Author: Aimee Lin

Multi-Dose Vials of VFC Flu Vaccine Available to Order Again

Multi-dose vials (MDVs) of Fluzone are again available to order for your VFC eligible patients.

Please visit our flu ordering page for more information on the available vaccines.

Have questions?

Contact Christine Wilson at 215.685.6728 or christine.wilson@phila.gov or Charma Miller at 215.685.6667 or charma.miller@phila.gov for assistance.

Thank you for keeping Philadelphia healthy by fighting flu! For more information about influenza in Philadelphia, visit our flu page.

IMPORTANT: The Immunization Program Website Address (URL) is Changing! Update Your Bookmarks!

On January 17, 2023, the PDPH Immunization Program website URL will be changing from vaccines.phila.gov to vaccines.phila.gov. Your bookmarked pages will need to be updated once the new URL goes live on January 17.

How This Will Impact Providers

There will be an automatic redirect in place, where anyone who goes to vaccines.phila.gov will be automatically sent to vaccines.phila.gov. But if you have certain pages on the website bookmarked, these links will have to be updated in January. If you don’t update those bookmarks after January 17, you will see a 404 error message.

Email vaccines@phila.gov with any questions.

Moderna & Pfizer Shelf-Life Extensions

FDA has approved additional Moderna shelf-life extensions. With these extensions, there are now Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech monovalent COVID-19 vaccines that will last into spring 2023. As a matter of best practice, please verify expiry dates using the manufacturers’ online checkers prior to vaccine disposal.

MODERNA

Moderna has now received shelf-life extensions of all wave 1 and wave 2 monovalent COVID-19 vaccines (complete list below).
Some of the lots below are MOD 10 (ages 12+) and some are MOD 5 (ages 6-11). All Moderna lots that have received shelf-life extensions are for primary series use only.
Please use the Moderna Vial Expiration Checker to check expiration dates.

PFIZER

Pfizer has received shelf-life extensions of all TRIS products (i.e., all mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, including both monovalent and bivalent vaccines).
Expiration is now 18 months from the date of manufacture (stored ULT frozen).
Please use the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Expiry tool to check expiration dates.

REMINDERWe continue to encourage you to properly manage and report your inventory:

Practice first in/first out inventory management.
Store older vaccines to the front of the refrigerator or freezer unit.
Continually monitor vaccines to help reduce administration errors.
Verify expiry dates using the manufacturers’ online checkers:
- Pfizer: https://lotexpiry.cvdvaccine.com
- Moderna: https://modernacovid19global.com/vial-lookup
- Novavax: https://us.novavaxcovidvaccine.com/hcp
- Johnson and Johnson/Janssen: https://vaxcheck.jnj/
Dispose of any expired vaccine according to state and local regulations.
Update/zero out inventory in VaccineFinder to avoid turning away customers.CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccine Lot Number and Expiration Date Report: https://vaccinecodeset.cdc.gov/LotNumber

Mpox Vaccine: Holiday Delivery Pause

Mpox vaccine deliveries will be paused for the holiday from December 26 to 30. Remember to submit an order request by Monday, December 19, at 5pm, for your order to be approved the week of December 19. The last mpox delivery will be on Wednesday, December 22.

Deliveries will resume in the new year, the week of January 2, 2023!

Under 5 Pfizer and Under 6 Moderna Bivalent Vaccines

Vaccine Ordering:
Bivalent Pfizer 6 months – 4 years and bivalent Moderna 6 months – 5 years is now available for ordering in PhilaVax. The minimum ordering quantity for these products is 100 doses. The bivalent 6 month – 4 year Pfizer vaccine can be found on the second page.

Bivalent Moderna 6 months – 5 years will be packaged in two dose vials. Please remember to check NDC numbers to ensure that you are ordering the correct product.

Pfizer 6 months – 4 years Bivalent NDC: 59267-0609-02
Moderna 6 months – 5 years Bivalent NDC: 80777-0283-99

Bivalent 6 months – 4 year Pfizer:

The new bivalent Pfizer 6 months – 4 years product is  NOT A BOOSTER, but is the new third dose of the primary series.
Children 6 months through 4 years who have completed the monovalent Pfizer 3 dose series are currently not authorized to receive a booster dose of any COVID product.
Children aged 5 years who complete the Pfizer primary series may receive a bivalent Pfizer 5-11 booster dose.

