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This weekly newsletter provides summarized content on COVID-19 vaccine related topics. This broad level of information is tailored towards health care professionals, partners, and the general public.
WASHINGTON COVID-19 VACCINATION STATUS: ALL AGES 12 AND UP
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500 DAYS OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE
Today marks the 500th day of the COVID-19 response.
Every person in the Department of Health, our local and tribal health partners, members of other state agencies, the Governor's Office, frontline health care workers, private enterprises, and numerous community organizations, have contributed to the massive undertaking that has been our state's COVID-19 response. We have overcome challenges we could not have imagined facing, and have had to adjust, pivot, and adjust again as the situation changed and called for an adaptive response.
We are not at the finish line yet, so take a moment to encourage a colleague and let them know how much their work is valued. Together, we will see our state through to the end of this pandemic.
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 DOH LAUNCHES MOBILE VACCINATION SERVICE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND INCREASE VACCINE ACCESS
On June 1st, the Washington State Department of Health launched a new mobile vaccine service called “Care-A-Van” that will deliver vaccines to communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
DOH is working closely to support community partners and local health jurisdictions to increase vaccine access for priority communities, which include:
- Counties with higher vaccine gaps by race/ethnicity.
- Communities with a high rank on the Social Vulnerability Index for COVID-19.
- Sectors with recent outbreaks.
- Communities overrepresented in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
- Demographic groups with lower vaccination rates compared to other groups.
- Groups not represented or underrepresented in current DOH data systems that have likely experienced COVID-19 health disparities and vaccine inequities.
- Geographic locations that have not had a visit from the DOH Care-A-Van.
To request a visit from a DOH Care-A-Van, submit a form through the Care-A-Van page on the DOH website at least 30 days in advance of the date you are requesting.
Read the full news release in English or in Spanish.
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COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION UPDATE
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) recently reached another vaccination milestone. As of May 31, more than 7,071,595 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given across the state. Nearly 63% of people 16 and older have received at least one dose and 54% of people in Washington 16 years and older are fully vaccinated. This information can be found on the DOH data dashboard under the vaccinations tab, which is updated three times per week.
Everyone 12 and older is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Since eligibility expanded May 13, more than 100,000 12 to 15-year-olds have received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Washington, which is more than 27% of the age group. With summer vacation just weeks away, people who receive their first dose now will be fully vaccinated and able to take part in the activities they enjoy this summer safely, with friends and family, and mask-free in most places.
If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine reach out to your healthcare provider or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. To find vaccine near you, you can use the state’s Vaccine Locator website, text your zip code to GETVAX (438829) or VACUNA (822862) to receive addresses of nearby available vaccination sites, or you can call our COVID-19 vaccination number 833-VAX-HELP. Language assistance is available.
Read the full news release in English.
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 COVID-19 VACCINES: JUST THE FACTS PART 4
Now that everyone over age 12 is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, people are learning about the vaccines to decide if they are ready. We know it can feel overwhelming to sort through all the vaccine information out there. Sometimes, it’s even hard to tell what’s true and what’s not.
We’ve been sharing answers to common questions we hear at DOH to help you make an informed decision about getting the vaccine. For example, people have asked about what’s in the vaccines, avoiding scams and more.
Read the full blog post to see the answers to more commonly asked questions here.
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 SHOULD I VACCINATE MY KID? WE ASK A DOCTOR
The FDA recently authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12–15. This is a giant step forward as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19 — especially with summer and back-to-school on the horizon.
But this news may have you trying to decide whether the vaccine is appropriate for your child. That’s why we sat down with Dr. Elias Kass, a Seattle-based naturopathic pediatric primary care provider, to discuss the safety and efficacy of the vaccine for kids.
Read the full blog article here.
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YMCAs TO OFFER FREE, DROP-IN CHILD CARE IN SUPPORT OF WHITE HOUSE EFFORT TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO VACCINE ACCESS
In support of a White House effort to remove barriers to individuals receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, YMCAs serving more than 500 communities in 38 states are offering free, drop-in child care during vaccination appointments for parents and caregivers who need it. The offering is the latest in the Y’s efforts to help ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccines and provide children a safe and enriching environment to grow and thrive.
