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Department of Health offices will be closed tomorrow, June 19th, in recognition of Juneteenth.
The Washington State Department of Health continues to recommend everyone 6 months of age and older receive the current COVID-19 vaccine to protect against severe illness. This recommendation includes pregnant people.
This recommendation is informed by the Washington State Vaccine Advisory Committee (VAC). The VAC serves as an advisory body to the Department on appropriate recommendations to control vaccine preventable diseases in Washington state.
We continue to monitor federal updates on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and assess how any changes may impact the health and safety of Washington state residents.
We are committed to science-based vaccine policy and making sure vaccines stay accessible and equitable for everyone in Washington state. We will promptly share any updates with the public and our partners.
Access the COVID-19 Vaccine Information For Health Care Providers web page for more details.
We appreciate all you do to protect and improve the health of your communities.
Due to federal holidays in mid-June and early July, as well as the planned Ordering System downtime, there may be longer-than-normal delivery times for vaccine orders placed in late June/early July. As a result, for deliveries needed in early July, CDC recommends placing orders no later than June 20, 2025.
Key dates
- Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth holiday. No vaccine delivery.
- Orders will not be approved from June 25th to June 30th due to system downtime.
- Friday, July 4 – Independence Day. No vaccine delivery.
Continuing education credits for the CVP Vaccine Coordinator Training will be paused for the month of June while we close out the state fiscal year.
Providers may still continue to take modules 1-9 as needed. If continuing education credit is desired (for nurses, medical assistants and pharmacists/pharmacy techs), providers can complete Module 10 in July when that module is reactivated.
Thank you for your understanding.
This is the last week for vaccine choice. The last day to request changes is Friday June 20th.
During this time providers can fill out the Vaccine Choice form to request a change in the brand of vaccine they receive for vaccines with more than one brand available. Vaccines with only one brand option are included on all order sets.
You only need to submit a form if you are requesting a change. If you are keeping the same vaccines no form is needed.
Submit forms either by e-mail to WAChildhoodVaccines@doh.wa.gov or by fax to 360-236-3811.
If you have any questions please contact Jacki Stockdale at jacki.stockdale@doh.wa.gov
The 2024-2025 flu season is almost to its end. Flu vaccine ordering was turned off the first week of June.
All flu vaccine for the 2024-2025 flu season is set to expire between now and the end of June. Just a reminder that flu vaccines cannot be returned before their expiration date, even if there is no intention to use the vaccine. Additionally, opened multi-dose vials cannot be returned and need to be submitted as wasted doses and disposed of per clinic guidelines.
Returning flu vaccines follows the same process as returning regular childhood vaccines.
Please let us know if you have any questions by e-mail WAChildhoodvaccines@doh.wa.gov.
On May 29th, CDC released updated VISs for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Changes incorporate recommendations for the routine use of PCV for adults age 50 years and older (previously 65 years) and the limited use of PPSV23.
If you use Immunize.org's QR code reference resources linking directly to the English VISs, you can keep using them. These QR code documents automatically link to the updated VISs and ensure you are always accessing the current official version.
Immunize.org will create and post translations of these updated VISs in coming weeks. CDC notes that translated VISs that are out of date following publication of an updated version may continue to be used. The official English VIS must also be provided when providing any translation.
If you are a Washington state health care professional who offers HPV vaccine, we invite you to participate in a brief survey about your experiences recommending the HPV vaccine. Your insights will help shape future training programs, quality improvement initiatives, and the development of essential resources.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HPVat9ProviderExperience
Your input will make a difference!
Deadline: June 20, 2025
The Department of Health (DOH) recently issued a pertussis news release sharing the 25-fold increase in whooping cough cases in 2024 compared to previous years. This increase corresponds to a decrease in vaccination coverage rates in 19-35 month olds from 73% in 2019 to 65% in 2024. DOH strongly encourages everyone to stay up to date on their whooping cough vaccinations, especially those at higher risk of serious illness or those who are in close contact with them. This includes:
- Infants under 1 year old.
- Pregnant people, especially those in the third trimester.
- Families and caregivers of infants and young children.
- People with weakened immune systems or chronic respiratory illnesses.
- Older adults, especially those 65 and older who are more susceptible to pneumonia.
For more information, visit DOH’s Pertussis (Whooping Cough) web page where answers to frequently asked questions are also available.
Give2menacwy.org has many useful resources to prevent and strengthen protection against meningococcal disease. Check out this helpful Algorithm for MenACWY Immunization in Adolescents 11 Through 18 Years of Age.
CDC also recently developed a useful measles vaccine recommendation algorithm for adults to determine how many MMR doses are needed.
Not all COVID vaccines are stored the same. Prior to ordering and receiving COVID vaccines:
- Review the storage and handling considerations for each presentation. Pick what makes the most sense for your clinic.
- Be sure to read and follow all the storage and handling information for the COVID vaccines your clinic has ordered, including all information enclosed in the shipping container.
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Use BUD labels to monitor vaccines. This date changes when vaccines are moved from one storage state to another (e.g. ultra frozen, frozen, refrigerated)
The COVID Vaccines At-A-Glance Guide is a great tool to help answer a lot of COVID questions!
We encourage providers to check Vaccine Advertisements for available COVID vaccine transfers in the community before placing an order.
The Vaccine Advertisement function allows you to post vaccines that your clinic may not be able to use for transfer to other Childhood Vaccine Program providers. You can also find doses your clinic may be able to use. This is a simple and easy way to advertise or locate available vaccines when your facility is in need or has a surplus of vaccine.
For more details, please see our guide on How to Search for and Advertise Vaccines for Transfer.
Please note, you will still need approval prior to transferring vaccine. Review the vaccine transfer checklist and FAQs for additional information and guidelines for transferring vaccines.
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