Author: Rishi Sharma

2023-2024 Pfizer (5 yrs-11 yrs and 12+) COVID-19 Vaccines No Longer Available

2023-2024 Pfizer (5 yrs-11 yrs and 12+) COVID-19 Vaccines No Longer Available

As of Monday, June 10, 2024, the Pfizer 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, 5 yrs – 11 yrs, and Comirnaty (Pfizer), 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, 12 yrs + products are no longer available to order through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) and Bridge Access Programs.

Continue to order and administer 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines until they reach their beyond use date (BUD), expire, or new product becomes available. We’ve seen summer peaks in past years, so individuals aged 6 months and above who have not received a dose should continue to be vaccinated.

See below for details on the availability of the different products. If your preferred product is no longer available, change to an alternate product and continue to offer and administer COVID-19 vaccine to patients.

Dosing Schedule: 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine

For more details, review the CDC’s Interim 2023-2024 COVID-19 Immunization Schedule for Persons 6 Months of Age and Older.

Available Products (updated 6/10/2024): 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine

Upcoming Changes in COVID-19 Vaccine Product Availability

CDC anticipates upcoming changes in the availability of COVID-19 vaccine products.

Here’s what we know now about the upcoming changes in 2023-2024 COVID-19 product availability:

The latest expiration date for the Pfizer (6 mo – 4 yrs) product is 7/31/2024.
Moderna (6 mo – 11 yrs and 12+) product has expiration dates through late September.

Be sure to check expiration dates before administering any vaccine.

Other Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccine Product Expiration

The expiration dates indicated above are the latest 2023-2024 expiry. Your office may have vaccine products that expire sooner.
The beyond use date (BUD) supersedes the manufacturer’s expiration date.

We will send additional messages to remind you about these expiration dates as they occur, provide guidance for inventory management, and inform you of other product updates as we are notified.

If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccine availability, please reach out.

For VFC, email Victor Obeck at victor.obeck@phila.gov.

For the Bridge Access Program, email Nyandra McFadden at nyandra.mcfadden@phila.gov.

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Now Expired!

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Now Expired!

Read on for more upcoming changes in COVID-19 product availability.

As of Friday, May 31, 2024 all doses of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine have expired.

Remove any remaining doses from your storage units at this time.
Use this guide to waste any opened vaccine. 
Use this guide to return unopened vaccine.

See below for details on the availability of different products. If your preferred product is no longer available, change to an alternate product and continue to offer and administer COVID-19 vaccine to patients.

Dosing Schedule: 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine

For more details, review the CDC’s Interim 2023-2024 COVID-19 Immunization Schedule for Persons 6 Months of Age and Older.

Available Products (updated 6/3/2024): 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine

Upcoming Changes in COVID-19 Vaccine Product Availability

CDC anticipates upcoming changes in the availability of COVID-19 vaccine products.

Here’s what we know now about the upcoming changes in product availability:

The latest expiration dates of the 2023-24 COVID-19 season NovaVax and Pfizer products are:
- Novavax: 5/31/2024
- Pfizer (6 mo – 4 yrs): 7/31/2024
- Pfizer (5 yrs – 11 yrs and 12+): 8/31/2024
Moderna (6 mo – 11 yrs and 12+) products have expiration dates through late September

Be sure to check expiration dates before administering any vaccine.

Other Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccine Product Expiration

The expiration dates indicated above are the latest 2023-2024 expiry. Your office may have vaccine products that expire sooner.
The beyond use date (BUD) supersedes the manufacturer’s expiration date.

We will send additional messages to remind you about these expiration dates as they occur, provide guidance for inventory management, and inform you of other product updates as we are notified.

If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccine availability, please reach out.

For VFC, email Victor Obeck at victor.obeck@phila.gov.

For the Bridge Access Program, email Nyandra McFadden at nyandra.mcfadden@phila.gov.

