Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

VFC

New Vaccine Product Available Through VFC: Prevnar 20

New Vaccine Product Available Through VFC: Prevnar 20

On June 27, 2023, the CDC approved Prevnar 20 (PCV20) for use in pediatric patients. Beginning September 6, 2023, this Prevnar 20 is available to order for your VFC eligible patients. The Prevnar 13 (PCV13) is no longer available to order through the VFC program.

Sites using Prevnar 13 can now order Prevnar 20. Please make sure Prevnar 20 is added to your EHR before ordering.

Please note, Vaxneuvance and Prevnar 20 are interchangeable. To change the formulation that your site orders, please complete the Change Request Form. Our team will review your request and reply with next steps. We recommend that sites that are part of a system or are affiliated use the same vaccine presentations across sites to ensure continuity of care and help prevent administration errors.

Vaccine Change Request Form

Prevnar 20

PCV20 is now available through the Vaccines Children (VFC) program.

    • CVX code: 216
    • CPT code: 90677
    • NDC number: 00005-2000-10

For more information on Prevnar 20, review the package insert.

Additional resources:

FDA Prevnar 20 page
Immunize.org’s Ask the Experts 
VIS

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

 

Recap: RSV Immunization in Outpatient Settings 

Recap: RSV Immunization in Outpatient Settings

Thank you to those who attended the RSV townhall for nirsevimab (Beyfortus) immunization in outpatient settings on Tuesday, August 29! In case you missed it, please review important information below: 

Nirsevimab will be available to order through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program this fall. Here are some answers to relevant clinical questions: 

Do healthy infants need to be under 8 or 9 months at the time of injection?

Healthy infants need to be under 8 months of age at the time of injection.

What about infants who are at increased risk of severe RSV?
Children aged 8–19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease entering their second RSV season should be immunized.

Any recommendations for co-administration of nirsevimab with COVID-19, flu, and routine vaccines?
Co-administration with other vaccines is acceptable.

Is there a patient information brochure to give to parents?
CDC will have an information sheet similar to a VIS which has not yet been released.

Can nirsevimab (Beyfortus) be administered when a child is ill?
It is up to the doctor’s discretion, and dependant on how ill the infant is.

Does an infant that gets palivizumab (Synagis) needs nirsevimab (Beyfortus)?
An infant that qualifies for palivizumab (Synagis) may need to get a dose if nirsevimab (Beyfortus) is unavailable. Once they receive their nirsevimab, they no longer need to get palivizumab.

View the MMWR and package insert here. Email victor.obeck@phila.gov for more information on ordering nirsevimab through the VFC Program. 

Integrating RSV Immunization into EHR Systems

Integrating RSV Immunization into EHR Systems

RSV immunization will be available to order through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program this fall. This newly approved monoclonal antibody, nirsevimab (Beyfortus), will be used to protect newborns and infants born during or entering their first RSV season.

As your facility will likely administer this immunization, we are providing instructions for adding nirsevimab to your EHR system.

Please add nirsevimab to your EHR system. There are two versions of nirsevimab to account for two different doses. See the specifications below. The differences between the two are highlighted in green: 

Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) must be reported to PhilaVax in the same way as any other immunization. To accurately report eligibility and funding sources, HL7 messages for nirsevimab administration should adhere to the standard rules for VFC eligibility or ineligibility. 

If you are interested, you may work with PhilaVax staff individually to test nirsevimab HL7 messages and ensure complete reporting. To express interest in assistance with this process or for any questions, contact the immunization information system (IIS) interoperability coordinator at beweh.willor@phila.gov. 

Please forward this email to any additional contacts who need this information. If you are not the correct person to receive this email, reach out to beweh.willor@phila.gov with the correct contact information.

Recap: RSV Immunization in Inpatient Settings

Recap: RSV Immunization in Inpatient Settings

Thank you to those who attended the RSV townhall for nirsevimab (Beyfortus) immunization in inpatient settings on Friday, August 24! In case you missed it, please review important information below:

Nirsevimab will be available to order through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program this fall. Email victor.obeck@phila.gov to begin enrolling in the VFC Program today. 

RSV Townhall to Discuss Nirsevimab

RSV Townhall to Discuss Nirsevimab

Come learn about the newly approved monoclonal antibody, nirsevimab (Beyfortus), to prevent RSV in neonates and young infants at a townhall hosted by the Philadelphia Immunization Program. 

The townhall will take place over Zoom on Tuesday August 29 at 12pm.

Nirsevimab will be available to order through the VFC Program this fall. Prepare your practice for ordering and administration of the product at next week’s townhall. 

Register today!

View past email advisories and keep up with important events on our website. We look forward to seeing you soon!

