COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Most Recent Updates

If you are a Vermont health care worker providing direct care to patients and you have not been contacted in order to be registered for your COVID-19 vaccine please reach out to Elizabeth Alessi at ealessi@vtmd.org, who can provide you a point of contact at your local hospital.

Trey Dobson: Vaccinations are No. 1 priority

Editor’s note: This VTDigger commentary is by Trey Dobson, M.D., the chief medical officer at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. - January 10, 2021

Within days of Vermont receiving its first shipment of the Covid-19 vaccine three weeks ago, concerns emerged regarding vaccine distribution, prioritization, and administration. The concerns were justifiable, given the incredibly high stakes we all face. With any initiative of this magnitude, opportunities for improvement undoubtedly emerge. And when we look at what has been learned and already accomplished in a very short amount of time, the vaccine program in Vermont is actually going quite well, and it is becoming more effective each day. Click to read the VTDigger commentary.

VDH COVID-19 VACCINE DASHBOARD

COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard

The COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard will be updated every Wednesday by noon. Information reflects counts reported by the end of the previous day. Data is subject to change. The dashboard will continue to undergo enhancements as more information becomes available.

Scott Administration Releases More Details for “Phase 2” Vaccination – Registration to Open Jan 25th

During the press conference on Friday, January 15th, Agency of Human Services Secretary Smith provided more details on what Vermonters can expect in the next stages of COVID-19 vaccination as the state approaches completion of Phase 1A. As previously announced, the State will be transitioning to the next phase of vaccination and will start with individuals age 75 or older. A statewide registration system will open on January 25th, with the first clinics being scheduled for January 27th.

Registration will be available via an online system and phone call-in centers – Secretary Smith urged families to assist the process by using the online system to avoid the phone system being overwhelmed. Secretary Smith also urged Vermonters not to call their local hospital, physician or the Department of Health, as registration is not available through those avenues and will not open until the 25th. More details will be released closer to the 25th. Secretary Smith stated that approximately 49,000 Vermonters are 75 or over and it could take about 6 weeks to vaccinate this population since the state is only receiving 8-9,000 doses a week. Approximately 7,200 doses per week can be administered by state run clinics, which are in development now, with 12 locations currently being planned across the state.

Details are also being developed to make vaccines available at other sites, such as hospitals and pharmacies. After those 75 and older are vaccinated, the same system will be opened up for those 70+, then 65+, modifying the pacing of the age bands based on vaccine dose availability. The state expects to complete those age 65 and older by the end of winter (March/early April). After age 65+, the state will expand to those age 18-65 with medical conditions that put them at risk of severe illness as recognized by the CDC (meaning risk of hospitalization, admission to ICU, ventilation or death). Department of Health Commissioner Mark Levine stated that Vermont is prioritizing the following conditions:

Current cancer
Chronic kidney disease
COPD Heart conditions such as heart failure
Immunocompromised state such as related to organ transplant
Severe obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Pregnancy
Down syndrome
Sickle cell disease

Click here for full notes from the press conference.

The State of Vermont released a request for proposal (RFP) Friday evening asking both private and public parties to submit either an all-encompassing, state wide vaccination operational plan or a regional plan

A likely scenario is that several of the hospitals will operate large capacity clinics in collaboration with the state for additional staff and resources; other organizations may also be identified and participate
A reasonable goal is for the clinics to handle 300+ patients per day, 5-7 days per week; with additional resources and adequate supply, that number could realistically increase to over 500 per day
Electronic registration is an important adjunct to ensuring efficiency and prevent lengthy wait times or the need to turn people away as is occurring in other locations around the country

A recording of the webinar held by VMS on December 22, 2020, "COVID-19 Vaccine Safety, Distribution, and Considerations for Patients," can be viewed HERE.

Click for the presentations

Click for the Vaccine webinar Question & Answers

Emergency Use Authorizations

As of Friday, December 18, 2020, FDA has granted two vaccines Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Interim Recommendations

ACIP Interim Recommendation for use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

ACIP Interim Recommendation for use of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting

The CDC hosted a webinar on “What every Clinician Should Know about COVID 19 Vaccine Safety,” covering topics including what patients can expect after COVID-19 vaccination, encouraging all patients to enroll in?the new smartphone-based v-safe system?for health check-ins after vaccination, and how clinicians can report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. While health care clinicians must report certain adverse events to VAERS, v-safe provides a mechanism for patients to report directly on any symptoms experienced after vaccine administration. The CDC is asking practices to display a v-safe poster and/or provide a v-safe Information Sheet to all patients. The presentation also highlighted how to evaluate and respond to health care personal and long-term care residents with post-vaccination systemic signs and symptoms that could look like COVID-19 symptoms. Slides are now available on the COCA Call webpage.