Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program for COVID-19 Vaccination

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1. Can our facility obtain COVID-19 vaccine through our usual pharmacy and administer it ourselves

like we do for influenza vaccine?

Yes, however, most of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in late-stage testing have stricter cold chain

requirements than seasonal influenza vaccine, including requirements for some vaccines to be

frozen. Additionally, each vaccine has different mixing requirements for administration and minimal

interval requirements for a second dose, if indicated. Reporting requirements for COVID-19 vaccines

will also be stricter than those for seasonal influenza vaccine. Anyone who administers COVID-19

vaccine is required to enroll as a vaccination provider and report individual-level administration data

to the appropriate state, territorial, local, or federal jurisdiction once the vaccine has

been administered. For facilities opting into the pharmacy partnership program, the pharmacy

partner would be responsible for procuring vaccine, cold chain

management, administration to residents (and staff who have not yet been vaccinated),

and fulfillment of all reporting requirements to public health authorities on behalf of the facility.

2. How do I sign up for the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program for COVID-19

Vaccination?

Nursing homes can sign up via the National Healthcare Safety Network

(NHSN; https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/index.html) and assisted living facilities can sign up via an online

survey (https://redcap.link/LTCF) starting October 19 and remaining open for two weeks.

3. Why are facilities being asked to consider the LTC pharmacy partnership program for vaccination

of LTCF residents?

CDC is partnering with pharmacies to offer on-site COVID-19 vaccination services for nursing homes

and assisted living facilities. The Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care (LTC) Program provides

end-to-end management of the COVID-19 vaccination process, including cold chain management,

on-site vaccinations, and fulfillment of reporting requirements, to facilitate safe vaccination of this

patient population, while reducing burden on facilities and jurisdictional health departments.

4. Can staff at my facility get vaccinated via this program?

It is possible that staff will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine earlier than LTCF residents as part

of a recommendation for vaccination for healthcare personnel, including those in LTCFs. Any staff

member who was not already vaccinated could be vaccinated through these on-site clinics;

however, we strongly encourage staff to be vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, which may

occur through mobile clinics and clinics run by health departments for healthcare personnel.

5. Our facility has their own pharmacy, are we required to participate in the LTC pharmacy

partnership program for vaccine distribution?

No, you are not required to participate in this program. A facility can opt to have vaccine supply and

management services coordinated by a pharmacy provider of their choice or opt in at a later time by

emailing eocevent494@cdc.gov to sign up if after the online form has closed. If an LTCF opts out of

the pharmacy partnership program, the LTCF and the pharmacy provider of their choice are

responsible for coordination of and adherence to all vaccine supply chain,

storage, handling, administration, and reporting requirements, including strict cold chain and public

health reporting requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program for COVID-19 Vaccination

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6. Can a combination of options be selected? For example, can we have some vaccination services be

provided by our own pharmacy provider and some by the pharmacy partnership program.

Initially, a combination of options will not be possible. We are asking facilities to select a single

option to facilitate efficient distribution of vaccine. We expect the pharmacy partnership services to

continue on-site at the facility for approximately 2 months.

7. How would new LTCF residents be vaccinated?

After the initial phase of vaccinations, the facility can choose to continue to work with

the pharmacy that provided their initial on-site clinics for additional doses or can choose to work

with a pharmacy provider of their choice. Depending on vaccine supply, facilities may want to work

with local hospitals to ensure residents have received their first dose before being discharged.

Similarly, facilities may ask new admissions from the community to get vaccinated before admission.

8. What costs are we responsible for if we choose to participate in the pharmacy partnership

program?

There will be no costs to the LTCF for participation in the pharmacy partnership program. It is

anticipated that participating pharmacies will bill public and private insurance for the vaccine

administration fees.

9. If the facility chooses its own pharmacy provider, will that pharmacy provider receive a payment

for administering the vaccine?

Yes, it is anticipated that pharmacy providers will bill public and private insurance for the vaccine

administration fees.

10. If the facility chooses its own pharmacy provider, what data will the facility or pharmacy have to

report?

To administer COVID-19 vaccine, providers will need to sign a provider agreement, which

requires reporting of specific data elements once vaccine has been administered. Required elements

are: Administered at location: facility name/ID; administered at location: type; administration

address (including county); administration date; CVX (Product); dose number; recipient ID*;

vaccination event ID; lot Number: Unit of Use and/or Unit of Sale; MVX (Manufacturer); recipient

address*; recipient date of birth*; recipient name*; recipient sex; sending organization; vaccine

administering provider suffix; vaccine administering site (on the body); vaccine expiration date;

vaccine route of administration; vaccination series complete.

11. When is the deadline for choosing to participate in the LTC pharmacy partnership program?

It is anticipated that the survey will open on October 19, 2020 and remain open for two

weeks. During that time, the facility can make a change to their choice of pharmacy provider

(e.g., select to participate in the pharmacy partnership program, but later opt out).

However, after the form closes, no changes can be made via the National Healthcare Safety Network

(NHSN) or the online from and the facility will have to coordinate directly with the pharmacy

provider selected to make any changes regarding vaccination supply and services.

12. Our facility is not enrolled in NHSN. Do we have to enroll in NHSN to indicate our options for

vaccine supply? 
Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program for COVID-19 Vaccination

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A nursing home or skilled nursing facility must be enrolled in the NHSN LTCF COVID-19 module to be 

able to make a selection of COVID-19 vaccine pharmacy providers. Please follow the enrollment 

steps here: https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/ltc/covid19/enroll.html. Assisted living facilities wishing to 

participate should visit https://redcap.link/LTCF.   

13. Who do we contact if we have problems with our vaccine supply?

For facilities that opt to participate in the pharmacy partnership program, please contact CVS or

Walgreens directly if you encounter any issues. For facilities that opt out of the pharmacy

partnership program, please contact the pharmacy provider of your choice or

your jurisdiction’s health department.

14. Is Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandating residents to be vaccinated with

COVID-19 vaccine?

Not at this time. Please refer to CMS directly for requirements around COVID-19 vaccine in LTCFs.

15. Who should I reach out to if I have additional questions?

For questions specific to the pharmacy partnership program for LTCFs, please

contact eocevent494@cdc.gov.