COVID-19 Vaccine Providers Newsletter 04.08.2021

Posted on by Daniel Harker

All provider vaccine requests for the upcoming week should be input into the Virginia Vaccine Management and Allocation Exchange (VaxMaX) by Monday, April 12 at 5pm ET.

  • Additionally, we are excited to announce the launch of the VaxMax help website will be a great resource for reference guides and tutorial videos. 
  • As a reminder, VaxMaX should be used for vaccine management and distribution, redistribution reporting, data tracking, and other reporting.

On April 1, FDA authorized a Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine EUA amendment to help increase the number of vaccine doses available which includes the following updates:

  • Unpunctured vials
    • Moderna vials can now be stored frozen between -50° to -15°C (-58° to 5°F). This is a new, wider temperature range that is consistent with other recommended vaccines stored in the freezer.
    • Vias may be stored between 8° to 25°C (46° to 77°F) for a total of 24 hours. This is an increase from 12 to 24 hours.
    • Unchanged: Vials may be stored refrigerated between 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F) for up to 30 days prior to first use.
  • Punctured vials
    • After the first dose has been withdrawn, the vial should be held between 2° to 25°C (36° to 77°F) for up to 12 hours. Vials should be discarded 12 hours after the first puncture. This is an increase from 6 hours to 12 hours.
  • The current multidose vial (6.3mL) contains enough for 10-11 doses. It is possible to extract an 11th dose using low-dead volume (LDV) needles/syringes.
    • Moderna ancillary supply kits include enough supplies to administer 10 doses per vial and do not contain LDV needles/syringes. 
      • Given the limited supply of LDV syringes, the 11th dose will not be counted as waste.
      • Do not “borrow” LDV syringes from Pfizer kits.
      • If you use your own supply of LDV needles/syringes to withdraw an 11th dose, please know they cannot be replaced. 
  • The updated fact sheets can be found here. Additional highlights of key changes are at the end of this newsletter.

With the governor’s announcement that all individuals in Virginia age 16 and older will be eligible by April 18 to get the COVID-19 vaccine, it is increasingly important to promote vaccine confidence among your patients and encourage them to get vaccinated as soon as possible. 

  • You can find helpful resources from CDC, VDH, and others on the VDH website including links, relevant webinar recordings, and communication materials in multiple languages to share and distribute at your practice.
  • While all individuals age 16 and older will be eligible by April 18, it may still take time to get an appointment.

The amount of COVID-19 dose wastage reported continues to fall below expectations. 

  • The goal was to maintain wastage below 2% of the total doses delivered. 
  • At the reporting mark of 177,751 doses, 0.09% was reported as wastage with 62% being Pfizer product.
  • Please continue to report waste in the VDH Vaccine Wastage Reporting Survey. Keep up the good work!

Best Practice Spotlight

  • CDC has designed a new mini-webinar series addressing different topics related to COVID-19 vaccination including preventing administration errors, receiving and transporting vaccines, hosting off-site vaccination clinics, preventing vaccine administration errors, and more in the coming weeks. Each webinar is approximately 15 minutes long and offers continuing education (CE) credits. CDC’s first two webinars are available through the Training and Education Webinar Resources webpage, posted in the COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series section.
  • One way CDC is contributing to vaccination efforts is by promoting the work happening in communities across the country through COVID-19 Vaccine Community Features. Each week CDC will feature stories that celebrate the people behind the vaccination program and give other communities ideas to improve their programs. Send stories you would like CDC to feature to ISDcomm@cdc.gov. Include “CVCF Submission” in the subject, a summary of your story, and contact information. CDC will review the suggestion and send follow-up instructions.

Check out our complete list of COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Best Practices here.

Helpful Resources

Updates to Moderna HCP Fact Sheet (dated 3/31/2021):

  • The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is supplied in two multiple-dose vial presentations: A multiple-dose vial containing a maximum of 11 doses: range 10-11 doses (0.5mL each) and a multiple-dose vial containing a maximum of 15 doses: range 13-15 doses (0.5 mL each). Max 15-dose vial presentation has a new NDC #s (UoS: 80777-273-98; UoU 80777-273-15)
  • Depending on the syringes and needles used for each dose, there may not be sufficient volume to extract more than 10 doses from the maximum of 11 doses vial or more than 13 doses from the maximum of 15 doses vial. Irrespective of the type of syringe and needle, each dose must contain 0.5 ml of vaccine. Do not pool excess vaccine from multiple vials; pierce the stopper at a different site each time.
  • For max-11 dose vial:
    • Thaw in refrigerated conditions between 2° to 8°C for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Let each vial stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before administering.
    • Alternatively, thaw at room temperature between 15° to 25°C for 1 hour.
  • For max-15 dose vial:
    • Thaw in refrigerated conditions between 2° to 8°C for 3 hours. Let each vial stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before administering.
    • Alternatively, thaw at room temperature between 15° to 25°C for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • Added that thawed vials can be handled in room light conditions
  • Added a section for transportation of thawed vials at refrigerated condition 2° to 8°C
  • Added severe adverse reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been reported during mass vaccination outside of clinical trials
  • Added delayed injection site reactions that began >7 days after vaccination were reported in 1.2% of vaccine recipients and 0.4% of placebo recipients. Delayed injection site reactions included pain, erythema, and swelling and are likely related to vaccination.
  • Added a new section on Federal COVID-19 Vaccination Program (vaccine exclusively through CDC Vaccination Program; providers must be enrolled in the Vaccination Program and comply with provider requirements; providers may not charge any fee; etc.)

Updates to Moderna Recipient Fact Sheet (dated 3/26/2021):

  • Added severe allergic reactions as a risk
  • Added two new sections entitled “Can I be charged an administration fee for receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine?” and “Where can I report cases of suspected fraud?”

Information about the COVID-19 vaccination program is changing frequently. This newsletter will offer regular updates to providers who have submitted an intent to vaccinate or signed the CDC provider agreement within Virginia.

VDH COVID-19 Vaccination Response: Healthcare Professionals Website