Bivalent 6 months – 5 year Moderna:

The new bivalent Moderna 6 months through 5 years product is approved as a booster dose for children 6 months through 4 years who have completed the Moderna Monovalent series only.
Children aged 5 years and older who complete the Moderna primary series may receive one Moderna or Pfizer age appropriate bivalent booster dose.

Resources

To view all updates, please visit:

Digital Data Logger Download Reminder During the Holiday Season

To make sure that your vaccines stay properly monitored over the busy holiday season, please be aware of the date indicator on your digital data loggers (DDLs). To prevent any gaps in temperature monitoring, please download your DDL files if the date indicator is approaching the 30 day capacity. With many offices having adjusted holiday hours or staff members taking time off, the 30 day capacity on your DDL could be reached.

To prevent this, we suggest that you download your DDL files before the holidays, especially if your office will be closed. This may mean downloading your DDL earlier than you normally would. This will ensure that they continue to record temperature readings for your storage units into the New Year.

After you download your DDL files, remember to:

1) Email both your LTD (yellow and blue) and CSV (green) files to TempCheck@phila.gov

2) Upload your CSV files into the Clinic Tools module in PhilaVax

If you need assistance or have additional questions, please contact our Storage and Handling department at TempCheck@phila.gov.

Mpox Vaccination Update: Intradermal or Subcutaneous Regimen Permitted

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the CDC have updated the mpox provider agreement to allow for both an intradermal and subcutaneous route of administration to be used for mpox vaccination. There is reported vaccine hesitancy due to concern over possible hyperpigmentation or scarring following intradermal administration. This change highlights that concerns about intradermal administration should not be a barrier to vaccination.

At the height of the outbreak, the intradermal route was preferred because it increased the number of available vaccine doses, while safely providing a similar immune response against mpox. However, mpox providers now have the flexibility to offer the intradermal or subcutaneous regimen based on optimal vaccine use and acceptance, feasibility of administration, and available vaccine supply. Both subcutaneous and intradermal vaccine regimens provide a safe immune response against mpox.

For more information view the CDC’s interim clinical considerations for JYNNEOS.

Thank you for the work you are doing to promote vaccination against mpox in Philadelphia.

View the Mpox Vaccination Program Provider Agreement.

Moderna Shelf-Life Extensions

FDA has approved a shelf-life extension for the following Moderna monovalent products. Below, find a table with updated expiration dates for the specific lots impacted by the extension.

With the Moderna Vial Expiration Checker, Moderna also allows vaccine providers to look up expiration dates by lot number, which includes the new expiration dates listed above. To find the expiration date, locate the lot number printed on the carton and/or vial and enter it into the lot number search field on the website, then press “submit.”

When checking existing vaccine inventory, be sure to apply these new expiration dates.

For additional information, view the CDC overview of Moderna vaccine.

Get Patients On Schedule with MMR & Other Pediatric Vaccines

PDPH strongly encourages providers to ensure children are up to date with their MMR as well as other pediatric vaccines. This is especially urgent given the recent outbreak of measles in Columbus, Ohio. The outbreaks in Columbus have infected over 40 unvaccinated children, from <1 year old to 15 years of age, with cases on the rise. Nearly half of these children have been hospitalized.

Children should be vaccinated against measles at 12-15 months of age, with a booster dose at 4 years of age. Adults surrounding infants who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated are encouraged to make sure their vaccination records are up to date.

View the pediatric vaccination schedule.

Use Every Opportunity to Vaccinate

Review immunization records and recall patients who are not up to date. Use the PhilaVax Recall Report Guide to create a report of patients who are due for vaccine.

Vaccine should be administered to children with mild illnesses such as:

Otitis media
Diarrhea
Upper respiratory tract infections

Shelf Life Extensions on Moderna and Pfizer Products

Expiration dates of the following monovalent Moderna 10 products have been extended:

Moderna has verified the new expiration dates above and updated the Moderna Vial Expiration Checker.Additionally, Pfizer will be sending out short dated products and advises to hold on to products expiring soon in anticipation of a shelf life extension. If you have Pfizer vaccine products expiring soon set these aside and label them as “Do Not Use” until further information is received. This extension will be in reference to expiration dates only. BUD labels should still be monitored and disposed of once no longer viable.