Bulletin

Enroll Your Site as a COVID-19 Vaccine Provider!

Pfizer/BioNTech asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 9th to expand the emergency approval of their COVID-19 vaccine to include its use in adolescents ages 12 to 15.

Enroll to make sure that adolescents can access COVID-19 vaccine when its available to them!  

How Do I Enroll?

To enroll as a COVID provider your site must be able to:

  • Be able to vaccinate at least 50 patients, 12 years of age and up, over a 2-week period
  • Report COVID-19 vaccination electronically within 24-hours of administration
  • Store the vaccine in monitored fridge and freezer storage units that are compliant with CDC Immunization requirements

(If your site is a VFC provider, you already meet the storage and handling and temperature reporting requirements to be a COVID-19 vaccine provider.)

To help you enroll in our COVID-19 Vaccine Provider program, we have created a Provider Agreement Guide which walks you step-by-step through the Enrollment Form. Please review the Provider Agreement Guide in its entirety before filling out the agreement form and survey. Once you have reviewed the guide, you can start filling out our Enrollment Form.

Enroll In Our COVID-19 Vaccine Program!

Have questions about the enrollment process?

Attend one of our Town Halls for VFC Providers interested in enrolling as COVID-19 Providers:

Virtual Town Hall for VFC Providers interested in enrolling as COVID-19 Providers

Dates and times:
Tuesday 5/4 at 12PM
Wednesday 5/5 at 5PM
Tuesday 5/11 at 5PM
Wednesday 5/12 at 12PM

Gotomeeting Link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/926918173

Meeting ID: 926 918 173

Dial In: +1 (669) 224-3412

Thank you for your continued work to keep our city safe and healthy!
If you have any questions, please email vaccines@phila.gov.

April 30, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine, VFC

PDPH Will No Longer Push 2nd Doses Automatically

Attention COVID-19 Providers,

PDPH will no longer push 2nd dose orders automatically to COVID-19 Vaccine providers. Providers are responsible for keeping track of when they need to place 2nd dose orders.

Starting next week, sites will place orders on Wednesday for both 1st and 2nd doses as needed. PDPH will continue to monitor inventory and reporting and may adjust orders as needed.

Thank you for keeping Philadelphia safe and healthy.

If you have any questions, please email vaccines@phila.gov.

April 30, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Moderna Vaccine EUA and National Drug Code (NDC) Amendments

Attention COVID-19 Vaccine Providers, as of April 26, 2021, there have been recent amendments to both the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and the issuance of a new National Drug Code (NDC). These changes include:

  • Increase in the fill volume of the vaccine vials
  • New labeling for the existing vial and the upcoming larger volume vial
  • Modifications to storage and handling temperatures

PDPH is planning to transition from both NDCs in early May to a single NDC for the larger volume vial by the end of May. Some changes to note are:

Ancillary Kits: The new ancillary kits will support administration of 140 doses of vaccine and will be optimized to extract 14 doses per vial.
Wastage: Partners and jurisdictions may see an increase in reported wastage. We know there is always waste with vaccine administration and that an increase in wastage could cause concern for leaders. We recommend jurisdictions communicate with their stakeholders about these metric changes. Please reference the Wastage Reporting Table for reminders on when to report wastage. Note: An unextracted 15th dose from the larger volume Moderna vial does NOT result in reportable waste.

Please review and download the following resources to learn more about the Moderna EUA amendments:

Thank you for keeping Philadelphia safe and healthy from COVID-19. If you have any questions, please email vaccines@phila.gov.

April 29, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Pause Lifted by FDA

Attention COVID-19 Vaccine Providers:

On Friday April 23, the CDC and FDA lifted the pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine after completing a review of reports of adverse events. Today, the following operational guidance will allow for the return of J&J vaccine to distribution and administration. The J&J/Janssen vaccine may be administered now.

Health care providers administering the vaccine and vaccine recipients or caregivers should review the following documents:

Both documents have been revised to include information about the risk of this syndrome that has occurred in a very small number of people who have received the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.

Please refer to these additional resources for more information:

Thank you for keeping Philadelphia safe and healthy from COVID-19. If you have any questions, please email vaccines@phila.gov.

April 27, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Make Your Provider Page Public with VaccineFinder!

