Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Update

Congress

• Senate Republicans and House Democrats are both considering introducing a new COVID-19 relief bill which is narrowly targeted to the most pressing issues such as extending unemployment insurance.
• Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) are asking the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect standardized COVID-19 data from colleges and universities.
• Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced that he tested positive for COVID-19.

White House and Federal Agencies

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it will resume routine inspections of all Medicare and Medicaid certified providers and suppliers. CMS had previously suspended certain routine inspections as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• CMS will require documentation of a positive COVID-19 test in a patient’s medical record for the 20% add-on payment for Medicare patient hospitalizations.
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its COVID-19 Resources for Health Professionals page to include the CURE ID app. CURE ID allows clinicians to quickly and easily share their experiences treating COVID-19 patients and patients with other difficult-to-treat infectious diseases.
• The FDA released two new flowcharts and supporting information on respirators: 1) for health care providers and facilities – Considerations for Selecting Respirators for Your Health Care Facility; and 2) For manufacturers and distributors – Manufacturing and Distributing Respirators for Health Care Use in the United States Under an Existing Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates

• During National Immunization Awareness Month, the HHS is urging healthcare providers and parents to “catch-up to get ahead” on childhood immunizations.
• More than 339,000 individuals have completed the survey for the COVID Prevention Network Volunteer Screening Registry. Individuals interested in volunteering for a COVID19 Clinical Study can register here.
• CDC updated information for older adults who are at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
• CDC updated information for people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions who at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• CDC updated information on COVID-19 for people with moderate to severe asthma.
• CDC updated resources and tools designed for youth and young adults to keep them healthy as they venture out.
• CDC released an MMWR on racial and ethnic disparities among COVID-19 cases in workplace outbreaks by industry sector in Utah. During March 6–June 5, 2020, workplace outbreaks occurred in 15 Utah industry sectors; 58% of workplace outbreak-associated COVID-19 cases were in three sectors: Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade, and Construction. Despite representing 24% of Utah workers in all affected sectors, Hispanic and nonwhite workers accounted for 73% of workplace outbreak-associated COVID-19 cases.
• CDC released an MMWR on disparities in incidence of COVID-19 among underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in counties identified as hotspots during June 5 through 18, 2020.
• CDC updated information for healthcare professionals about COVID-19, how to care for patients, and how to protect healthcare professionals.
• CDC updated information on when you can end home isolation after having or likely having COVID-19.
  • CDC updated information on when to quarantine if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.
  • CDC updated information on the duration of isolation and precautions for adults to take with COVID-19.
• CDC released an MMWR on trends in number and distribution of COVID-19 hotspot counties in the U.S. During March 8–July 15, 2020, 818 (26%) of 3,142 U.S. counties were identified as COVID-19 hotspots (counties meeting specified criteria relating to temporal increases in number of cases and incidence); these counties included 80% of the U.S. population. More hotspots were identified in the South and West during June–July.
• CDC updated interim guidance for rapid antigen testing for SARS-CoV-2. This interim guidance is intended for clinicians who order antigen tests, receive antigen test results, and/or perform point-of-care testing, as well as for laboratory professionals who perform antigen testing in a laboratory setting or at the point of care and report those results.
• CDC updated information on managing pediatric patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.?

Reopening, Testing, Vaccine

• COVID-19 cases in nursing homes have increased nearly 80 percent.
• New evidence suggests that recovered COVID-19 patients develop T-Cells that are essential to long-term immunity.
• The FDA did not issue an emergency use authorization (EUA) for a blood plasma COVID-19 treatment.
• NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning that the first COVID-19 vaccines could have limited effectiveness.