As of June 22, there were 714 adults and 27 children in Michigan with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, with new cases averaging 1,780 per day the previous week. Over 100 hospitalized adults were being cared for in intensive care units. According to the state’s vaccine tracker, 67.4% of Michigan residents had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of June 22.
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.
Children Ages Six Months Through Five Years Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced June 21 that all Michiganders ages six months and up are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. The pediatric vaccine, which received emergency use authorization for this age group from the Food and Drug Administration, was recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices June 18. The MHA released a media statement following the CDC recommendation, which makes 500,000 more Michigan children eligible for vaccination.
The MDHHS is recommending providers begin vaccinating children ages six months and older as soon as possible. The Moderna series is two doses given 28 days apart for ages six months through five years. For children six months of age through four years, the Pfizer series is three doses, with the first two given three weeks apart and the third dose administered at least eight weeks after the second dose. For ages five and older, the Pfizer series is two doses given 21 days apart.
Michigan 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.
As federal regulatory agencies evaluate COVID-19 vaccine and treatment possibilities, more than 5.5 million Michigan residents ages 16 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine to protect them against the deadly disease, equating to 68.2% of that population as of Oct. 15. Meanwhile, despite the rate of new cases decreasing in many of the states that had been experiencing a surge in hospitalizations and deaths, cases in Michigan have been increasing. Nearly 8,300 new cases were reported for Oct. 14 and 15, with 2,010 adults and 29 children hospitalized in the state Oct. 15. Total deaths in Michigan attributed to confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 21,563 Oct. 15.
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.
Moderna Expiration Date Extended for Frozen Vaccines
The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) announced Oct. 13 that Moderna received approval for a two-month extension of FROZEN Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Some lots with an initial expiration of September or October will be extended if stored in frozen state. Seventy-eight lots are impacted by this extension.
The MDHHS does not have a list of these lot numbers, but Moderna is working diligently to get the extended lots updated in their tools and databases, with a priority on older lots first. To look up Moderna expiration, scan the QR code located on the carton or use the company’s expiration date lookup feature on its website. Healthcare providers are encouraged to continue checking these resources to determine whether they have lots that are impacted by this extension. Moderna vaccine should not be disposed of until an accurate expiration date is assessed.
Providers who have vaccines that are unexpired under the extension should update their outbreak inventory in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) with a new expiration date, following the instructions on the tip sheet How to Correct a COVID-19 Vaccine Expiration Date in the MCIR. Questions about the extension or the MCIR process can be directed to the MDHHS Division of Immunization team. Members with other vaccine-related questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.
Merck Requests FDA Approval for COVID-19 Treatment Pill
Merck formally requested approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oct. 13 for a groundbreaking antiviral medication that effectively treats COVID-19. Trials demonstrate the treatment regimen, which comes in pill form that patients can take themselves at home, reduced risk of hospitalization and severe illness by at least 50%.
Approval would add a new effective treatment to providers’ toolboxes in keeping patients with COVID-19 out of the hospital. Unlike currently available antibody treatments that require providers to set up and staff infusion clinics, the pill could help provide relief to providers struggling with staffing and other treatment resources. If approved, the MHA will advocate that all payers, both public and private, cover the drug for all covered lives.
The MHA will keep members apprised of developments on this issue.
CDC Releases Planning Information for Vaccinating 5- to 11-year-olds
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued an initial planning document for jurisdictions to prepare for the distribution of vaccines for children ages 5 to 11. The document provides initial information pertaining to pediatric COVID-19 vaccines, as well as several assumptions that can be made about the pediatric COVID-19 vaccination program. Specifically, the document highlights the packaging changes and storage requirements for the Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. The Pfizer vaccine for this age group is currently under review at the FDA, and a decision on whether an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the product will be granted is expected in the coming weeks.
Ordering of the Pfizer vaccine and any subsequent pediatric COVID-19 vaccines will begin when the FDA issues an EUA. Vaccine administration will begin once the CDC director makes a determination after reviewing recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The MHA will keep members apprised of developments on the vaccine for younger children. Members with questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.
U.S. Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Requests Provider Input
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, and the committee’s ranking member Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) are seeking firsthand accounts from individuals and organizations (healthcare providers, state and local governments, first responders, etc.) who experienced challenges securing personal protective equipment and other medical products during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the committee request is open-ended.
This is part of the committee’s ongoing oversight of federal pandemic preparedness and the COVID-19 response. The committee will examine reports of fraud, exploitation, and faulty equipment and medical supplies. To this end, providers can report issues about vendors, counterfeit medical products, price-gouging or other challenges obtaining supplies during the response. The information received will help inform the senators’ bipartisan oversight and efforts to strengthen U.S. medical supply chains, improve emergency preparedness, highlight new and successful supply chain methods, and prevent bad actors from taking advantage of future national crises. Members interested in submitting their experiences can do so online.
As federal regulatory agencies evaluate COVID-19 vaccine and treatment possibilities, more than 5.5 million Michigan residents ages 16 and older have received