Dear Immunization Partner,

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) and the CDC are requesting that you make your provider page in VaccineFinder public. VaccineFinder is the portal that you’re using to log your COVID-19 vaccine inventory every 24 hours and can be found here: https://covid.locating.health/

Making your provider page public will allow fellow Philadelphians to search for vaccine clinics near them and therefore make it easier for them to be vaccinated. Your public-facing page will not display inventory information (i.e., number of doses on hand). PDPH has created a training video, linked below, to help you complete this process if you need:

Click here to watch the VaccineFinder Training Video

Please include any information regarding registrations for vaccinations, including a phone number or scheduling link, if possible, on your display page so that members of the public can more easily schedule appointments. As distribution and eligibility expands, it is important to promote vaccine opportunities that are currently available. If your site has the capacity to accept walk-ins, please also include this information on your VaccineFinder page as we hope to continue improving accessibility to vaccinations across the city.

We understand that making your VaccineFinder page public, posting your registration information, and allowing walk-in appointments may raise concerns. If you or your site are concerned, feel free to reach out to a contact at PDPH or email vaccines@phila.gov and they will connect you with a PDPH staff member to help you address your concerns.

Thank you for all the hard work you are doing to vaccinate Philadelphians!

April 22, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

CDC and FDA Call for Pause of Use for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

Attention all COVID-19 Vaccine Providers: The CDC and FDA have called for a pause of use for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine. Please read the joint CDC and FDA statement below:

Joint CDC and FDA Statement on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

The following statement is attributed to Dr. Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director of the CDC and Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen ) vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine. In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered. Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given.

CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Wednesday to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. FDA will review that analysis as it also investigates these cases. Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution. This is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.

Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.

CDC and FDA will provide additional information and answer questions later today at a media briefing. A recording of that media call will be available on the FDA’s YouTube channel.

 

Thank you for all you do to keep Philadelphia safe and healthy from COVID-19.

If you have any questions, please email vaccines@phila.gov.

April 13, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

DDL Switch Out Delay

Dear VFC Provider:

Your DLL(s) may need to be re-calibrated. Under routine guidelines, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) would replace your old DDL(s) with a newly calibrated DDL(s). However, we are currently unable to replace DDLs due to manufacturing difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recognizing this, the CDC has released updated guidance regarding the use of DDLs. The CDC is allowing the use of DDLs for up to 2 years from the expired calibration date. After consulting with the DDL manufacturers and DDL experts, the CDC is confident that DDLs that have recently reached the 2 years post-expired calibration date would still operate with the accuracy to suffice the CDC required parameters for storage and handling.

This allowance is applicable to PDPH provided DDLs.

PDPH is committed to always preserving the viability of vaccines. As soon as the shortages in the DDL market improve, PDPH will move forward with the usual biannual swap out. We’ll contact you when the newly recalibrated DDLs are mailed out to your site.

Until then, please let us know if your DDL displays a low battery symbol (pictured below) or is experiencing any other issues by emailing us at TempCheck@phila.gov or calling us at 215-685-6424.

 

Thank you for patience and understanding as we grow the Philadelphia vaccine distribution network.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

The Immunization Storage & Handling Team

April 9, 2021 in Bulletin

Remember to Submit Your Reconciliation With Your COVID-19 Vaccine Order!

All COVID-19 Vaccine Providers are required to submit an updated reconciliation the same day they place a COVID-19 vaccine order. Orders, temperature logs, and an up-to-date reconciliation must be submitted by Wednesdays at 5pm.

Moving forward, orders placed without a reconciliation will be rejected. It is each site’s responsibility to make sure that they are properly placing orders for COVID-19 Vaccine. This ensures that the vaccine ordering process is hassle free, and speeds up the vaccine rollout for everyone.

Additionally, please make sure your site is also reporting wastage by filling out our form for wasted vaccines.

Thank you for all you do to keep Philadelphia save and healthy from COVID-19.

If you have any questions, please email dphproviderhelp@phila.gov.

April 9, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Philadelphia is Now in Phase 1c!

Attention all COVID-19 vaccine providers! Philadelphia residents who fall under the phase 1c COVID-19 vaccine priority group are now eligible to be vaccinated. With this announcement the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) acknowledges that a significant percentage of city residents in groups 1a and 1b have been vaccinated, and it is time to expand vaccine eligibility.

Click here to read more about Philadelphia’s Phase 1c expansion. 

Who qualifies for Phase 1c?

Starting this week, the following city residents are eligible to receive vaccine:

  • Sanitation workers
  • Maintenance and janitorial staff
  • Utility workers
  • Postal and package delivery workers

And starting on April 12th, we will expand eligibility to the remainder of phase 1c city residents. This includes:

  • Higher education staff
  • Finance: public facing, non-remote positions in the finance industry
  • Transportation workers such as airport and train workers and taxi or rideshare drivers
  • Construction workers
  • IT & telecommunications workers
  • Members of the press
  • Legal industry
  • Public health workers

Read more about phase eligibility here!

