Staff Contact: Daniel Landon or Jane Drummond

As the Delta variant causes COVID-19 hospitalizations to increase throughout Missouri, hospitals are seeking additional staff to address the surge. Excessive agency staffing rates are impeding those efforts. Today, MHA submitted a letter to the Attorney General asking for a condemnatory statement against such practices. As the state’s consumer advocate, the AG is in a position to deter such behavior and ensure hospitals are able to hire staff at reasonable rates to adequately respond to the current situation.

Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is providing $100 million to rural health clinics to support outreach efforts to increase vaccinations in rural communities. These funds are available through the American Rescue Plan and are being administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration. HRSA is providing approximately $49,500 to each RHC. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra stated, “Rural health clinics play a crucial role in supporting our national vaccination effort to defeat COVID-19. This funding will give trusted messengers in rural communities the tools they need to counsel patients on how COVID-19 vaccines can help protect them and their loved ones.”

Staff Contact: Keri Barclay or Kara Amann-Kale

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated mask guidance following review of new data. Individuals in areas with high or substantial COVID-19 transmission should wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. A map of areas experiencing high and substantial COVID-19 transmission is available online.

The CDC also released a recommendation that all staff and students in K-12 education should wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status, when returning to school in the fall.

Staff Contact: Keri Barclay

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, “Changes in Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” While influenza viruses were at an all-time low last year, we now are seeing an uptick in common human coronaviruses, parainfluenza viruses and respiratory adenoviruses. Clinicians should be aware of increased circulation, sometimes off-season, of some respiratory viruses and consider multipathogen testing. In addition to recommended preventive actions, fall influenza vaccination campaigns are important as schools and workplaces resume in-person activities with relaxed COVID-19 mitigation practices.

Staff Contact: Jessica Stultz

Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an internationally recognized expert in the fields of virology and immunology, is a guest presenter during an upcoming COVID-19 ECHO taking place at noon on Monday, Aug. 2. Dr. Offit will discuss the current vaccine climate and offer expert guidance, as well as answer questions from the attendees. Please register to join the weekly COVID-19 ECHO to learn about timely topics and participate in discussions with subject matter experts across the state and nation.

Staff Contact: Keri Barclay

Today, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued a Health Advisory for SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody treatment. The update provides a reminder of the current treatment guidelines for this therapeutic option. There are two remaining options for monoclonal antibody-based treatment, each existing under an emergency use authorization: Regeneron’s product consisting of casirivimab and imdevimab, and GSK’s sotrovimab. Each treatment has similar emergency use and restriction guidance.

• • for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg),
  • with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, AND
  • who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death

Additional information is available in MHA’s Monoclonal Antibody FAQs.