Connecticut State Department of Public Health

Approved COVID-19 Vaccination Training Programs

Healthcare Professionals identified in the Commissioner's Order of December 7, 2020

This webpage is for healthcare professionals who are identified in the Order issued by Acting Commissioner Deidre Gifford on December 7, 2020 and are authorized to administer the COVID-19 vaccine after completing training:

  • Podiatrists
  • Dentists
  • Dental Hygienists, provided they have training to administer dental anesthesia
  • Veterinarians
  • Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians
  • Emergency Medical Technicians, provided they have completed the Department of Public Health (DPH) approved intramuscular epinephrine administration training
  • Paramedics

    • If you are not one of these healthcare professionals, please refer back to the Summary of COVID-19 Staffing Resources page. 

Training for Providers Subject to the Commissioner's Order

Training for these providers requires three (3) steps; completion of a didactic training, verification of psychomotor skills and registration on the DPH portal.

 

Step 1

Complete an approved didactic training program. Select from one of the following programs:

Step 2

Demonstrate hands-on vaccination skills with an approved evaluator. Select from one of the following evaluator groups:

Step 3

Register on the DPH COVID-19 Vaccinator Page

  • Have your certificate from Step 1 ready to upload
  • Have your skills verification from Step 2 ready to upload
  • This registration will be made available to vaccine sites if the registrant so chooses

Once these steps are completed, the newly registered vaccinator may begin working for an approved vaccine site in a paid or unpaid position. Note that  these vaccinators must be supervised by a licensed healthcare provider who readily vaccinates as described on the Summary of COVID-19 Staffing Resources page.

Once your registration with the Department of Public Health has been reviewed and is APPROVED, you will be approved to participate in administration of the COVID-19 vaccine through an approved vaccination clinic. 

The approval is valid during the period of the declared public health emergency and subject to the Commissioner’s Order of December 7, 2020 and relevant revisions.

If you chose to have your contact information shared with vaccination clinics, such information will be provided to them upon their request.  The Department of Public Health does not assign, hire or schedule volunteer or paid vaccinators.  The need for personnel will vary with the availability of vaccine and eligibility status of recipients.

If you are not yet eligible to receive your own vaccine, once you are selected to work at a vaccine clinic, you may collaborate with that clinic to arrange for your own vaccination.

Who can sign off on skills session of vaccinators candidates?

A skills validation may be completed by one of the following professionals once they have completed a train-the-trainer orientation:

  • Physician
  • Physician assistant
  • Pharmacists (with appropriate training)
  • Advanced practice registered nurse
  • Registered nurse
  • Licensed practical nurse
  • Paramedic
  • EMS instructor (who has experience in the Epinephrine by IM Injection Program)

To register for an online live evaluator orientation

Approval for Additional Training Programs:

DPH has convened a committee of licensed professionals to review and evaluate vaccination training proposals and to make recommendations for the Commissioner's approval. 

Requests to use or suggestions for alternative online didactic training related to COVID-19 vaccination administration can be emailed to COVID19-DPH@ct.gov.

The committee reviews proposals on a rolling basis as they are submitted. DPH is committed to ensuring that vaccine training contains the essential elements to ensure competent and safe vaccine administration.  Training includes both didactic and psychomotor components.   The essential elements that must be addressed in the training are:

 

  1. Introduction to COVID19 vaccines (e.g. storage, thawing, mixing) 
  2. Review of Equipment/supplies
  3. Administration of IM vaccines (to include proper doses for each vaccine, how to draw up the vaccine, injection technique)
  4. Documentation of vaccination
  5. Adverse Effects
  6. Competency Skill Check (developed by DPH)

The committee review takes approximately three to five business days.

Additional Approved Training Programs

The following programs may also be used in place of the courses above:

Yale New Haven Health System training – not available for the general public

Howser Public Safety, Michael Spera, EMS-I
https://www.emtrecert.online/covid-19-vaccinator-course.html

Hartford Healthcare - not available for the general public.

First Approach, Michael Davis, EMS-I
www.FirstApproach.org

The Department of Public Health has established the above training programs to be the minimum requirements for vaccinator training.  Individual vaccination clinics/sites may have additional training that they may use to credential vaccinators.

 

EMS Vaccinator Frequently Asked Questions

 

Upon Completion

A List of Healthcare Providers subject to the Commissioner's Order who may vaccinate may be found as an excel file on the Summary of COVID-19 Staffing Resources page.