This email is being sent to all VFC coordinators and back-up coordinators. Please share as appropriate. Local and tribal health officers, and key DHS staff are included for their awareness.

The purpose of this email is to share the results of a survey that we conducted from February 15–22, 2022, regarding VFC sites' intentions to vaccinate 6 months to 4-year-olds against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), pending FDA authorization and CDC clinical recommendations published. Thank you to all the VFC sites that responded!

Survey Highlights

• Approximately 40% of VFC sites from across the state responded to the survey.
• Of the sites who responded to the survey, 93% are enrolled as COVID-19 vaccine providers and are administering the vaccine to all eligible age groups (including adults). We want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication throughout the pandemic.
• Of the sites who responded to the survey, 78% plan on providing vaccines to the 6 months to 4-year-old age group if authorized for use.
• Of the sites who responded to the survey, 22% indicated they will not administer COVID-19 vaccine to 6 months to 4-year-olds. The respondents indicated the following barriers or concerns:
  • Limited staff availability
  • Low demand
  • Storage capacity
  • Only administer Moderna
  • All patients are directed to one location in our health care system for their COVID-19 vaccines

VFC sites' planned outreach and education to families

The survey asked how sites encourage vaccination against COVID-19 to all patients. Sites responded with the following:

• 97% are providing education at all points of care.
• 40% are planning reminder/recall or other outreach to patients (phone calls, text, mailing, parent portal notices).
• 14% are planning marketing through social media, advertising, newspaper, and radio ads.

Next steps

The Wisconsin VFC and COVID-19 Vaccine Programs will continue outreach and provide education and technical assistance as needed to those sites not enrolled in the COVID-19 Vaccine Program.

Key messages

We want to take this opportunity to provide the following messages about how we see the COVID-19 Vaccine program and the VFC program becoming important partners in the future as more childhood COVID-19 vaccines are approved and authorized.

• We encourage VFC sites to start to view COVID-19 vaccine as a routine part of health care. Help to normalize the COVID-19 vaccine and help fit it into routine vaccine practices with your families.
• The 0–4-year-old age group may have limited access to mass vaccination sites or pharmacy locations; and parents may feel more comfortable getting a vaccine in their medical home with staff they trust. Your office could be a child’s only opportunity to receive COVID-19 vaccine.
• VFC sites already meet most of the storage and handling requirements of the COVID-19 Vaccine Program.
• Our priority is to ensure patients are vaccinated. We ask that you use every opportunity to do so—even if it means puncturing a new vial at the end of the day.
  • While we do ask you to report wasted or expired doses, there are no repercussions for wastage.
  • We know that using a multi-dose vial increases the likelihood of vaccine wastage, but COVID-19 vaccine only comes in multi-dose vials.
• While we wait for this newest vaccine approval, please note that both the 5–11-year-old vaccine and the 12+ vaccine are authorized, which covers most of the age span in pediatric practices. Please order as needed if you haven’t yet.

If you have any questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine program, please email DHSCOVIDVaccinator@wi.gov.

We thank you for everything you do to keep all the children in Wisconsin healthy!