Updates from the Winnebago County Health Department
Winnebago County Public Health Department
COVID-19 Updates for Healthcare Providers,
First Responders & Long-Term Care Facilities
October 16, 2020
Please distribute widely. The format may be altered when forwarded in an email. Find a shareable link here.
Beginning Friday, October 16 at 5 p.m., the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) will undergo system improvements and routine maintenance. The updates are scheduled to go live Monday, October 19 and will include several enhancements including improved contact tracing functionality, automated data entry, and enhanced security features.
Do not fax or send communicable disease reports over the weekend. Please wait until the upgrade is complete.
Our COVID-19 dashboard will not be updated on October 17 & 18. No data will be lost during the updates, though it may lag a few days behind and appear artificially low or skewed. Data should begin to stabilize by Tuesday, October 20.
Communicable disease will still be monitored throughout the weekend, and reporting of test results will not be impacted. Individuals will still be able to receive their results through their provider or COVID Connect from a community testing site.
The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel has released updated clinical guidance for the management of patients with COVID-19, which are now available online.
The panel currently recommends pharmacologic therapy with remdesivir and/or dexamethasone for hospitalized patients who require supplemental oxygen.
While clinical trials of additional treatment strategies are ongoing, the Panel has determined that there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the use COVID-19 convalescent plasma, SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulins, or other adjunctive treatments.
CDC added vaccine-specific content to its extensive COVID-19 website. CDC’s new resources include information on vaccination planning, how vaccine safety is being ensured, and frequently asked questions. These resources are intended to clarify how COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will be made and how the vaccines will be monitored for safety, in order to build trust and confidence in future COVID-19 vaccines.
Reminder - Provider Relief Funding: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is accepting applications for a new round of provider relief funding. Behavioral health providers are eligible to apply for relief payments. The deadline to apply is November 6, 2020. Visit the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for more information.
Topic: Leveraging Existing Resources to Meet the Challenges Faced by People Who Use Drugs or Who Have Substance Use Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic