Covid-19 Resources

If you are a current COA transportation client, we can assist you with transportation to your vaccine location. Please call COA at 526-6368 with as much notice as possible.

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL NH DHHS HEALTH ALERT

Distributed by the NH Health Alert Network

Health.Alert@nh.gov

January 15, 2021 1700 (5:00 PM EDT)

NH-HAN 20210115

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak, Update #34

Instructions for Registering Medically Vulnerable Patients for Vaccination

Key Points and Recommendations:

• The New Hampshire (NH) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) continues to distribute vaccine under the Phase 1a vaccine allocation guidelines.
• Vaccination for Phase 1b eligible vaccine recipients will begin on January 26th through various locations. Phase 1b includes:
  • Persons who are 65 years of age or older
  • Persons who are under 65 years old with defined medical conditions that put them at significantly higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness and death
  • Residents and staff of residential facilities for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • Corrections officers and staff working in correctional facilities o First responders and health workers not already vaccinated

• Registration for NH residents in Phase 1b will begin on January 22nd at 8:00am. The registration and scheduling process for vaccination will vary depending on the person’s prioritization criteria and location of vaccination clinic:

  • Persons 65 years of age and older should register to be vaccinated at a fixed site by visiting https://vaccines.nh.gov. Persons without internet access should call 2-1-1 to get assistance with registration.

  • Persons under 65 years of age who are prioritized due to medical conditions need to register through their healthcare provider to confirm eligibility and facilitate vaccination through one of the processes outlined below. There is no requirement to retain any verification forms, but a person’s associated medical conditions should be documented in their health record. o Other Phase 1b individuals should also register to be vaccinated at a fixed site by visiting https://vaccines.nh.gov (or call 2-1-1 if no internet access), through their organization (e.g. hospital employee), or through a vaccination clinic organized by a Regional Public Health Network (RPHN).
• For persons under the age of 65 years who require provider verification of co-morbid medical conditions before vaccination:
  • Hospital-affiliated providers that will vaccinate their own patients: The healthcare system will register and schedule eligible patients for vaccination clinics organized through the hospital organization. The healthcare system will report patient administration data either through manual data entry into VAMS/VMS (third-party clinic) or use their own electronic health record (EHR) system and upload a flat file to the NH Immunization Information System (NHIIS).
  • Providers that plan to refer patients to a fixed site:
    • For providers with access to VAMS/VMS: Enter patient information directly into VAMS/VMS, which will prompt an email invitation to the patient to schedule vaccination at a fixed site. For patients without email, follow the process below.
    • For providers who do NOT have access to VAMS/VMS, or for patients that do not have access to email: The provider should provide information to NH DPHS on patients that meet medical eligibility and NH DPHS will schedule the patients for vaccination. Instructions for providing patient information are as follows:

• Collect first name, last name, date of birth, phone number, email address (if available)
• Enter information in the excel file template OR on a medical verification form and send information to:

o Email: covidvaccinescheduling@dhhs.nh.gov OR

o Fax: 603-271-3001

• It may take up to 5 days for the patient to receive a scheduling invitation by phone after submission to NH DPHS.

o Persons under 65 years old without a healthcare provider should call 2-1-1 to get connected to a healthcare provider in their area.

• Non-New Hampshire residents are NOT able to be vaccinated in New Hampshire vaccination clinics unless that person is an employee of a business or organization in New Hampshire that is prioritized for vaccination (i.e. healthcare worker, first responder, correctional facility staff, or working in a residential facility for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities). Non-New Hampshire residents should seek vaccination through their own respective state processes.

Vaccine Registration, Scheduling, and Tracking Technology

NH DPHS is using CDC’s Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) for vaccine data tracking in Phase 1a. NH DPHS is in the process of transitioning from VAMS to the Vaccine Management System (VMS), which will be used to register and schedule persons for fixed vaccination sites for Phase 1b and beyond. Administered vaccine data are stored in the NH Immunization information System. All healthcare providers receiving COVID-19 vaccine are required to report data into one of these data systems. Additional resources and information about these systems is available here:

CDC VAMS: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/reporting/vams/index.html

NH IIS: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/immunization/nhiis.htm

NH DPHS COVID-19 Immunization Information System FAQ:

https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/covid19/documents/covid-immunization-info-system-faq.pdf

Key contact information:

For additional information on COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation please refer to the NH COVID-19 Vaccination Planning webpage.

• For any questions regarding this notification, please call the NH DHHS, DPHS, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at (603) 271-4496 during business hours (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).
• If you are calling after hours or on the weekend, please call the New Hampshire Hospital switchboard at (603) 271-5300 and request the Public Health Professional on-call.
• To change your contact information in the NH Health Alert Network, please send an email to DHHS.Health.Alert@dhhs.nh.gov.