Vaccine Blurbs #242: Weather Related Shipping Delays

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Washington State Department of Health | January 15, 2025


McKesson Shipping Delays: Important Information for Providers

McKesson and the manufacturers have up to 14 calendar days from the order approval date to deliver orders to providers. Please note that this timeframe does not include delays caused by shipping holds for federal holidays. As stated in our December Blurbs edition, any orders submitted after December 13, 2024, started shipping on January 6, 2025.

Due to severe weather conditions affecting transit, several orders scheduled for shipment between January 6 and January 7 (for delivery on January 7 and 8) have been delayed.

McKesson has intercepted all affected orders that were delayed in transit due to viability concerns and has requested their return to the sender (McKesson's Distribution Center - Colorado). Many affected orders were returned to the sender between January 13 and January 14 (please check your tracking number for these updates).

Once an order is returned, it may take up to three business days to process and reship if it arrives in viable condition. If an order is returned in a non-viable condition, processing for return or replacement may take up to five business days.

In either scenario, McKesson will ensure that the order is reshipped to the provider. Therefore, providers should not reject the order in the Immunization Information System (IIS) or place a new order.

Once we receive reshipment or replacement shipping information from McKesson, we will follow up with the providers whose orders were affected by this delay.

If you have any further questions, please get in touch with the WA Childhood Vaccine Program at WAChildhoodVaccines@DOH.WA.GOV, making sure to include your PIN and order numbers in the subject line.


Vaccine Coordinator Training Overview Recording Now Available

The recording of the January 9th CVP Training Series: Vaccine Coordinator Training Overview is now available. The slides from that training are also available for reference. You can find this training and other past trainings, as well as announcements for future training opportunities, on the CVP Training webpage


New WAIIS Resource Guide

This new guide provides a compiled list of Washington State Immunization Information System (WAIIS) reference guides that are helpful for vaccine coordinators at sites participating the Adult and Childhood Vaccine Programs (AVP & CVP). This guide also includes a few programmatic resources and information about the IIS Training Materials Portal that includes many more IIS reference guides and training videos.

WAIIS Resources Guide


Plain Talk About Immunizations Manual

plain talk manual

The Washington State Department of Health has physical copies of the newest Plain Talk About Immunizations manual (7th ed.) in English and Spanish. These manuals can be a helpful resource for health care providers talking to patients about immunizations. You can order these materials by emailing immunematerials@doh.wa.gov or visiting our immunization forms and publications web page.


Needle Anxiety is Real

Immunize​.org’s Clinical Resources: Improving the Vaccination Experience web page provides great tools to create a positive vaccination experience and ease injection anxiety in children and adults. The web page links to eight printable resources on addressing vaccination anxiety and multiple videos:

Clinical Corner

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month

Cervical Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to continue our focus on preventing cervical cancer, which affects thousands of women in the U.S. each year. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers through HPV vaccination, which can be started as early as age 9.

JAMA recently published Cervical Cancer Mortality Among US Women Younger than 25 Years, 1992–2021. This study found a major decline in cervical cancer mortality among US women younger than 25 years between 2016 and 2021. This cohort is the first to be protected against cervical cancer by HPV vaccines. The findings from this study suggest that HPV vaccination affected the decline in HPV prevalence, cervical cancer incidence, and cervical cancer mortality. Thanks to all of your efforts, HPV vaccination coverage has increased to 78.5% in 2021.

Additional resources:


Thawing times for Moderna's RSV vaccine (mResvia) revised in updated package insert

*Please note this RSV vaccine for adults aged 60 and older is not currently available through the Adult Vaccine Program.

Moderna recently revised the package insert for its RSV vaccine (mResvia) to provide new instructions on thawing frozen vaccine in either a refrigerator or at room temperature before administration. Most of the current thawing intervals are longer than previously recommended. Cartons with either one or two pre-filled syringes:  

  • Thaw between 2 to 8°C (36 to 46°F) for 100 minutes. Let syringe stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes before administering, or
  • Thaw between 15 to 25°C (59 to 77°F) for 40 minutes. At that point, mResvia is ready to be administered.

Cartons with 10 pre-filled syringes: 

  • Thaw between 2 to 8°C (36 to 46°F) for 160 minutes. Let syringe stand at room temperature for between 10 and 20 minutes before administering, or
  • Thaw between 15 to 25°C (59 to 77°F) for 80 minutes. At that point, mResvia is ready to be administered.

Syringes may be stored in a refrigerator for up to 90 days before use. mResvia vaccine may be stored at room temperature up to 24 hours after removal from refrigerated conditions. Discard if not used within this time.


New Respiratory Brochure from Immunization Action Coalition of WA

Empower your patients with this myth-busting, patient-friendly brochure created by the Respiratory Season Subcommittee of the IACW (Immunization Action Coalition of WA). This resource addresses common misconceptions and highlights facts about COVID-19, influenza, and RSV vaccines. This is a great tool to address patient concerns and foster vaccine confidence this respiratory season.


For questions about the immunization schedule, the Immunization Information System forecast, or any other immunization clinical questions, please send an email to ImmuneNurses@doh.wa.gov. Check out the Immunization Training web page for more resources and training opportunities.


Helpful Hints

Has your facility recently held an off-site vaccination clinic? Did you remember to submit temperature logs after the event? 

Off-site clinic temperature logs should be submitted by email to WAChildhoodVaccines@doh.wa.gov. These logs do not need to be uploaded to REDCap.