VFC & VFAAR Flu Ordering Will Open 8/28/23

VFC & VFAAR Flu Ordering Will Open 8/28/23

VFC & VFAAR providers can order flu for the 2023-24 season starting Monday, 8/28/23. Make sure your site is ready!

  • Account for any unused 2022-23 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.
    • Complete these steps today to avoid delays in processing your site’s 2023-24 flu season orders. If you have questions, contact DPHProviderHelp@phila.gov.
  • Order flu materials for your office. Get the conversation started about the importance of flu vaccination with these free posters.
  • Make sure that your EHR/EMR is set-up to report this year’s flu products. These are the vaccine available this year:

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

Back-to-School Immunization Resources

Back-to-School Immunization Resources

The PDPH Immunization Program and the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) want to remind you that now is the time to prepare your patients for back-to-school. Pennsylvania law requires all students (K-12) to be vaccinated while attending school. Students that 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 continued to decline. To help you get your patients back on track with immunizations, schedule vaccination appointments now to get ahead of the back-to-school rush.  

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

Training Videos 

Click on the buttons below to view the training videos.

Training #1: School District Immunization Requirements & the Effects of the Pandemic  

Training #2: Child & Adolescent Immunization Schedule 

Training #3: Vaccine Interval Spacing 

Training #4: Review of Live Vaccines 
 
Training #5: DTaP or TdaP: Which One to Choose 
 
Training #6: Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Reporting 

COVID-19 Vaccine Commercialization

COVID-19 Vaccine Commercialization

COVID-19 vaccine will soon be available for purchase on the commercial market and will be available to order through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. We have created an FAQ and will host town halls to help with this transition.

Commercialization of COVID-19 vaccines will transition vaccines previously purchased by the U.S. government to established pathways of procurement, distribution, and payment by both public and private payers. The Bridge Access Program will support providers to vaccinate uninsured and underinsured adults 19 years of age and older in Philadelphia county.

Commercialization of COVID-19 vaccine is expected to take place in August or September 2023, with the exact timeline still forthcoming. Click the button below to read the FAQ and learn more about COVID-19 vaccine commercialization.  

Read the FAQ

On Thursday, August 10, 2023, we will host 2 town halls to discuss COVID-19 vaccine commercialization and the Bridge Access Program. Register for the town hall that best fits your schedule below. 

Register for the 12pm town hall

Register for the 7pm town hall

Return Expired Doses of Flu Today!

Return Expired Doses of Flu Today!

All VFC/VFAAR influenza vaccine supplied by the Philadelphia Immunization Program during the 2022-2023 flu season has expired. Please account for unused VFC/VFAAR flu vaccine 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.
  • Adjust out open vials of Flu. A job aid with step by step instructions can be found here.

Return your vaccine before August 15th

Please complete these steps by August 15, 2023 to avoid delays in processing your site’s 2023-24 flu season orders. If you have questions, contact DPHProviderHelp@phila.gov.

All communication about the availability of flu vaccine will be made via email and posted on the PDPH website. Keep an eye out for upcoming messages! If you need to add more people to our mailing list, please contact us at vaccines@phila.gov.

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

Commercialization of COVID-19 Vaccine

Commercialization of COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine will soon be available for purchase on the commercial market and will be available to order through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. We do not have an exact date or timeline for commercialization, but we want to provide as much lead time as we can for our VFC providers about this upcoming change.

Commercialization of COVID-19 vaccines will transition vaccines previously purchased by the U.S. government to established pathways of procurement, distribution, and payment by both public and private payers.

What does this mean?

There will not be a separate COVID-19 Provider Program as currently exists.

  • All VFC providers will be required to maintain a supply of COVID-19 vaccine for the entire patient population they serve. As with other ACIP recommended vaccines, your practice will need to stock COVID-19 vaccine for both VFC eligible children and privately insured patients once commercialization occurs.

Why is this important?

  • COVID-19 vaccine is an ACIP-recommended vaccine and has been added to the CDC Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule.
  • Your patients may not have access to COVID-19 vaccine elsewhere. Pharmacies are not authorized to vaccinate kids under 3 years of age, so your practice may be the only place your patients can get vaccinated.
  • A very low percentage (<20%) of kids 6 months – 4 years have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Philadelphia, which means they may not be protected against severe disease and death from COVID-19.

Did you know?

  • You don’t need an ultra-low freezer to store COVID-19 vaccine! You can store COVID-19 vaccines in your regular storage units.
  • Providers should never turn down an opportunity to vaccinate for COVID-19 due to fears of vaccine wastage! We expect smaller packaging sizes of vaccine to be available this fall with commercialization.

Please be on the lookout for updated messages from the Immunization Program about commercialization throughout the summer. Have questions or concerns? Direct them to vaccines@phila.gov.