Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccine Preparation and Administration Summary

General Information Administration

Vaccine: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Intramuscular (IM) injection in the deltoid muscle
Diluent: 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline, preservative-free) Thawing Frozen Vaccine
Use a new vial every time.
ƒ Frozen vaccine must be thawed before using.
Multidose vial: 6 doses per vial
ƒ Thaw vaccine in the refrigerator or at room temperature:
Dosage: 0.3 mL ‚ Refrigerator: Between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F)
Vaccine MUST be mixed with diluent before administration. Unpunctured vials may be stored in the refrigerator for up to
1 month (31 days).
Age Indications ‚ Room temperature (for immediate use): Up to 25°C (77°F)
12 years of age and older Unpunctured vials cannot be kept at room temperature for
more than 2 hours (including thaw time).
Schedule
ƒ Amount of time needed to thaw vaccine varies based on
ƒ 2-dose series separated by 21 days* temperature and number of vials.
ƒ Moderately to severely immunocompromised people: ƒ Do NOT refreeze thawed vaccine.
Consider an additional dose at least 28 days after the initial
ƒ Use vials in the refrigerator before removing vials from ultra-
2-dose primary series.*
cold temperature or freezer storage.
ƒ A series started with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
ƒ Use CDC’s beyond-use date labels for this vaccine to track
should be completed with this product.
storage time at refrigerated and frozen temperatures.
Prepare the Vaccine

Follow aseptic technique. Perform hand hygiene before Inject 1.8 mL 0.9% sodium chloride
vaccine preparation, between patients, when changing (normal saline, preservative-free) diluent
gloves (if worn), and any time hands become soiled.† into the vaccine vial.

Remove vaccine from the freezer or refrigerator. Allow

vaccine to come to room temperature. Vials can be held at Using the mixing syringe, remove 1.8 mL
room temperature for up to 2 hours before mixing. of air from the vaccine vial to equalize the
pressure in the vaccine vial.

Before mixing, check the expiration dates of the vaccine

and diluent. NEVER use expired vaccine or diluent. The Gently invert the vial containing vaccine
expiration dates for the diluent and the vaccine are and diluent 10 times. The vaccine will be
located on the respective vials. off-white in color. Do not use if discolored or
contains particulate matter. Do not shake. If
the vial is shaken, contact the manufacturer.
With the vaccine at room temperature, gently invert vial 10
times. Do not shake the vial. If the vial is shaken, contact the
manufacturer. The vaccine is white to off-white in color and may Note the date and time the vaccine was
contain opaque particles. Do not use if liquid is discolored. mixed on the vial.

Using a new, sterile alcohol prep pad for each vial, wipe
off the stoppers of the diluent and vaccine vials. Using a Keep mixed vaccine between 2°C and 25°C
21-gauge (or narrower) needle, withdraw 1.8 mL of 0.9% (36°F to 77°F), minimize exposure to room
sodium chloride (normal saline, preservative-free) into light, and avoid exposure to direct sunlight
a mixing syringe. Discard diluent vial and any remaining and ultraviolet light. Administer within 6
diluent every time. Do NOT use bacteriostatic normal 1.8 ml hours. Discard any unused vaccine after
saline or other diluents to mix the vaccine. 6 hours. Do not return to freezer storage.

* For more information, please see Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States at https://www.cdc.gov/
vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html.
†Gloves are not required unless the person administering the vaccine is likely to come in contact with potentially infectious body fluids or has open lesions on the
hands. If worn, perform hand hygiene and change gloves between patients.
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Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Vaccine Preparation and Administration Summary

Administer the Vaccine

Assess recipient status: Remove any significant air bubbles with the needle
• Screen for contraindications and precautions. still in the vial to avoid loss of vaccine. Use the same
• Review vaccination history. needle* to withdraw and administer the vaccine.
• Review medical considerations. Ensure the prepared syringe is not cold to the touch.

Choose the correct equipment, including the Bring the dose of vaccine from the designated
correct needle size. preparation area immediately to the patient
• Use a new, sterile needle and syringe for treatment area for administration.
each injection. Use low dead-volume syringes/
needles to extract 6 doses from a single vial.
Ensure staff has the correct PPE before
If sufficient low-dead volume syringes are
administering vaccines and implement policies
not available, withdraw vaccine using a
for the use of face coverings for vaccine recipients
combination of low dead-volume syringes
older than 2 years of age (if tolerated).
and non-low dead-volume syringes per vial (e.g.,
4 low dead-volume syringes and 2 non-low
dead-volume syringes). Administer the vaccine immediately by
intramuscular (IM) injection in the deltoid muscle.
Cleanse the stopper on the vial of mixed vaccine
with a new, sterile alcohol prep pad. Withdraw Observe recipients after vaccination for an
0.3 mL of mixed vaccine into the syringe. immediate adverse reaction:
• Regardless of the type of syringe used, ensure the • 30 minutes: Persons with a:
amount of vaccine in the syringe equals 0.3 mL. Ů History of an immediate allergic reaction of any
• If the amount of vaccine remaining in the vial severity to a vaccine or injectable therapy
cannot provide a full 0.3 mL dose, discard the Ů Contraindication to Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
vial and contents. who receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
• Do NOT combine vaccine from multiple vials to Ů History of anaphylaxis due to any cause
obtain a dose. • 15 minutes: All other persons

*It is not necessary to change needles between drawing vaccine from a vial and injecting it into a recipient unless the needle has been damaged or contaminated.

