Author: Viviana Sanchez-Gomez

RSV Ordering Update

Beginning Monday, October 28, 2024, all RSV orders will require current temperature files and a current reconciliation due on the day the order is placed.

Routine Immunizations, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccine orders: Current temperature data and reconciliation due the same day as the order.

Flu vaccine orders: Current temperature data and reconciliation due within two weeks of the 1st seasonal order. After the initial order, the current reconciliation is due every 60 days.

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Training Videos

Online Ordering & Clinic Tools Training
Required Vaccine Webinars

Beyfortus Open Ordering Now Available

VFC providers are now welcome to order Beyfortus as needed. The CDC has released a limited amount in each wave, so we encourage sites to order early. Orders may be adjusted to ensure equity among patient populations.

Dosages:

RSV comes in two dosages:

50 mg
100 mg

Both dosages are administered as an intramuscular injection with a single-dose, pre-filled syringe and should be ordered to be properly administered by weight.

Eligible Patients

Infants aged <8 months born during or entering their first RSV season
- 1 dose of nirsevimab (50 mg for infants <5 kg and 100 mg for infants ≥5 kg)
- Do not give two doses of the 50 mg product in place of the 100 mg product
Children aged 8-19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season
- 200 mg nirsevimab, administered by two 100 mg syringes

For questions or concerns, reach out to Victor Obeck at victor.obeck@phila.gov or our Ordering Team at DPHproviderhelp@phila.gov.

Mpox Vaccine: Holiday Notice

Mpox vaccine deliveries will be paused during the week of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, October 14-18, 2024.

Ordering will remain open this week until Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

The last delivery for mpox vaccine will be on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Remember to submit your temperatures to tempcheck@phila.gov and complete a reconciliation of vaccine on hand for your order to be approved.

Deliveries for mpox vaccine will resume on the week of October 21, 2024. If you have any questions, please contact Danny Reed at danny.reed@phila.gov.

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

Mpox Vaccine Request Form

2024 – 2025 COVID-19 Vaccines Available to Order

As a reminder, the federally funded Bridge Access Program (BAP) ended on August 12, 2024. Last season’s 2023- 2024 COVID-19 vaccines are now unauthorized and should not be administered.

If you have not done so already, remove all 2023 – 2024 COVID-19 vaccines from storage units and return any unused product. Use this guide to assist you.

The Immunization Program has been awarded limited funds to allow providers previously enrolled in the BAP to order a small quantity of updated 2024 – 2025 Spikevax (Moderna) to vaccinate uninsured and underinsured adults at their practice.

Please note that these doses are limited. Large orders may be reduced due to limited supply. You can order 2024 – 2025 COVID-19 vaccine today. Upload a complete reconciliation of your current COVID-19 inventory and temperature files with every order.

If you have questions regarding your site’s allocations, contact Nyandra McFadden at nyandra.mcfadden@phila.gov.

We value your efforts in vaccinating underinsured and uninsured adults and want to express our gratitude for your continued participation in our programs.

Training Videos: School Required Immunizations

Pennsylvania law requires all students (K-12) to be vaccinated while attending school. Students who do not have the required vaccines may be excluded from school until they receive the appropriate vaccines.

Since the 2020 school year, national coverage with state-required vaccines among kindergarten students has declined.

Work with parents and guardians to schedule vaccination appointments to help get your patients on track with immunizations.

Training Videos

We have created a series of short training videos to support your practice. The videos cover topics including school immunization requirements, the ACIP child and adolescent immunization schedule, information on specific vaccines, vaccine interval spacing, and Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reporting.

View Training Videos

VFAAR Flu Ordering Opens Tomorrow

VFAAR providers can order flu vaccine for the 2024-2025 season starting tomorrow, Wednesday, September 11. Make sure your site is ready!

All flu vaccine from the 2023-2024 season must be wasted or returned before you can order flu vaccine for the 2024-2025 season. Guidance on accounting for remaining doses can be found here. To account for any unused 2023-24 VFC/VFAAR flu vaccine still at your site using PhilaVax:

Process a return for the unopened vials online in the Vaccines Returns module. A job aid with step-by-step instructions can be found here.
Complete an adjustment for any open MDVs in the Inventory Module. A job aid with step-by-step instructions can be found here.

