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:  IS THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON/JANSSEN COVID-19 VACCINE STILL AVAILABLE?

A: The National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases communicated with partners last week, February 16th, that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be turning off all ordering and distribution of the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. As of February 22, 2023, J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is no longer available to order in the WAIIS. There are still doses of this product in the field and can be requested via transfer. Please ensure inventories for this product are up-to-date in the WAIIS and VaccineFinder.

In their February 16th communication to partners, HHS reminded providers "that any remaining in-field supply will expire between now and the end of May. Please monitor your inventory using the J&J Expiry Webpage as expiration dates approach and dispose of expired vaccine according to state and local regulations.  We do not anticipate any shelf-life extensions of the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine from U.S> Food and Drug Administration." 

Please ensure that providers reporting inventory to VaccineFinder/Vaccines.gov are only clinics and pharmacies with viable J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. As a matter of best practice, providers should use the manufacturer's online tool to check expiry dates: https://vaxcheck.jnj/

The HHS statement concluded, "We remain committed to ensuring that any American who wants a vaccine can get one. HHS will continue to distribute millions of doses of vaccine each month, including the Pfizer and Moderna bivalent vaccines. In addition to the mRNA vaccine options (Pfizer and Moderna), HHS also continues to distribute Novavax..."

Providers that are currently offering the J&J/Janssen vaccine are encouraged to maintain inventory of these alternative vaccine options. The U.S. government is not planning to purchase more J&J/Janssen vaccine.

Latest News

VERDADES DEL COVID BILINGUAL SITE OFFERS NEW COMMUNITY RESOURCES

In case you missed it, the Washington State Department of Health recently launched a bilingual website for its popular "Verdades del COVID" campaign. Featuring Mariachi music as the voice of conscience reminding audiences to listen to science and not to misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine, the site tackles the most recent vaccine misconceptions with simple facts that empower community members to choose vaccination. Among the various assets available for your community members, you will find a printable fact sheet with a list of common vaccines myths debunked by scientific facts; a 60-second version of the full song produced specifically for the "Mariachi" campaign; and a social media carousel post to use in your organic efforts. See below for the whole list of materials in both English and Spanish, or visit our new Partner Toolkit.

Materials are provided by the Washington state agencies and local health jurisdictions to help partners Spread the Facts about COVID-19. Please use any of these materials to help with your own outreach efforts. Refer to this User Guide for an explanation of each toolkit material type and suggestions on how to use them.

Verdades del COVID Campaign Assets

• Full Video Ad
  • 30 second ad with audio in Spanish [English Subtitles] [Spanish Subtitles]
• Social Video Ad
  • 17 second ad for TikTok with audio in Spanish [Spanish Subtitles]
• Radio Ad
  • Ad for radio with audio in Spanish [60 seconds] [30 seconds]
• Social Media Carousel Post
  • Series of pictures tackling common misconceptions [English] [Spanish]
• Printable Fact Sheet
  • List of common misconceptions debunked by scientific facts [English] [Spanish]

PREGNANCY & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND COVID-19 VACCINES

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective during all stages of pregnancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for people who are pregnant, lactating, or planning to get pregnant. Pregnant people are at a higher risk for severe illness and complications if they develop COVID-19. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters is the most effective way to protect the health of both parent and baby.

The Washington State Department of Health has several resources available to you regarding COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy/reproductive health. View them below!

• Pregnancy and the COVID-19 Vaccines Toolkit (wa.gov)
  • Pregnancy and the COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit - Spanish (wa.gov)
• Fast Facts COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy (wa.gov)
  • Fast Facts COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy (wa.gov)
• COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Discussion Guide (wa.gov)
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Discussion Guide - Spanish (wa.gov)
• COVID-19 Vaccines and Reproductive Health Frequently Asked Questions (wa.gov)
  • COVID-19 Vaccines and Reproductive Health Frequently Asked Questions (wa.gov) – Spanish (wa.gov)
• COVID-19 Vaccines and Reproductive Health Talking Points for Providers (wa.gov)
  • COVID-19 Vaccines and Reproductive Health Talking Points for Providers – Spanish (wa.gov)

UPDATED RESOURCES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING UP TO DATE WITH COVID-19 VACCINATION!

Did you know that 70% of eligible people still have not received an updated booster? And 82% of children ages 6 months – 4 years have not completed a primary series?

We have updated our Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccines: The Facts Are in the Stats and COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters: The Facts Are in the Stats (PDF) resources highlighting the importance of staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccination. These resources are now available in a new format with the most recent information. Providers and partners can display these flyers in health care settings and distribute to patients or community members.

AN UPDATED COVID-19 VACCINE HELPS SAVE LIVES

Since September 1, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended an updated bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster. These boosters help  broaden protection against emerging COVID-19 variants for people ages 6 months and older. The CDC recently included in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report a study covering COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates among unvaccinated and vaccinated people aged 12 years and older, specifically looking at those who received updated bivalent booster doses and the time since vaccination. The study covers 24 U.S. jurisdictions in the time period of October 3, 2021–December 24, 2022. 

Those who received an updated bivalent booster showed slightly higher protection against COVID-19 infection and significantly higher protection against death than those who received only monovalent boosters or unvaccinated persons, especially among older adults. This study concludes that updated bivalent COVID-19 booster doses protect against infection and death during BA.4/BA.5 (omicron sublineages) circulation. All eligible persons should get 1 updated bivalent booster dose ≥2 months after their COVID-19 primary series or last monovalent booster dose.

COMMERCIALIZATION UPDATES

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working with industry, and private and public sector partners to transition the purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to standard regulatory and healthcare coverage pathways. USG expects COVID-19 vaccines to be purchased and distributed by traditional private/public channels for the 2023 fall vaccine campaign.

COVID-19 MCM Commercialization Webinar

Tuesday, February 28th - 10:30 AM PST

HHS is hosting a webinar regarding the transition of COVID-19 Medical Countermeasures (MCM) to the commercial marketplace. Updates will be provided by USG leadership including the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.

Complete the registration form by 9:00 AM PST on Friday, February 24th. Approved attendees will receive a virtual meeting link prior to the meeting. If you have questions regarding this meeting, please send them to COVID-19MCMCommercialization@hhs.gov.

Clinical Updates

SHELF-LIFE EXTENSION UPDATES

Several lots of monovalent Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 6 months – 5 years have received shelf-life extensions. Moderna has verified the new expiry dates below and updated the Moderna Vial Expiration Checker.

All lots in the tables below are for primary use only for children aged 6 months – 5 years. The lots are split into two groups:

• 7 lots with the earliest expiry represent lots in the field and CDC depots.
• 5 lots with the latest expiry for Moderna monovalent vaccines are all in the warehouse.

7 lots (in the field/at CDC depot) with earliest expiry:

5 lots (in the warehouse) with the latest expiry:

Monovalent COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited, and expiration dates are approaching. Please use the table below as a rough guide for planning purposes.

*Final ship date will be communicated ASAP

• Pfizer has already received shelf-life extensions of all monovalent products.​
• Moderna is not pursuing any additional shelf-life extensions of their monovalent products.
• Novavax doses expiring on 2/28/23 will not receive shelf-life extensions.
• J&J/Janssen doses will not be receiving any additional shelf-life extensions.

Remember, to check product expiration dates, the best practice is to use the manufacturer’s online expiry checking tools: 

• Pfizer: https://lotexpiry.cvdvaccine.com
• Moderna: https://modernacovid19global.com/vial-lookup
• Novavax: https://us.novavaxcovidvaccine.com/hcp
• Janssen: https://vaxcheck.jnj/

UPDATE TO THE COOLER RETURN PROCESS FOR MCKESSON

Please note, effective 2/14/2023, providers will no longer receive UPS return labels for any size of frozen shipping containers from McKesson Specialty Health COVID shipments. Please dispose of any frozen shipping containers and packing materials as you would any other waste. Providers are encouraged to recycle the cardboard components of their frozen shipping containers through their local recycling program.  A flyer about this change will be included in vaccine shipments for the next few weeks to help inform providers about this change.  

