VACCINE NEWS

Q. Now that residents and staff are getting vaccinated, do we have to continue routine COVID-19 testing per the county positivity rate data?

A. Yes. Getting the vaccine should not affect testing plans or results (exception here is antibody testing which we still don’t currently recommend getting because we do not use it) for now. Because having the vaccine will not affect results of your POC testing, and because we are still in the middle of this pandemic and learning more and more about everything, recommendations are to continue doing screening testing as you were previously. For example, weekly POC antigen testing of my staff is continuing as scheduled even though they have been vaccinated. I would recommend that all LTCFs continue their regularly scheduled screening testing, as well as testing of people you suspect to have the disease, unless CMS and KDADS change their requirements for testing (this has not happened yet to my knowledge). Bryna N. Stacey, MPH, BSN, RN, CIC | Program Director, KDHE Healthcare-Associated Infections & Antimicrobial Resistance.

TESTING NEWS

State Testing Changes Effective January 18^th
Scott Brunner scott.brunner@ks.gov announced these changes to State contracted COVID-19 testing resources this morning:

•  Northwest Kansas providers that are currently working with NicUSA, your state contracted support will now be Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories (KHEL)
• Southwest Kansas providers that are currently working with Wellhealth, you will now have the option to also work with KHEL. We understand that test processing turnaround times may be a challenge with Wellhealth, so wanted to provide the flexibility
• Providers in NW or SW Kansas that are not currently working with any state contracted vendor but want or intend to in the future should also work with KHEL.

KHEL will begin to offer shipped nasopharyngeal kits starting Monday, January 18^th. For those of you with sampling needs, self-collected saliva kits through Clinical Reference Lab (CRL) continues to be an option for you, in addition to saliva kits from Wellhealth in SW Kansas.   To reach out to KHEL to obtain testing kits, please use the following email address: kdhe.KHEL_HELP@ks.gov

To help with KHEL’s logistics planning, we would like any facility that (1) is not currently working with KHEL but will need to shift to KHEL because of the update above or (2) is planning to request saliva kits from CRL to respond to this email. If helpful, we can follow up with an updated deck on the process and all lab contact information.

FEDERAL NEWS

Provider Relief Funds
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an extension of the February 15th reporting deadline regarding the use of the Provider Relief Fund distributions. A new deadline has not yet been determined. HHS is working to address implications of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, passed in December 2020. The reporting site is now live, and HHS is encouraging any healthcare providers that received distributions more than $10,000 to establish their reporting account soon.  You can register here. Additional guidance is anticipated to be issued in the coming weeks.

LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS

Weekly Webinar Recording
Thanks to all who joined us today during our weekly update webinar. If you missed it, we featured Tracie Bowman – Walgreens Pharmacy – Regional Healthcare Director and Christina Morris – CVS Pharmacy – Regional Director State Government Affairs providing updates on the Vaccine Clinics happening across the state. Rachel Monger provided a quick update on the 2021 Legislature’s first week and more.

Listen to the recording.

Download the handouts.

Make plans to join us next week. If you haven’t already, register here.

COPING With COVID
Join us every Monday for Coping with COVID-19 where we are able to learn techniques about mindfulness, discuss stressors of the pandemic and how it is wreaking havoc on our mental health and find encouragement from others. Do yourself a favor, take the 50 minutes for this call – it will change your entire day! Register here. Can’t make the Monday meeting? We have just added Thursdays at 4 PM to our roster. Register here for that time.

LEADINGAGE NEWS

Nationwide Tribute to Remember and Honor the Lives Lost to COVID-19
Join LeadingAge in a national moment of unity and remembrance for lives lost to COVID-19 on January 19, 2021, at 5:30 PM ET. Organized by the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), communities around the country are participating by illuminating buildings, ringing church bells, holding a moment of silence, and lighting candles. Help us amplify the impact this past year has had on our communities by posting photos or videos of your tribute on social media using the hashtag #COVID19 at exactly 5:30 PM. ET. Our goal is to reach beyond our field by sharing meaningful messages. Look for social media sample posts in an upcoming newsletter.

Other Tools and Resources from National

• LeadingAge Need to Know 1-15-21
• Online Coronavirus Policy Update 1-13-21
• LeadingAge Vaccine Resources Page
• Nursing Home Weekly: Recap of LeadingAge Update 1-15-2021
• A complete timeline of insights, tools and useful links is available here

RESOURCES

Monoclonal Therapy
The federal government has developed this playbook for sites considering monoclonal antibody treatment. For information on pairing with your local home infusion company, check here. For information on pairing with your local pharmacy, check here. CMS has created this toolkit for more information. More info on billing and coverage is addressed in this FAQ and available in this infographic.

If you have questions about monoclonal therapy or its availability in your area, contact Mike McNulty at KDHE mike.mcnulty@ks.gov

THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 SILVER PARTNER