IMMUNIZATION NEWS
COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Healthcare Practitioners
from MDPH, MMS, and MCAAP
September 1, 2021
To Massachusetts Health Care Practitioners:
The Commonwealth is a leader in vaccination administration because of the work of so many trusted health care providers and practitioners. Thank you. According to the CDC, as of August 30th, 85.5% of individuals Massachusetts residents twelve years of age and older have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine. As all of us continue to actively encourage and administer first and second doses of vaccines, it is also important to turn our attention to planning for boosters pending federal guidance.
In preparation for the likely recommendation for COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in the coming weeks, we are encouraging all health care practitioners who have the capacity to provide immunizations in their practices to enroll in the Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Program (MCVP) and be ready to order COVID-19 vaccine to vaccinate your patient panels. Anticipating the need for guidance, we are working with the Massachusetts Medical Society to offer co-hosted informational calls once again. Our first call is scheduled for later this month, please watch your email for details.
The Administration will continue to make first and second dose vaccines widely accessible in tandem with the distribution of boosters. There have been several positive developments in the administration of vaccines. It is possible to order smaller increments of doses than how they are packaged by the manufacturer. For example, Moderna - 50 doses (5 vials); Pfizer - 60 doses (10 vials); Janssen - 25 doses (5 vials). The priority is administration and thus doses should be used within 30 days of receipt to minimize wastage.
As has been the case with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Massachusetts residents will have a variety of vaccination options to receive COVID-19 booster doses, from traditional health care settings (physician offices, community health centers and hospitals), to retail pharmacy settings, to community vaccination clinics.
To order and administer COVID vaccine, you will need to be registered with and reporting data to the MIIS in accordance with Massachusetts State Law (
M.G.L. Chapter 111, Section 24M). Practitioners who administer vaccine and are not yet registered with the MIIS should request registration at the MIIS Resource Center
http://www.miisresourcecenter.com. For additional questions about registration or onboarding, please contact the MIIS Help Desk at
miishelpdesk@mass.gov.
During the registration process, you will automatically be sent a link to enroll in the Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Program (MCVP). If you are already registered with the MIIS but have not enrolled in the MCVP please contact the Vaccine Unit at 617-983-6828 or
DPH-Vaccine-Management@mass.gov.
Other helpful information may be found in these resource materials:
As a trusted health care practitioner, we appreciate all that you are doing to take care of your patients throughout this pandemic. Thank you.
Margret R. Cooke
Acting Commissioner
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Carole E. Allen, MD, MBA
President
Massachusetts Medical Society
Lloyd Fisher, MD, FAAP
President
Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Baker-Polito Administration Announces Expanded Vaccine Requirement for Long-Term Care Providers and Home Care Workers
All staff mandated to be vaccinated by October 31, 2021
BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration today announced plans to require COVID-19 vaccination for all staff at rest homes, assisted living residences (ALRs), hospice programs, as well as for home care workers (HCWs) providing in-home, direct care services. The plan to expand the vaccine requirement for caregivers is subject to Public Health Council (PHC) approval and is part of the Administration’s continued effort to protect older adults against COVID-19. Last month, the Administration announced a vaccine requirement for employees of skilled nursing facilities.
Following PHC approval, the requirement would be implemented through the respective DPH and EOEA regulations that would cover 62 freestanding Rest Homes and 268 Assisted Living Residences in Massachusetts, 85 hospice programs and up to 100,000 Home Care Workers across the Commonwealth, subject to regulatory requirement.
Vaccination Requirement for Rest Homes, Assisted Living Residences, Hospice Programs and Home Care Workers:
All personnel at rest homes, ALRs, hospice programs, and home care workers will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by October 31, 2021 unless they qualify for a limited exemption because they have a medical condition that prevents them from receiving vaccination or they object to vaccination based on a sincerely held religious belief.
For rest homes, ALRs, hospice settings, the requirement applies to all individuals employed directly by the provider/facility as well as contractors who regularly enter the facility.
The vaccination requirement for home care workers applies to individuals providing in-home, direct care who are employed by an agency that is contracted or subcontracted with the Commonwealth, including:
- Home health agencies enrolled in the MassHealth program
- Home care agencies providing services under the state’s home care program
- Continuous Skilled Nursing agencies enrolled in the MassHealth program
- Hospice programs (including hospice facilities and agencies that provide services in homes) Group Adult Foster Care agencies enrolled in the MassHealth program delivering personal care services that assist individuals with eating, toileting, dressing, bathing, transferring, and mobility.
The vaccination requirement also applies to independent, non-agency-based home care workers contracted with the state providing in-home, direct care including:
- Independent Nurses enrolled in the MassHealth program
- Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) providing services through the MassHealth program
- Consumer Directed Care (CDC) workers providing services under EOEA’s self-directed program.
FDA Approves First Covid Vaccine
The FDA had approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”
Since Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has been available under EUA in individuals 16 years of age and older, and the authorization was expanded to include those 12 through 15 years of age on May 10, 2021. EUAs can be used by the FDA during public health emergencies to provide access to medical products that may be effective in preventing, diagnosing, or treating a disease, provided that the FDA determines that the known and potential benefits of a product, when used to prevent, diagnose, or treat the disease, outweigh the known and potential risks of the product.
