Wednesday, the CDC issued a joint statement with other federal regulatory agencies on plans for an additional booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Need for a booster with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is still being evaluated.

Doses could be administered as soon as the week of September 20. Seniors and workers in long-term care facilities will once again be among the first to receive vaccines, based on the proposed 8-month timeframe following their second dose.

During a call with Argentum Wednesday, the CDC advised that the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program (PPLTCP) would not be reconstituted, despite Argentum’s requests.

Argentum is closely monitoring developments in this fluid situation. We continue to work closely with the CDC and federal regulators to ensure our communities, including independent living communities, which were previously excluded from priority vaccine programs, to have access, support, and resources for administering COVID-19 booster shots in the coming weeks and months. We've seen that putting seniors in the front of the line saves lives, so we support boosters—but senior living communities need support to carry this out.

Among plans being discussed in internal workgroups are the need for flexibility regarding the 8-month mark, so boosters can be delivered at the same time to as many as safely possible; need for provider assessment, planning, and establishing or reinforcing relationships with LTC pharmacies and other sources; and coordinating boosters with planned flu immunization programs.