1/08/21 MDPH School Health Unit Update

Greetings from the School Health Unit!

I know you are all on post-vacation overload and I have already communicated with you three times this week (good gravy!), but I wanted to pass along some important information as soon as possible.  I also want to take the opportunity to remind everyone that School Health Unit staff and the School Nurse Regional Consultants are receiving more emails and calls than ever, and the volume is approaching an untenable level.  Please be patient with our responses and realize that none of us can make decisions for your school, district, or municipality; we can only refer you back to existing guidance.

With gratitude and respect,

Karen

Vaccination Updates

On the LBOH call today, Assistant Commissioner Jana Ferguson confirmed that school nursing staff who are implementing testing programs in schools, or who are assisting in vaccination clinics, may access COVID-19 vaccination NOW through local health departments, where local health departments are running such clinics.  If your local health department is not administering the vaccine, school nurses may access the mass vaccination sites that have been set up to serve groups of people by phase; these are currently also serving first responders.

All other school nurses will be vaccinated in Phase 1 under the bullet heading “Health care workers doing non-COVID-facing care”; this information can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/when-can-i-get-the-covid-19-vaccine.

To find out if your municipality if offering vaccine, and if not, where the closest mass vaccination site is to you, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccine-locations-for-first-responders#find-a-location-to-get-vaccinated-.  I hope to have more information on what to bring to mass vaccination sites to verify your identity as soon as possible.

For more information on Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccination efforts, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccination-program.

BU SHIELD Updates

Recorded CSHS state meeting sessions for October and December now posted here.

More trainings for BinaxNOW have been added to our schedule.  Register here.

January Regional Nurse Leader meetings are happening!  These are required for CSHS funded schools/districts and open to all interested Nurse Leaders.  This month’s topic is Vaccine Confidence, presented by healthcare professionals from the Vaccine Implementation and Scientific Engagement arm of Merck.  You will come away with timely information and techniques for working with your communities to enhance vaccine confidence and increase uptake of vaccinations.

Select the link under your region to register for the (ZOOM) meeting. After you register, a confirmation e-mail will come from Public Health Training Centers containing a meeting link and access code.

Northeast
January 22, 2021 | 1:00PM -3:00PM
Boston/Metro West
January 26, 2021 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Western
January 27, 2021 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Southeast
January 28, 2021 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Central
January 29, 2021 | 1:00PM -3:00PM

Additional Trainings

 MDPH: COVID-19 Vaccine Training

The Moderna Supplement

(Recorded 12/31/2020)

In this training the Immunization Division will review:

  • Define ACIP COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
  • Explain Vaccine Storage and Handling
  • Describe COVID-19 Vaccine Screening
  • Explain Provider’s Role in Vaccine Administration
  • List Recommended Infection Control Measures
  • Summarize Principles of COVID-19 Vaccine Preparation
  • Identify Vaccine Adverse Reactions
  • Describe Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting
  • Summarize Recommendations for Vaccinating during the COVID-19 Pandemic

MDPH: COVID-19 Vaccine Training The Moderna Supplement

This training is designed as supplemental training to the December 14th  MDPH: Introduction to COVID-19 Vaccine Storage & Handling and Administration training listed below. It includes updates and is designed for health care providers, vaccine coordinators, and all health care personnel who handle and/or administer vaccines. There is a focus on the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.  At the conclusion of this training, participants will have an understanding of the current guidance on COVID-19 vaccine storage and handling, and administration and safety.

Please note: Information in this session is based on information currently available at the time of the recording. More information will be released as it is received.

MDPH: COVID-19 Vaccine Training  Moderna Supplement Webinar

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__register.gotowebinar.com_recording_4012809934582182926&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=odrC2_VQugK58X57UEr8QIl6TJ7PIhJ9YAWyR-QWA84&m=vMzB5Z4hrRNUpdcV4EIctMvOuA6o5AVMLljinHP7FE0&s=TBfHIiF8XnarTMgSd9p-WkDoEkBnjwtB_iE0i6o3s8U&e=

MDPH: Introduction to COVID-19 Vaccine

Storage & Handling and Administration

(Recorded on December 14, 2020)

MDPH: Introduction to COVID-19 Vaccine Storage & Handling and Administration

This training is designed for health care providers, vaccine coordinators, and all health care personnel who handle and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines. It includes information current as of 12/14/2020. There is a focus on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

MDPH: Intro to COVID-19 Vaccine Storage & Handling and Administration Training Webinar

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__register.gotowebinar.com_recording_7634552857599743233&d=DwMFaQ&c=lDF7oMaPKXpkYvev9V-fVahWL0QWnGCCAfCDz1Bns_w&r=odrC2_VQugK58X57UEr8QIl6TJ7PIhJ9YAWyR-QWA84&m=vMzB5Z4hrRNUpdcV4EIctMvOuA6o5AVMLljinHP7FE0&s=67JjH7bdAr-lFzfMpPTAZyixcsxb55K2K3jlI7M3NAc&e=

Karen Robitaille, MBA, MSN, RN, NCSN
<she, her, hers>
Director of School Health Services
Division of Child/Adolescent Health and Reproductive Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. 5th floor, Boston, MA 02108
karen.robitaille2@state.ma.us
cell 781-675-0463
Personal Webex room: https://statema.webex.com/meet/Karen.Robitaille3