This email is being sent to local health officers, tribal health directors, COVID-19 vaccinators, COVID-19 vaccine stakeholders, HERC coordinators, and key DHS staff.
Reflection
As of March 31, 2022, Wisconsin has administered more than 9.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including more than 1.9 million additional or booster doses.
- 64.1% of all Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose.
- 60.7% of all Wisconsin residents have completed the vaccine series.
- 33.5% of all Wisconsin residents have received an additional/booster dose.
Thank you, Wisconsin vaccinators, for your continued hard work and dedication.
DHS Supports Second COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose for Adults 50 Years and Older and Certain Immunocompromised Individuals
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) supports the option that adults ages 50 years and older receive a second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer) or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after having received their first booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
DHS also supports the option of a second booster dose for certain, immunocompromised people ages 12 years and older. This would include the option of a second booster dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 12 years and older or a second booster dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 18 years and older.
View the bulletin sent out on Thursday, March 31 here.
New and Updated Resources
Updated Clinical Guidance from CDC
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MMWR Early Release: Effectiveness of Homologous and Heterologous COVID-19 Booster Doses Following 1 Ad.26.COV2.S (Janssen [Johnson & Johnson]) Vaccine Dose Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults — VISION Network, 10 States, December 2021–March 2022
Updated Communication and Education Resources from CDC
Updated Communication and Education Resources from DHS
In Case You Missed It
Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine Program Webinar Schedule
Bi-weekly COVID-19 Vaccine Program updates are held every other Tuesday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. The next webinar will be held on Tuesday, April 5.
Register for the meeting series here. Watch recordings of past webinars here.
Following vaccine storage requirements is critical to patient safety
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is reminding vaccinators that COVID-19 vaccine vials need to be stored properly and that vaccinators must follow all manufacturer, DHS, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) storage requirements. Doing so is critical to ensure patient safety, full potency of the vaccine, and that individuals do not need to be revaccinated.
Vaccinators who do not follow storage requirements may be suspended from ordering and administering COVID-19 vaccine and will be asked to collaborate with DHS in communicating with individuals if revaccination is recommended. Please inform staff members in your organization who are responsible for managing vaccine storage and handling about this important information.
View the full bulletin sent on March 11 here.
VRBPAC Meeting April 6, 2022
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBAC) will meet in open session on Wednesday, April 6 to discuss considerations for use of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and the process for COVID-19 vaccine strain selection to address current and emerging variants.
Please note that due to the impact of this COVID-19 pandemic, all meeting participants will be joining this advisory committee meeting via an online teleconferencing platform.
For more information, click here.
HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program Update
The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) announced that the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program (UIP) will soon stop accepting claims for testing and treatment of COVID-19 due to a lack of sufficient funds.
The program will continue to accept claims for vaccine administration until 11:59 PM on April 5, 2022. Any vaccine administration claims submitted in the Portal after April 5, 2022, will not be processed for payment.
HRSA has notified all enrolled providers in UIP of this program update.
FAQs about the claims submission deadlines are attached and online at:
https://www.hrsa.gov/coviduninsuredclaim
https://www.hrsa.gov/covid19-coverage-assistance
If you have any questions, refer to the webpages linked above, or contact the HRSA Provider Support Line at 1-833-967-0770; for TTY dial 1-888-970-2920. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
DHS Hosting Shared Learning Forums on Advancing Health Equity
The DHS COVID-19 Response and Recovery Team is hosting Friday forums on advancing health equity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sessions are held on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. and are open to anyone across Wisconsin. They will feature a community leader sharing experiences, barriers, practices and lessons learned for advancing health equity.
Our April forums will spotlight the work being done to advance health equity in marginalized populations. Attend all the sessions or choose the ones that work best for you:
Friday, April 1, 12-1pm: LGBTQIA/ QTIPOC (Queer Trans Indigenous People of Color)
Friday, April 8, 12-1pm: Amish
Friday, April 15, 12-1pm: Domestic Violence (DV) / Sexual Abuse (SA)
Friday, April 22, 12-1pm: Unhoused/Homeless/Food Insecure
Friday, April 29, 12-1pm: People in Our Care (PIOC)
For registration, please go to:
https://dhswi.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsd-6srj8tH9La8kaecC3ZowRQB8nsG-E
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Please email DHSCOVIDHealthEquity@dhs.wisconsin.gov with any questions.
DHS looks forward to engaging with our partners in local and tribal health departments, healthcare, pharmacies, community health centers, and tribal clinics as well as those in community-based organizations and hope you will join us.
Link to recordings of previous forums:
https://vimeo.com/showcase/9276578
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Medical Updates and Immunization Site Training Sessions
Pfizer Vaccines US Medical Affairs, with its partner BioNTech, continues to host daily Medical Updates and Immunization Site Training Sessions for all providers on the storage, handling, and administration for currently available vaccine presentations of its COVID-19 vaccine.
In addition to Medical Updates, session topics will include:
- Use of vaccine for:
- Children 5 through 11 Years of Age
- Individuals 12 Years of Age and Older
- Storage, Handling, Preparation, & Administration for the multiple presentations of the vaccine
- Updates to CDC Interim Clinical Considerations
- Training on the new Pfizer Controlant Temperature Monitoring Device
- Recent medical updates regarding the vaccine
- An overview of healthcare provider resources
- Question and answer session
To access dates and links for upcoming training sessions, please visit: https://www.pfizermedicalinformation.com/en-us/medical-updates
These sessions will be updated to reflect new information and changes as they evolve. Such updates will be identified at the start of each session and further explained during each presentation.
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