Due to the limited availability of flu vaccine for adults this season, we will have a maximum ordering threshold per site to ensure everyone has access to the flu vaccine. The Immunization Program will make every effort to fulfill your flu vaccine request. If flu product is available in limited quantity, your order may be reduced.

Additional doses will become available throughout the season.

To place your first adult flu order:

Complete an adult reconciliation (if it’s been more than 2 weeks since your last adult reconciliation).
Submit your temperature data and email the LTD file to TempCheck@Phila.gov. Upload the CSV file into PhilaVax.

Visit our Flu Page for more information on what vaccines are available and to gain access to flu resources and free print materials.

Bridge Access Program Update

Thank you for your continued efforts in ensuring that Philadelphia community members have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. We regret to inform you that the federally funded Bridge Access Program (BAP) has ended before the original closure date of December 31st, 2024. This difficult decision was reached due to congressional rescissions in the FY 2024 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act. With the FDA’s approval of the updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024 – 2025 season, all previous COVID-19 vaccines are now unauthorized for use and should not be administered.

To minimize the risk of vaccine administration errors, providers should:  

Remove all 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccines from storage units immediately, even if they are not expired. 
Return all unused 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccines to McKesson using the normal process for returning spoiled/expired vaccines in PhilaVax. Use this guide to assist you in the return process.
- Mark the reason as “Other” then in the comment box type in Deauthorized.

Next Steps for Vaccinating Uninsured & Underinsured Patients

The FDA has approved and authorized the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

What to Know

Everyone ages 6 months and older should get a 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine products are not available through the Bridge Access Program.
The 2023–2024 Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized for use.

The Immunization Program has been awarded limited funds to allow providers previously enrolled in the Bridge Program to order a small quantity of the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. Please note that these doses are limited. Review your site’s usage over the 2023-2024 season and order small amounts of COVID-19 vaccine. Large orders may be reduced due to our limited supply. You will be notified when ordering is open in the next few weeks.

We value your efforts in vaccinating underinsured and uninsured adults and want to express our gratitude for your continued participation in our programs. Ensure you are receiving email advisories from vaccines@phila.gov, our primary means for disseminating information to our providers. If you or your colleagues are not receiving advisories, email vaccines@phila.gov.

Remind Families About Back to School Vaccines

Prepare your pediatric patients to return to school by getting them caught up with their vaccines. Access reminder recall guidance, free print materials, and more information about vaccination coverage rates below.

According to CDC, vaccination coverage among kindergarten students has declined to its lowest level in decades. There is also a global increase in measles cases and outbreaks that has impacted us locally.

Remind families about school-required vaccinations as well as HPV, COVID-19, and flu.

Reminder and Recall Strategies

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers steps to identify overdue patients including:

Decide on an age range to focus on, if it is not feasible to contact all patients.
Run an IIS query for all patients in your selected age range who are 30+ days behind on vaccination.
Run the same query in the EHR. If you are unsure whether your EHR system has this capability, check with your EHR vendor.

They also suggest strategies for reminder or recall such as:

Social media
Reminder postcards and letters that can be printed and mailed
Message reminders via patient portals

Order Free Print Materials

We offer free print materials including a vaccine coloring sheet, pediatric vaccine schedules, and a new educational brochure for adolescents.

Preview: Take Control of your Health Brochure

Use the button below to order free print materials for your office!

Order Print Materials

Return Expired Doses of Flu Today!

All VFC/VFAAR influenza vaccines supplied by the Philadelphia Immunization Program during the 2023-2024 flu season have expired. Please account for unused VFC/VFAAR flu vaccine at your site using PhilaVax:

Process a return for the unopened vials online in the Vaccine Returns module. A job aid with step-by-step instructions can be found here.
Adjust out open multi dose vials of flu. A job aid with step-by-step instructions can be found here.

Return your vaccine before July 22

Please complete these steps by July 22, 2024 to avoid delays in processing your site’s 2024-2025 flu season orders. If you have any questions or need assistance, contact DPHProviderHelp@phila.gov.

All communication about flu vaccine availability will be made via email and posted on our website. Keep an eye out for upcoming messages!

Thank you for protecting Philadelphians this past year. We look forward to working together to keep people safe from the flu next season.