5/6/22 – Weekly Covid-19 Update

CHAP’s COVID-19 Weekly Update
In this “one-stop-shop” update, CHAP will provide a roundup of important COVID-19 information from various federal sources.

All health care providers should be monitoring COVID-19 incidence rates in their state/county on an ongoing basis.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC provides weekly data about case rates, deaths, testing, and vaccine administration on their COVID tracker webpage.

 

CDC Data

CDC Recommendation for Masks and Travel (CDC, 5/3/22)
At this time, CDC recommends that everyone aged 2 and older – including passengers and workers – properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation (such as airplanes, trains, etc.) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, etc.).  This public health recommendation is based on the currently available data, including an understanding of domestic and global epidemiology, circulating variants and their impact on disease severity and vaccine effectiveness, current trends in COVID-19 Community Levels within the United States, and projections of COVID-19 trends in the coming months.

 

COVID-19 Preventive Medication (CDC. 4/29/22)
Patients who are moderately or severely immunocompromised or severely allergic to COVID-19 vaccines may be eligible for Evushel, which can help prevent them from getting COVID-19.  It is given as 2 injections.

 

FDA COVID-19 Action (4/29/22)
The FDA plans to hold virtual meetings of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) in anticipation of complete submissions of emergency use authorization (EUA) requests in the coming months that have been publicly announced by COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers.

  • On June 7, FDA intends to convene VRBPAC to discuss an EUA request for a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Novavax to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older.
  • On June 8, 21, and 22, the FDA has held dates for the VRBPAC to meet to discuss updates to the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech EUAs for their COVID-19 vaccines to include younger populations. As the sponsors complete their submissions and the FDA reviews that data and information, it will provide additional details on scheduling of the VRBPAC meetings to discuss each EUA request.
  • On June 28, the FDA plans to convene the VRBPAC to discuss whether the SARS-CoV-2 strain composition of COVID-19 vaccines should be modified, and if so, which strain(s) should be selected for Fall 2022.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Limits Use of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to Certain Individuals (5/5/22)
The FDA has limited the authorized use of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to individuals 18 years of age and older for whom other authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines are not accessible or clinically appropriate, and to individuals 18 years of age and older who elect to receive the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine because they would otherwise not receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Underscores Urgent Need for Additional COVID-⁠19 Response Funding and the Severe Consequences of Congressional Inaction (4/27/22)
The Biden Administration is sounding the alarm for the urgent need for Congress to provide funding for the nation’s COVID-19 response and is underscoring the severe consequences of their inaction: Fewer vaccines, treatments, and tests for the American people, and fewer shots in arms around the world.  There has been an uptick in cases in parts of the country and, while cases will continue to fluctuate, this virus has proven itself to be unpredictable. Without funding, the United States will be unprepared for whatever comes next.