Discussion

EARLY COVID - 19 VACCINATION PROGRAM

ACTION ITEMS FOR JURISDICTIONS

Use this checklist to assist in early planning for the COVID- 19 vaccination

program . Jurisdictions must be prepared to immediately vaccinate

identified critical populations when the earliest COVID- 19 vaccine doses are available and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA). Jurisdictions should also begin planning for vaccination of the rest of the general population when COVID - 19 vaccine supply allows.

DETERMINE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PARTNER INVOLVEMENT

Convene internal planning and coordination team (s ) whose members represent a wide array of

expertise.

Includerepresentativesfromimmunizationprogram, preparednessprogram , emergency managementagency, healthcare coalition, media/ public affairs, andcrisisand emergencyrisk communicationsto developplans andcoordinateactivities.

Assign roles and responsibilitiesbasedon areas of expertise.

EstablishCOVID - 19 vaccine implementationcommittee( s ) of community memberswith expertise in

care and access issues for criticalpopulations to enhancedevelopment of plans, reachof activities, and risk / crisis response communicationmessagingand delivery.

Include representativesfrom key vaccinationprovidersfor groups identifiedby CDC as beingat

increasedrisk of severe COVID - 19 and others likely to be prioritizedfor initialvaccination.

Include representativesfrom other sectors within the community, such as health systems,

pharmacies, long-term care/ assistedlivingfacilities, business, education, corrections, religious,

tribal, and racialand ethnic minority serving organizations, etc.

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IDENTIFY GAPS IN PREPAREDNESS

Review and use current CDC -provided planning assumptions.

Review experience and lessons learned from 2009 pandemic vaccination campaign.

Consider tabletop , functional, or full-scale exercises to test operational plans and capabilities for access to vaccine , communications, data reporting, possible cold chain challenges . Determine baseline readiness and address any barriers to launching the COVID - 19 vaccination

program .

REVIEW REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESS CAPACITY OF IMMUNIZATION

INFORMATIONSYSTEM ( IIS) OR OTHER REPORTING SYSTEM

Determine baseline IIS capacity for a substantial increase in users , documenting vaccine administration , dose -level accountability , ordering , inventory management , and reporting CDC defined core data elements .

Facilitate onboarding to the Immunization Gateway (IZ Gateway ) for both Connect and Share to use a national immunization data exchange solution for mass vaccine administration .

Identify vaccination providers not currently reporting to the IIS for outreach and onboarding opportunities . Determine internal processes (e.g. , Institutional Review Board review , internal department reviews, etc.) needed to execute the signing of Data Use Agreements with CDC and / or other entities deemed critical by CDC .

If the IIS does not meet all of CDC's technology and data requirements , develop a plan to us the

Vaccine Administration Management System ( VAMS), including necessary training of immunization

program staff andproviders.

Identify opportunities to adopt 2D barcode scanning technology duringvaccine inventory

management and administration to improve data quality and minimize transcription errors during mass vaccination events .

IDENTIFY CRITICAL POPULATIONS

Identifyandestimate sizes of criticalpopulations, particularlythose to receivefirst availabledoses of vaccine, andother populationsthat may requirespecial considerationineachjurisdictionfor distributionandexpandedaccess:

Criticalinfrastructure/ essentialworkers (e.g., health care, homelandand nationalsecurity, public

safety, education, food, and agricultureworkers)

People at increasedrisk for severe illness ( e.g., persons years of age, peoplewith underlying medicalconditions that are risk factors for severe COVID - 19, long-term care/ assistedliving

facility residents, people from tribal communities, and people from racial and ethnic minority populations)

People livingin group settings (e.g., peoplewho are incarcerated/ detained, experiencing homelessnessor livingin shelters, attending colleges/ universities)

People with limitedaccess to vaccinationservices (e.g., ruralcommunities, individualswith disabilities , under- or uninsured people )

Describe and identify where these critical populations live , including places of employment for critical workforce .