Scheduling Doses

Vaccination History†‡ And Then Next Dose Due

Give dose 2 at least
0 doses Give dose 1 today
21 days after dose 1§

It has been at least 21 days since Series complete;

Give dose 2 today
1 dose (Pfizer-BioNTech dose 1 no additional doses needed¶
COVID-19 Vaccine) It has not been at least 21 days Give dose 2 at least
No dose today
from dose 1 21 days after dose 1§
2 doses (Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Series complete;
Vaccine) at least 21 days apart§ no additional doses needed¶

2 doses (1 product unknown) Series complete;

at least 28 days apart ‡ no additional doses needed¶
†COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines may be administered at the same visit, as well as within 14 days of each other. When deciding whether to administer COVID-19
vaccines and other vaccines, providers should consider whether the person is behind or at risk of becoming behind on recommended vaccines. They should also
consider the person's risk of vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g., during an outbreak) and the reactogenicity profile of the vaccines.
‡ Every effort should be made to determine which vaccine product was received as the first dose. In exceptional situations in which the vaccine product given for the first dose

vaccine product cannot be determined or is no longer available, any available mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may be administered at least 28 days after the first dose.
§Administer the second dose as close to the recommended interval (21 days) as possible. If the second dose is not administered within 42 days of the first dose,
the series does not need to be restarted. Doses inadvertently administered less than 21 days apart do not need to be repeated.
¶Consider an additional dose (i.e., third dose) 28 days after the initial 2-dose primary series for moderately to severely immunocompromised people.
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Vaccine Preparation and Administration Summary

Contraindications and Precautions Document each recipient's vaccine administration information

in the:
Contraindications:
ƒ Medical record:
ƒ Severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) after a previous dose
or to a component of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna or ‚ Vaccine and the date it was administered
Pfizer-BioNTech) ‚ Manufacturer and lot number
ƒ Immediate allergic reaction* of any severity to a previous dose ‚ Vaccination site and route
or known (see https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-
considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html#Appendix-C for a list ‚ Name and title of the person administering the vaccine
of ingredients in COVID-19 vaccine products) ƒ Personal vaccination record card (shot card):
Note: Persons who have a contraindication to an mRNA COVID-19 Date of vaccination, product name/manufacturer, lot number,
vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) may be able to receive the and name/location of the administering clinic or healthcare
Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (see footnote).† professional. Give to the vaccine recipient.

Precautions: ƒ Immunization information system (IIS) or “registry”: Report

the vaccination to the appropriate state/local IIS.
ƒ Most people determined to have a precaution to a COVID-19 vaccine
at their appointment can and should be administered vaccine.
Reporting Adverse Events
ƒ History of an immediate allergic reaction* to any other vaccine
Healthcare professionals are required to report to the Vaccine
or injectable therapy (i.e., intramuscular, intravenous, or
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS):
subcutaneous vaccines or therapies)
‚ This includes people with a reaction to a vaccine or injectable ƒ Vaccine administration errors (whether associated with an
therapy that contains multiple components, one of which adverse event [AE] or not)
is a vaccine component, but for whom it is unknown which ƒ Serious AEs (irrespective of attribution to vaccination)
component elicited the immediate allergic reaction.
ƒ Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) in adults or children
ƒ People with a contraindication to Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
have a precaution to both mRNA vaccines (see footnote).† ƒ Cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death
ƒ Moderate to severe acute illness ƒ Any additional AEs and revised safety reporting requirements
per the Food and Drug Administration’s conditions for use of an
For more information, please see Interim Clinical Considerations
authorized vaccine throughout the duration of the EUA
for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United
States at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/ Adverse events should be reported even if the cause is uncertain.
clinical-considerations.html. Healthcare professionals are also encouraged to report any
clinically significant AEs that occur after vaccine administration.
Management of Anaphylaxis Submit reports to www.vaers.hhs.gov.
Be prepared to manage medical emergencies. For additional information, see the vaccine manufacturer’s
ƒ Have a written protocol to manage medical emergencies product information at www.cvdvaccine.com.
following vaccination, as well as equipment and medications, For additional information on preventing, reporting, and
including at least 3 doses of epinephrine, H1 antihistamine, managing mRNA COVID-19 vaccine administration errors, see
blood pressure monitor, and timing device to assess pulse. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-
ƒ Healthcare personnel who are trained and qualified to considerations.html#Appendix-A
recognize the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis as well as *For the purpose of this guidance, an immediate allergic reaction is defined as any
administer intramuscular epinephrine should be available at hypersensitivity-related signs or symptoms such as urticaria, angioedema, respiratory
the vaccination location at all times. distress (e.g., wheezing, stridor), or anaphylaxis that occur within 4 hours following
exposure to a vaccine or medication.
For more information, please see Interim Considerations: †Consider consultation with an allergist-immunologist to help determine if the
Preparing for the Potential Management of Anaphylaxis after patient can safely receive vaccination. Healthcare providers and health departments
COVID-19 Vaccination at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by- may also request a consultation from the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment
COVIDvax Project https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/ensuringsafety/monitoring/
product/pfizer/anaphylaxis-management.html. cisa/index.html. Vaccination of these individuals should only be done in an
appropriate setting under the supervision of a healthcare provider experienced in
Document the Vaccination the management of severe allergic reactions.
• People with a contraindication to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (including due to a known
COVID-19 vaccination providers must document vaccine PEG allergy) have a precaution to Janssen COVID-19 vaccination. People who have
administration in their medical record systems within 24 hours of previously received an mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine dose should wait at least 28 days to
administration and use their best efforts to report administration receive Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.
data to the relevant system (i.e., immunization information • People with a contraindication to Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (including due to a known
polysorbate allergy) have a precaution to mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.
system) for the jurisdiction as soon as practicable and no later
than 72 hours after administration.
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