From the Desk of Joseph Peppe, M.D.
Medical Director, Northeast PHO
Dear colleagues,
I write to provide an update on the COVID-19 vaccination plan. The good news is that there are two vaccines which have received Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA. Last week the Pfizer vaccine was shipped and immunizations began at Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals (BH/AGH). This week the Moderna vaccine shipped and administration will begin shortly.
There have been many questions about who will receive the vaccine, when, and how. To some extent the “plane is being built while it is in the air” which results in a fluid situation. Folks at BH/AGH, the Beth Israel Lahey Health System, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are nimble and are adjusting to the federal guidance as it is released and updated.
Please find some information below as I understand it at this time; needless to say, it may change.
Click here to see the High level Plan from Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Beverly and Addison Gilbert High Level Plan
BH/AGH are following the recommended federal, state, and BILH System vaccine prioritization guidance. With the vaccine allotments received to date clinical and non-clinical healthcare works doing direct and COVID-facing care are currently being vaccinated. As additional vaccine inventory is received additional healthcare workers will be vaccinated, including members of the BH/AGH medical staff.
Others in Phase 1
At a state level, arrangements are being made for others in Phase 1 beyond those who work at a hospital facility or are an employee of a health system. For example, CVS and Walgreens pharmacies will vaccinate many of the nursing home residents. There have been discussions of EMTs vaccinating other first responders and that some large medical practices may receive vaccine. These details have not been finalized or publicly shared at this time and will likely be altered as needed.
Administering COVID-19 Vaccine at Your Office for Employees and Patients (as applicable)*
Provider sites must enroll in the Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccination Program (MCVP). Enrollment in the MCVP is open to all provider sites that will administer COVID-19 vaccine.
Only sites that have registered with the MIIS and have submitted a signed MCVP Enrollment Form will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccine.
If your site is not fully registered and on-boarded to submit vaccine-administered data to the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS), email the MIIS at miishelpdesk@mass.gov.
If you did not receive the Massachusetts COVID-19 Program (MCVP) Enrollment Form contact the MDPH Vaccine Unit at dph-vaccine-management@massmail.state.ma.us.
For more information, please see Frequently Asked Questions about the MCVP Enrollment Form. We recommend checking the website frequently in order to stay up to date with the latest information. For additional provider information on the COVID-19 vaccine, please click here.
(*immediately above section adapted from a Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians email)
Click here to see the Allocation Schedule.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Alycia Messelaar at alycia.messelaar@lahey.org or me at joseph.peppe@lahey.org .
Please be well and be safe.
Happy Holidays,
Joe Peppe