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County of Santa Clara COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Healthcare Providers

See COVID-19 vaccine information for the general public

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Interested in Enrolling to be a COVID-19 vaccine provider

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County of Santa Clara vaccine activities

County planning and preparation includes partner and stakeholder engagement, vaccine provider education and enrollment, storage and handling capacity assessment, and other activities.

See vaccine news and planning updates from County of Santa Clara. 

Enrolling to be a COVID-19 vaccine provider

Ordering and providing vaccines to patients is much simpler today than it was initially. Providers can request as little as a single vial of any vaccine brand.

Becoming a registered COVID-19 vaccine provider to receive free vaccines from the County is easy. The state of California Public Health Department is also available to help answer your questions and direct you to resources you may need at (833) 502-1245 or [email protected]

 

First Steps to Becoming a Vaccine Provider

Review COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Requirements

Double check that your practice meets the necessary requirements to be a COVID-19 vaccine provider. There is some training, reporting, and storage unit information that may be asked of you as you go through this process. 

 

Enroll in COVID-19 Vaccine State and Federal Systems

There are three online platforms that all COVID-19 vaccination providers use.

  1. California Immunization Registry (CAIR2)
    CAIR2 is the State of California’s immunization information system. Ensure your facility is enrolled in CAIR2 and be able to report vaccine doses within 24 hours of administration. You will need your organizational CAIR ID during the registration processes for the other online platforms.

    Visit the CAIR2 website if you need to enroll.

    Questions? Contact your local CAIR representative, email the CAIR help desk at [email protected], or call (800) 578-7889 during business hours.

  2. myCAvax
    Potential vaccine providers must enroll in the myCAvax state system. Use this provider enrollment worksheet from the state to help you prepare for the questions in the myCAvax online application. If you have multiple locations that you expect to receive vaccine, you will need to register each of them in myCAvax.

    For assistance with the myCAvax enrollment process, email [email protected] or call (833) 502-1245, option  2. Additional myCAvax training is available.

  3. VaccineFinder
    COVID-19 vaccination providers are required to report their daily inventory to a national system called VaccineFinder. After completing myCAvax enrollment, you will receive information via email about creating an account in VaccineFinder’s COVID Locating Health Provider Portal.

    More information will be provided during a Vaccine Provider Onboarding and Orientation Meeting with the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department.

 

Understanding How to Manage and Administer Vaccines

Vaccine Management – Storage, Handling, and Inventory
A lot has changed since the vaccines came out in December. Storing and handling COVID-19 vaccine is easier for providers. Pfizer can be stored at refrigerated temperatures longer, Moderna can be at refrigerated or room temperatures for longer, and you don’t need to worry about having an ultra-low temperature freezer.

Each COVID-19 vaccine has unique storage and handling requirements. Providers must comply with all vaccine management updates issued by the manufacturer and by federal, state, or local health departments.

Vaccine Administration

Fact Sheets for Vaccine Recipients

Fact Sheets for Recipients of the vaccine are available in place of the CDC vaccine information statements (VIS) with which you might be familiar. CDC provides more information about EUA Fact Sheets.

Additional Doses

People who received two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) and who are moderately or severely immune compromised are eligible for a third dose.

Anaphylaxis Management

Getting Started as a Vaccine Provider

Vaccine Provider Onboarding and Orientation Meeting

We understand that there can be a lot of information that changes over time and many different platforms for COVID-19 vaccine providers to keep straight. To orient providers to the County of Santa Clara’s vaccine redistribution process and to share vaccine education tailored to your needs, prospective COVID-19 vaccine providers must attend a 30-minute meeting with the Public Health Department before receiving vaccine.

Once you have completed your enrollment in the 3 required platforms, we will get in touch about your 30-minute meeting with our team.

Vaccine Ordering

The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department supplies vaccine following a “redistribution model,” meaning that providers request vaccine from the Public Health Department using the myCAvax platform. If approved, the vaccine request is fulfilled from our warehouse. Depending on your practice's preference and vaccination schedule, the vaccine may be delivered to your practice location or picked up from the warehouse.

Vaccine Reporting

Data is very important to help the federal, state, and local health departments make informed decisions. There is also currently a County-wide health order from January 7, 2021 that guides vaccine information disclosure.

To become and continue as a COVID-19 vaccine provider, you will need to meet the following reporting requirements:

 

System Name What to Report Reports sent to…
CAIR2
  • Vaccine administration data
 State
myCAvax
  • Temperature excursions
  • Accepting transfers and redistribution of vaccine inventor
  • Spoiled, expired, or wasted doses
 State
VaccineFinder
  • Daily inventory on hand at the end of each day
 Federal government
VAERS
  • Adverse reactions to vaccine
  • Vaccine administration errors
  • Reporting is encouraged for any other clinically significant adverse event even if it is uncertain whether the vaccine caused the event.
 Federal government
Qualtrics
  • Specific inventory data as requested
County

More information on California vaccine reporting requirements can be found on the CDPH website.

