This week four Administration Orders were released that authorize pharmacists, pharmacy interns and externs, as well as technicians, to administer all vaccines approved or authorized by the FDA for COVID-19, to eligible patients who are three years of age or older. The orders also cover the authorization of the administration of diphenhydramine and epinephrine, to patients who are three years of age through and including seventeen years of age and requires all licensed health care providers who are authorized to administer vaccines to register and report to the NJIIS when administering a vaccine for COVID-19. More details on the Administrative Orders can be found below.

  • DCA-AO-2021-01 – Permits licensed pharmacists to order and administer, and registered pharmacy interns and pharmacy externs to administer, FDA approved COVID vaccines to patients three years of age or older. Licensed pharmacists, registered pharmacy interns, and pharmacy externs must comply with the requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:39-4.21 to order or administer COVID vaccines.
  • DCA-AO-2021-02 – Permits pharmacy technicians to administer childhood vaccines and related emergency medications, limited to diphenhydramine and epinephrine, to children three through seventeen years of age, and FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines to patients ages three and older. Pharmacy technicians must be under the direct supervision of a supervising pharmacist authorized to administer vaccines according to N.J.A.C. 13:39-4.21.
  • DCA-AO-2021-03 – Permits licensed pharmacists, registered pharmacy interns, and pharmacy externs to administer vaccines and related emergency medications, limited to diphenhydramine and epinephrine, to children three through seventeen years of age according to requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:39-4.21.
  • DCA-AO-2021-04 – Requires licensed health care providers who are authorized to administer vaccines to register and report to the NJIIS when administering a vaccine for COVID-19.

All of the above orders expire with the end of the state of emergency or the public health emergency declared in Executive Order #103, whichever is later unless earlier terminated by the Director of Consumer Affairs.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.