Additionally, we recently discovered there is some confusion regarding the temperature monitoring device included in the McKesson frozen shippers for Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shippers contain a temperature monitoring device from TagAlert. TagAlert is a type of one time use electronic temperature monitoring device (TMD), but it is not a digital data logger (DDL). McKesson shipments do not come with a DDL. This device is meant to be a one-time-use item and was never intended to be returned to McKesson. After performing the TagAlert instructions for confirming the proper shipping temperatures (pictured), the electronic device should be discarded. There is no need to return these one-time-use items to McKesson.

There has been no change to the process for returning DDLs sent in shipments from Pfizer. Controlant DDLs should still be returned in the packing provided in the Pfizer shippers.

If you have any questions, please contact McKesson COVID Customer Care: 

McKesson COVID Customer Care 

Phone: (833) 343-2703   Monday –Friday, 8 a.m. -8 p.m. ET  

Email: COVIDVaccineSupport@McKesson.com 

INCLEMENT WEATHER REMINDER

As a reminder, inclement weather can have an impact on vaccine shipments. The COVID-19 Vaccine Team was recently notified of delays in shipments, however these delays were quickly lifted. If the team is made aware of any additional delays to vaccine deliveries, we will provide updates via email to all impacted providers.

Training and Events

IMPROVING THE VACCINATION EXPERIENCE: REDUCING PAIN AND ANXIETY FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Tuesday, February 28th - 10:00AM PST

Anxiety about needles and injections affects as many as 2 out of 3 children and 1 out of 4 adults; this anxiety can contribute to dreading, delaying, or avoiding vaccinations, even when the importance of preventing illness is understood. The good news is that there are safe, effective, and practical steps that those who administer vaccines and vaccine recipients, or their caregivers can take to reduce vaccination-related pain and anxiety and increase confidence in vaccination. Providers, you can join this free webinar to learn more about improving the vaccination experience for your patients. Register below!

COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATES WEBINAR

Tuesday, February 28th - 12:00PM PST

The presenters will discuss COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, updates about future vaccine presentations, storage and handling issues, and vaccine ordering and distribution. This webinar will be recorded.

Learning Objectives:
• Discuss current COVID-19 vaccine recommendations
• Describe national advisory committee meetings about the vaccine schedule and presentation
• Identify recent storage and handling issues, and strategies to prevent these issues
• Discuss vaccine ordering and distribution updates

The Department is offering 1 hour of continuing education to nurses and pharmacists/pharmacy technicians after watching the webinar/recording and completing the evaluation.

Please visit the webinar webpage for more information.

COVID-19 VACCINES: WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHERE WE ARE HEADED

Wednesday, March 1st - 9:00AM PST

Join the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) for a discussion addressing updates on COVID-19 vaccination recommendations in the US and issues on the horizon.

NFID Medical Director William Schaffner, MD, will moderate the webinar with presentations by:

• Peter Marks, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Sara E. Oliver, MD, MSPH, Medical Officer, Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe current ACIP recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination in the US
• Discuss the rationale for updating future COVID-19 vaccines
• Implement strategies for increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates in the US

Resources

FOR SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE FACILITIES

• K-12 Schools 2022-2023 Requirements (PDF). 
• 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).
• COVID-19 Vaccines: Pediatric Vaccine Toolkit for Schools   This toolkit provides a variety of resources for schools, including parent handouts, backpack stuffers, and sample communications.

FOR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES

• 2022 Interim Recommendations for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Health Care Settings.
• What to Do If You Identify a COVID-19 Case in Your Hospital.
• LTCF Visitor Announcement Sign – Visitation rules signage.

SIGN UP FOR THIS NEWSLETTER!

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 click submit.

This newsletter summarizes content beginning the week of February 12, 2023 and was sent out on February 24, 2023.