Reminder: Residential care facility vaccine clinic guidance

 

To: Residential care facilities (Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Group Homes, and Intermediate Care Facilities)   From: CDPHE   Facilities must complete the following EMResource question during the first reporting period (by April 14, 2022). Facilities that need assistance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to provide a vaccination clinic should complete the EMResource question as soon as possible to allow for clinic scheduling:   COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Assistance The RCF Comprehensive Mitigation Guidance requires facilities to hold a COVID-19 vaccine clinic before June 4, 20222. Does your facility require any CDPHE assistance to hold that clinic? Yes or No   When your facility answers YES to this EMResource question, a CDPHE representative will contact your facility to gather the necessary information to schedule the clinic.   Additional information can be found in the “How to request a vaccine clinic from CDPHE” section below.   Vaccine clinic updates and changes   We would like to provide an update on recent changes at the federal level regarding COVID-19 vaccine dose recommendations, as well as new requirements to hold vaccine clinics within your facility to ensure continued access to vaccination.   Recent updates and vaccination clinics   On March 29, 2022, CDC updated its recommendation to allow certain people to receive a second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.   The people who may receive a fourth or fifth dose (second booster) at least four months after receiving a third dose (first booster) of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine include: Those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for both their first and second doses.  Adults aged 50 years and older.  People aged 12 years or older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.   Learn more about CDC’s updated recommendations.   These updated recommendations acknowledge the increased risk of severe disease in certain populations including those who are elderly or older than the age of 50 with multiple underlying conditions.   CDC definitions used by CDPHE when referring to COVID-19 vaccinated persons   A person is fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving all recommended doses in their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine. Up to date means a person has received all recommended doses in their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine, and a third dose (first booster) when eligible. Getting a fourth or fifth dose (second booster) is not necessary to be considered up to date at this time, but may increase a person’s protection against COVID-19   RCF Comprehensive Mitigation Guidance requirements   As the FDA authorizes and CDC recommends additional COVID-19 vaccine doses, facilities must: Evaluate their residents and staff vaccination status and adhere to the new standards.  Provide CDPHE-approved messaging to residents, resident decision makers, and staff alerting them to updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and the importance of getting and staying up to date with all recommended doses. Make the vaccine available to staff and residents at their facility, within 60 days of any updates to CDC recommendations. Complete the required EMResource and COHFI reporting as soon as possible within the reporting period the vaccine doses are administered. Communicate with CDPHE within three business days regarding the facility’s ability to provide a vaccination clinic and respond to CDPHE’s communication.   How to request a vaccine clinic from CDPHE   CDPHE will provide one vaccine clinic before June 4, 2022 to facilities that are unable to provide a vaccine clinic on their own or use a community vaccine provider.   Facilities must complete the following EMResource question during the first reporting period (by April 14, 2022). Facilities that need CDPHE assistance providing a vaccination clinic should complete the EMResource question as soon as possible to allow for clinic scheduling: COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Assistance The RCF Comprehensive Mitigation Guidance requires facilities to hold a COVID-19 vaccine clinic before June 4, 20222. Does your facility require any CDPHE assistance to hold that clinic? Yes or No   When your facility answers YES to this EMResource question, a CDPHE representative will contact your facility to gather the necessary information to schedule the clinic.   A designated facility representative needs to quickly connect with a CDPHE representative to begin this process. When you receive contact from CDPHE inquiring about your COVID-19 vaccination needs, please answer or return the call as soon as possible.     This clinic can be used by both residents and staff to provide booster and/or primary doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.   After the clinic is complete, facilities are expected to update EMResource with the number of residents who have received a second booster dose, as well as any other primary or booster doses administered.   Begin gathering consent for COVID-19 vaccinations now by utilizing the forms located below:   Vaccine Administration Forms COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Form (English) - This is CDPHE’s COVID-19 vaccine screening and administration form in English. COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Forms (Spanish) - This is CDPHE’s COVID-19 vaccine screening and administration form in Spanish.  Additional translated versions of the COVID-19 vaccine screening and administration form can be found at https://covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine-providers.    Sources and resources:   Vaccine Clinic Toolkit for Long-Term Care Facilities CDPHE COVID-19 Long-Term Care Vaccination website  CDC Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Approved or Authorized in the United States Interim COVID-19 Immunization Schedule for Ages 5 and Older (CDC) Stay Up to Date with your COVID-19 Vaccines (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccination Clinical & Professional Resources (CDC) CDPHE Residential Care Facility Comprehensive Mitigation Guidance