LeadingAge Minnesota

Training Opportunities for NHSN Reporting Changes

On May 12, 2022 by Jonathan Lips

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will offer training opportunities this month to describe changes coming to the COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility module and vaccination reporting module in NHSN, to streamline and simplify reporting. 

CDC to Streamline Some NHSN Reporting

On May 5, 2022 by Jonathan Lips

In a recent national stakeholder call, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) previewed changes coming to the COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility module and vaccination reporting module in NHSN. Beginning May 23, reporting in both modules will be streamlined to simplify some reporting.

CDC’s Project Firstline New Resources

On March 17, 2022 by Libbie Chapuran

Project Firstline, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), launched a new toolkit yesterday entitled Risk Recognition and Infection Control in Healthcare. As with other Project Firstline resources, the new toolkit aims to increase infection control knowledge and understanding among frontline staff.

CMS and CDC National Nursing Home Stakeholder Call

On February 3, 2022 by Jonathan Lips

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held a national stakeholder call on Feb. 2 to update its listeners regarding COVID-19, revisions to nursing home guidance, and best practices. The following is a summary for those who could not listen in on the call.

Health Care Worker Return-to-Work FAQs

On January 20, 2022 by Kari Everson

The CDC released revisions to their Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel (HCW) Staffing Shortages on Dec. 23, 2021, significantly changing the return to work guidance for staff who experience high-risk exposures. Several questions have come up in the past few weeks regarding the complexities of the guidance.

Recent CED Guidance on Exposed Healthcare Workers And Return To Work

On January 13, 2022 by Kari Everson

The CDC released revisions to their Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel (HCW) Staffing Shortages on Dec. 23, 2021. There are significant changes to return to work for staff who experience high-risk exposures in the recent update.

MDH Discusses Revised CDC Guidance: Return to Work, Expanded Staffing Strategies

On December 30, 2021 by Kari Everson

On the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) long-term care call this week, the Department discussed the updated CDC guidance released on Dec. 23. It appears the CDC guidance will be adopted for our settings. MDH reported it is the intention of CMS to revise the current memos to be in alignment with this guidance. The publication timeline for updated CMS memo(s) is unknown.

CDC Revised Return to Work Guidance

On December 30, 2021 by Kari Everson

Updated return-to-work guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has significantly changed from its last release. In the updated information, return to work is based upon several different variables including those who test positive, those who have been exposed, the staffing situation within the organization, and the vaccination and booster status of the health care worker (HCW).

FDA, CDC Approve Moderna and Johnson & Johnson Booster Vaccinations

On October 28, 2021 by Kari Everson

After weeks of discussions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added booster vaccinations to the emergency use authorization (EUA) for both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The CDC endorsed recommendations for booster injections.

NHSN Changes Coming: Get your Level 3 Access Now

On September 15, 2021 by Jonathan Lips

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has informed LeadingAge that changes are coming to the weekly NHSN COVID-19 Vaccination Data Collection Forms for Long-Term Care Facilities that will require Level 3 access for reporting.

CDC Requesting Information on Vaccine Access from NHSN Users

On August 11, 2021 by Jonathan Lips

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent an email to National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) users requesting information on vaccine access. This information is reported through the required weekly reporting for nursing homes on both the resident and staff vaccine reporting sections.

New CDC Guidance for Adult Day Services

On July 21, 2021 by Roni Falck

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated guidance for Adult Day Services providers focused on masking and vaccination status.

Identifiers Indicating Vaccination Status

On May 12, 2021 by Kari Everson

The change in guidance allowing for increased flexibility with PPE, visitation, and testing based upon vaccination status prompted questions regarding how to quickly identify the vaccination status of residents, staff, and visitors. Many long-term care organizations discussed using bracelets, different name tags, stickers or other means of readily identifying an individual’s vaccination status.

Executive Order Removes Conflict with CDC and CMS Guidance for Long-Term Care Settings

On May 12, 2021 by Kari Everson

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published updated infection prevention and control recommendations in response to COVID-19 vaccinations, QSO 20-38, and QSO 20-39 at the end of April. Immediately after these guidance documents were posted, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) directed nursing homes to pause before following the staff PPE and dining and activities portions of the recommendations due to potential conflicts with Gov. Walz's executive order.

CDC, CMS Publish Updated Guidance for Healthcare IP&C in Response to COVID Vaccinations

On April 28, 2021 by Kari Everson

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published updated infection prevention and control recommendations in response to COVID-19 vaccinations yesterday. Following closely behind the CDC, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published two revised memos yesterday as well: QSO 20-38 and QSO 20-39. The QSO memos are revised with the recent CDC guidance updates.

CDC Call Will Provide COVID Updates for Independent Living, Adult Day

On April 14, 2021 by Jonathan Lips

The CDC will host a call on Monday, April 19, 11 a.m. CT for LeadingAge and Argentum members to provide information and perspective on COVID-19 for independent living settings. The call will also include an update from CDC on guidance for adult day services.

CDC Updates Guidance on Well-Fitting Masks In Q&A Document

On March 3, 2021 by Kari Everson

On February 10^th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a MMWR article discussing well-fitting masks. The study shows the better a mask fits around the user’s face, the better the protection against contracting COVID-19. Methods to increase mask fitting include a mask fitter, tucking and looping a surgical or procedural mask, or wearing a cloth mask over the surgical or procedure mask.

CDC Officially Extends Eviction Moratorium

On February 3, 2021 by Bobbie Guidry

Ahead of the Jan. 31 expiration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ordered the extension of the current eviction moratorium for non-payment of rent.

The order prevents residential evictions until March 31; tenants must self-certify eligibility for the protections. The extension keeps the moratorium largely unchanged, and tenants who previously submitted the self-certification should not have to resubmit.

In the meantime, we are advocating to quickly provide rent relief for senior housing communities impacted by COVID-19.

Minnesota Faring Well at Vaccinating Residents and Staff for COVID-19

On February 3, 2021 by Jeff Bostic

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released a report on COVID-19 vaccination rates under the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program (PPP) using data submitted to the CDC from the pharmacies enrolled in that program. The report shows rates of vaccination for both residents and staff in care centers in Minnesota that exceed the national averages.

CDC Will Update NHSN to Accept Laboratory Test Results

On September 30, 2020 by Jonathan Lips

Since early May care centers have been using the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) to report COVID-19 cases and related data to the CDC.