VACCINE NEWS

COVID-19 Vaccine Information and Resources from LeadingAge
As we work toward increasing vaccination rates among our aging services providers, be sure to take advantage of the resources available from CDC, CMS, and HHS:

• CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkits
• CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit for Long-Term Care 
• HHS COVID-19 and Flu Public Education Campaign
• CMS COVID-19 Partner Resources
• Vaccinating Homebound Persons
• Guidance for Vaccinating People with Disabilities at Vaccination Clinics 
• Ensuring Equitable COVID 19 Vaccine Access

Kansas COVID-19 Vaccination Overview   

• 411,379 People Vaccinated     
• 614,166 Total Doses Reported as Administered   
   – First Dose: 411,379 
   – Second Dose: 202,787
• 939,890 Total Doses Distributed   
   – State Distributed: 793,010   
   – Federal LTC Program: 146,880 
• 14.1% of Kansans Vaccinated with One Dose 

Source: https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data  

TESTING NEWS

Process to Request Abbott BinaxNow Antigen Test Kits
KDHE recently put out info on how to obtain additional free Abbott BinaxNow Antigen Test Kits. 

Update on State Contracted COVID-19 Testing Resources – KDHE Requests Quick Action by Providers KDHE is transitioning all long-term care facilities from WellHealth/AIT to KHEL (Kansas state lab) as soon as possible to ensure fast turnaround times. The Agency asks providers to:

1.  Return any unused WellHealth kits to WellHealth by end of week.
2. Connect with the KHEL lab for your testing needs (request kits, align on schedule of delivery, details of resulting) by Monday, March 8th. The new kits are nasopharyngeal for PCR testing.
3. After you have set up your scheduling with KHEL – you can contact the courier service to let them know of required pick-ups by end of next week.  If possible, please notify the courier service 3 days ahead of the initial request and 2 days ahead of any changes to allow adjustment.

 Here is the updated Testing Process PowerPoint  for your reference. 

KDADS Friendly Reminder
The Executive Order mandating COVID-19 testing at LTC facilities is currently in place, with goal that all facilities are continuing to uphold regular screening of staff.

VISITATION NEWS

No – CMS and KDADS have not Changed Their Visitation Guidance  
We note that there are rumors that visitation guidance has been changed.  We encourage members to re-read the federal and state guidance and apply it to your changing circumstances (i.e. county positivity rate trend, more compassionate care visits desired, etc.) And make sure to consult with your public health department.

CMS and CDC are in serious discussions about revising the visitation guidance. KDADS has historically followed CMS guidance. But at this time, no federal or state change has been made. 

Current KDADS Visitation Guidance for LTC Facilities (October 2020) Note: there is a handy checklist for documentation of resident preferences at the end of this document.

Latest KDADS FAQ on Visitation (updated February 1, 2021)

STATE NEWS

Kansas COVID-19 Cluster Summary    
 As of March 3rd, there are only 2 long-term care facilities with clusters. None of those affected by clusters are LeadingAge Kansas members.

Statewide Active COVID-19 Clusters   

• Clusters: 112
• Cases: 6,711
• Hospitalizations: 226

Kansas COVID-19: Case Rates   

• Cases: 295,109   
• Total Case Rate Per 1,000: 101.30
• Daily Cases Diagnosed: 201

Long-Term Care Facilities with Active Cluster Case Information   

• Clusters: 37
• Cases: 1,244  
• Hospitalizations: 129

Source: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas  

KDADS Considers Training Bridging Temporary Aides to Certified Nurse Aides
Yesterday, KDADS approached the associations and educational entities that provide CNA training to discuss transition options to help TA’s become fully certified before the emergency declaration ends. KDADS is working toward allowing 40 hours worked as a Temporary Aide to be considered equivalent to the required 20 hours of clinical training for Part 1 of the CNA course. If TA candidate successfully passes a NATCEP Part 1 Checklist, the candidate could enroll in a TA Transition Course offered by an approved Sponsor. There is much conversation between the provider community and schools on how to accomplish this before the end of March to keep TAs working in homes that cannot afford to lose them. Stay turned for more information in the coming days. Questions or concerns can be sent to Dana Weaver.

LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS

Last Call for LeadingAge Kansas Board Nominations 
The 2021 LeadingAge Kansas Nominating Committee is looking for committed individuals to serve on the Board for a 3-year term. This is an exciting time for the Association and our members as we look to the future and rethink and retool for the post-pandemic world. More information can be found here Questions? Contact Nominating Committee Chair Nate Glendening nglendening@ruraltel.net or phone 785-543-6180. The Committee will extend the deadline for applications from March 5th to March 12th if needed.

OSHA Grant Funded COVID-19 Safety for CNAs Training Starting Soon
Mark your calendar and get your team registered. The next cycle of our no cost, interactive virtual training developed just for CNAs starts April 7^th.  Don’t miss this unique opportunity.

The five-week training series will cover COVID-19 101 and Self-Care, PPE for COVID-19, Respiratory Protection, Rights, Responsibilities and Communication.  Each 90-minute training includes a content presentation, discussion, learning activities or cases studies.  It’s not a typical listen and learn training and will provide the CNAs with knowledge and skills to work safely and confidence to advocate for safety in your organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To register or get more information visit COVID-19 Safety for CNAs Training Series (leadingagekansas.org)

This material was produced under grant number SH-99033-SH0 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.  It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

LEADINGAGE NATIONAL NEWS

Life Safety and Emergency Preparedness: Post-COVID Compliance
Join us April 8th for a webinar that will detail life safety and emergency preparedness challenges nursing home and hospice providers should plan for as they return to pre-pandemic operations. Learn more and register here.

This week in Media
Read all the media mentions from the past week.

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