 

Additional Reporting to County of Santa Clara

  • Vaccine providers in Santa Clara County are required to report information about vaccine inventory to the County Health Officer, separate from the state CAIR reporting requirement. The Health Officer may also request additional information for administration, oversight or other purposes. Specifics will be provided during the Vaccine Provider Onboarding and Orientation Meeting with the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department.
  • Report to the Public Health Department patients who tested positive after being fully vaccinated. Providers should still report patients who test positive for COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated is defined as: ≥ 14 days following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥14 days following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine. Follow the same procedure as for reporting non-vaccinated patients by using the Case Report Form online or send PDF by secure email.
  • Myocarditis and Pericarditis. Since April 2021, cases of rare myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported in the United States after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (Pfizer and Moderna), particularly in adolescents and young adults. There has not been a similar reporting pattern observed after receipt of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. All cases of myocarditis following receipt of COVID-19 vaccine, as well as other adverse events following vaccination, should be reported promptly to the VAERS. Myocarditis and pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccine administration do not need to be reported to the County Public Health Department.
  • Thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) is an extremely rare side effect of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. All cases of TTS following receipt of COVID-19 vaccine, as well as other adverse events following vaccination, should be reported promptly to the VAERS. TTS following COVID-19 vaccine administration does not need to be reported to the County Public Health Department.

 

Frequently Asked Questions for COVID-19 Vaccine Providers

    Which COVID-19 vaccines can I order after I enroll as a vaccine provider? How many doses can I order? What is the smallest amount?
    • Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen vaccines are all available for order.
    • While there is no maximum, providers are encouraged to order an amount they can reasonably administer within the “beyond use” date and/or the manufacturer’s expiration date.
    • Providers may order a minimum of one vial of vaccine.
    Are ancillary supplies included with COVID-19 vaccine order?

    Yes. Ancillary supplies to support the number of doses are included in each order. These include needles, syringes, alcohol pads, face shields, surgical masks, diluent (for Pfizer), and immunization cards.

    What can I be reimbursed for? What is the process?

    COVID-19 vaccine providers cannot charge for vaccine, but they may seek reimbursement for administrative costs from the patient’s insurer or through the federal government’s COVID-19 Uninsured Program. Providers can submit reimbursement claims for administrative costs to insurers using the normal process. More information is available in the COVID-19 Vaccine Reimbursement Quick Guide.

    How do I create a VaccineFinder account? Who do I contact if I never received communication from VaccineFinder to create an account?

    Providers will receive an email from [email protected] to create an account with this web-based system created by the CDC. The system helps the public find vaccine sites and receives reports of day end vaccine inventory on hand from providers. This email is typically sent 3 business days after myCAvax application approval. Providers having trouble accessing their accounts should email [email protected] or call (833) 748-1979.

    Note: Reporting to VaccineFinder on a daily basis (even if a practice is closed or it is a holiday) is a federal requirement.

    What is My Turn? Is it required?

    My Turn is an optional online platform managed by the state for clinic management, dose accountability and reporting, public scheduling, and walk-in registration for vaccine clinics. It is not required but may be a useful tool to submit vaccine administration data to the CAIR2 data exchange in order to meet state reporting requirements. Visit the MyTurn Onboarding page on the EZIZ.org/COVID website for more information.

    Do I have to have an ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezer to get vaccine?

    No. These are no longer required for any of the vaccine brands. The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department can redistribute vaccine to providers at either refrigerated or frozen temperatures. The frozen temperatures must be no higher than 5°F, but do not need to be ultra-low.

    Can I put COVID-19 vaccine back in the freezer after it has been thawed?

    No. The amount of vaccine needed should determine how much is removed from the freezer to be thawed. Providers should take careful note of total doses needed each time vaccine is removed from the freezer and when ordering vaccine doses from the Public Health Department.

    I have doses expiring soon. What do I do?

    If providers have doses that are nearing the manufacturer’s expiration date, these doses should not be disposed. Providers should first use the supply with the soonest expiration or “beyond use” date. Doses nearing expiration may be placed on the myCAvax Vaccine Marketplace. It is important to check vaccine lot expiration dates routinely, as the manufacturers may have updated the expiration date since printing the label on the vial.

    The following tools help to check expiration dates (by manufacturer) online:

    Can we co-administer the COVID vaccine with other routine vaccines?

    Yes. COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines, including all of those needed by children to attend school, may be administered without regard to timing. This includes simultaneous administration of COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines on the same day, as well as co-administration within 14 days.

    When can patients with prior or current COVID-19 infection be vaccinated?

    It is safe for people with prior COVID-19 infection to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Healthcare providers should defer vaccination until the patient has recovered from acute illness and criteria have been met for them to discontinue isolation. Please note, patients who received monoclonal antibody or convalescent treatment, should wait for 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. For more information, please see the CDC’s guidelines.

    Clinical Management and Patient Counseling

    Educate yourself and your staff with this clinical information from the CDC about COVID-19 vaccines.

    Address patient questions and set expectations using these recommended CDC resources.

    Many patients have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. As vaccine recipients’ most-trusted source of information on vaccines, healthcare providers play a critical role in helping their patients understand the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and when they are likely to be eligible to receive the vaccine.

    The County’s vaccine website for the public also has answers to many frequently asked questions.  See www.sccfreevax.org

    State and Federal Government COVID-19 Resources

    State of California COVID-19 vaccine activities

    U.S. federal government COVID-19 vaccine activities

     

    Quick Links

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