Tag: booster

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Weeks of Dec. 20, Dec. 27 and Jan. 3

Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare, Member News
MHA Covid-19 update

MHA Covid-19 updateAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID Data Tracker, the omicron variant of COVID-19 is now the dominant strain across the U.S. The CDC’s model indicates that more than 95% of cases in the nation as of Jan. 1 may be due to omicron.

The MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.

President Announces Updated Testing and Military Personnel Strategy

President Joe Biden Dec. 21 announced the federal government will make 500 million at-home rapid tests available to Americans and will deploy roughly 1,000 military personnel to hospitals across the U.S. to help ease the stress the current COVID-19 surge has placed on providers.

The rapid tests will be free of charge and available via an online request form, after which they will be delivered to residents’ homes. The plan also includes opening new federal testing sites and sending out hundreds of federal vaccinators. These tactics will begin in January according to the White House fact sheet on this effort.

Members are encouraged to review the entire fact sheet, which discusses other elements of the plan, including the distribution of more ventilators, production increases for supplies, federal testing sites and more.

The MHA will keep members apprised as more information becomes available about what assistance will be directed to Michigan as a result of this announcement. Members with questions about federal actions may contact Laura Appel at the MHA.

Boosters Expanded to 12- to 15-year-olds; Waiting Period Shortened

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC have announced that children aged 12 to 15 may now receive booster doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. The agencies also approved a shortened waiting period from six months to five months to receive a booster following a primary series of either of the two vaccines. In addition, certain immunocompromised children aged 5 to 11 are eligible for a booster and may receive it 28 days after the completion of their initial series.

The two-month booster interval recommendation for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not changed.

The FDA reached its decision after reportedly reviewing data from Israel, which included information on 6,300 people ages 12-15 who received a booster shot at least five months after their initial two-dose series. The data showed no new cases of two possible side effects that had been observed in some young people who received the vaccine — myocarditis and pericarditis.

Urge Senate to Support Healthcare Staffing Funds

The MHA issued an action alert before the holidays, urging all members to contact their state senators and ask that they support critical healthcare staffing funding, which passed the state House with bipartisan support in December. As lawmakers prepare to return to session the week of Jan. 10, it is important to continue advocacy efforts.

House Bill 5523 would appropriate $300 million for healthcare retention and recruitment, which could help hospitals and other providers navigate the serious worker shortages that currently exist amid a pandemic surge. The MHA Legislative Action Center provides key messages on this issue and contact information for senators. Members with questions may contact Adam Carlson at the MHA.

Additional information on the COVID-19 pandemic is available to members on the MHA Community Site and the MHA COVID-19 webpage. Questions on COVID-19 and infectious disease response strategies may be directed to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Community Health Emergency Coordination Center (CHECC).

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of Nov. 15

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare
MHA Covid-19 update

MHA Covid-19 updateMichigan is once again among the states with the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases in the nation, with the New York Times reporting that Michigan and Minnesota lead the country in cases per capita. On Nov. 19, there were 3,424 adults hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19, in addition to 50 children. Meanwhile, 60.3% of Michiganders aged 5 and older had been fully vaccinated as of Nov. 19.

The MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.

FDA Amends EUA to Allow Booster Shots to Fully Vaccinated People Aged 18 and Up

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorizations (EUAs) Nov. 19 to allow all individuals 18 years of age and older to receive booster shots of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was scheduled to meet later that day to discuss additional clinical recommendations.

In its news release, the FDA said the expanded authorization for the booster doses is based on its analysis of immune response data that supported use in the previously authorized populations for boosters. Groups previously included in the EUAs were fully vaccinated individuals who are 65 years of age and older and who are 18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19 and/or experience frequent exposure to the coronavirus through living situations or workplaces.

Prior to the FDA announcement, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer encouraged residents to plan to get the booster doses as soon as they are authorized. The governor noted that more than a million booster doses have been administered within the state and urged everyone to get vaccinated and receive the booster shot.

Booster doses should be administered at least six months after the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and at least two months following the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Updated information for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are available on the FDA website that provide details on the booster shots.

Members with questions on vaccines may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

MDHHS Announces Face Mask Advisory for Holiday Season

As both COVID-19 and influenza cases rise throughout the state, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will issue a face mask advisory and offer guidance to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases during the holidays.

The department’s news release indicates it recommends everyone over the age of 2 wear a face mask at indoor gatherings regardless of their vaccination status. Establishments are also urged to implement policies to ensure that customers, employees and visitors wear masks. The advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

During a Nov. 19 news conference, MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel, Chief Medical Executive Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, and others also urged Michigan residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu as soon as possible. The two vaccines can be administered simultaneously. Darryl Elmouchi, MD, MBA, president of Spectrum Health West Michigan, shared information about the unprecedented numbers of patients hospitals are seeing. He said Spectrum Health has 370 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 86% of whom are unvaccinated against the disease.

Additional information on the COVID-19 pandemic is available to members on the MHA Community Site and the MHA COVID-19 webpage. Questions on COVID-19 and infectious disease response strategies may be directed to the MDHHS Community Health Emergency Coordination Center (CHECC).

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of Oct. 18

Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare
MHA Covid-19 update

MHA Covid-19 updateThe MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.

CDC, FDA Approve Moderna and J&J Boosters, Mix and Match Strategy

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Oct. 21 formally endorsed the use of COVID-19 booster shots from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for some adults. This comes on the heels of the Oct. 20 approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The actions authorize a Moderna booster for people 65 and older and for all adults who either have underlying conditions or work in settings where they’re more likely to be exposed to the virus. Those people may obtain the Moderna booster, which is half the size of each dose used for initial vaccination, six months after completing the primary vaccine series.

The agencies also recommended all adults who received the J&J single-shot vaccine get a booster at least two months post-immunization. In addition, the agencies agreed that people who are eligible can choose any type of booster, regardless of whether they initially received the Pfizer, Moderna or J&J version. This decision may help individuals who have a higher risk of side effects with a particular brand of vaccine.

Healthcare providers are encouraged to continue monitoring for email updates from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Health Alert Network for details regarding booster dose administration. The MDHHS has also posted updated fact sheets for the vaccines on its website for vaccinating providers.

The MHA continues to promote both factual and anecdotal messaging about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. The association is also using messaging on flu vaccines, urging people to get vaccinated and practice smart preventive measures to help avoid “twindemic” status and add to the stress on the healthcare system.

Members with vaccine questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

MHA Urges Medicaid to Cover Merck COVID-19 Treatment Pill

The MHA submitted comments Oct. 18 to state Medical Services Administration officials, urging them to add molnupiravir, Merck’s new COVID-19 treatment pill, to the Medicaid Health Plan Common Formulary if it is approved by the FDA. The medication has been shown to effectively treat COVID-19 and reduce death and hospitalization. Importantly, it comes in pill form that the patient takes at home, unlike current antibody treatments that must be administered by health and hospital professionals, using time and resources that are currently scarce. The association will keep members apprised of the FDA’s review of the treatment and any action by the state to add it to the Common Formulary.

Additional information on the COVID-19 pandemic is available to members on the MHA Community Site and the MHA COVID-19 webpage. Questions on COVID-19 and infectious disease response strategies may be directed to the MDHHS Community Health Emergency Coordination Center (CHECC).