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 May 12, 2022, Wisconsin has administered more than 9.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including more than 2 million additional or booster doses.
- 64.4% of all Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose.
- 61.1% of all Wisconsin residents have completed the vaccine series.
- 34.3% of all Wisconsin residents have received an additional/booster dose.
Thank you, Wisconsin vaccinators, for your continued hard work and dedication.
FDA Limits Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine to Certain Individuals
After conducting an updated analysis, evaluation, and investigation of reported cases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that the risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome warrants limiting the authorized use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
On May 5, FDA limited the authorized use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to individuals 18 years of age and older for whom other authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines are not accessible or clinically appropriate, and to individuals 18 years of age and older who elect to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine because they would otherwise not receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA has determined that the known and potential benefits of the vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 outweigh the known and potential risks for these individuals.
For additional information, including the Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine, click here.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to endorse the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) preferential recommendation for the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in all persons 18 years of age and older in the United States. In December 2021, after reviewing updated vaccine effectiveness and safety data, the ACIP recommended, and CDC endorsed that the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine may be considered in some situations. These situations are when a person has a contraindication to receipt of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, when a person would otherwise remain unvaccinated for COVID-19 due to limited access to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, and when a person wants to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine despite the safety concerns identified. More information is available at Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination.
Memorial Day Holiday Ordering and Shipping Schedule
In anticipation of the Memorial Day holiday, please plan to order vaccine early. The information provided below clarifies the days on which vaccine will be delivered over the holiday weekend.
Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccines
- No vaccine deliveries will occur on Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day).
- If you need vaccine for clinics over the weekend, you may submit orders earlier in the week before the holiday (Monday, May 23 or Tuesday, May 24).
Moderna and Johnson & Johnson Centrally Distributed Vaccines
- No vaccine deliveries will occur on Monday, May 30, or Tuesday, May 31 (you may receive ancillary kits on Tuesday for orders arriving on June 1).
- If you need vaccine for clinics over the weekend, you may submit orders earlier in the week before the holiday (Monday, May 23 or Tuesday, May 24).
Deliveries will occur as scheduled on Friday, May 27. If you wish to hold orders, please contact your regional manager or email dhscovidvaccinator@wi.gov. Note that Hub orders will not deliver on Monday, May 30 due to the holiday.
Digital Data Loggers Now Required for Monitoring Vaccine Temperatures
Due to supply chain delays and shortages, CDC made allowances in 2021 for COVID-19 Vaccination Program and VFC Program providers having difficulty obtaining Digital Data Loggers (DDLs). CDC has informed DHS that the supply chain issues for DDLs have been mostly resolved.
So, CDC is advising providers who do not have DDLs to obtain them now. While CDC understands that this process will take some time, they expect that all provider locations where COVID-19 or VFC vaccine is stored or administered, including during transport, have and appropriately use DDLs in their facilities for COVID-19 and VFC vaccines, in accordance with CDC’s Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit and the VFC Operations Guide, respectively.
As providers look to purchase DDLs, be aware that you may not need an expensive cloud-based system. Some DDLs meeting CDC requirements can be purchased online starting at $50 to monitor one storage unit. Still, it is important to have DDLs as they are considered the gold standard when it comes to monitoring temperatures for all vaccines.
DDLs ensure temperature excursions are detected, including the length of time a temperature is out of range, thus making them one of the most advanced devices to ensure vaccines are stored correctly and protected from unnecessary waste. Having a DDL provides valuable data that can save vaccine, prevent ineffective vaccine from being administered, and prevent the need to revaccinate affected patients.
Vaccines.gov
Vaccines.gov is the primary tool that the public uses to find COVID-19 vaccines near them. Maintaining an accurate profile on Vaccines.gov is critical to ensuring the public knows where and how they can access the COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccinators should manage the profile for their sites, including whether a site is publicly displayed and includes a link to a website, with a phone number, hours of operation, and additional details – like whether appointments are required or walk-ins are allowed. It is important that vaccinators maintain and update their public-facing information.
