Senator Blunt Committee Reviews COVID-19 Response

Staff Contact: Daniel Landon or Leslie Porth

Sen. Roy Blunt The U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing on COVID-19 response efforts. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) chairs the committee. Testimony from key federal officials addressed the projected timing and implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine and anticipated growth in testing capacity. The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that it will take six to nine months for the vaccination process to induce a feeling of normalcy in society. Admiral Giroir of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicated a dramatic increase in testing capacity in September, especially in point-of-care testing. The committee posted testimony and a video replay of the hearing.

Governor Orders Continued Help Of National Guard

Staff Contact: Daniel Landon or Jane Drummond

Gov. Parson signed an executive order extending the active involvement of the Missouri National Guard in aiding the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new executive order will extend the active deployment of the National Guard until Dec. 30, 2020.

CMS Reports COVID-19 Actions Validated In Nursing Facilities

Staff Contact: Sarah Willson

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reports that the actions taken by the agency to fight COVID-19 are validated by the Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes. CMS states the commission’s findings align with the actions the administration and agency have taken to contain the spread of the virus and to safeguard nursing home residents from the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. CMS issued a response to the commission’s findings.

Testing, Reporting & Treatment

FDA Releases Performance Data For COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostic Tests

Staff Contact: Terrie Bauer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released comparative performance data for 55 COVID-19 molecular diagnostic tests. Test developers are required to assess their test’s performance against a reference panel of viral samples to receive emergency use authorization. In the data, a lower product limit of detection indicates a test’s ability to detect a smaller amount of viral material in a given sample, signaling a more sensitive test. The FDA plans to update the data as it receives additional results to help inform laboratories, health care providers and patients about the relative performance of available tests.

Vaccine Updates

Missouri Prepares COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond or Leslie Porth

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its strategy for the public distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. HHS said that it developed the strategy in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

MHA is participating in the Missouri state planning effort. Hospitals interested in setting up vaccination programs for staff, at-risk populations or the general community must execute a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider Agreement. Hospitals are urged to review the agreement carefully, as it contains numerous obligations with respect to administration, storage and reporting of vaccines.

Additional information is being sent directly to hospital chief executive officers and chief medical officers.

Workforce

Missouri Crisis Counseling Program Available

Staff Contact: Jill Williams

Missouri’s free and confidential crisis counseling program, Show Me Hope, is available to help those affected by COVID-19. Counselors are based in the local community to teach coping and stress management skills to anyone dealing with the anxiety and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CCP helps individuals and communities recover from natural and human-caused disasters through community outreach and access to resources including mental health services.

COVID-19 Update | September 17, 2020