Registration for the 26th Annual MIAP Pediatric Immunization Skills Building Conference is now open!
Please see the letter below from Cynthia McReynolds of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP) Immunization Initiative regarding their upcoming conference. While this conference is focused on pediatrics, I know that many of our members would be interested in attending. If you have any questions, please contact Cynthia McReynolds: cmcreynolds@mms.org.
Dear Immunization Colleague,
You are invited to attend the 26th Annual MIAP Pediatric Immunization Skills Building Conference on Thursday, October 28, 2021. This Conference is organized by the Massachusetts Immunization Action Partnership (MIAP) –
The Massachusetts Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP), the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and individuals who share the mission to protect all citizens from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Visit our
conference website today
Conference registration is now open!
On October 28th, providers and advocates will meet for the annual MIAP Conference to support Massachusetts’ efforts to improve pediatric immunization rates. Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s MIAP Conference will be held virtually using the Virtual Attendee Hub. This conference attracts physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical assistants, community outreach and public health workers, immunization coalition members, and office staff who work in pediatric healthcare settings, healthcare and civic organizations.
Conference Plenary Speakers:
- Katherine Hsu, MD, MPH, FAAP
- Andrew Kroger, MD, MPH
- Paul Offit, MD
- Pejman Talebian, MA, MPH
- A. Patricia Wodi, MD
View our
conference agenda for more detailed schedule information.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Title: The Continued Threat of Influenza and How to Sustain Influenza Vaccination Efforts
Date: September 9, 2021, 1 PM ET
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) will be holding two interactive webinars in September to emphasize vigilance in preventing influenza in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This first hour-long
webinar will take place on Thursday, September 9 at 1 pm ET. The webinar will cover the following topics:
- influenza surveillance in US and worldwide;
- changes in circulation of other common respiratory pathogens, e.g., recent increases in RSV and other non-COVID-19 viruses;
- changes in vaccine strains and changes in influenza ACIP recommendations;
- the impact of influenza;
- communications issues providers may face with regards to perceptions of the need for influenza vaccination; and
- a public perspective on the importance of influenza vaccination and advocacy for vulnerable populations (chronic issues).
Following the presentations there will be time for an interactive discussion with our presenters (listed below) and other IAC experts.
Speakers
Alicia Budd, MPH, Epidemiologist, Epidemiology and Prevention Branch of the Influenza Division in CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Robert Hopkins, Jr., MD, MACP, FAAP, Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and Chief of the Division of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Gary Stein, MBA, Board Member, Families Fighting Flu
IAC Experts
Carolyn Bridges, MD, FACP, Director for Adult Immunization and Moderator for this webinar
Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH, President and Chief Financial Officer
L.J Tan, MS, PhD, Chief Policy and Partnerships Officer and Co-chair, National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit
This webinar is supported by IAC and a vaccine education grant from Seqirus, Inc.
Register Here
Title: 2021-2022 Influenza Vaccination Recommendations and Guidance
on Coadministration with COVID-19 Vaccines
Date: September 9, 2021, 2:00 PM ET
During this COCA Call, presenters will provide updates on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for the 2021-2022 influenza vaccination season and guidance for coadministration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.
If you are unable to attend the live COCA Call, the recording will be available for viewing on the
COCA Call webpage a few hours after the live event ends.
The slide set will be available under "Call Materials" on the
COCA Call webpage.
Free
Continuing Education will be available for this COCA Call.
Registration is not required.
Join Here
Title: Important Information for Healthcare Providers about Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
Dates: September 9, 2021, 12:00 PM ET, September 14, 2021 3:00 PM ET, September 15, 2021, 12:00 PM ET, September 16, 2021, 3:00 PM ET
Join Moderna for a webinar to learn about the investigational Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, which hasbeen authorized for emergency use in the United States. There will be no continuing education offered for this webinar. Please register at the link below for one of our currently available dates/times.
Register Here: September 9
Register Here: September 14
Register Here: September 15
Register Here: September 16
Title: The Continued Threat of Influenza and How to Sustain Influenza Vaccination Efforts
Date: September 9, 2021, 1:00 PM ET
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) will be holding two interactive webinars in September to emphasize vigilance in preventing influenza in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This first hour-long webinar will take place on Thursday, September 9 at 1 pm ET. The webinar will cover the following topics:
• influenza surveillance in US and worldwide;
• changes in circulation of other common respiratory pathogens, e.g., recent increases in RSV and other non-COVID-19 viruses;
• changes in vaccine strains and changes in influenza ACIP recommendations;
• the impact of influenza;
• communications issues providers may face with regards to perceptions of the need for influenza vaccination; and
• a public perspective on the importance of influenza vaccination and advocacy for vulnerable populations (chronic issues)
Register Here!
IMMUNIZATION RESOURCES
Link to most recent Immunization MMWRs
Updates include:
August 18, 2021 (EARLY RELEASE)
Click
here to view all recent MMWRs!
