Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted nursing home COVID-19 data for the week ending October 24, 2021. This latest data set shows these changes from the October 17th data set: Resident vaccination decreased 0.1% from the previous week (data correction?)Staff vaccination increased 0.9% from the previous weekResident confirmed cases increased…… Continue reading Latest CMS, CDC and NHSN COVID-19 Data Posted

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS just released an Interim Final Rule With Comment Period (IFC-6) https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-issues-emergency-regulation-requiring-covid-19-vaccination-health-care requiring COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities.  Please join John Blum, CMS’s Principal Deputy Administrator and Dr. Lee Fleisher, Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Center for Clinical Standards…… Continue reading CMS Discussion of Interim Final Rule With Comment Period (IFC-6) Today – November 4, 2021

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP  Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare In addition to the CMS Interim Final Ruleon the same subject, OSHA has also issued Interim Final Rule 2021-23643.  This 490-page IFR will be published in tomorrow’s (11/5/2021) Federal Register and is effective on that date. “The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is issuing…… Continue reading OSHA Interim Final Rule: COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing; Emergency Temporary Standard

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare For some reason, the links in the CMS Press Release are not working at this time.  The Interim Final Rule pre-publication pdf is here: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-23831.pdf and the permalink is here: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-23831/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-omnibus-covid-19-health-care-staff-vaccination.  The IFR is scheduled to be published.  The IFR is 214 pages in length and is effective…… Continue reading Access to Interim Final Rule for Emergency Regulation: COVID-19 Vaccination for HCWs

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS NEWSFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 4, 2021Contact: CMS Media Relations CMS Media Inquiries Biden-Harris Administration Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Workers National requirement protects patients at nearly 76,000 providers and covers more than 17 million health care workers The Biden-Harris Administration is…… Continue reading BREAKING NEWS: Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination Issued for Health Care Workers

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On October 29, 2021, the CDC updated ACIP Evidence to Recommendations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses. On that same date, the CDC updated ACIP Evidence to Recommendations for Use of an Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Dose in Immunocompromised People. Also on October 29, 2021, the…… Continue reading Late October CDC Updates to COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has posted updated and expanded technical assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing questions about religious objections to employer COVID-19 vaccine requirements and how they interact with federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws.  (Technical Assistance Questions and Answers were…… Continue reading EEOC Issues Updated COVID-19 Technical Assistance

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the latest nursing home COVID-19 data for the week ending October 17, 2021: This latest data set shows these changes from the October 10th data set: Resident vaccination increased 0.1% from the previous weekStaff vaccination increased 0.6% from the previous weekResident confirmed cases…… Continue reading Latest CMS, CDC and NHSN COVID-19 Data

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted nursing home data for the week ending October 10, 2021.  This latest data set shows these changes from the October 3rd data set: Resident vaccination increased 0.5% from the previous weekStaff vaccination increased 1.4% from the previous weekResident confirmed cases increased 4,016 from…… Continue reading Latest COVID-19 Data: CMS, CDC and NHSN

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On October 21, 2021, “CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation for a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines in certain populations. The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authorization and CDC’s recommendation for use are important steps forward as…… Continue reading CDC Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots