SB 1445

Abstract

Facilitate the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine; emergency. Facilitates the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. The bill requires the Department of Health (the Department) to establish a program to enable eligible health care providers to volunteer to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to residents of the Commonwealth during a state of emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic declared by the Governor. The bill defines "eligible health care provider" and provides that the program shall include (i) a process by which an eligible health care provider may register to participate in the program and (ii) the training requirements for participating eligible health care providers related to the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, including training on the intramuscular injection of the COVID-19 vaccine and contraindications and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. The bill specifies requirements that the Department shall ensure that each site at which COVID-19 vaccinations are administered by eligible health care providers satisfies. The bill also requires the Department to establish a process by which entities, including medical care facilities, hospitals, hospital systems, corporations, businesses, pharmacies, public and private institutions of higher education, localities, and any other professional or community entity operating in the Commonwealth, may volunteer their facilities as sites at which the COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to residents of the Commonwealth. The bill permits a public institution of higher education or a private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to volunteer to provide assistance to the Department and local health departments for data processing, analytics, and program development related to the COVID-19 vaccine through the use of its employees, students, technology, and facilities. The bill also permits localities with fire departments, emergency medical services departments, and volunteer rescue squads to establish and staff vaccine administration clinics. The bill provides civil and criminal immunity to individuals and professional entities acting pursuant to the bill and contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to HB 2333.

Facilitate the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine; emergency. Directs the Department of Health (the Department) to establish a process whereby any health care provider in the Commonwealth as set out in the bill who is qualified and available to administer the COVID-19 vaccine may volunteer to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to citizens of the Commonwealth. The bill sets out which health care providers may administer vaccines under the act and provides that such providers shall complete any training required by the Department. The Department, each local health department, and hospitals operating community vaccination clinics shall have access to the list of providers and may request that any health care provider administer the COVID-19 vaccine in clinics operated by the Department, local health department, or hospital. The bill also directs the Department to establish on its website's home page a link making a process easily accessible for entities to volunteer as sites that the Commissioner of Health and the Department may jointly approve as sites where administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to citizens of the Commonwealth may occur. The bill permits a public institution of higher education or a private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to volunteer to provide assistance to the Department and local health departments for data processing, analytics, and program development related to the COVID-19 vaccine through the use of its employees, students, technology, and facilities. The bill permits localities with fire departments or emergency medical services departments employing full-time, non-volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMT) or paramedics to establish and staff vaccine administration clinics for the purpose of administering COVID-19 vaccines. The bill provides civil and criminal immunity to individuals and professional entities acting pursuant to the bill and contains an emergency clause.

COVID-19; vaccine administration; emergency.Facilitates the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. The billrequires the Department of Health (the Department) to establish a process whereby any health care provider in the Commonwealth whois qualified and available to administer the COVID-19 vaccine mayvolunteer to administer the vaccine to citizens of the Commonwealthand sets out which health care providers are eligible to volunteer.The bill also requires the Department to establish a process on itswebsite whereby medical care facilities, hospitals, hospital systems,corporations, businesses, pharmacies, public and private institutionsof higher education, and any other professional or community entitiesoperating in the Commonwealth may register such entity's facilitiesas sites that the Commissioner of Health and the Department mayjointly approve as sites where administration of the COVID-19 vaccinemay occur. The bill permits a public institution of higher educationor a private institution of higher education in the Commonwealthto volunteer to provide assistance to the Department and local healthdepartments for data processing, analytics, and program developmentrelated to the COVID-19 vaccine through the use of its employees,students, technology, and facilities. The bill provides civil andcriminal immunity to individuals and professional entities actingpursuant to the bill.