Category: CDC

CDC Updates Guidance for COVID and Pneumonia Vaccines

​​The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy Cohen has endorsed two new recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the COVID and pneumonia vaccines. 

NEW COVID Recommendations:  
  • People 65 years and older, as well as those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, should receive a second dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after their first dose.  
  • The updated guidance provides flexibility, allowing additional doses (e.g., three or more) for individuals who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, in consultation with their health care provider (a strategy known as shared clinical decision-making). 
 
The CDC states that data continue to confirm the importance of vaccination in protecting those most at risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Receiving the recommended 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine can restore and enhance protection against the virus variants currently causing the majority of infections and hospitalizations in the United States. COVID-19 vaccination also reduces the chance of developing Long COVID, a condition that can occur during or after acute infection and persist for an extended period. 
 
NEW Pneumonia Recommendation:  
  • Lowering the age for pneumococcal vaccination from 65 to 50 years. 
The CDC explains that lowering the age for pneumococcal vaccination allows more adults to protect themselves from pneumococcal disease at the age when the risk of infection significantly increases. Pneumococcal bacteria can cause serious illnesses, including pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections. Older adults are at a heightened risk for pneumococcal disease. 
 
Visit the CDC website for more information. Additional vaccine resources and news can also be found at AHCA/NCAL’s GetVaccinated.us​.
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CDC Releases Vaccine Recommendations for This Fall/Winter

Even though summer is in full swing, it’s time to start looking towards our fall vaccination efforts. Last week, the Centers for Disease Prevention & Control (CDC) released updated recommendations for COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines.
Updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation
CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for the 2024-2025 Fall/Winter Respiratory Virus Season. This is regardless of whether or not they have ever previously been vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. Updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer later this year. This recommendation will take effect as soon as the new vaccines are available.
 
Updated 2024-2025 Flu Vaccine Recommendation 
CDC recommends everyone 6 months of age and older, with rare exceptions, receive an updated 2024-2025 flu vaccine also for the 2024-2025 Fall/Winter Respiratory Virus Season. September and October remain the best times for most people to get vaccinated. For adults (especially those 65 years old and older) and pregnant people in the first and second trimester, vaccination in July and August should be avoided unless it won’t be possible to vaccinate in September or October.
Simplified RSV Vaccine Guidance for Seniors   
For this upcoming respiratory virus season, CDC has modified their recommendation for the RSV vaccine for seniors, specifically suggesting that:
  • Everyone ages 75 and older receive the RSV vaccine.
  • People ages 60–74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV, meaning they have certain chronic medical conditions, such as lung or heart disease, or they live in nursing homes, receive the RSV vaccine.
This recommendation is only for adults who did not receive the RSV vaccine last year as the RSV vaccine is not an annual vaccine.
Providers should contact their pharmacies and begin the process of ordering vaccines for the upcoming season. Providers should also check out the resources on the AHCA/NCAL #GetVaccinated website​ for resources on navigating the reimbursement and administrative requirements as well as resources to help improve vaccine uptake.

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Preventing Falls and Injuries in Older Adults

Each year, more than one in four older adults aged 65 and older experience a fall, resulting in about 3 million emergency department visits, 950,000 hospitalizations, and 32,000 deaths. Falls are often preventable if you know what to screen for and what the risk factors for falls include. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation have launched a toolkit that includes Falls Free Check-ups. The goal of the CDC’s toolkit and resources is to prevent and protect older adults from sustaining falls and fall-related injuries by developing and implementing a risk factor prevention program.

Learn more about the program and the CDC Foundation here​.

CDC Program Expands Free COVID-19 Testing to Assisted Living, SNFs, and ICFs

Skilled Nursing Facilities, intermediate care facilities (ICFs) and assisted living centers can access free COVID-19 testing for staff and residents through December 31, 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Operation Expanded Testing (OpET) program expanded access to free testing nationwide to now include skilled nursing facilities, ICFs and assisted living communities, which previously targeted schools, shelters, and correctional facilities.​

Read more at https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/CDC-Program-Expands-Free-COVID-19-Testing-to-Assisted-Living-SNFs-and-ICFs.aspx

CDC Updates Infection Prevention and Control of Monkeypox in Health Care Settings

The CDC updated its guidance for Infection Prevention and Control of Monkeypox in health care settings. Recommendations were added on how to monitor exposed patients and when they should be isolated. In addition, it addresses:
  • How to assess the risk of healthcare personnel (HCP) with monkeypox exposures;
  • How to monitor HCP; and
  • When to apply work restrictions.
The CDC also updated the risk assessment table for HCP to reflect the recommended PPE use based on risk level of exposure.
Information about human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus is described in a How it Spreads guide.

Emerging Pathogens of Concern

In recent weeks, reports about monkeypox and Candida auris cases in the US have been released. It is important to have a basic understanding of early identification and continued infection prevention and control to help protect residents, staff, and facilities.

Find out more by going to https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Emerging-Pathogens-of-Concern.aspx

CDC Releases Nursing Home Communication Toolkit

The CDC recently released a Nursing Home Communication toolkit to help nursing home health care professionals better communicate with residents and families on antibiotic treatment expectations. Pressure from family members to prescribe antibiotics to nursing home residents when they may not be needed has been identified as an opportunity for providers to engage in discussion around appropriate antibiotic use.

The toolkit reviews a four-part communication strategy which has been effective in improving antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings. Two nursing home-specific scenarios applying these principles are also provided.