Phase 2 is on the Horizon

On April 19th, PDPH, in accordance with Federal guidance, will be opening vaccine to all city residents, regardless of priority group. While we still have time to prioritize those who are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection, let us double down on our efforts and work to get residents in phase 1c vaccinated!

Thank you for your hard work and efforts to vaccinate Philadelphia. In these past four months you have given over half a million people a dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Together we can keep Philly safe from COVID-19!

April 7, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

FDA Now Approves Use of the 11th Dose in Moderna Vials

Last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a revision to their recommendations regarding the number of doses per vial available for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. COVID-19 Vaccine Providers may now extract and use 11 doses from Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine vials. The updated guidance can be found here, or by clicking on the button below, and the press release announcing the change can be read on the FDA’s website here.

Ancillary Supply Kits

While the FDA now allows for the extraction of an 11th dose of Moderna Vaccine, the ancillary supply kits that arrive with your Moderna doses still only support the extraction of 10 doses. We will send an update on the ancillary supply kits, and their expansion for an 11th dose, when that information is available to us.

Reporting Wastage

Wasted doses will still be considered anything under 10 doses drawn per vial. Doses above the 10 doses per vial for Moderna should NOT be reported as wastage.

If you have any questions please contact the Philadelphia Immunization Program team at vaccines@phila.gov. Thank you for the work that you do to keep Philadelphia safe and healthy!

April 5, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Reminder: Check Your COVID-19 Vaccine Expiration Dates!

COVID-19 Vaccine Providers, please make sure you are checking the expiration dates of your COVID-19 Vaccine and using vials with sooner expiration dates first. 

If you have vaccine that is going to expire that you are not going to use, please let us know at least 2 weeks prior to expiration, so we can move it to a provider who can use it.

This ensures that no vaccine gets wasted, and that we can work together to efficiently vaccinate as many people as possible.

Here’s how to find the expiration date of the different COVID-19 Vaccine Brands

Pfizer: Vials stored in an utlracold storage unit can be used until the last day of the month printed on the tray and each vial.

Moderna: The expiration date for doses stored in the freezer can be acquired on the Moderna website by entering the lot number that is  printed on the box:

Janssen: The expiration date can be acquired three ways:

  • Scan the QR code on the outer carton
  • Call 1-800-565-4008
  • Visit vaxcheck.jnj

We may also be able to transfer unopened vials of Pfizer and Moderna that have been moved to refrigerated temperatures and are nearing their beyond use date (BUD).

To inquire about transferring expiring doses, please email vaccines@phila.gov with transfer in the subject.

April 2, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Call to Action: Prioritize 65+ Population for COVID-19 Vaccine

Health departments across the country are seeing a new wave of COVID-19 cases. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) is seeing this same rise reflected in a distinct upward trend in our city. Despite Philadelphia being on the verge of expanding their priority populations for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, there are many highly vulnerable Philadelphians who still need their COVID-19 vaccine.

To reduce mortality within this new wave of cases, PDPH wants all COVID-19 Vaccine Providers to prioritize vaccinating Philadelphia residents 65 years of age and older.

As you know, vaccination is our best tool to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday, the CDC released the results from a real world study that show the clear benefits of vaccinations across 4,000 individuals in 6 states.

By vaccinating the city’s most vulnerable residents, you are saving lives in Philadelphia.  

Thank you for continued work to keep our city safe and healthy. If you have any questions, please email vaccines@phila.gov.

March 30, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Persons Authorized to Administer COVID-19 Vaccinations

Who can administer COVID-19 Vaccine in Pennsylvania?

Below is a comprehensive list of all potential COVID-19 vaccinators in Pennsylvania, by license type as of February 9th, 2021. The chart is broken down by license and the PA legal authority that is applicable to whether they may be able to administer vaccines.

There are other licenses that can have their scope of practice incorporate additional skills, such as an emergency medical responder, if the skills are approved by the Department and are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. 28 Pa. Code section 1023.24.  Possible amendments to the PREP Act may also expand the ability of a license to administer vaccines in the Commonwealth.

To view or download a pdf copy of the document, please click here.

 

March 11, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Specific COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheets

The Philadelphia Immunization Program has received many questions from residents about the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines. It the vaccine safe? Is it effective? What are the side effects? Different residents have different needs and we recognize that it is important to have specific FAQs that address specific questions for different populations and workforces.

