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Minnesota Department of Health
February 3, 2022
On Jan. 31, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, for people 18 years and older. Spikevax is the same formulation as the current Moderna COVID-19 vaccine authorized under emergency use and these can be used interchangeably. Refer to FDA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Takes Key Action by Approving Second COVID-19 Vaccine and FDA: Q&A for Spikevax for more information. Moderna’s COVID-19 factsheets for health care providers and vaccine recipients have been updated and can be found at FDA: Spikevax and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will be meeting on Feb. 4 to formally review the data.
On Feb. 1, Pfizer applied to the FDA for emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months through 4 years. The FDA’s Vaccine and Related Biologics Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Feb. 15 for discussion. This vaccine (maroon cap) is a smaller dose than the 5-11 year old formulation but will have similar storage and handling recommendations. The vaccine may be a two or three-dose series. Pfizer has submitted the two-dose data and the third dose data will be submitted in a rolling fashion.
It is possible that vaccine will be available to ship by as early as the last week in February.
We will be surveying our partners about their plans to vaccinate this age group. Look for the survey and more specific information about timeline and vaccine details in the coming days.
Prioritize getting another Minnesotan vaccinated even if it means wasting doses remaining in the vial. Especially in the pediatric population, it is expected that vaccine will be wasted when using preservative free multidose vials. With ample vaccine supply and decreasing demand, it’s important to take every opportunity to vaccinate even if doses are wasted.
All sites need to report their vaccine wastage. This is the way vaccine availability is tracked in the state. If you don’t report it as given or wasted, it is assumed it’s in your storage unit. There is no punishment for reporting waste, you can add up doses and report once a week. Details on reporting wastage (nonviable vaccine) in MIIC can be found in Reporting Nonviable COVID-19 Vaccine to MIIC.
Due to the large number of doses of 5-11-year-old Pfizer vaccine in the state, we are currently trying to fill most requests for this vaccine via redistribution. Before you place an order for this vaccine in MIIC, consider submitting a request via our online tool: Smartsheet: COVID-19 Vaccine Available for Redistribution. If you do request doses in MIIC, our team will reach out to you to coordinate receiving doses via redistribution instead.
Doses will be taken out of ultra-cold storage on the date of redistribution. Transport will then occur at refrigeration temperatures, which will allow your site 10 weeks to use the vaccine before its beyond use date. Our team is committed to your receiving redistributed doses on the same timelines you would receive vaccine via direct shipments.
A person with COVID-19 infection can be vaccinated upon recovery from acute illness and discontinuing isolation. This applies to all COVID-19 vaccine doses, including boosters. MDH has been hearing reports of providers telling people they are unable to vaccinate them for 90 days or more because they have had a recent infection of SARS-CoV-2. The only reason to wait 90 days after illness is for those people who received monoclonal antibodies as part of their treatment. Do not miss an opportunity to vaccinate an eligible person. For more information refer to CDC’s Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines: COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection and Ending Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19: Interim Guidance.
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