COVID-19 – AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep

CMS Announces Ending of COVID Staff Vaccine Requirement, Other Protocols

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new regulatory memo QSO-23-13-ALL entitled “Guidance for Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023.” The memo outlines each waiver CMS put into place during COVID-19 and how the end of the PHE will affect those waivers. Additionally, the memo outlined timelines for certain regulatory requirements issued through the PHE. This memo applies to Long Term Care (LTC), Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF), and other provider types.

Find out more at https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/CMS-Announces-Ending-of-COVID-Staff-Vaccine-Requirement,-Other-Protocols.aspx

Public Health Emergency Ending May 11 – What You Need to Know

Yesterday, the Biden Administration announced its plans to end the Public Health Emergency (PHE). This administration guidance meets the Administration’s promise of 60 days’ notice of the end of the PHE. Based on the guidance, the PHE will end on May 11, 2023.

CDC Provides New Initiative to Increase COVID-19 Vaccination in LTC Settings

With increasing cases of respiratory disease, including COVID-19, this winter, it is imperative to encourage residents, staff, and family members to receive the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 boosters.

A recent CDC report showed:

Adults ages 65 years and older:
- Continue to have the highest COVID-19-related mortality rates.
- The COVID-19-related death rate among unvaccinated people who are 65 years and older has consistently been higher than the rate among vaccinated people.

Adults ages 85 years and older:
- Remain at particularly high risk of dying of COVID-19.
- The proportion of COVID-19–related deaths accounted for by adults in this age group increasing during April–September 2022 from 28% to around 40% of COVID-19–related deaths.

Find out more by going to https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/CDC-Provides-New-Initiative-to-Increase-COVID-19-Vaccination-in-LTC-Settings.aspx

NSHN Up to Date Vaccination Status: Surveillance Definition Change for LTC Facilities

The CDC held a webinar recently regarding up to date vaccination status. The definition of up to date was updated in September 2022 to indicate:

Individuals are considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines during the surveillance period of September 26, 2022 – December 25, 2022 (Quarter 4) for the purpose of NHSN surveillance if they meet ONE the following criteria:
- Received their last booster dose less than 2 months ago, or
- Completed their primary series less than 2 months ago
This definition is the same regardless of immunocompromised status

See the full article at https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/NSHN-Up-to-Date-Vaccination-Status-Surveillance-Definition-Change-for-LTC-Facilities.aspx

New Bivalent Booster Handout

Find out the What’s, Why’s, When’s and How’s of the bivalent booster shot in this handout from AHCA/NCAL.

https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Documents/GetVaccinated/GETVAX-bivalent-handout.pdf

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.

Infection Prevention & Control in the Long-Term Care Setting: Cleaning and Disinfection

Brought to you by NETEC (National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center) this free resource will provide all staff in long-term care settings the information to help them understand and perform the steps required to clean and disinfect properly.

Visit the NETEC RESOURCE LIBRARY for more on this and other important information. https://repository.netecweb.org/items/show/1699

High blood pressure plus COVID doubles risk of hospital stay.

Even after three COVID-19 vaccine doses, high blood pressure more than doubles the risk for hospitalization with an omicron variant infection.

That’s according to a new study of 912 patients from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The researchers analyzed healthsystem data for patients who became infected after receiving three shots. Of the participants, 145 — or nearly 16% — were hospitalized with COVID-19.

Stay Current on Resident and Staff COVID-19 Vaccinations

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise throughout the country, it’s important that long term care facilities and communities encourage staff and residents to stay up to date on their vaccination status. The CDC defines up to date as having received all doses in the primary series and all boosters recommended, when eligible. Most recently, people over 50 are recommended to receive a second booster of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after their first booster.

Find out more by going to https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Stay-Current-on-Resident-and-Staff-COVID-19-Vaccinations-.aspx

CMS Releases Revised Guidance on Vaccine Mandate IFR

CMS has released revised interpretive guidance for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate interim final rule (IFR). Three memoranda have been updated, including QSO-22-07-ALL-Revised, QSO-22-09-ALL-Revised, and QSO-22-11-ALL-Revised.

The revisions were made to clarify the expectations for assessing compliance with the requirement to ensure all staff are vaccinated. AHCA/NCAL has highlighted key revisions below, but providers are encouraged to review the Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facility Attachment A-Revised, as well as the applicable memo listed above, for detailed changes.