Parents should contact their local YMCA to learn if it is offering free, drop-in child care during vaccination appointments. Visit Find Your Y to find YMCAs in your area. Find more information about the White House's effort to reduce barriers to vaccine access at www.vaccines.gov/incentives.html.
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 WASHINGTON STATE LAUNCHES VACCINATION INCENTIVES - PROMOTE MYIRMOBILE.COM TO CHECK ELIGIBILITY
On June 3rd, Gov, Jay Inslee announced statewide incentives for those who have initiated, or completed, COVID-19 vaccination in Washington in cooperation with Washington’s Lottery and many other agency and partner organizations.
People are automatically entered into a drawing for one of many available prizes as long as they have a record entered into the Washington State Immunization Information System (IIS) registry.
This is a great opportunity to help promote the newly launched MyIRmobile.com website to your patients, clients, customers and public partners. Signing up for MyIRmobile.com* allows people to check their COVID-19 vaccination records and confirm their eligibility for this program. As a reminder, this newly revamped access portal requires separate registration from previous wa.MyIR.net accounts.
The Department of Health has educational flyers available to help in your MyIRmobile promotional efforts:
Additionally, live telephone assistance is available and can help in multiple languages with MyIRmobile by calling the Department of Health COVID hotline at 800-525-0127, then press #.
*Please note access to MyIRmobile may not be immediate for all users whose records do not initially match. There may be a delay in verifying records for some users who attempt to register, and at times it could take a couple of days to remedy. Please urge users to take advantage of the MyIR website prompts they encounter for further assistance, or to use the Athena chatbox option also featured on the MyIR website. Your communication and assistance on this is greatly appreciated.
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REMINDER FOR COVID-19 VACCINE PROVIDERS TO ENTER RECORDS INTO THE IIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Today, Gov. Jay Inslee will discuss incentives for getting vaccinated in a news conference at 2:30. Accurate vaccination records are crucial in order to properly incentivize or reward someone for getting a COVID-19 vaccine because drawings will be pulled from the Washington State Immunization Information System (WA IIS).
Our asks to you as we begin to offer these incentives are:
- Please make sure you enter all COVID-19 vaccination records into the IIS as quickly as possible.
- Make sure patient information is accurate and up to date.
- Make sure you enter all submitted patient information. Many people are having trouble getting MyIR Mobile to recognize them because the provider did not enter their phone number or other crucial information.
Patients may contact you to verify their vaccination status. If they do so, you may:
- Send them to MyIR Mobile if they can read English and have reliable computer access and skill.
- Send them to the DOH call center (800-525-0127, press #) if they prefer a different language or lack technology. As of today, many of our operators can assist patients in accessing and verifying their records through the IIS, and they can assist in many languages or connect with an interpreter.
- Supply them with an WA IIS or Electronic Health Record (EHR) printout if neither of the first two options works for them.
Thank you for helping Washingtonians get easy access to their medical records and their well-deserved incentive for protecting themselves from COVID-19!
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ORDER FREE "I GOT MY COVID-19 VACCINE" BUTTONS AND STICKERS
The Immunization Action Coalition is offering free “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” buttons and stickers in English and Spanish. Use them to boost confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
This offer is for public health departments and nonprofit organizations/clinics that are providing vaccination services in communities experiencing health disparities and vaccine hesitancy.
Click here to access the order form.
Please share this opportunity with your public health and nonprofit immunization partners.
Access the Immunization Action Coalition website here, or email admininfo@immunize.org if you have questions.
