COVID-19 Update | December 31, 2020

Staff Contact: Leslie Porth or Jackie Gatz

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris announced additional members of the White House COVID-19 Response team this week. The pair named coordinators for three crucial aspects of the COVID-19 response strategy, including supply chain management, vaccinations and testing. Biden stated, “To recover from this pandemic, we must take aggressive action to manufacture, distribute and administer vaccines, testing and personal protective equipment in an equitable way. These individuals are deeply qualified and will restore public trust in the pandemic response by leading with facts, science and integrity.” Biographies for the nine new appointees are available.

Staff Contact: Jackie Gatz or Keri Barclay

The National Academy of Medicine is hosting a webinar, “Crisis Standards of Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Real-time Legal Issues and Solutions,” at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7. During the event, Dr. Dan Hanfling, Professor James Hodge and Research Scholar Jen Piatt will examine key legal issues underlying crisis standards of care. These include concerns surrounding emergency declarations, invocation, duties to care, inter-jurisdictional challenges, discrimination, licensure/scope of practice, risks of liability, documentation and mitigation. Potential solutions to real-time issues will be offered, including through direct questions among attendees and others.

Staff Contact: Dana Dahl, Jane Drummond or Andrew Wheeler

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services instructed Medicare Administrative Contractors to waive certain requirements for Sole Community Hospitals and Medicare-dependent, small rural hospitals due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Distance, market share and bed requirements have been waived for SCHs for the duration of the emergency. Similarly, requirements that MDHs have 100 or fewer beds and at least 60% inpatients days or discharges attributable to Medicare Part A beneficiaries also are waived. These waivers are in effect for cost reporting periods that cover dates commencing on March 1, 2020. CMS updated its summary of blanket waivers to reflect the change.

Staff Contact: Meghan Henderson or Jackie Gatz

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its interim clinical considerations for use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the U.S. Recent changes include additional information on antibody therapies, COVID-19 vaccination, outbreak management, vaccination of immunocompromised persons, contraindication and precautions to vaccination, and tuberculin skin testing. A recorded webinar addressing these changes is available.

Staff Contact: Mary Becker

Experts at Children’s Mercy Kansas CIty published answers to some of their most frequently asked questions they receive regarding the COVID-19 vaccines. Questions include who should get the vaccine, if the vaccine is safe and effective, and if masks still should be worn after receiving the vaccine. Children’s Mercy employees began receiving the vaccine on Dec. 16.