KHCA/KCAL COVID-19 Daily Update 12/9/20

December 9, 2020

KHCA/KCAL is committed to providing our members with important updates. Below is a list of the most recent COVID-19 updates. Please visit our website for a list of complete updates. www.khca.org

The Latest News

Answers to frequently asked questions (so far) about the COVID-19 Vaccine from AHCA/NCAL’s Dr. David Gifford

Walgreens: They are still sending out information and should be done by tomorrow night. We are still waiting for contact information for providers to contact them if they have not heard. We have said this is really needed as anxiety is rapidly increasing. They are still updating some material before they post on their website.
CVS: CVS has already started to send their initial emails to matched facilities. They are also initiating live phone calls to facilities, so each facility should receive a phone call in the coming days. In the meantime, please update your contact information here: https://info.omnicare.com/Update-Contact-Info.htm l. It’s critical that each facility supply updated contact information (for primary and secondary points of contact for each facility). Second, please visit their website here: https://www.omnicare.com/covid-19-vaccine-resource. By clicking onto the ‘COVID-19 Introductory Email Communication,’ you can see the initial email that was distributed.
SNFs or AL who did not enroll or pick CVS or WAG as a backup: they must contact their state health department to find out how or when they can get access to the vaccine. They should NOT contact CVS or WAG.
Physician orders: Physician orders for the vaccine are NOT required. We have confirmed that neither WAG nor CVS will require a physician order. Also, the HHS secretary used his authority under the Prep Act to override all state and local laws to allow Pharmacist to order and administer the vaccine. “…as an Authority Having Jurisdiction under the Secretary’s March 10, 2020 declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act), the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) issues this guidance. Subject to satisfaction of the requirements listed below, this guidance authorizes State-licensed pharmacists to order and administer, and State-licensed or registered pharmacy interns acting under the supervision of the qualified pharmacist to administer, to persons ages three or older COVID-19 vaccinations that have been authorized or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” (see https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/licensed-pharmacists-and-pharmacy-interns-regarding-covid-19-vaccines-immunity.pdf )
Staff Incentives: Are Financial and other incentives ok (e.g gift cards, bonuses, etc) to use with staff to encourage uptake of the vaccine. We confirmed with CMS that they have not issued any restrictions to encourage staff to receive the vaccine.
Promotional material. We met with CDC team today and they are working on a tool kit for LTC that should be out the end of this week or early next week. AHCA is also developing some material and will use the FDA Pfizer data released today (see next item).
FDA EUA review. The Pfizer background material was released today (attached for those geeks) and shows the vaccine if very effective including in elderly over the age of 65 and age over 75 and in minority populations. Just over 4% of the participants were over age of 75. Vaccine efficacy was equivalent in those under 55 and those over 55. The side effect look predictable for a person’s immune response. For those under 55 in age: Reaction at inject site (redness, soreness or swelling) rounding numbers to nearest 5% increments (75% vs 10% vaccine vs placebo); systemic symptoms (fever, headache, aches) were 60 vs 50% after first injection and 70% vs 40% vaccine vs placebo). Reactions leading to serious adverse events, death or withdrawal from the study were the same (<1% vs 1% vaccine vs placebo). Fever was about 7% vs 2% after dose 1 and 30% vs 1% after dose 2; GI symptoms were the same in both groups. This appears to be very safe vaccine with predictable reactions to a vaccine stimulating the immune response to make antibodies. The pattern was nearly identical in elderly over the age 55 but the actual rates were slightly different. There were 6 deaths in the trial: 2 in vaccine and 4 in placebo. Click here to access the Pfizer briefing document.

AMDA’s new COVID vaccine PowerPoint can help answer resident, staff concerns

A new toolkit created by industry clinicians aims to help long-term care operators directly address the questions staff members, residents and their families are asking about COVID-19 vaccines and getting vaccinated.

The kit includes a PowerPoint presentation that healthcare providers can share with employees and residents to stay a step ahead of concerns. It also contains a sample medical director’s letter about vaccines, which can be sent to families.

Click here for more details.

Clarification from KHDE’s Director of Legislative Affairs, Liz Dunn on Prioritization of Vaccine Recipients

1. High risk health care workers are at the top of the vaccine distribution list but so far we have only seen references to hospital staff, department of corrections staff and EMS workers. Are long term care workers also included in this category? Long term care facilities (staff and residents) have been allocated vaccine and clinics for them will begin at the end of the month. This is the earliest it can happen because they are opted into the National Pharmacy Program to be administered by CVS and Walgreens. This is the earliest that program can move into action based on the Federal – Private Partnership.

2. Does the term “long term care facility residents” include all adult care home residents in Kansas, such as assisted living and homes plus? This includes Skilled Nursing Facilities, Includes assisted living, CCRC, personal care homes, residential care, adult family home, adult foster home, IDD, HUD 202, Veteran's homes

Per the federal partnership agreement and if the facilities/organizations completed the sign up as directed by the federal instructions

3. Our members also provide independent living and senior housing on their campuses. In what category do those residents fall? If they do not fall into the listed groups above, they will be included in the appropriate age or medical condition phases in the future as the vaccine is available.

Liz Dunn

Director of Legislative Affairs

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

[email protected]

HHS Awards $523 Million in Second Round of Value-Based COVID Relief for Nursing Homes

A smaller group of nursing facilities will split a larger pot of cash in the second round of the federal government’s four-part value-based competition for COVID-19 relief dollars.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday announced the pending distribution of $523 million in performance-based stimulus payments to about 9,200 nursing homes that achieved specific coronavirus infection and death reduction benchmarks between September and October.

Click here for more details.

Does your MDS Coord. need certified?

KHCA has partnered up again with AANAC to offer the Certification Course Virtually. Click here for more details.

Introducing Regional Infection Preventionist

Click here for more details.

A Message from the Office of the State Fire Marshal

Skilled Nursing / Healthcare Christmas Decorations

Click here for more details.

Policies for Public Comment

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, KDADS, Aging & Disability Community Services and Programs seek public comments on the following policies.

The public commentary period is December 8, 2020, through January 8, 2021.

The policy drafts can be found on the KDADS website at KDADS HCBS Policies Page or may be requested from:

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

ADCSP; Senior Administrative Assistant [email protected]

Comments may be made in any one of the following ways:

Online (KDADS website): www.kdads.ks.gov under the Community Services and Programs page.

By Email:

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

ADCSP; Senior Administrative Assistant [email protected]

By standard mail:

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

Attn: HCBS Programs

503 S. Kansas Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603