In addition to the General COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ sheet, the Philadelphia Immunization program has also created specific COVID-19 FAQ sheets for childcare workers, congregate living facility staff and residents, essential workers, food service workers, long term care facility (LTCF) staff and residents, pregnant people, and public transit workers. These specific FAQ sheets are also translated into seven different languages. Please use the quicklinks below to click on the specific FAQ sheet you wish to download.

  1. Childcare Workers
  2. Congregate Living Facility Staff and Residents
  3. Essential Workers
  4. Food Service Workers
  5. Long Term Care Facility (LTCF) Staff and Residents
  6. Pregnant People
  7. Public Transit Workers

 

Childcare Workers COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

Go back to quicklinks.

 

Congregate Living Facility Staff and Residents COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

Go back to quicklinks.

 

Essential Workers COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

Go back to quicklinks.

 

Food Service Workers COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

Go back to quicklinks.

 

Long Term Care Facility (LCTF) Staff and Residents COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

Go back to quicklinks.

 

Pregnant People COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

Go back to quicklinks.

 

Public Transit Workers COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

Go back to quicklinks.

 

February 26, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

General COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet

The Philadelphia Immunization Program has received many questions from residents about the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines. It the vaccine safe? Is it effective? What are the side effects?

To help answer these questions, we have created a General COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ sheet in seven different languages. The FAQ sheet compiles the ten most frequently asked questions about the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine by Philadelphia residents. Please select and download one of the files below and share it among your network.

PDPH has also created more specific FAQ sheets for childcare workers, congregate living facility staff and residents, essential workers, food service workers, long term care facility (LCTF) staff and residents, pregnant people, and public transit workers. Please click here to access the specific FAQ sheets.

Don’t see your question listed? Please visit the city’s COVID-19 webpage for more FAQs and updates about the vaccine. Thank you for all you do to help keep Philadelphia safe and healthy!

February 26, 2021 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 FAQ Sheet for Long Term Care Facilities

Phase 1b of the city’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan includes residents over the age of 75. The Philadelphia Immunization Program is working with the city’s long term care facilities (LTCFs) to roll out COVID-19 vaccine distribution to this vulnerable population.

In conversation with our LTCF partners, we have heard many questions from residents and staff. It the vaccine safe? Is it effective? Will my medication interact with the vaccine? What are the side effects?

To help answer these questions, we have created a COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ Sheet in seven different languages.  The FAQ sheet compiles the ten most frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine by LTCF residents and staff. Please select and download one of the files below and share it among your network.

Don’t see your question listed? Please visit the city’s COVID-19 webpage for more FAQs and updates about the vaccine. Thank you for all you do to help keep Philadelphia safe and healthy!

December 29, 2020 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine

Healthcare Workers Seeking COVID-19 Immunization

Healthcare Workers Seeking COVID-19 Immunization

To download a pdf copy of the document, please click here.

Immunization with a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is a critical component of the national strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and to help restore societal functioning. While the goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccine to all people who wish to be vaccinated, there is currently a limited supply of vaccine available. Initial vaccination efforts are focusing on healthcare workers who have a high risk of exposure to the virus and are at risk of transmitting infection to vulnerable persons. Residents of longterm care facilities are also a top priority. If you are a healthcare worker with both a risk of exposure and a risk of transmitting COVID-19, you are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination, as follows:

  • If you are affiliated with a Philadelphia hospital or health system, check with their Occupational Health Services to learn when vaccine will be made available to your practice.
  • If you are not affiliated with a hospital or health system, you will be able to receive vaccine through a local Pharmacy, Clinic, or Urgent Care. Access to vaccine at these sites will be appointment-based and for Philadelphia providers only. The ultracold storage requirements of Pfizer COVID vaccine makes this impossible to provide in these types of venues. When another product becomes available, it will be made available. Check back weekly for updates.
  • If you are not affiliated with a hospital or health system, and have a large practice (>100 employees), you may be eligible to receive a direct shipment of vaccine for your employees. To qualify for receiving shipped vaccine, you must: (1) be located in Philadelphia; (2) sign and submit the CDC Provider Agreement form at https://vax.phila.gov/index.php/covid-19/ ; and (3) be able to transmit electronic vaccine administration records to the city’s data system (submit inquiry to
    Philavax@phila.gov).

 

If you have any questions, contact our team at vaccines@phila.gov.

December 16, 2020 in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine