HHS amends PREP Act declaration to increase COVID-19 vaccine workforce

As part of President Biden’s national strategy to defeat the pandemic, and following his speech last night outlining the Administration’s next steps in the war-time effort to speed COVID-19 vaccinations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken action to expand the pool of qualified professionals able to serve as vaccinators.

HHS has used its authority under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to add additional categories of qualified people authorized to prescribe, dispense, and administer COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including dentists, EMTs, midwives, optometrists, paramedics, physician assistants, podiatrists, respiratory therapists, and veterinarians.

This action also authorizes medical students, nursing students, and other health care students in the professions listed under the PREP Act with proper training and professional supervision to serve as vaccinators.

“As President Biden said last night, the key to getting us back to our lives is increasing vaccinations, and in order to do that, we need more vaccinators,” said Acting HHS Secretary Norris Cochran. ”As vaccine supply ramps up, we want to be sure communities have the help they need to get shots into arms for anyone in the U.S. who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19.”

As hundreds of millions more vaccine doses are manufactured and distributed throughout the country, today’s announcement provides a pathway for states to expand and support their vaccination workforce if needed. People interested in administering vaccinations should visit PHE.gov/COVIDvaccinators to determine if they are eligible.

More information about the PREP Act can be found at PHE.gov.