In a March 16 memo to assisted living facilities, DSS provided information on the Long Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) bridge program, which is intended to meet the ongoing needs of these facilities between the end of the CVS/Walgreens arrangement and the inclusion of the COVID-19 vaccine in their normal pharmacy infrastructure.

The bridge program has two main parts:

1. Connect pharmacies to LTCFs to meet ongoing needs as soon as possible.
2. Enroll LTC pharmacies and LTCFs as appropriate to enable the standard LTC pharmacy infrastructure to manage this ongoing need.

Part 1: Connecting pharmacies to LTCFs to meet ongoing needs

LTCFs will communicate their needs to VDH through their contracted pharmacy provider and/or the current REDCap intake form (https://redcap.link/VaccineLTCFs.Virginia.gov). As of March 9, the intake form is the best mechanism for reporting needs. As VDH continues to coordinate with LTC pharmacies, however, they will be able to assist with reporting and meeting your needs.

VDH is working with Managed Health Care Associates, Inc. (MHA) Pharmacy Network which represents several pharmacy groups in VA that are willing and able to provide vaccines for LTCFs across the Commonwealth until we can complete Part 2 of the LTCF Bridge Program.

Part 2: Enroll LTC pharmacies and LTCFs as vaccine providers to incorporate the COVID-19 vaccine into the pre-existing LTC pharmacy infrastructure

Any entity wishing to administer the COVID-19 vaccine must be enrolled with Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccination program to ensure they can receive vaccine shipment and comply with the necessary storage, handling, use, and reporting requirements for this scarce federal resource. Additional details about how LTCFs and LTC pharmacies can administer the COVID-19 vaccine are found in the COVID-19 Vaccine Management Plan for Long Term Care Facilities document.