FEDERAL NEWS
Counterfeit At-Home Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests
On May 5, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that counterfeit at-home, over-the-counter (OTC) diagnostic tests for COVID-19 have been distributed or used in the United States. These counterfeit tests should not be used or distributed. The FDA will update its website to list counterfeit at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests to alert the public, including test users, caregivers, health care providers, and distributors, and to provide information on how to identify counterfeit tests.
Updated FDA Prescribing Guidelines for Paxlovid
Today the FDA released a checklist to make screening potential patients for Paxlovid and a detailed list of drugs with potential interactions. Paxlovid was released in December, but logistical challenges have made it difficult for some individuals to access. People who can benefit from Paxlovid must start the drug within five days after the onset of COVID symptoms. The Administration has said they are working on other initiatives that would increase the number of pharmacies that carry Paxlovid.
LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS
Join Us This Friday for our Weekly Webinars
Get the latest on COVID, CMS, the Legislature and more each Friday at 10 AM. If you haven’t registered for future calls, you can do so here.
If you missed last week’s Town Hall feedback session with LeadingAge National, listen in here.
If you would like to listen to updates you have missed, visit this page.
LEADINGAGE NATIONAL NEWS
LeadingAge Update Call on Monday, May 9th @ 2:30 PM Central
How has the pandemic changed the way consumers approach aging services? How are providers adapting to pandemic related changes and adjusting to the new market? On Monday we will talk with Katelyn McCauley, Director of Senior Living Research at Hollaran Community Engagement Research and Consulting about their latest community engagement studies and answer your questions on how the aging services market is evolving.
If you haven’t registered for LeadingAge Update Calls, you can do so here. You can also find previous call recordings here. Note that to access recordings of the calls you need a LeadingAge password. Any staff member of any LeadingAge member organization can set up a password to access previous calls and other “members only” content.
RESOURCES
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) — Effectiveness of a COVID-19 Additional Primary or Booster Vaccine Dose in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Nursing Home Residents During Widespread Circulation of the Omicron Variant
United States, February 14–March 27, 2022 — Weekly COVID-19 surveillance and vaccination coverage data among nursing home residents, reported by skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network during February 14–March 27, 2022, when the Omicron variant accounted for >99% of sequenced isolates, were analyzed to estimate relative vaccine effectiveness (VE) against infection for any COVID-19 additional primary or booster dose compared with primary series vaccination. After adjusting for calendar week and variability across SNFs, relative VE of a COVID-19 additional primary or booster dose was 46.9% (95% CI = 44.8%–48.9%). These findings indicate that among nursing home residents, COVID-19 additional primary or booster doses provide greater protection against Omicron variant infection than does primary series vaccination alone. You can learn more here: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Public Health Impact of Coronavirus Disease Vaccines in the United States
A recent CDC study, Public Health Impact of Coronavirus Disease Vaccines in the United States (BMJ article), evaluated the impact of vaccine scale-up on population-level mortality and incidence in the United States. In this observational study of nearly 300 million persons and 80% of U.S. counties, higher vaccination coverage was associated with lower rates of population-level COVID-19 mortality and incidence. Compared with largely unvaccinated counties, highly vaccinated counties had reduced mortality and cases. These data support achieving high coverage of vaccination across communities nationally. In addition, vaccines should be deployed strategically with public health and social measures based on ongoing levels of transmission.
We invite you to read the study. In addition, please see the editorial from Oxford University.
For information on how to increase vaccination in your jurisdictions and communities, visit the following CDC resources:
ICYMI – COCA Call: Evaluating and Supporting Patients Presenting with Cognitive Symptoms Following COVID
The Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) held a call Thursday, May 5, 2022. During this COCA Call, presenters discussed post-COVID conditions (PCC), an umbrella term for the wide range of health consequences that are present four or more weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2, which includes long COVID. For the recording of this call, please visit: COCA Calls/Webinars
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