PREPARE FOR EARLY COVID - 19 VACCINE ADMINISTRATION

Identifyvaccinationprovidersandsettingsfor rapidvaccinationof early populationsof focus: likely

healthcareandother essentialworkforce. Focus on arrangementsthat will allowfor maximum throughputof personsto bevaccinatedwhilemaintainingsocialdistancing and other infection

controlprocedures. Consider collaboratingwith: Largehospitalsandhealthsystems

Commercialpartners( e.g., pharmacies Mobilevaccinationproviders

Occupational health for large employers

Target these vaccination providers for immediate enrollment.

Determine points of contact for each population group to be vaccinated and establish methods of communication and coordination .

Secure locations for temporary clinics and develop logistical plans for each .

PLANFOREXPANSIONOF COVID- 19 VACCINATIONPROVIDER

OUTREACHAND ENROLLMENT

After finalizinginitialvaccinationplansfor healthcareand criticalworkforcepopulations, determinevaccinationprovidertypes andsettingsto target for enrollmentwhenvaccinesupply increasesto expandaccessto COVID- 19 vaccinationservices.

Identifyall existingcommunityvaccinationprovidersandservices to serveother criticalpopulations as wellas the generalpopulation. Consider:

Healthcare provider offices and other outpatient settings Inpatient settings (e.g. , hospitals, long- term care facilities ) Pharmacies School - based health centers

Workplaces and other occupational health settings Satellite, temporary, or off -site clinics

Identifyand docume the locationsof these vaccinationproviders and services.

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Develop and implement a vaccination provider outreach and training plan, focusing first on vaccination providers and services likely to serve remaining critical populations.

Determine each vaccination provider's vaccination capacity by reviewing patient panel size and vaccine administration data from the peak week of influenza vaccination .

Determine each vaccination provider's storage capacity by volume at routine refrigerated ( 2 to 8° C) frozen ( -20°C ) , and ultra -cold (-60° to -80° C) temperatures . Note : These temperatures are based on information available as ofAugust 26, 2020. Updated information will be provided as it becomes available .

Determine need for additional vaccination services , such as satellite , temporary , or off -site clinics, to serve critical populations , particularly those with limited access to vaccination services . Work with partners to implement vaccination in these settings.

Ensure all providers participating in the COVID - 19 vaccination program :

Understand and have signed a CDC COVID - 19 Vaccination Provider Agreement.

Collect and submit all CDC -required COVID - 19 vaccination provider profile data elements to CDC.

Have capacity to store and handle COVID - 19 vaccine according to manufacturer specifications .

Onboard enrolled COVID -19 vaccination providers to the jurisdiction's chosen system for ( ) vaccine ordering and (2 ) vaccine administration documentation and reporting .

Provide training and related CDC resources to ensure providers understand :

COVID - 19 vaccine recommendations , when available

Ordering and receiving COVID - 19 vaccine

Vaccine storage and handling , including transport requirements , specific to COVID - 19 vaccine

Vaccine administration , including reconstitution , use of adjuvants , diluents , etc. Documenting and reporting vaccine administration via the jurisdiction's or other mass vaccination module

Managing and reporting vaccine inventory (e.g. , IIS, VAMS)

Documenting and reporting vaccine wastage / spoilage Procedures for reporting to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System ( VAERS ) Providing Emergency Use Authorization ( EUA ) fact sheets and / or vaccine information statements ( VISs) to vaccine recipients

Enter ship - to site informationfor eachenrolledproviderintothe VaccineTrackingSystem ( ).

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DETERMINECOVID - 19 VACCINEALLOCATIONS

Determineallocationmethodto COVID- 19 vaccinationprovidersfor identifiedcriticalpopulationsin early andlimitedsupplyscenarios.

Base allocationplanson:

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP ) recommendations (when available )

Estimated number of doses allocated to jurisdiction and timing of availability Vaccination provider site vaccine storage and handling capacity

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DEVELOPCOMMUNICATIONSPLAN

Determine process for frequent communication with participating COVID - 19 vaccination providers

about vaccine recommendations , supply , ordering , reporting, etc. Engage with community leaders and vaccination providers of critical populations on supplementary

dose allocations when vaccine supply is limited.

Determine culturally and linguistically responsive communication approaches for critical populations as well as the general public , based on CDC messaging .

Explore use of multiple methods and systems to provide second dose reminders for vaccine recipients as warranted .

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