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Public Health Agency Vaccination Guidance

September 14, 2022

Information concerning COVID-19 vaccination planning and distribution continues to evolve. Below is a compilation of guidance materials specifically on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Please also refer to the COVID-19 Community, Patient, and Health Care Worker Health Education Material page, which contains materials regarding COVID-19 vaccine education.

CDC Guidance

Item Date Updated
COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance: This page contains ACIP recommendations, storage and handling information, general vaccine administration guidance, and training and education links, among other tools and resources. Updated on a rolling basis
Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States Updated on a rolling basis
COVID-19 Vaccines for People Who Are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised 9/2/2022
COVID-19 Vaccine Training Modules: Available training modules provide continuing education credits for Physicians, Physician Assistants, Advanced Practice Nurses, RNs, and Pharmacists. 9/13/2022
COVID-19 Vaccination Training Programs and Reference Materials for Healthcare Professionals: This document lists immunization training and educational materials, including basic and COVID-19-vaccine-specifc information. 4/7/2021
Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit (updated to include information on COVID-19 vaccine) 4/12/2022
V-safe flyer: V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after someone receives a COVID-19 vaccination. Once someone gets the COVID-19 vaccine, they can enroll in V-safe via their smartphone. Participation is voluntary and participants can opt out at any time. 12/11/2020
For Reference:

DOH Guidance

Item Date Updated
DOH issued guidance on pre-ordering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages six months to 4 years. To ensure efficient rollout of this vaccine supply once authorized, the CDC is allowing pre-ordering of vaccines starting February 9. The minimum ordering quantity for this product is 100 doses. It has the same storage requirements as other Pfizer formulations currently available—10 weeks refrigerated or up to 9 months ultra-cold temperature). 10/19/2021
NYS Guidance on Third Doses of Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines for Immunocompromised Patients

8/16/2021
Ordering COVID-19 Vaccine in NYSIIS: Starting July 6, 2021, DOH is revising the COVID-19 vaccine ordering process in NYSIIS, transitioning from weekly planning requests via the NYSIIS Manage Prebooking module to as-needed ordering via the Manage Orders module. 6/24/2021
DOH COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance for People Who Are Pregnant, Lactating, or Planning to Become Pregnant 5/11/2021
Pre-drawn Syringe COVID-19 Vaccine Policy: This guidance refers to the pre-drawn syringe labeling, storage, handling, and transport guidance in the US Pharmacopeia COVID-19 Vaccine Handling Toolkit: Operational Considerations for Healthcare Practitioners 5/3/2021
Guidance for Hospitals Vaccinating Long Term Care Patients Before Discharge to a Long Term Care Facility: The guidance reinforces that Article 28 general hospitals are required to offer COVID-19 vaccine to medically eligible consenting patients prior to discharge to a nursing home or other long term care facility. 4/4/2021
Standing Orders:

3/5/2021
Statewide Vaccination Plan: The New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Program overview. 10/2020

DOHMH Guidance

Item Date Updated
NYC DOHMH Vaccine Information for Providers Page Updated on a rolling basis
Managing COVID-19 Vaccine Inventory Using the Citywide Immunization Registry: This guide covers how to order and reconcile COVID-19 vaccine inventory, how to use the vaccine transfer module, and reporting COVID-19 vaccine wastage.

This letter discusses 2/3/2021 updates.

2/3/2021
New York City COVID-19 Vaccination Program Enrollment, Vaccine Ordering and Reporting: This guide addresses enrollment and reporting. 1/15/2021

Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

Item Date Updated
FDA Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Page 8/31/2022
Factsheets: For any updates to these factsheets, please visit www.cvdvaccine.com. 7/31/2022
Storage and Handling:

11/2020
For Reference:

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Materials

Additional Resources

Item Date Updated
US Department of Defense Memo on Secure Disposal of Vaccine Vials and Packaging Recommendations: The memo recommends that vaccinators either 1) treat vials and packaging similarly to medical waste by placing it in red sharps containers or 2) deface all or safely crush materials so it cannot be reintroduced or reproduced. After the products are sufficiently defaced, then dispose with regular waste. 2/2/2021
Guidance on Safety with Dry Ice: The Kentucky Hospital Association has shared a Guidance on Safety with Dry Ice toolkit. Given the impending deliveries of Pfizer vaccine packed in dry ice, there have been requests from hospital leaders for information for their staff that are less familiar with dry ice and its handling. 12/2020
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): Health care providers are required to report any adverse events following administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in the VAERS, which is operated by the Department of Health and Human Services. Providers are encouraged to report any additional clinically significant adverse events, even if they are not sure if vaccination caused the event. Please refer to the FAQs section of the website for reporting details.

Contacts

For questions related to New York State’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution (outside of New York City), please e-mail covidvaccinehospitals@health.ny.gov.

For questions related to New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution, please contact 347-396-2400 or e-mail nycimmunize@health.ny.gov.

