Welcome to the COVID-19 Vaccine Partner Newsletter!  Here you'll find the latest news and information on COVID-19 vaccine related topics.

• Latest News
• Clinical Updates
• Training and Events
• Resources

Q:  WHY SHOULD MY CHILD GET VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19 IF CHILDREN DON'T GET VERY SICK FROM IT?

A:  New COVID-19 variants are more dangerous and infectious to children that the original strains. Since the beginning of the pandemic, over 12 million children in the U.S. have gotten COVID-19 and new COVD-19 variant surges led to peak COVID-19 hospitalizations among children. While COVID-19 is often milder in children than adults, children can still get very sick and spread it to friends and family. Vaccination is the best way to keep children healthy and safe.

Latest News

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN URGES PARENTS TO GET CHILDREN VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released two new ads, "Oath" and "Trust", aimed at parents, reassuring them that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children.  Heartfelt messages are heard from the leaders of the top health care organizations in our country such as Dr. Gerald Harmon, president of the American Medical Association; Dr. Moira Szilagyi, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association; and Dr. Ada Steward, chair of the board of the American Academy of Family Physicians. 

Look for this compelling campaign on social media and television.  Watch the ads on the HHS YouTube channel here and here.

NEW DISCUSSION GUIDE!  BUILDING PARENTAL/GUARDIAN CONFIDANCE IN COVID-19 CONFIDENCE

DOH has created a Pediatric Provider Discussion Guide: Building Parental/Guardian Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccination for providers to aid in conversation with parents/guardian in a health care settings to help build confidence in COVID-19 vaccines for children and adolescents.

This flyer will be available on the Healthcare Provider Vaccinating Youth page as well as the Provider Toolkit and Resources. This discussion guide should be used when interacting with parent/guardians of pediatric patients who are old enough to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Check out our other discussion guides on the Provider Toolkit and Resources page.

WILL I NEED ANOTHER BOOSTER?

Pfizer and Moderna request approval for additional fourth dose

This question has become very common in the last several months as people begin moving further away from their initial booster dose and new variants continue to develop.  

On March 15, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they have submitted an application to the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an emergency use authorization of an additional booster for adults 65 and older.  

On March 17, Moderna followed suit and announced it has submitted a request to the FDA for an amendment to the emergency use authorization, allowing for a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for adults 18 and older.

Real-world data analyzed during the spread of the Omicron variant, has shown "that an additional mRNA booster increases immunogenicity and lowers rates of confirmed infections and severe illness."  

The application will be evaluated by the FDA and advisory committees before approval.  As of now, there is no additional booster dose, but one may be available in the future.

CARE CONNECT WASHINGTON INFOGRAPHIC NOW AVAILABLE IN 37 LANGUAGES

Help people in your community get access to critical assistance while they isolate or quarantine due to COVID by providing an infographic about the program - now available in 37 languages!

Care Connect Washington provides food, care kits, and other assistance to people who need to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19. DOH would appreciate your help in spreading the word about this important resource that makes it easier for people to stay home and recover from the illness.

Clinical Updates

SUBMIT TEMPERATURE LOGS STARTING APRIL 1ST

Just a reminder that starting April 1^st, providers enrolled in the COVID-19 Vaccine Program will need to submit temperature logs for all units listed on their provider agreement.  Notifications will go out to the Primary and the Backup Vaccine Coordinators at the first of each month and will include a link to where you can upload your temperature data.

Also, don't forget that if you would like to submit a Digital Data Logger summary report, you need prior review/approval by the program.  

The summary report will need to be brief (1-2 pages) and display the following:

• One month of temperature data with dates displayed.
• Data points listed on the CDC paper temperature logs. For example, daily min/max record or a graph displaying month data trend that clearly illustrates whether your unit experienced an excursion.
• If possible, please list the alarms set for each unit.

Please email your summary report for review/approval or any questions to COVID.Vaccine@doh.wa.gov.

LABELS FOR TRACKING BEYOND USE DATES FOR COVID VACCINES

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has the following helpful labels to use for tracking beyond use dates for COVID vaccines:

• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID Vaccine 12 years of age and older (gray cap) Beyond-Use Date (BUD) Tracking Labels for Vaccine During Freezer or Refrigerator Storage
• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID Vaccine 5 through 11 years of age (orange cap) Beyond-Use Date (BUD) Tracking Labels for Vaccine During Freezer or Refrigerator Storage
• Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Beyond-Use Date/Time (BUD) Tracking Label for Vaccine During Refrigerator Storage

Training and Events

SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE & REQUIREMENTS

WEBINAR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30 12:00PM PST

The Department of Health is hosting an Immunization Schedule and School and Child Care Immunization Requirements webinar on Wednesday, March 30, at 12:00 PM PT. The presenters will review the 2022 immunization schedule and go over school and child care requirements for the 2022-2023 school year. Continuing education credit will be offered for nurses, medical assistants, pharmacists and pharmacy techs. The presentation will be recorded and available at a later date.