Call for Nominations: 2024 Immunization Champion Award

Call for Nominations: 2024 Immunization Champion Award

You can still submit a nomination for the Immunization Champion Award! Your nominations will determine the 2024 Philadelphia Immunization Champion. Check out the eligibility criteria below and acknowledge someone you know who champions local immunization access.

The Immunization Champion Award is a national award program hosted by the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) and honors individuals going above and beyond to foster and/or promote immunization in their communities.

Access the nomination form below. Once completed, email it to vaccines@phila.gov!

Submit a nominaton!

The nomination deadline has been extended to May 28, 2024. Please share this email with your networks.

Instructions for Nomination

Individuals can be recognized for their work in childhood, adolescent, or adult vaccines.

Who is eligible?

Healthcare professionals (i.e., pharmacists, physicians, nurses, physicians’ assistants, nurse practitioners, medical assistants)
Nonprofit leaders
Community activists
Parents
School and education leaders
Coalition members
Community-based organization members
Immunization partners

Who is ineligible?

Immunization program managers
County, state, and federal government employees paid by state or federal immunization funding
Individuals who have been affiliated with and/or employed by pharmaceutical companies
Individuals who have already received the award
Groups – the award is only for individuals

If you have any questions, please contact info@immunizationmanagers.org. Additional information can also be found here.

2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine Update

2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Dosing Schedule & Available Products

Review the dosing schedule and available products for 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine below. We don’t yet know the exact timing of when 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines will be available. However, FDA authorization or approval of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines is anticipated for Fall 2024.

Dosing Schedule: 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine

For more details, review the CDC’s Interim 2023-2024 COVID-19 Immunization Schedule for Persons 6 Months of Age and Older.

See the table below for details on the availability of the different products. If your preferred product is no longer available, change to an alternate product to continue offering and administering COVID-19 vaccine to patients.

Available Products (updated 5/2/24): 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine

Tips for COVID-19 Vaccine Ordering & Administration

Continue to order and administer 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines until they reach their beyond use date (BUD), expire, or new product becomes available.

The remaining 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines available for ordering are expected to expire between May and July. It is important to check expiration dates before administering any vaccine.

We’ve seen summer peaks in COVID-19 cases in past years, so individuals aged 6 months and above who have not received a dose should continue to be vaccinated.

If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccine availability, please reach out.

For VFC, email Victor Obeck at victor.obeck@phila.gov.

For the Bridge Access Program, email Nyandra McFadden at nyandra.mcfadden@phila.gov.

COVID-19 Vaccine Return Guidance

COVID-19 Vaccine Return Guidance

Unopened vaccines should be returned when:

The manufacturer expiration date has passed.
The vaccines are no longer viable due to out-of-range temperatures.
The vaccine has passed its beyond-use-date (BUD).

When returning COVID-19 vaccines that have passed their beyond-use-date, remember to select Other as the return reason and include “Past BUD [insert the BUD date]” in the comments section.

Process a return for expired or non-viable vaccines in PhilaVax. Use this guide to assist you in the return process.

Contact dphproviderhelp@phila.gov if you need assistance with completing a return.

Register for the SexMed Conference!

Register for the SexMed Conference!

Join this free, in-person conference designed for healthcare providers and care teams seeking best practices, protocols, and skills in proactive, patient-centered sexual healthcare for all Philadelphians. The conference will take place on Friday, May 3, 2024 in Center City, Philadelphia.

Register for the conference!

Conference Details

Fee

There is no fee for this event, but registration is required. Includes breakfast, lunch, and free continuing education credits:

CME
CNE/Nursing Professional Development
LSW, LCSW, LPC, LMFT/Social Work

Audience

For providers and front-facing staff in medical environments.

Date

Friday, May 3, 2024

Time

7:30 a.m. — Registration Opens
8:00 a.m. — Breakfast and Opening Plenary
9:00 a.m. — Morning Breakout Sessions
12:00 p.m. — Lunch Plenary
1:30 p.m. — Afternoon Breakout Sessions
4:30 p.m. — Rooftop Mixer Event (Presented by UPENN Eidos)

Location

The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel – Philadelphia Center City
237 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Content

Sessions cover topics including HIV, mpox, and STI testing, medications to prevent HIV infection, linkage to care, harm reduction messages, patient experience, and communication skills. Elevate your expertise in sexual healthcare at SexMed.

