Updates made to the COVID-19 vaccination elearning programme

Alex Drinkall, 8 July 2021

Since the COVID-19 vaccination programme went live, the content of the different sessions which make up this programme has been updated and amended as more information about the vaccines and the vaccine programme has become available.

For those who have already completed this elearning programme, these updates are detailed below, starting with the most recent.

24 October 2023

The training and assessment for the Pfizer BioNTech Comirnaty 3 micrograms/dose COVID-19 vaccine has now been updated for the Autumn 2023 campaign, including the addition of material about the latest Omicron XBB.15 variant vaccine that will be administered to eligible younger children from 16th October.

This revised material joins the already updated training sessions and assessments for the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty-branded COVID-19 Vaccines for older children, adolescents and adults and the Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine for adults, all of which now meet the requirements for the autumn 2023 campaign.

It is recommended that new vaccinators undertake the Core elearning session before completion of the relevant vaccine specific session(s).

Important additional information has been added to the session descriptions for VidPrevtyn Beta about changes that must be immediately adopted.

Staff who complete any training and assessment before the Autumn 2023 updates have been made, must be aware that some of the content does not align with the requirements and clinical guidance for the Autumn 2023 vaccination campaign. It is always advisable for staff to undertake the latest training. For this reason, if you undertake the ‘Spring 2023’ version(s) of these sessions you may wish to complete or revisit this training and assessment once the latest version is available. Users may need to verify their completion of the updated COVID-19 vaccines training for the autumn 2023 campaign. Staff should comply with their employing organisation’s training requirements.

The Core elearning session and its accompanying assessment have been updated to include the autumn 2023 vaccination campaign and the latest Green Book content.

8 July 2021

Pfizer BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccine sessions all updated to include

the latest vaccine effectiveness data
reference to JCVI interim advice about a booster vaccination programme
myocarditis and pericarditis reports following the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines
capillary leak syndrome reports following AstraZeneca vaccine
revised advice on co-administration and giving COVID-19 vaccine when other vaccines have recently been given
advice about mixed vaccine schedules
JCVI advice about the recommended interval of 8 to 12 weeks between vaccine doses
more information about vaccine induced thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome following AstraZeneca vaccine added and updated contraindications and precautions for this vaccine
some minor wording changes to all sessions following recent updates to the Green Book COVID-19 chapter and new weblinks added

11 May 2021

AstraZeneca session updated to include

updated advice from the JCVI that an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine should be offered to healthy adults aged under 40 years, not only to healthy adults under 30 years as previously recommended in April

21 April 2021

All sessions updated to include

new JCVI advice on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women

AstraZeneca session more substantially updated to include

new advice about very rare blood clotting and unusual bleeding condition following vaccination with AstraZeneca vaccine and the subsequent new contraindications and precautions to this vaccine, including changes to age group recommendations

Some minor wording changes to all sessions following recent updates to the Green Book COVID-19 chapter and new weblinks and images added.

8 April 2021

New knowledge and assessment sessions for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine added

16 February 2021

Core Knowledge, Pfizer BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccine sessions all updated to include

advice on managing allergic history and allergies after first dose
updated information and clarification of advice on vaccination in pregnancy

as stated in revised Green Book COVID-19 chapter

29 January 2021

Pfizer BioNTech vaccine session:

Wording revised to say 6 doses obtainable from vial in response to a change in the Information for Healthcare Professionals on Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine document

AstraZeneca vaccine session:

Change to state multidose vial should be clearly labelled with the date and time of expiry rather than from when it was first punctured

Some minor wording changes in Core Knowledge, Pfizer BioNTech and AstraZeneca sessions in response to user feedback or nationally published guidance.

20 January 2021

Core Knowledge session:

Section on Long COVID added,
Section on laboratory and pathology staff and social care staff eligibility for vaccination updated to be in line with Green Book COVID-19 chapter
Change to wording around immunosuppression to reflect change to Green Book COVID-19 chapter about this

Pfizer BioNTech vaccine session:

Waste disposal section updated in response to expert feedback
Addition of ordering via Foundry system by PCN designated sites in response to request to add this from Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS)
Change to wording of description of appearance of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine prior to dilution following change about this in the Pfizer Reg174 HCP Information document
Addition of link and reference to the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine healthcare professional’s training and information materials (cvdvaccine.co.uk/)

AstraZeneca vaccine session:

Waste disposal section updated in response to expert feedback
Minor wording changes to “how does the vaccine work” in response to user feedback for clarity
Addition of ordering via Foundry system by PCN designated sites in response to request to add this from Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS)
Addition of link and reference to the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine healthcare professional’s training and information materials (cvdvaccine.co.uk/)

8 January 2021

Advice about obtaining an additional dose from COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca vials added to AstraZeneca session
More information about recommended interval between first and second dose added to both AstraZeneca and Pfizer BioNTech sessions
More information added to section about information to provide to recipients following vaccination in both AstraZeneca and Pfizer BioNTech sessions.

31 December 2020

New knowledge and assessment sessions on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine added
Core Knowledge and Pfizer BioNTech vaccine sessions updated to include: revised advice from JCVI on pregnancy and breastfeeding, updated statement from JCVI about scheduling of vaccine doses (between 4 and 12 weeks),
Pfizer BioNTech session updated to include: advice on obtaining a 6^th dose from a vial, and allergy precautions as stated in updated Green Book COVID-19 chapter and updated Information for Healthcare Professionals on Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine document

December 2020

Core Knowledge session updated with advice about not giving COVID-19 vaccine to pregnant or breastfeeding women after the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech) was authorised for use
New MHRA guidance added on not giving COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 to those with a history of anaphylaxis to a vaccine, medicine or food or a previous dose of the vaccine and addition of 15 minute minimum observation period following vaccination
Some amendments to the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 session storage and reconstitution sections following republication of updated Information for Healthcare Professionals on Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine document

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