facilitate redistribution of doses from another registered COVID-19 provider as supply allows.
Extended shelf life
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized an extension of the shelf life for the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) single-shot COVID-19 vaccine from 3 months to 4.5 months.
Providers with Janssen vaccine doses in inventory that have not expired can use their vaccine 45 days beyond the previous expiration dates. Vaccine providers should visit Expiry Checker: Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Under Emergency Use Authorization to confirm the latest expiration dates of vaccine. If the lot number you enter displays the original expiration date, you will want to keep checking as information is still in the process of updating.
More information about the extended shelf life of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is available on the Janssen website: Johnson & Johnson Statement on FDA Approval of Shelf Life Extension for Company’s COVID-19 Vaccine.
An online tool is available for registered COVID-19 providers to help prevent vaccine waste and facilitate redistribution. Providers with excess inventory of COVID-19 vaccine doses that would better serve the community if they were redistributed to other sites should fill out the Smartsheet: COVID-19 Vaccine Available Form. MDH immunization program staff will follow-up with the site if we are able to facilitate redistribution.
The Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) will be conducting a webinar on the Single Vaccine Assessment Report for COVID-19 in MIIC. Organizations are invited to join staff from the Minnesota Department of Health’s MIIC unit to review the process of pulling aggregate COVID-19 vaccination rate data from MIIC on a population of interest. Organizations will have the opportunity to ask questions and see real-time navigation through the MIIC system.
The webinar will be held on the Microsoft Teams Live platform on Wednesday, June 30 from noon to 1 p.m. Click here to join the Microsoft Teams Live Event.
Please find the updated user guidance for this report at Single Vaccine Assessment Report - COVID-19 (PDF).
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