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COVID-19: Vaccine Information for Providers

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Recent News

  • June 17: An upcoming meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on June 23-25 will include an update on COVID-19 vaccine safety, further evaluation of reports of myocarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, and data to inform recommendations about additional doses. This is a virtual meeting and can be viewed online. These discussions were rescheduled from June 18 due to the observation of Juneteenth.

  • June 14: The FDA has authorized an extension of the shelf life for the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine from three months to four and a half months when stored at recommended refrigerator temperatures (36 degrees F to 46 degrees F; 2 degrees to 8 degrees C). Vaccine providers should visit the Johnson & Johnson website to confirm the latest expiration dates of their inventory. This extension applies to refrigerated vials of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine that have been held in accordance with the manufacturer’s storage conditions.

  • June 11: The FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee held a meeting on June 10 to discuss data on COVID-19 vaccines in pediatric populations, as well as information needed to support emergency use authorization for children under 12 and licensure for pediatric age groups. A recording of the meeting and slides, including a safety update from CDC on the latest data reported to VAERS on myocarditis and pericarditis, are available at the FDA website.

  • June 3: CDC recently updated their Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States to include information on cases of myocarditis and pericarditis occurring after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, particularly in adolescents and young adults. The update also includes a clarification on contraindications and precautions, an updated vaccine ingredients list and additional data about local and systemic symptoms following vaccination.

  • May 28: CDC and its partners are investigating reports of myocarditis and pericarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, predominantly in males and in adolescents and young adults, to see whether there is a relationship between these cases and vaccination. The number of reports is small compared to the approximately 280 million doses of these vaccines that have been administered, and the number of cases is similar to that seen in the general population. Most cases have been mild. CDC continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 12 years of age and older. For additional information and guidance, including on recognizing and managing potential cases and reporting to VAERS, visit Clinical Considerations: Myocarditis and Pericarditis after Receipt of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Among Adolescents and Young Adults (CDC).

Overview

Webinars

Recent

More Information on Vaccines


See guidance below for providers about COVID-19, including how you can get vaccinated.

For help talking with patients about the vaccine, visit COVID-19: Vaccine Communication Resources for Providers.

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Find a Vaccination Site and Vaccine Eligibility

People 12 years of age and older are now eligible to be vaccinated in NYC.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is authorized for ages 12 and older. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines are authorized for ages 18 and older.

Locations

  • COVID-19 Vaccine Finder: Find a location and learn how to schedule an appointment (not accessible with Internet Explorer).
  • You can also schedule an appointment by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).
  • New York City providers can help secure COVID-19 vaccine appointments for their patients:
    • Fill out the Request for Patient Outreach form to request that the NYC Vaccine Hotline call a patient directly to schedule an appointment. Patients referred through this form will receive a call within 48 hours.
    • Schedule patients for their vaccine by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692) and pressing 2 at the second prompt.
  • NYC COVID-19 Vaccine Command Center: Information on City-run walk-up sites, mobile and pop-up sites, and vaccinations for people who are homebound.

Before the Appointment

Assistance with Access

Become a Vaccine Provider

NYC providers who want to participate in the city's COVID-19 vaccine program will need to enroll with the Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR). They must use the CIR to electronically sign a provider agreement, place their order and report all doses administered.

Note: If you already belong to a Federal Retail Pharmacy Program network, you still need to enroll in CIR but do not need to separately enroll in the NYC COVID-19 program.

  • Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR): How to enroll in CIR, access the provider agreement, order vaccine and report doses given.
  • Once your Provider Agreement is approved by the NYC Health Department (and if you have appropriate vaccine storage), you will receive instructions on how to order vaccine doses through the CIR.

Small practices can contact NYC REACH COVID-19 Vaccine Support for assistance with ordering COVID-19 vaccines, using patient outreach tools and finding vaccination sites for patients. For more information, contact NYC REACH.

Billing

You must offer the COVID-19 vaccine to all eligible people (as per State guidance), regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

You may not bill for the cost of the vaccine, but you are permitted to bill the recipient’s health insurance plan for an administration fee. If a recipient does not have health insurance, or if their health insurance does not cover the administration fee, you can request reimbursement for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine through the HRSA Uninsured Program or the HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund.

Vaccine Administration and Storage

Note: Translations are available for many of the documents for patients at the respective websites.

Fact Sheets for Vaccine Providers

Fact Sheets for Recipients

You are required to communicate information consistent with these fact sheets to patients (and provide a copy or direct the patient to the fact sheet at the manufacturer's website) before they receive the respective vaccines.

Other Patient Handouts

Pre-Vaccination Screening

Screening now includes thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome as a clinical consideration.

Vaccine Storage and Handling

Administration Standing Orders

Sample standing orders now reference thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome as it relates to the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine.

How to Administer

Post-Injection Observation

You should observe the following groups of people for 30 minutes after vaccinating:

  • History of an immediate allergic reaction of any severity to a vaccine or injectable therapy
  • People with a contraindication to a different type of COVID-19 vaccine
  • History of anaphylaxis due to any cause

Observe all other people for 15 minutes after injection.

If a person has a contraindication to one type of vaccine, consider consultation with an allergist-immunologist or contacting the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment COVIDvax project before administering the other vaccine type. Consult the Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States for additional guidance.

Reporting

  • You must report each vaccine administration to the CIR within 24 hours. Patient consent is not required. You can report to CIR through a direct connection in an EHR, the online CIR site or a flat file.

For information on reporting an adverse event in VAERS, see the Adverse Events Reporting section.

Pharmacies

For the most up-to-date New York State guidance for retail pharmacies, visit the State’s webpage on vaccine prioritization guidance.

  • Standing Orders: Non-patient-specific standing orders are available for administration of the Moderna and Johnson&Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines at retail pharmacies. To get these standing orders:

Long-Term Care Facilities

Mental Hygiene Providers

Clinical Considerations and Safety

Adverse Events Reporting

Certain adverse events must be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

Best Practices and Quality Improvement

Resources including best practices to maximize efficacy and efficiency of your program.

Data on Vaccine Distribution

We encourage you to collect and report COVID-19 vaccine recipients’ race and ethnicity data to help us monitor inequities and address barriers to vaccine access and distribution. For details, see the Reporting header in the Storage and Administration section.

The following resources show data on vaccine allocation, distribution and administration.

Trainings and Webinars

Overview

Training Modules on COVID-19 Vaccines

Webinars

Past webinar videos and slides are provided here for reference. They may not contain the most up-to-date information.

Health Alert Network and Dear Colleague Letters

Visit our archives for past communications. These are provided for reference and may not contain the most up-to-date information.

Additional Resources