Learning objectives:

1. Identify updates to the 2022 immunization schedule.
2. Describe the immunization requirements needed to attend school and child care in Washington state.
3. Identify the changes to the requirements from previous school years.
4. Know where to find relevant immunization resources.

For more information about the webinar, please visit the DOH website.

MONTHLY OFFICE HOURS AND BI-WEEKLY SHORT TRAININGS

The DOH COVID-19 Vaccine Program will be hosting monthly office hours and every two weeks we will include a brief training on an important topic.  First up will be a timely training on Digital Data Logger Best Practices!  We hope you will join us, but if you are unable to make it live the recordings will be posted to the website afterwards.

Digital Data Logger Training: Wednesday, March 23 12-12:45pm PST

Join the Meeting in Microsoft Teams

Resources

FOR SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE FACILITIES

•  Higher Education Recommendations 2021-2022
  • This guidance reflects the CDC isolation and quarantine guidelines, including information on staying up to date with vaccinations against COVID-19.
• Symptom Decision Tree and Contact Tracing Checklist for K-12 Schools (PDF) and Contact Tracing Guide and FAQ for K-12 Schools (PDF)
  • These documents align with the current versions of K-12 School Requirements on isolation, quarantine, and the expanded Test to Stay program.
• K-12 Schools 2021-2022 Requirements (PDF). DOH policy supports in-person learning while maximizing constrained COVID-19 testing supplies. Schools/districts are required to:
  • Test high contact sport athletes the day of competition only and exclude those who test positive.
  • Ensure universal masking of all athletes during all practices/training for these high-risk sports. 
• COVID-19 Vaccines: Pediatric Vaccine Toolkit for Schools (PowerPoint)  This toolkit provides a variety of resources for schools, including parent handouts, backpack stuffers, and sample communication.
• Contact Tracing Guide and FAQ for K-12 Schools This guide includes quarantine recommendations and contact tracing priority settings.
• K-12 Schools 2021-2022 Supplemental Considerations to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission. Information includes classroom and school closure criteria, contact tracing in high priority settings, timelines for close contact testing, and technical clarifications on antigen testing for Test to Stay programs and performing arts/sporting activities screening testing.
• Secretary of Health’s Mask Order FAQ, to align with the secretary’s order related to athletes and coaches at large outdoor gatherings.

School and child care guidance can be found on the Department of Health web page here.

FOR LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES

• Interim Guidance for Transferring Residents between Long-Term Care and other Healthcare Settings This is the first in a set of anticipated updates to health care and long-term care guidance following recent and expected updates to CDC health care guidelines.
• LTCF Testing Guidance includes more information on testing beyond routine testing. testing topics for identified COVID-19 cases, and CLIA waivers and reporting results.
• LTCF Cohorting guidance/isolation/quarantine guidance created for LTCF cohorting and I&Q with up-to-date recommendations.
• What to do if you identify a COVID-19 case in your Long-term Care Facility (wa.gov) – This is new guidance for the long-term care setting that provides a suggested framework for responding to COVID-19 in a long-term care facility.
• L&I and DOH Respirator and PPE for In-Home Care Agencies: Employer responsibilities for respiratory protection program and provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) (wa.gov) – Updates to quarantine for fully-vaccinated exposed residents.
• L&I and DOH Respirator and PPE Guidance for Long-Term Care: Employer responsibilities for respiratory protection program and provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) (wa.gov) – – Updates to quarantine for fully-vaccinated exposed residents.
• LTCF Visitor Announcement Sign – Removed information about the Governor’s proclamation and visitation rules for unvaccinated residents.
• Visitor Log – Updates to quarantine for fully-vaccinated exposed residents.
• LTCF Outdoor Visits – – Updates to quarantine for fully-vaccinated exposed residents.
• What to Do If You Identify a COVID-19 Case in Your Hospital – New guidance for the hospital setting that provides a suggested framework for responding to COVID-19 in a hospital facility.
• LTCF risk assessment community visit – Updates to quarantine for fully-vaccinated exposed residents.
• Interim Guidance for SARS-CoV-2 Source Control in Health Care Settings – Updates to quarantine for fully-vaccinated exposed residents.

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If you aren't already signed up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Partner Newsletter, please visit the Department of Health's email subscribers page here. Once you enter your email, on the next page expand the Immunization topic, select the COVID-19 Vaccine Partner Newsletter, and hit submit.

This newsletter summarizes content from the week of March 13, 2022 and was sent out on March 18, 2022.