COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Information for Community Vaccine Providers

2024-2025 COVID-19 & Influenza Vaccine Information for Community Vaccine Providers

Information on this page is for Community Vaccine Providers (CVPs) within Island Health, excluding community pharmacists. Community pharmacists access information through the BC Pharmacy Association.

• Immunization Information for Healthcare Professionals
• Immunizations Courses for Health Professionals

COVID-19 & Influenza vaccines will be easily accessible this season with appointment availability through public health and community pharmacies. Starting in early October, invitations to book an appointment will be sent through the Get Vaccinated system.

Non-B.C. Residents: Community pharmacists are only able to immunize B.C. residents (those with a Personal Health Number). Non-B.C. residents can call 1-833-838-2323 to book an appointment with public health.

Medical Health Officer Newsletter
Fall Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination Starts Soon

Vaccine Management

• All staff who monitor, handle or administer vaccine must be familiar with the cold chain process and BCCDC
• Vaccine Management resources Vaccine must always be stored between +2°C to +8°C either in a monitored fridge or cooler packed according to BCCDC standards
• Record the minimum, maximum and current vaccine fridge temperatures at the start and end of each day using the BCCDC Fridge Temperature Form
• Vaccine stored in a cooler for ≥4 hours must be monitored with a min/max thermometer
• If vaccine is exposed to any temperature outside +2°C to +8°C, immediately:
  • Place vaccine in a bag and label ‘QUARANTINE – DO NOT USE’
  • Store bag between +2°C to +8°C in a monitored fridge or cooler packed according to BCCDC standards
  • Contact local health unit

Vaccine Eligibility

• COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility 
• Influenza Vaccine Eligibility

Vaccine Products

• COVID-19 Vaccines
• Influenza Vaccines
  • Quadrivalent Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine 
    • Live attenuated influenza vaccine is made from weakened influenza viruses and is administered as an intranasal spray into both nostrils.
  • Flumist
    • Individuals 2-17 years of age.
  • Quadrivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccines
    • Inactivated influenza vaccine is made from inactivated influenza viruses and is administered as an injection (shot).
  • Fluzone
    • Individuals 6 months of age and older.
  • Trivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccines
    • Inactivated influenza vaccine is made from inactivated influenza viruses and is administered as an injection (shot).
  • Fluad
    • Individuals 65 years of age and older
       

Ordering Vaccine

COVID-19 & Influenza Vaccine Order Form for Community Vaccine Providers
COVID-19 & Influenza Vaccine Order Form for Community Health Services

Start placing vaccine orders the week of September 30, 2024. Health Unit staff will contact you when order is ready for pick-up. Please allow 5 business days.

• First Order: only request anticipated vaccine doses needed for the first two weeks
• Subsequent Orders: place as needed taking into account the shorter vaccine expiry date for COVID-19 vaccine.

When submitting a subsequent order, doses on hand must be recorded on the vaccine order form. Forms with incomplete information, including doses on hand, will result in a delay in orders being filled as public health will need to follow-up to request missing information. Allow at least 5 working days (Monday to Friday) to fill your order.

Influenza Vaccine Distribution Plan

• Public health receives regular shipments of influenza vaccine from BCCDC starting in late September. These shipments arrive with an initial shipment for all providers followed by smaller allotments in subsequent weeks. Community vaccine providers can expect their flu vaccine to be allocated and distributed in the same way.
• Vaccine will be distributed to providers based on vaccine supply and the number of vaccine doses administered/wasted by each provider in previous influenza seasons. 
• If planning a large flu clinic, include the details on the vaccine order form including the clinic date and expected doses needed. Do not plan large clinics prior to mid-late October.
• Influenza vaccine will be distributed based on available supply. If an ordered vaccine is no longer available, an equivalent product will be supplied.
• If no vaccine product (or substitute) is available, you will be notified by the local health unit.  

Picking Up Vaccine

All vaccine providers are responsible for picking up the vaccine once contacted by the health unit to confirm order is ready. Bring a hard-sided cooler with frozen ice packs and insulating material (e.g., flexible insulating blankets or gel packs at refrigerator temperature (+2˚C to +8˚C), bubble wrap, crumpled paper or Styrofoam peanuts) when picking up vaccine otherwise vaccine will not be released.

Documentation & Reporting

All Community vaccine providers (including Primary Care)

COVID-19: all doses must be recorded in the Provincial Immunization Registry (i.e. ImmsBC or eForm)

Primary Care Providers follow the steps below to order and document COVID-19 vaccines:

1. Order COVID-19 vaccines using the Covid-19 Vaccine Order Form for Community Vaccine Providers.

2. The Public Health Information Systems Team will review the information on the order form and request a Service Delivery Location (SDL) for your office from the Provincial Team. A SDL is required so your clinic can enter vaccines in the eForm system. The SDL typically takes about five business days to be created.

3. The Public Health Information Systems Team will send the Primary Care Providers (PCP) eForm Onboarding Process and Immunization eForm Guide to Primary Care Providers to you by email.

4. Follow the instructions in the email to complete the eForm education.

• If you require support with eForm access contact eformsenrolment@phsa.ca

5. Public Health Information Systems Team will email you once your SDL is created. Once the SDL is created and you have completed the education you can start documenting influenza and COVID vaccines in eForms.

Note: The local health unit will contact you when your COVID-19 vaccine order is ready to be picked up. Providers are able to administer COVID-19 vaccines before they have eForm access, but all doses must be back entered in eForms.

Acute Care 

• All doses of COVID-19 & Influenza must be reported to public health using the Imms Vaccine Recording Form for Acute Care.
• Peer Immunizers: check back soon for updates on the use of eForms.

Community Health Services

• All COVID-19 & Influenza doses must be recorded in the Provincial Immunization Registry (i.e. ImmsBC)
• At the end of each clinic day, complete the Online Clinic Tally.
• For Access to ImmsBC:
  • Supervisor: complete ImmsBC User Account Request Form using the ImmsBC Request Workflow
    ImmsBC User: complete Education for CHS
    Support & Questions: email PPH.InfoSystems.Support@islandhealth.ca

Reporting Adverse Events

Reporting Adverse Events

COVID-19 & Influenza Activity

• Island Health: Active Outbreak List
• BCCDC: COVID-19 Situation Report
• Government of Canada FluWatch
• Government of Canada: National Surveillance for COVID-19
• WHO: Flu Surveillance 

Resources

• AMMI Canada Guideline: Use of antiviral drugs for seasonal influenza 
• Canadian Immunization Guide: Influenza Vaccine
• COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit for Health Professionals
• Immunization Communication Tool for COVID-19
• ImmunizeBC: Influenza
• Island Health COVID-19 Resources for Vaccine Providers
• Island Health Influenza Prevention Policy

Contacts

• Public Health Units
• Medical Health Officers