Important Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
As we plan for the administration of the new COVID-19 bivalent vaccine boosters in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is providing COVID-19 vaccinators with the latest information.
Monovalent Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines no longer authorized as boosters
On August 31, the FDA removed emergency use authorization of the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for individuals 12 years of age and older as booster doses. This means that the Pfizer monovalent COVID-19 vaccine is no longer authorized for individuals 12 years of age and older as a booster dose, and that the Moderna monovalent COVID-19 vaccine is no longer authorized for individuals 18 years of age and older as a booster dose.
These monovalent vaccines continue to be authorized for use as a primary series for individuals 6 months of age and older as described in the letters of authorization. Currently, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine remains authorized for administration of a single booster dose for individuals 5 through 11 years of age at least five months after completing a primary series of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Given this FDA action, appointments for monovalent Pfizer or Moderna boosters in people 12 years of age and older must be rescheduled for when locations have the COVID-19 bivalent vaccines available.
COVID-19 bivalent vaccine boosters now available for ordering
Vaccinators are now able to place orders for the Moderna COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster (dark blue cap, gray border label) for adults 18 years of age and older and the Pfizer COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster (gray cap, gray border label) for individuals 12 years of age and older. Orders can be placed by completing the COVID-19 Vaccine Ordering Survey. This is the same process that is used to order all COVID-19 vaccines.
These two new vaccines will begin shipping over the next few weeks and may be shipped to you before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approves them. Vaccine administration cannot begin until the CDC approves the vaccines, and the CDC Interim Clinical Considerations have been published. Local Health Departments (LHD) must wait until DHS updates the Immunization Program Policy and Procedure (P&P) Manual on SharePoint before providing Moderna and Pfizer bivalent vaccine boosters.
The normal order processing schedule will be followed for vaccinators interested in receiving these new bivalent vaccine boosters. Hub orders will be processed daily Monday through Friday based upon orders submitted by noon each day. Hub orders submitted after noon will be processed the following day. Orders submitted on Friday will be held until Monday.
Direct ship orders will be processed weekly on Wednesdays. Vaccine orders submitted after noon on Tuesdays will be held and processed the following week. If there are any questions or issues during the ordering process, please send an email to dhscovidvaccinator@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
DHS will provide more information on the new bivalent vaccine boosters in the coming days.
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