Reflection
Wisconsin has administered more than 5 million doses statewide, with:
- 47.2% of all Wisconsin residents having received at least one dose.
- 41.3% of all Wisconsin residents having completed the vaccine series.
Our state has reached two notable COVID-19 vaccination milestones, with:
- Over 50% of females having received at least one dose, and
- Over 15% of 12-15 year old residents having started the vaccine series.
Thank you Wisconsin vaccinators for your continued dedication and hard work.
Reminder: Memorial Holiday Ordering
No vaccine orders will be processed between Friday, May 28, and Monday, May 31. Orders submitted after Thursday, May 27 will be processed on Tuesday, June 1 at 12 p.m. for Thursday or Friday delivery.
COVID-19 Vaccine Billing Webinar
DHS is hosting a technical assistance webinar on Tuesday, June 1, at 10 a.m. to review information regarding COVID-19 vaccine billing practices. This webinar is for both insurers and vaccinating entities. Tabitha Ramminger, Deputy Director of the Vaccination Task Force, will share some of the common complaints we have received, confirm state and federal rules regarding billing, and answer any questions you may have.
Call Information
Date: Thursday, June 1
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Webinar link: https://dhswi.zoom.us/j/86598757854
International numbers available: https://dhswi.zoom.us/u/klpT0Lrvi
Phone: 1-646-558-8656 or 1-301-715-8592
Webinar ID: 865 9875 7854
Myocarditis after COVID-19 Vaccination
In April and May of 2021, there have been increased reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) of cases of inflammation of the heart—called myocarditis and pericarditis—happening after COVID-19 vaccination in the United States. These cases have been reported after vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and have mostly been reported in adolescents and young adults.
Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is the inflammation of the lining outside the heart. In both cases, the body's immune system is causing inflammation in response to an infection or some other trigger. While myocarditis can be serious, it is frequently mild and self-limited. Symptoms can include abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
CDC and its partners are actively monitoring these reports, by reviewing data and medical records, to learn more about what happened and to see if there is any relationship to COVID-19 vaccination. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
As stated above, CDC continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 12 years of age and older, given the risk of COVID-19 illness and related, possibly severe complications, such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death. The known and potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis. Also, most patients with myocarditis and pericarditis who received care responded well to medicine and rest and quickly felt better.
Health care providers should consider myocarditis in an evaluation of chest pain after vaccination and report all cases to VAERS in a timely manner.
View the updated CDC webpages for additional information:
Take Every Opportunity to Vaccinate
We are aware that vaccine wastage may increase as more vaccinators receive vaccine, vial sizes increase, and vials are punctured without every dose being used.
Vaccinators should not miss any opportunities to vaccinate every eligible person who presents at a vaccination site, even if it means puncturing a multidose vial to administer vaccine without having enough people available to receive each dose. Here are some strategies that may help:
- Consider establishing and promoting standing vaccination days or half-days to increase likelihood of larger numbers of people presenting for vaccination on the same day.
- Vaccinate family members or friends who accompany patients to medical visits even if they are not established patients at the vaccinating practice.
- Continue outreach to employers or other community partners that have a large membership or network to arrange vaccination events.
Support from 211 and United Way
211 and United Way of Wisconsin are committed to supporting local partners to ensure the safe, quick, and equitable distribution of vaccines. Please consider sharing any pop-up, mobile, or community-based vaccination clinic information with 211 and United Way by sending an email to 211covid@unitedwaywi.org. This will help to increase visibility of these limited opportunities for those seeking vaccination and to provide assistance with access logistics to those wanting to get vaccinated.
Transportation Resources for COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments
Please communicate the following transportation resources to your patients and community.
All efforts should be made to ensure lack of transportation is not a barrier for any individual interested in vaccination.
State Resources
National/Federal Resources
Lyft
Uber
Pfizer Expands Storage at Refrigerator Temperatures
Before you start your summer vaccination clinics, make sure you are following all guidance for maintaining COVID-19 vaccines at the proper temperatures.
Pfizer-BioNTech
After the vaccine vial has been punctured or drawn into a syringe, the vial should be held between 2° to 25°C (36° to 77°F). Vials should be discarded 6 hours after the first puncture. During storage, minimize exposure to room light, and avoid exposure to direct sunlight and ultraviolet light. Do not refreeze once thawed.
Moderna
After the first dose has been withdrawn, the vial or pre-drawn syringe should be held between 2° to 25°C (36° to 77°F). Vials should be discarded 12 hours after the first puncture. Thawed vials can be handled in room light conditions. Do not refreeze once thawed.
Janssen
After the first dose has been withdrawn, hold the vial or pre-drawn syringe between 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F) for up to 6 hours or at room temperature maximally 25°C (77°F) for up to 2 hours. Discard the vial if vaccine is not used within these times.
Note: For outdoor clinics, temperatures could exceed 25°C (77°F) during the clinic day. Planning considerations should include measures to ensure both unpunctured and punctured vail/pre-drawn syringes are not exposed to temperatures above 25°C (77°F). Additional containers qualified to maintain the appropriate temperatures may be needed for both preparation and administration stations.
Click HERE for the Quick Reference Guide Vaccine to Storage and Handling of COVID-19 Vaccine
Haiou Needle/Syringe Combinations No Longer in Circulation
Haiou needle/syringe combinations were pulled from distribution in March largely due to feedback from vaccinators. These products are no longer provided in ancillary kits, but some may still be found in storage or on shelves. If you have products manufactured by Guangdong Haiou Medical Apparatus Co., LTD. (HAIOU) in your possession, you are encouraged to dispose of them in accordance with medical waste laws. FDA received information about quality issues, including certain HAIOU needles detaching from the syringe after injection and other needle safety device failures. These device failures have been reported for the following HAIOU syringe and needle configurations (combinations of syringes and needles with needle safety devices):
- 1mL syringe with 25G x 1-inch needle
- 1mL syringe with 23G x 1-inch needle
The FDA is working with federal partners to identify where these configurations have been distributed and inform those sites of the quality issues.
The letter can be found here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Program Webinar Schedule
There will be no Friday Stakeholder webinars on May 28 and June 4. There will be no Tuesday Clinical webinar on June 1.
Beginning June 8, the Stakeholder and Clinical webinars will be combined and held on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Register for the new meeting series here.
Parents and Guardians Can Now Enroll Adolescents in V-Safe
Parents and guardians can now enroll adolescents (ages 12 and older) in the v-safe after vaccination health checker and complete health check-ins on their behalf after COVID-19 vaccination. V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after COVID-19 vaccination. Through v-safe, participants can quickly tell CDC if they have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
All adolescents in the family who are eligible to be vaccinated can be enrolled. Parents and guardians should use their smartphone to complete a separate v-safe registration for each adolescent. All v-safe communications will be sent to the parent or guardian’s smartphone.
Vaccinators can encourage parents and guardians to take advantage of the waiting period immediately after vaccination to enroll adolescents.
Incorrect Links in Previous Email
We received feedback that in last week’s update, two of the links were switched. The corrected links and background information are below.
To register for the COVID-19 Vaccine Program weekly updates starting June 8, please register in advance: https://dhswi.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0FqZyszZSS-PkgE-T8xYzA
The CDC Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines page has been updated to address how to handle individuals vaccinated outside of the US on the Clinical Considerations page. Once you navigate to the Clinical Considerations webpage, scroll down to the “about this page section,” click on the jump-link titled “People Vaccinated Outside of the United States.”
Updated Clinical Guidance from CDC
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