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COVID VACCINE PROVIDERS TO CHECK VACCINE ADVERTISEMENT PAGE BEFORE ORDERING IN THE IIS
In an effort to reduce wastage, the Department of Health is requiring all enrolled COVID-19 providers to review the Vaccine Advertisement Page prior to placing an order in the IIS. As of Thursday, June 3, there was a total of 33,463 doses advertised within the state of Washington: 20,326 Janssen, 5,242 Moderna, and 7,895 Pfizer vaccines. Providers interested in Janssen vaccine need to visit the vaccine advertisement page to request a transfer, as there continues to be a shortage in the Janssen product. Additionally, Moderna 10 dose vials are no longer available for ordering. For reporting purposes, you will notice that the vaccine is listed in the order set but restricted for ordering in the IIS.
Continue to review the Vaccine Advertisement Page prior to contacting the Washington State Department of Health for placing late or additional orders beyond the ordering window. Please keep in mind that COVID-19 Vaccine orders are now processed on Wednesdays. All cancellations or alterations to orders need to be sent to covid.vaccine@doh.wa.gov by Tuesdays at 5 P.M.
Providers who would like to opt out of receiving dry ice shipments with their Pfizer vaccine should contact covid.vaccine@doh.wa.gov as soon as possible for assistance with this request.
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WEBINAR - COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATES AND VACCINATING ADOLESCENTS
The Department of Health will be offering the COVID-19 Vaccine Updates and Vaccinating Adolescents webinar on Thursday, June 10 from 12pm-1pm.
This webinar will focus primarily on COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents. The webinar will discuss available COVID-19 vaccines, safety, and frequently asked questions related to adolescent vaccination. The webinar will be recorded and continuing education credit will be available for nurses, medical assistants, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians.
Course Objectives:
- Discuss COVID-19 illness in adolescents and why vaccination is important
- Discuss COVID-19 vaccines available to adolescents
- Discuss COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in adolescents including coadministration
- Review COVID-19 vaccine safety and side effects for adolescents
Presenters
Jessica Ray, MD, and Kathy Bay, RN, CENP, DNP
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Register here
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COVID-19 VACCINATION AND CHILDREN - ANSWERING PARENTS' QUESTIONS
The Public Health Communications Collaborative is hosting a free webinar, COVID-19 Vaccination and Children - Answering Parents’ Questions. As vaccination authorization and guidelines continue to evolve for children and adolescents—and as families and officials look ahead to summer activities and the upcoming school year—it is imperative to use consistent, timely, and fact-based messaging to help parents and families understand these developments and make decisions.
Karen Remley, MD, MBA, MPH, FAAP, Director of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the CDC and former Executive Director and CEO of American Academy of Pediatrics and Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, will share insights and answer your questions. After you register, please submit questions in advance to help us address your communications issues during the session.
10:00am - 11:00am PT
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Register here
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WEBINAR - STOPPING MISINFORMATION THAT HURTS THE BLACK COMMUNITY
Join us on June 9 at 5:30 p.m. for an honest and frank panel discussion that will address the history and impacts of misinformation in the Black community as it relates to public health. This free webinar event will also look to the future and discuss how to obtain public health information and how to vet it to make sure you have accurate information.
Panelists include Chris Davis (Prevention and Health Coordinator at PCAF), Michealea Lemons (Prevention and Health Coordinator at PCAF & Chair of Tacoma Human Rights Commission) and Korey Strozier (School Board Director, Position 3 with Tacoma Public Schools). Miriam McBride, CEO of Truth Movement Innertainment, will moderate.
5:30pm
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Register and submit questions here.
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COVID-19 VACCINE PROVIDER OPEN DOOR SESSIONS ENDING
The Department of Health is phasing out the “Vaccine Provider Open door” sessions on every other Thursday effective immediately. The department is transitioning to new and relevant recorded trainings that will be accessible at the providers’ convenience. If you have suggestions on training or support needed, please email your ideas to COVID.vaccine@doh.wa.gov.
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RESOURCES ON THE PFIZER COVID-19 VACCINE 12-15 AGE EXPANSION
In response to the authorized of Pfizer COVID-19 to children ages 12-15, the CDC has developed several useful tools for parents and clinicians to utilize.
Information for healthcare and vaccine providers provides basic information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, consent and tools for communication to the community:
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This newsletter summarizes content from the week of May 30th, 2021 and was sent out on June 4, 2021. |
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