Policy Updates

7/12/22 — The CDC is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform clinicians and public health departments that parechovirus (PeV) is currently circulating in the United States. Since May 2022, CDC has received reports from healthcare providers in multiple states of PeV infections in neonates and young infants. Parechoviruses are a group of … Continued

6/29/22 — CMS issued updates to guidance on minimum health and safety standards that long-term care (LTC) facilities must meet to participate in Medicare and Medicaid. CMS memorandum QSP-22-19-NH provides summaries of revisions to surveyor guidance for Phases 2 and 3 of the LTC requirements, which will become effective October 24, 2022. Requirements for Infection Preventionists in … Continued

6/27/22 — The CDC Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) network will present a webinar to update clinicians on what they need to know about monkeypox including guidance about the typical clinical presentation, treatment options, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, and reporting to public health authorities. The webinar will be Wednesday, June 29 at 2 – 3 … Continued

6/23/22 — BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) announced a voluntary recall on the BD™ Intraosseous Needle Set Kits, BD™ Intraosseous Manual Driver Kits, and BD™ Intraosseous Powered Drivers. Manufacturing defects in these products may result in delays in care due to limited or non-functioning intraosseous access or could also lead to needlestick injuries. Affected needle kits … Continued

6/23/22 — Between May and November 2020, NIOSH issued limited, temporary Public Health Emergency (PHE) approvals for N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) to address respirator supply shortages during that time. NIOSH is now phasing out these PHE approvals. Obsolete respirators are no longer permitted to be manufactured by the approval … Continued

6/21/22 — AOK Tooling, Hong Kong, issued a notice of stop sales, use and return of pattern mask model 20190029-S and 20190029-M N95 respirators (TC-84A-9286). The manufacturer alert followed notification from NIOSH that the models do not meet the specifications of its certification. Read more.

6/20/22 — Following FDA authorization, the CDC recommended COVID-19 vaccination for children ages 6 months and older with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine is administered in a three-dose series and the Moderna vaccine is administered in a two-dose series. Immunocompromised children may need additional doses for optimal protection. Learn more. The CDC Clinician … Continued

6/16/22 — APIC submitted comments to CMS on proposed rules updating Medicare payment programs for acute care hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, cancer hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and skilled nursing facilities. Among positions taken by APIC are support for continuing the measure suppression policy implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, support for new NHSN digital HAI … Continued

6/13/22 — The CDC Clinician Outreach and Communications Activity (COCA) Network has scheduled a webinar to present an overview of COVID-19 therapeutic options, including indications, efficacy, and distribution. Presenters will include subject matter experts from NIH, FDA, ASPR, and CDC. It will include information about Paxlovid, including key points about COVID-19 rebound after use; Paxlovid … Continued