As a reminder, vaccinators only need to maintain their profile. DHS is reporting daily inventory data to Vaccines.gov and will continue to provide vaccine type and in-stock inventory data on behalf of vaccinators. Vaccines.gov only displays whether or not vaccine is in stock, it does not display inventory numbers. Please note, vaccinators will not be able to update their inventory settings, location name, or addresses.
Questions?
For website errors or changes to inventory display, location name, appointed coordinators or posted address, please email dhscovidvaccinator@wi.gov with the subject line: Vaccines.gov.
If your location is no longer administering COVID-19 vaccines, please contact dhscovidvaccinator@wi.gov to request inactivation.
For password resets, or general account/login-related questions, contact the CDC’s Vaccines.gov team at CARS_HelpDesk@cdc.gov.
New and Updated Resources
Updated Clinical Guidance from CDC
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MMWR: Effectiveness of a COVID-19 Additional Primary or Booster Vaccine Dose in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Nursing Home Residents During Widespread Circulation of the Omicron Variant — United States, February 14–March 27, 2022
Updated Communication and Education Resources from CDC
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, May 17.
Register for the meeting series here. Watch recordings of past webinars here.
VaccineFinder Emails Regarding Vaccine Inventory
DHS is aware that many vaccinators have received and/or are receiving emails from COVID-19 VaccineFinder (vaccinefinder@secure.castlighthealth.com) stating that you did not report your COVID-19 vaccine inventory. Please disregard these emails.
The CDC recently changed the inventory reporting requirement, and these emails are being sent in error. They are not phishing or spam. DHS will continue to manage uploading inventory data to VaccineFinder daily on behalf of vaccinators. We will communicate more details on this in the coming weeks as the CDC irons out this process change.
Important Upcoming VRBPAC Meeting Details
On April 29, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced tentative meeting dates for advisory meetings on COVID-19 vaccines for the younger pediatric populations. Moderna has begun submitting data for a vaccine for children younger than 6 (children 6 months through 5 years of age), and Pfizer BioNTech has stated it plans to submit data for a COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 5 (children 6 months through 4 years of age). Currently the FDA has the dates of June 8, 21, and 22 on hold for the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) to meet to discuss vaccines for younger populations.
Additional meetings scheduled:
- June 7: VRBPAC will meet to discuss an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) request for a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Novavax to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older.
- June 28: VRBPAC will meet to discuss whether the SARS-CoV-2 strain composition of COVID-19 vaccines should be modified, and if so, which strain(s) should be selected for Fall 2022. This meeting is a follow-up to the April 6th VRBPAC meeting where general considerations for future COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and the strain composition of COVID-19 vaccines to further meet public health needs were discussed.
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 May forums 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, May 13, 12-1pm: Persons with Disabilities
- Friday, May 20, 12-1pm: Rural Communities
- Friday, May 27, 12-1pm: South East Asian
For registration, please go to:
https://dhswi.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsd-6srj8tH9La8kaecC3ZowRQB8nsG-E
If you have previously registered in April, you do not need to register again. To view recordings of previous forums, please go to:
https://vimeo.com/showcase/9276578
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Medical Updates and Immunization Site Training Sessions
Pfizer Vaccines US Medical Affairs continues to lead Medical Updates and Immunization Site Training Sessions for all health care providers on the proper use of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The Immunization Site Training is divided into two sections.
Section 1: Medical Updates and New Information for the Vaccine
- FDA approvals, authorizations - including recent authorizations
- CDC Interim Clinical Considerations - Recent Updates
- Introduction of new Controlant Temperature Monitoring Device
- Healthcare provider resources
- Question and answer session
Section 2: Storage, Handling, and Administration of the Vaccine
- Use of each vaccine presentation, including storage, handling, preparation, and administration for:
- Ages 5 through 11 Years: DILUTE BEFORE USE/Orange Cap
- Ages 12 Years and Older: DO NOT DILUTE/Gray Cap; DILUTE BEFORE USE/Purple Cap
- Question and answer session
To access dates and links for upcoming training sessions, please visit:
https://www.pfizermedicalinformation.com/en-us/medical-updates
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