COVID-19 Therapeutics
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) noted in a recent communication (attached) that the supply of currently authorized monoclonal antibodies (mAb) continues to decline despite increased demand. In the past two weeks, DOH received more than 32,000 requests (20,000 in the past week alone) for the 13,006 courses of mAb available for allocation across the State. DOH notes that the Federal government determines allocations for the State and that there are no additional products to allocate. DOH encourages all provider sites to follow National Institutes of Health guidelines for prioritization of patient populations and treatment over post-exposure prophylaxis as there is a nationwide shortage of mAb, and cases are increasing. This week, New York State received an allocation of 14,272 courses.
Long-Acting Monoclonal Antibodies
DOH also requests that all providers ensure that they are registered in the Department of Health and Human Services Partner Ordering Portal (HPOP). A valid HPOP account will be required to receive the AstraZeneca product EVUSHELD (a long-acting mAb). While HPOP will not be used to order EVUSHELD, it will help to verify eligible providers and record product utilization and inventory. A valid provider account should have a verified address, hours, and license number and expiration date.
A very limited quantity of EVUSHELD is available, so DOH has established a pilot program for providers to receive the initial allotments. Providers in the pilot program should ensure that they report utilization and inventory or they will not be eligible to receive more EVUSHELD. For more information on how to verify your HPOP, please see the attached DOH email.
COVID-19 Booster Doses
On December 10, DOH revised the New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Program, Information for Health Care Professionals about the Screening Checklist for the COVID-19 Vaccine: Individuals 12 Years of Age or Older, and the COVID-19 Immunization Screening and Consent Form to align with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations that everyone age 16 and older receive a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine six months after the primary series. This follows the CDC’s November 29 recommendation that anyone age 18 or older receive booster doses either six months after their primary vaccine series of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna or two months after their primary vaccine series of Janssen/Johnson & Johnson. Please note that at this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents ages 16 and 17.