CDC urges vaccination upon ED, urgent care discharge

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging emergency departments (EDs) and urgent care settings to administer COVID-19 vaccinations upon patient discharge. The effort aims to reach unvaccinated individuals at their primary point of health care. The CDC stressed there is no special channel allocating vaccines for this program. The agency asked jurisdictions to distribute portions of their COVID-19 vaccine allotments to EDs and urgent care facilities. Providers that enroll as COVID-19 vaccinators will be able to legally store, handle and administer the vaccines to patients. The American Hospital Association helped develop a fact sheet with additional information about the effort.