Immunization Program: Important Information-Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccination

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Immunization Program

Preparing for the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine Program

The following information is for decision makers at vaccinating entities. Please share as appropriate.

In anticipation of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is planning for the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccination program. Vaccinator enrollment in the program will soon be open to entities such as: pharmacies, health care providers, health care systems, local and tribal health departments, and mass vaccination sites.

If your entity plans to administer COVID-19 vaccine, please review our COVID-19 Vaccine Planning document based on planning assumptions from CDC.

Pharmacies: Local pharmacies that wish to provide COVID-19 vaccine and are not part of the CDC Pharmacy Partnership for Long Term Care Program will need to enroll in Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine program when it launches in a few weeks.

CVS and Walgreens pharmacy sites: You do not need to enroll in the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccination program at this time because your national chains have a direct contract with CDC to provide vaccine(s) during the first phase through the Pharmacy Partnership for Long Term Care Program. We will reach out to you in later phases when it is time to enroll in the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccination program. 

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities: If you do not have a vaccinator for your residents identified yet, we recommend that you participate in the Vaccine Pharmacy Long Term Care Partnership.

Through the program you can partner with a pharmacy to manage and administer COVID-19 vaccine to your residents. Your pharmacy partner (except Walgreens and CVS) will need to enroll in the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine program when it opens in a few weeks.

Please complete the survey information below by November 6, 2020 (deadline extended one week), to either opt in or out of the partnership.

  • Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) can choose their selection through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). A nursing home or skilled nursing facility must be enrolled in the NHSN LTCF COVID-19 module to be able to make a selection of COVID-19 vaccine pharmacy providers. An “alert” will be incorporated into the NHSN LTCF COVID-19 module to guide users to the form.
  • Assisted living facilities (ALFs) will make their selection via an online REDcap sign-up form.