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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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STATE CALLS ON PROVIDERS TO CONTINUE WORK TO BOOST COVID-19 VACCINATION
Last Friday, Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH announced the Power of Providers (POP) Initiative to continue to encourage all health care providers in the state to reach out and talk to their patients about COVID-19 vaccination. As the state continues its vaccination work and shifts to more community-based efforts, health providers from a variety of sectors are pivotal in increasing COVID-19 vaccinations in an equitable manner.
In partnership with more than 15 associations and commissions across public health and health care, the state Department of Health (DOH) is asking providers to take the Power of Providers community vaccination commitment to take four simple steps with each patient:
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SEEK. Proactively reach out to their patients or clients to find out if they have received COVID-19 vaccination and invite them to do so, if they have not.
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ASK/EDUCATE. Ask patients at every visit if they are vaccinated or check their immunization records. If the patient is not vaccinated, provide information and education on the COVID-19 vaccine, recommend it and offer it.
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VACCINATE. If the patient is interested, provide vaccination right then or give them a referral to a COVID-19 vaccine location using vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov or by calling 833-VAX-HELP.
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EMPOWER. Empower vaccinated patients to share their vaccination status with friends, family and others they know. Order free stickers and buttons from DOH to give to vaccinated patients. Empower staff to talk with patients and people in their own lives about the importance of vaccines and their vaccination status.
If a patient isn’t ready to get vaccinated yet, providers can share trustworthy resources and encourage the patient to review them later to learn more.
Read the full news release in English or in Spanish.
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SHOULD PATIENTS GET AN ADDITIONAL DOSE OF COVID-19 VACCINE?
Health care providers and pharmacists have reported an increase in patients wanting extra doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Some patients who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have also asked about “revaccination” with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Why are patients asking for these additional vaccine doses? Reasons vary, with some concerned about lasting protection from previous COVID-19 vaccination, and others concerned about protection from variant strains.
So what does the current guidance say? The Department of Health continues to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The CDC and ACIP do not currently recommend giving booster doses, which means administering more than 2 doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, or more than 1 dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In addition, there are currently no recommendations to administer a dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine to a patient who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The vaccines are highly effective at reducing the risk of a patient getting seriously ill from COVID-19. Providers administering more than the recommended number of doses (giving booster doses) are acting outside of the scope of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorization and the COVID-19 vaccine provider agreement.
Patients who get the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine only need two doses, and patients who get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine only need one dose. We ask that people who receive the COVID-19 vaccine do NOT ask their providers for an additional dose of vaccine. If information comes out that additional doses are needed, we will share that information with you.
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 WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRAVELING TO AND FROM MEXICO?
For many people, one of the most exciting benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine is being able to travel again. This is especially true for those who could not visit friends and family abroad in more than a year. It is also exciting for those who are dreaming of taking a well-deserved summer vacation.
If this is you, you might have questions about the rules for traveling abroad as the pandemic continues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends making sure you understand and follow all airline and destination rules related to travel, mask wearing, testing, and quarantine. These may be different from U.S. guidelines. You should also check the CDC’s map of recommendations by destination for more guidance. In addition, your airline may require you to complete a form about COVID-19 symptoms when you check in.
Read the full blog post to get some helpful pointers about travel to and from Mexico from the Mexican Consulate in Seattle.
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RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE VACCINE TOOLKIT
The Washington Department of Health has collaborated with community-based partners, local governments, and a communications firm to create accessible resources designed to resonate with people from the former Soviet Union who are not yet vaccinated. These materials are available online in Russian and Ukrainian and explain how COVID-19 vaccines work, address vaccine myths, and help people plan a conversation with their doctor. We’re calling it the Russian and Ukrainian Language Vaccine Toolkit.
The collection includes:
If you have developed Russian/Ukrainian language materials you would like to share, please add them to the spreadsheet here.
As you look through the folders of content, let us know where you plan to use it by completing this form: https://forms.gle/DZBgYrKQQLiExW169. It will help us understand where the information will be circulating.
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PRIORITIZE VACCINATION OVER WASTED DOSES
We have heard that some providers are turning people away at the end of the day to avoid opening a new vial for just a few doses. Please do not turn anyone away because you are worried about waste. Even if someone comes in at the end of the day, start a new vial to get them vaccinated. While we appreciate your efforts to minimize waste, it is more important to vaccinate as many people as possible.
We want to make sure anyone who wants the vaccine can get one. If that requires opening a new vial even for just one dose, that is OK. There are other ways to minimize end-of-day waste. For example, you can:
To further reduce waste, make sure to follow proper storage and handling procedures. If you are struggling to use or store Pfizer vaccine, please let us know on your weekly REDCap allocation survey that you need Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. For more information on minimizing waste and what to do if you have waste, see our general vaccine wastage guidance.
Find this article online here.
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COVID-19 VACCINE ORDERING UPDATE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has suspended ordering for Janssen and Pfizer vaccine in the 1170 dose size. The only doses of Janssen available in the state are the ones listed on the Vaccine Advertisement Page. Pfizer doses are available for ordering in multiples of 450 doses and can be ordered for children only or a mix of child and adult. If you have questions please email covid.vaccine@doh.wa.gov.
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RECENTLY UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS ON mRNA DOSING INTERVALS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated the Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines regarding the dosing intervals for mRNA vaccinations. They continue to recommend the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines should be administered as close to the recommended interval as possible, but not earlier than recommended (i.e., three weeks for Pfizer-BioNTech or one month for Moderna vaccine). However, individuals who receive the second dose up to four days before or at any time after the recommended date can be considered fully vaccinated.
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JANSSEN COVID-19 VACCINE AND GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME
Earlier this month it was noted that Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome, a neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system damages nerve cells causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis, has occurred in some people who have received the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. Due to this concern, the EUA for Janssen has been updated to mention the occurrence of Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome as well as common symptoms experienced with this syndrome. There is also a recommendation for recipients to seek medical attention if the experience any of the GBS symptoms which include:
- Weakness or tingling sensations, especially in the legs or arms, that’s worsening and spreading to other parts of the body
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty with facial movements, including speaking, chewing, or swallowing
- Double vision or inability to move eyes
- Difficulty with bladder control or bowel function
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FOR LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES
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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 July 18, 2021 and was sent out on July 23, 2021. |
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