COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Weekly Updates

Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 05/20/2022 02:03 PM CDT
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COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Weekly Updates

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Minnesota Department of Health

May 20, 2022

 

CDC expands eligibility and strengthens recommendations for COVID-19 booster shots

COVID-19 booster doses for children 5-11 years old

On May 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a single COVID-19 booster dose for children 5-11 years at least 5 months after their Pfizer vaccination primary series, and for those with certain immunocompromising conditions at least 3 months after their primary series. This recommendation follows the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) amendment to Pfizer’s emergency use authorization (EUA) on May 17 to include a booster dose in this age group. Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the only authorized product for children 5-17 years.

Although booster doses are important for enhanced protection, efforts should be made to increase the number of children completing the COVID-19 vaccine primary series. As of May 17, only 41.9% of 5-11-year-olds statewide have had at least one dose, with some regions as low as 20.9%.

Second COVID-19 booster shots

CDC now recommends people 50 years or older and people 12 years or older with certain immunocompromising conditions should receive a second booster dose at least 4 months after their first. Previously, it was recommended for these populations to consider receiving a second booster dose based on their individual circumstances. Due to the steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans, another COVID-19 booster dose could help restore protection that may wane over time. 

For details on CDC’s recommendations and FDA’s authorization, refer to the following media statements: CDC Strengthens Recommendations and Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots and  FDA Expands Eligibility for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose to Children 5 through 11 Years.

The EUA fact sheets for healthcare providers and recipients and caregivers have been updated and can be found on FDA’s Comirnaty and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine webpage. MDH will update their materials once CDC updates the Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Approved or Authorized in the United States with these new recommendations.

Memorial Day shipping timelines

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will not be delivered on Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day). Moderna or J&J (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine also will not be delivered on May 30 or Tuesday, May 31. Ancillary kits may be received on Tuesday for orders scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, June 1.

Pfizer purple cap vaccine expiration date extension

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 purple cap COVID-19 vaccine with labeled expiration dates of October 2021 through November 2022 may now be used beyond the printed date on the label. To check the updated expiration dates, please refer to the Expiry Information on Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine resources webpage. These vaccines may remain in use until the updated expiration date, providing approved storage conditions have been maintained.

MDH provider material updates

The Template: COVID-19 Screening and Agreement has been updated to reflect FDAs limitation of use for the J&J COVID-19 vaccine and can be found at COVID-19 Vaccine Providers. This screening and agreement template is available for clinics/sites to use before giving COVID-19 vaccine. It may not be appropriate for all providers. Template: COVID-19 Screening and Agreement (Word). 

MIIC webinar series

Please join us for a four-part MIIC webinar series on consecutive Thursdays starting May 26! Registration prior to each event is not required. For each session, staff will cover several aspects of MIIC and will include time for questions at the end. The first webinar is May 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please join to learn about participating in MIIC, changing your password, entering new clients and immunizations, client records and the MIIC forecaster. Participants can Click here to join the May 26 Microsoft Teams Live Event. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for this training series.

Find previous bulletins at COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Updates.