Detailed program will be featured on the event website.

Updated CDC Guidance for Community Settings

Updated CDC Guidance for Community Settings

Earlier this week, the CDC updated the respiratory virus guidance and suggested additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 65 and older.

The recommendations in this guidance may help reduce spread of respiratory illness such as RSV, influenza, and others.

People in community settings with respiratory symptoms should stay home until symptoms improve and they are fever-free for 24 hours and take transmission-based precautions for five days after leaving home.
People aged 65 years and older currently make up the majority (70%) of those hospitalized with COVID-19. They are now eligible for an additional dose of vaccine, provided it has been at least four months since the last dose.
Individuals of all ages should receive at least one dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine this season.

This recommendation provides specific guidance for non-healthcare congregate settings, such as confinement facilities and shelters. Isolation and exposure recommendations for healthcare settings, including acute, post-acute, and outpatient settings have not changed.

For any questions, email vaccines@phila.gov.

Lunch & Learn: Injection Safety Best Practices

Lunch & Learn: Injection Safety Best Practices

Join us for an informative, virtual session on Friday, February 2, 2024 from 12 to 1 p.m. This session is for outpatient providers.

The Immunization Program is partnering with the Healthcare Associated Infections/Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI/AR) Program within the Division of Disease Control for this lunch & learn session entitled Give Your Best Shot: Injection Safety Best Practices for Infection and Injury Prevention.

Session Information:

Title: Give Your Best Shot: Injection Safety Best Practices for Infection and Injury Prevention

Summary: Infection control lunch & learn with a focus on injection safety

Invitees: Outpatient providers and direct care staff

Speakers:

Charlotte Gallagher, BSN, RN, infection preventionist
Mayssa Abuali, MD, pediatric infectious diseases specialist

Agenda:

Presentation: “Give Your Best Shot: Injection Safety Best Practices for Infection and Injury Prevention”
Presentation: “Respiratory Viral Activity and Immunization Update” by Dr. Mayssa Abuali
Resources: PDPH infection prevention and control resources and services for outpatient clinics

Time: Friday, February 2, 2024, 12 – 1 p.m.

Location: Zoom

Register for the Meeting!

COVID-19 Vaccine Returns

COVID-19 Vaccine Returns

Unopened vaccines should be returned when:

The manufacturer expiration date has passed.
The vaccines are no longer viable due to out-of-range temperatures.
The vaccine has passed its beyond-use-date (BUD).

When returning COVID-19 vaccines that have passed their beyond-use-date,
remember to select Other as the return reason and include “Past BUD [insert the
BUD date]” in the comments section.*

Process a return for expired or non-viable vaccines in PhilaVax. Use this guide to assist you in the return process.

*New BUD labels are available for order. View this recent advisory for the ordering page and BUD label instructions.

Reminders

When to waste vaccine:

Opened non-viable vaccines should be wasted out of inventory in
PhilaVax. Use this guide to assist you in the wastage process.
Wasted vaccines include:
- Open multi-dose vials where not all doses have been administered.
- Broken vials/syringes.
- Vaccine drawn up into a syringe but not administered.

Mpox Vaccine: MLK Day Reminder

Mpox Vaccine: MLK Day Reminder

The City of Philadelphia is closed on January 15, 2024 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Be sure to submit your mpox vaccine requests by Tuesday, January 16 at 5 p.m. to account for the holiday. Normal deliveries resume on Wednesday and Thursday of that week (week of January 15).

Remember to submit your temperatures to tempcheck@phila.gov and complete a reconciliation of vaccine on hand for your order to be approved.

Click the button below to submit your order for mpox vaccine.

If you have any questions, please contact Marguerite Horton at marguerite.horton@phila.gov.

Order mpox vaccine