BLAST COMMUNICATION

Georgia VFC Update: VFC Supplied COVID-19 & Nirsevimab 

• The Georgia VFC Program has been allocated a limited amount of Niversimab (Trade name Beyfortus-50 mg monoclonal antibody (MAB))
• The Georgia VFC Program was not allocated any Beyfortus-100 mg MAB.
• The Georgia VFC Program has not been allocated any 317 funded RSV vaccines for uninsured/underinsured adults.
  

• Beyfortus-50 is now turned on in GRITS for VFC supplied requests.
• CDC anticipates additional RSV MAB to arrive at McKesson depots every 2-3 weeks.
  
  ACTION REQUIRED: Please update your vaccine preferences in GRITS before ordering.  Otherwise, your clinics may not see the Beyfortus products.
  
  Friendly reminder: Clinics can place VFC vaccine requests, in GRITS, every 14 days.  Clinics will need to submit an inventory on hand count in GRITS if placing an order 14 days from their last submission.
  

• VFC providers are not required to meet the private inventory minimum requirements for COVID-19 vaccine if they do not intend to vaccinate their private pay patients.
• The private inventory requirement for COVID-19 vaccines does not apply to VFC providers who serve only VFC-eligible patients.
• Providers who do not maintain a private COVID-19 stock should share information with their privately insured patients about other ways to access COVID-19 vaccine in their areas (e.g., local public health clinics and pharmacies).
  
• If COVID-19 demand is low, providers may ask the Georgia Immunization Program about ordering the minimum package size for their VFC patients.
  

• Providers may only borrow COVID-19 vaccine if the provider maintains private stock of COVID-19 vaccines, there is an order in process, and the provider is awaiting arrival of this shipment.
• Providers must repay any borrowed COVID-19 vaccine (dose for dose) within one month and administer to the appropriate population.
• Providers must complete and submit a vaccine borrowing report to the Georgia Immunization Program.
  

• VFC providers are not required to meet the private inventory requirements for nirsevimab if they do not intend to vaccinate their private pay patients.
• The private inventory requirement for nirsevimab does not apply to VFC providers who serve only VFC-eligible patients.
• Providers who do not maintain a private nirsevimab stock should explore if other in-network insurance options are available for their privately insured patients to access
  nirsevimab in their areas (e.g., another local in-network practice or system that does have private inventory of nirsevimab, FQHC, RHC).
• If nirsevimab demand is low, providers may ask the Georgia Immunization Program about ordering the minimum packaging for their VFC patients.
  

• Providers may only borrow nirsevimab if the provider maintains private stock of nirsevimab, there is an order in process, and the provider is awaiting arrival of this shipment.
• Providers must repay any borrowed nirsevimab (dose for dose) within one month or after every 5 borrowed doses and administer to the appropriate population.
• Providers must complete and submit a vaccine borrowing report to the Georgia Immunization Program.