COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Weekly Updates

Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 06/17/2022 12:57 PM CDT
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COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Weekly Updates

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Minnesota Department of Health

June 17, 2022

 

COVID-19 vaccine for younger children  

FDA authorizes Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for young children under EUA 

On June 17, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as a 2-dose primary series (0.25 mL, 25 mcg) for children 6 months through 5 years and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as a 3-dose primary series (0.2 mL, 3 mcg) for children 6 months through 4 years under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).  Information can be found in FDA’s press release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Down to 6 Months of Age. Detailed information on the vaccines can be found in the EUA factsheets for healthcare providers at Spikevax and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Comirnaty and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.  

CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) is meeting June 17 – 18 to discuss recommendations for this age group. The meeting agenda and materials can be found at ACIP Meeting Information. Recommendations from CDC need to be issued before vaccinations can begin for this age group.  

Ordering vaccine for younger children  

An ordering event for Pfizer under-5 and Moderna under-6 vaccine began on June 16. Orders will be filled on a rolling basis and are expected to be delivered between June 24 – 30 following distribution of the first and second pre-orders. Consider ordering a small amount to have on hand, then assess your practice's demand and order more as needed. We expect regular order/delivery timelines to resume the week of June 27. 

COVID-19 vaccine for young children webinar on June 23 

MDH will be hosting a webinar on June 23 from 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. for vaccine providers. Topics will include a summary of the vaccine products, training and educational resources, COVID-19 vaccination in the medical home, and talking points for parents. Registration is not required. Participants can use this link to join this Team’s live event on June 23 at noon.  

Vaccine trainings  

Pfizer’s training now includes information on their vaccine for 6 months through 4 years of age (maroon cap). Details can be found at Pfizer: Medical Updates & Immunization Site Training for All Healthcare Providers led by Pfizer Vaccines US Medical Affairs. Moderna plans to offer daily training webinars on COVID-19 vaccine products beginning around June 21. MDH will provide updates once trainings are posted.  

FDA recommends Moderna vaccine for 6-17 years under EUA 

On June 17, FDA authorized the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as a 2-dose primary series for both children 12 – 17 years (0.5 mL, 100 mcg) and 6 – 11 years (0.5 mL, 50 mcg) under an EUA. ACIP plans to discuss this product for these age groups next week. A recommendation from CDC needs to be issued before vaccinations can begin. Information can be found in FDA’s press release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Down to 6 Months of Age. Detailed information on the vaccines can be found in the EUA factsheets for healthcare providers at Spikevax and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. 

Update site information on Minnesota Find My Vaccine Map starting June 21 

New COVID-19 vaccine options, listed below, will be added to the Minnesota Find my Vaccine tool starting at noon on Tuesday, June 21. We strongly encourage you to use the provider site intake form to add and modify your vaccination sites when they are ready to administer the new vaccine formulations and CDC recommendations have been made. Options will include specific age groups you serve, based on your provider type. 

  • Pfizer (age 6mo-4) 
  • Moderna (age 6mo-5)  
  • Pfizer (age 3-4) 
  • Moderna (age 3-5)
  • Pfizer (age 18mo-4)
  • Moderna (age 18mo-5)
  • Moderna (age 6-17) 

Questions on the Find My Vaccine Map can be directed to Julie Viken at julie.viken@state.mn.us or Anthony Jumelles at anthony.jumelles.c19@state.mn.us. 

Pfizer EUA and Comirnaty BLA available for ordering in MIIC

Both the Pfizer-EUA and Comirnaty-BLA gray cap products are now available for ordering in MIIC. The vial contents are identical and interchangeable but have different labels. Refer to the CDC: COVID-19 Vaccine Quick Reference Guide for details. To continue receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech EUA product, order the vaccine titled “PFIZER EUA – Gray Cap.” To order the Comirnaty BLA product, order the vaccine titled “COMIRNATY BLA – Gray Cap”. Our team recommends only having one of these vaccine products in inventory at a time to minimize errors associated with calculation of expiration/beyond use dates (BUDs).

MIIC webinar series 

Thank you to all who joined us for the MIIC webinar series! We had significant provider involvement and were inspired by the substantial participant engagement during the Q&A portion. It’s not too late to watch the webinar series and obtain Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Links to the recordings and CEU evaluations are here MIIC User Guidance and Training Resources under “MIIC Webinar Series”.  This series will be offered again this fall.

NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards Call for Nominations 

The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS) is soliciting nominations for awardees for 2022 NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards. The 2022 awards recognize people and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions towards improving vaccination access and delivery, health equity, and vaccine confidence within their communities during 2021-2022. Learn more about the awards and submit nominations by July 15 at: 2022 Nomination Form NAIIS Immunization Excellence Awards.

Find previous bulletins at COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Updates.