Immunisation weekly update – 15 March 2023

Moderna Bivalent BA.4-5

Rollout and onboarding

From 3 April 2023, the Moderna Bivalent BA.4-5 vaccine will be included for use as a booster in eligible people aged 12 years+ in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program. Sites will have received an onboarding letter containing information about next steps to commence vaccinating with the Moderna Bivalent BA.4-5 vaccine.

New packaging

The Moderna Bivalent BA.4-5 vaccine comes as a single dose pre-filled syringe. The pre-filled syringe packaging is significantly larger than multidose vials and will take up much more space in the vaccine fridge, so immunisation providers must consider this when ordering vaccines.

Mandatory training

The Moderna Bivalent (BA.4-5) 12 years+ (PFS) vaccine training modules will be available from 22 March 2023 on the COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program website.

All immunisation providers administering the Moderna Bivalent BA.4-5 vaccine must complete the relevant training module prior to a administering the vaccine.

Moderna Bivalent BA.1

The existing Moderna Bivalent 18 years+ (Blue/Green) has been renamed in CVAS to Moderna Bivalent (BA.1) 18 years+ (Blue/Green) to clearly differentiate it from the new BA.4-5 formulation. The existing Moderna Bivalent (BA.1) 18 years+ (Blue/Green) is only for use as a booster dose in adults 18 years and over and comes in a multidose vial.

Moderna Bivalent BA.1 allocations will be reduced to 50 doses per fortnight for all sites from 11 March 2023 to align with the opening of orders for Moderna Bivalent BA.4-5.

AstraZeneca Vaccine Expiry and Offboarding

AstraZeneca vaccine has been offboarded from the COVID-19 Vaccination Program and can no longer be ordered from CVAS. All AstraZeneca vaccine doses will expire on 20 March 2023. Check AstraZeneca vaccines remaining in fridge on 21 March (the day after expiry) and report any wastage in CVAS:

• If there is a wastage event of 10 or more vials a Major Wastage Report will need to be completed in CVAS as soon as possible.
• If there are less than 10 vials, the reporting should be completed in the minor wastage section in the weekly Vaccine Stock Management.
• Report due no later than 9pm Friday that week.

Immunisation Education

NCIRS Influenza & COVID-19 update 2023

About: Annual influenza webinar to learn more about the updated recommendations for COVID-19 and influenza vaccination in 2023.

When: Thursday | 16 March 2023 | 12.00 – 1:00pm (AEDT)

Register for free now

Lunch and Learn: Milestone checks at scheduled childhood vaccination appointments

About: Please join us for a lunch and learn presentation on milestone checks – making the most of scheduled childhood vaccination appointments. Learn how to appropriately provide a milestone check to children attending your practice for scheduled vaccination.

When: Tuesday | 28 March 2023 | 12:30 – 1:30 pm

Register for free now

CESPHN Annual Immunisation Update

About: Latest updates on the COVID-19 vaccination program, NSW Influenza Vaccination Program and more. Agenda TBC

When: Tuesday | 4 April 2023 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm (AEDT)

Register for free now