We recognize that many of you have questions following the federal announcement last week.
As highlighted in a letter to providers earlier this week, many of you are likely aware that last week the termination of federal COVID-19 response funding directly impacted several staff positions and public health initiatives in Maine that were supported by these grants. However, we want to reassure you that the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program has not been affected by these funding changes.
Vaccine distribution through the VFC Program will continue without interruption, and all children 0-18 years will still have access to vaccines at no cost as usual.
The Maine Immunization Program remains committed to supporting access to these essential immunization services. We thank you for your partnership and for all that you do in keeping Maine’s children healthy!
Immunize.org overhauled a popular vaccine storage resource. The Vaccine Storage Quick Reference (formerly entitled “Vaccine Handling Tips”) is a 1-page guide to appropriate storage temperatures for vaccines approved or authorized for routine use in the United States. Vaccines exclusively used for international travel are not included. Consider placing a copy on each vaccine storage unit today.
Key updates include:
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Clear storage information: vaccines are now shown within color-coded boxes based on storage in a refrigerator, freezer, or ultra-cold freezer
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Vaccine listings: vaccines are listed by disease name only except when storage requirements apply only to specified brands
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Improved readability: the font size was enlarged
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Additional resources: links lead to other relevant resources from Immunize.org and CDC that guide vaccine storage and response to improper temperature exposure
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Special cases: a separate box provides details for vaccines that are routinely frozen but may be refrigerated for a limited time
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Vaccine diluents: information on proper storage of vaccine diluents is included.
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Immunize.org: Clinical Resources A–Z main page, where you can filter by topic, vaccine, language, or other criteria.
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Next week, April 7–11, is Adolescent Immunization Action Week. Unity Consortium offers toolkit to help you in your outreach efforts.
Adolescent Immunization Action Week (#AIAW25) is observed April 7–11. AIAW urges parents, healthcare providers, and adolescents to keep teens up to date on vaccinations. Visit Unity’s AIAW campaign page for social media-ready materials to draw attention to improving coverage. Use the hashtag #AIAW25 to spread the word.
Unity’s password-protected toolkit includes graphics and a short article about the observance for emails, newsletters, or blogs. To access this, sign up at the bottom of the AIAW25 web page.
Honor an immunization champion you know! The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) invites nominations for its Immunization Champion Awards. The award is presented to a champion from each of the designated immunization jurisdictions, which includes 50 U.S. states, five cities, the District of Columbia, and eight U.S. territories or freely associated states. This award recognizes people who are doing an exemplary job, going above and beyond to promote vaccinations in their communities, for both children and adults.
Please see the recent communication that went out to providers last week for more information.
As we continue transitioning to our new temperature data loggers, it's still crucial to consistently monitor and document vaccine storage temperatures. Even during this upgrade, proper storage ensures vaccine viability and patient safety.
Please continue to check and record refrigerator and freezer temperatures daily, and follow the proper protocols for any temperature excursions. Refer to our, "Provider Policy and
Procedure Manual".
For more information on appropriate storage, please see the Immunization Action Coalition's "Vaccine Storage Quick Reference".
MIP-supplied vaccine should never be used as a continuous replacement system for a provider location’s privately purchased vaccine inventory for filling the vaccine needs of out of state privately insured children, or any adults aged 19 years or older. The MIP-supplied vaccine and private vaccine must be kept separate and clearly labeled as such.
If a dose is accidentally administered to an ineligible MIP patient:
- Reach out to MIP for a Borrowing Form, which will need to be completed for each dose given.
- Fax the form to MIP at 207-287-8127 and retain it for three years.
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Replace the vaccine with privately purchased dose of the same vaccine and record it in ImmPact.
Failure to follow these steps within 30 days may result in probation or suspension of ordering privileges. For more detailed information, please refer to our, "Provider Policy and
Procedure Manual".
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