 


DOH Guidance Archive

Archived Prioritization Guidance Date Updated
New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Program Guidance Update: Includes revised storage details for Pfizer vaccine, removing the minimum interval between COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines, and moving to notification-based redistribution process. 5/21/2021
NYS Vaccination Program Update: All individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible to be vaccinated. Includes new “universal dose” administration policy for multidose COVID-19 vaccines. 5/13/2021
NYS Vaccination Program Update: Addresses individuals that need to receive their second COVID-19 vaccine dose at a different location than their first. 4/26/2021
NYS Vaccination Program Update: All individuals age 30 and older are eligible to be vaccinated. 3/30/2021
NYS Vaccination Program Update: All individuals age 50 and older are eligible to be vaccinated. 3/23/2021
NYS Vaccination Program Update: Enrolled providers other than pharmacies may vaccinate any eligible individual. 3/17/2021
NYS Vaccination Program Update: Guidance reflects announcement expanding eligibility. 3/10/2021
Week 10 Guidance: COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expands to individuals with certain co-morbidities and underlying conditions. Guidance covers prioritization and proof of eligibility. 2/15/2021
Week 9 Guidance: Addresses prioritization and new vaccine eligibility categories for weeks 9 and 10. 2/8/2021
NYS Vaccination Program Update: As of 1/11 COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expanded to include groups from Phase 1B, and on 1/12 eligibility updated to include 65+ 1/12/2021
Week 4 Guidance (Amended): Updates Week 4 prioritization groups to include home care workers and aides, hospice workers, personal care aides, and consumer-directed personal care workers.  1/5/2021
Week 3 and 4 Guidance Clarification: Indicates “Facilities that have vaccinated all frontline direct care and patient-facing health care workers and still have vaccine available should proceed to vaccinating the next groups of health care and patient-facing workers, whose job responsibilities require in-person presence, including those health care workers that will be expected to participate in the hospital or health system’s surge response for their facility, continuing to prioritize by risk.” 12/31/2020
Week 3 and 4 Guidance: Reviews Phase 1A prioritization; which providers will receive vaccine shipments; where priority groups can get vaccinated; vaccinator responsibilities; vaccine storage and handling; and information for OPWDD, OMH and OASAS. 12/28/2020
Week 2 Prioritization Guidance: Addresses prioritization for hospitals and Federally-qualified Health Centers that are receiving COVID-19 vaccine and alerts of their responsibility to act as vaccination centers for priority groups that do not work within their facilities. Guidance includes a worksheet. 12/20/2020
Week 2 Compiled Guidance Documents: Provides materials supporting the initial distribution of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and limited allocations of Pfizer vaccine. 12/19/2020
Archived Operational Guidance Date Updated
NYS Vaccination Program Document Package:

  • Guidance for the New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Program
  • Janssen Vaccine Emergency Use Authorization Letter
  • COVID-19 Immunization Screening and Consent Form
  • Information for Health Care Professionals about the Screening Checklist for the COVID-19 Vaccine
  • Provider Storage and Handling Overview
  • Temperature Excursion Report
  • Guidance for Vaccine Transport and Tracking Sheet
  • Redistribution and Q&A
3/5/2021
Commissioner Letter Concerning Using Second Doses as First Doses 2/4/2021
DOH Dear Provider Letter: Consistent with EO 202.91, the New York State Commissioner of Health sent a letter to enrolled vaccinators regarding limited vaccine allocations. 1/23/2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Program Redistribution Guidance 9/29/2020
Second Dose Guidance: Addresses both the Pfizer and Moderna second doses. 1/11/2021
Guidance on the Use of Vaccine Doses Remaining at the End of the Day: Notes that there may be circumstances that lead to doses of vaccine left in vials that remain at the close of business or the end of a vaccine clinic. In these circumstances, DOH authorizes providers to administer vaccine to other public-facing employees. 1/9/2021
Unused Vaccine Letter: States that vaccine shipments must be administered within one week from delivery, otherwise remaining doses will be redistributed to other facilities. 1/3/2021
Guidance for Administration of the Second Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine 1/1/2021
Guidance on Additional Moderna Doses 12/23/2020
Guidance on Storage and Handling of Moderna Vaccine 12/18/2020
Guidance on Additional Pfizer Doses 12/18/2020
COVID-19 Vaccine Transport Guidelines: Addresses transfer scenarios where an enrolled Vaccine Administration Site may need to transfer vaccine to support a closed POD clinic on campus, an off campus affiliated Employee Health location, or Mobile Vaccination POD in the community. It also addresses redistribution of the COVID-19 vaccine beyond the identified primary receiving site. 12/17/2020
Guidance on Immunization Reporting Requirements 12/13/2020
COVID-19 Vaccine Form Instructions: Provides instructions on the new COVID-19 Vaccine Form, which DOH developed to ensure equitable access of vaccine across the State. 12/13/2020
COVID-19 Vaccine Screening and Model Consent Form: Because many providers will opt to implement a consent form with the information sheets, DOH has provided the screening template and model consent form as a guide. 12/13/2020
Instructions for Screening Patients 12/13/2020
Initial Delivery Guidance:

  • Inventory caches of critical PPE and ancillary supplies
  • Sub-prioritization of health care personnel
  • A form to request to redistribute vaccine between locations
  • A form for hospitals to request permission to redirect vaccine between priority populations within the current phase.
12/10/2020
Guidance Webinar and Slides: What Hospitals Need to Know 12/10/2020
Sub-prioritization of Health Care Personnel: This worksheet was provided to assist in hospital planning efforts. 12/10/2020