COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine Booster Approved (SNF/AL)
On Thursday, September 1, 2022 the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), with approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommended the updated Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent COVID-19 boosters. These new “bivalent” vaccines are designed to fight the Omicron strains of COVID-19 more effectively.
The bivalent COVID-19 vaccine will be administered as a single booster dose to those who previously completed a primary series of COVID-19 vaccine. Eligible individuals should wait at least two months after receiving their primary series or prior monovalent booster before receiving the bivalent booster. Individuals with a prior COVID-19 infection should wait three months from symptom onset or a positive test (if asymptomatic) before receiving the bivalent booster.
The approval and recommendation to use the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 boosters for persons aged 12 years and older and the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 booster for persons 18 and older are repealed and replaced with recommendations to use the updated bivalent vaccine. This means individuals do not need to choose which booster to receive as there is only one booster available; the bivalent is now the sole booster.
The recommendations also confirmed that co-administration of the bivalent and influenza vaccine are allowed without contraindications. Therefore, providers should offer both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines during vaccine clinics if a person is eligible for both.
AHCA reached out to CMS to clarify how moving to the bivalent booster would alter the definition of “Up to Date” for purposes of both resident and staff tracking and vaccine management. CMS has shared that for enforcement purposes providers should continue to use the definition of “Up to Date” based on the monovalent vaccine recommendation until clarifying information is issued by CMS and/or CDC, updating the definition of “Up to Date” that incorporates the bivalent vaccine.
We encourage everyone to work with your LTC pharmacy to start using the bivalent for those eligible (anyone with at least 2 months since the last vaccine dose or 3 months if they have recovered from a diagnosis of COVID-19).
Important Note: Please continue to retain all monovalent COVID-19 vaccine. Monovalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines may be used in primary series administration.
Below is a list of resources related to the updated booster recommendations. CDC updated the Interim Clinical Considerations on September 2, 2022.
- Interim Clinical Considerations – Updated September 2, 2022
- ACIP Slides on Updated Clinical Considerations
- Vaccines.gov
- CDC’sCOVID-19 booster tool