OPIC Monthly Newsletter

Issue 3 May 22, 2023

Our mission is to provide support to healthcare and congregate care facilities as you mitigate and manage risks due to communicable diseases and emergencies. We do this by promoting high levels of readiness, ensuring effective responses, and providing training and educational opportunities.
Our monthly newsletters are for YOU, and they include: news and guidance updates, community status updates, available trainings and other educational opportunities.

Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) News, Resources, and Trainings

News: Experts warn against antibacterial products which could promote antibiotic resistance.
Enhanced Standard Precautions Readiness Checklist: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHCQ/HAI/CDPH%20Document%20Library/ESP_Readiness_Checklist.pdf
New Article: Antibiotic Stewardship Programs essential for limiting C. difficile infections.
Infection Prevention Training for Multi Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) Dr. Lael Duncan’s training 4/4/23: View the RECORDING.

NEWS
The end of the Federal Government declaration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration, as of May 11, 2023. Here is a fact sheet about changes from HHS. Additional information about the changes to COVID-19 surveillance data.

Governor Newson proclaimed the month of May to be Older Californians Month!

Celebrate life at every age and stage. Interested in new perspectives on aging? Check out This Chair Rocks, an inspiring book that debunks many myths about aging; and explore Old School, a resource clearinghouse for combating agism. Late life: Wisdom, Dignity, Community–we are focused on helping your residents age well and safely in Marin.

Message from Dr. Lael Duncan, Marin County Deputy Public Health Officer In the wake of the end of the Public Health Emergency declaration, and since the repeal of mask mandates in health- and long term-care settings, we have seen some challenging outbreaks in our LTC community. Though community cases and waste water levels of Covid-19 are lower, they are not zero and Omicron sub-variants are highly transmissible. Overall, cases among residents and staff are down, but outbreaks are large and spread fast! We urge you to consider your policies and to quickly re-implement necessary protective mitigation strategies at the first sign of spread or when any risk indicator is elevated. Contact LTCFreport@marincounty.org for assistance or more information.

NOTICE: Recall of the SD Biosensor, Inc Pilot COVID-19 At Home Tests due to microbial contamination in the liquid buffer solution. You can check the discontinued lot numbers to see if your test kits are recalled. Do not pour the liquid down the drain. Recall Notice here.

AFL 20-43.3 (ca.gov) announces that effective May 12, 2023, CDPH's online COVID-19 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Survey is discontinued. SNFs must continue to submit weekly COVID-19 data to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Health Safety Network (NHSN) system until December 31, 2024, unless DHHS specifies an earlier date.

COVID-19 Dog Detection Pilot Program in the news: Celebrate the success of our Marin County Pilot Program. Due to our documented success with the Canine program, and with a new LTC CDPH grant, the program will be offered widely across the Bay Area. THANK YOU to participating SNF and RCFE partners!! Read more about the history of the program in California schools. Jama Pediatric Article and Fortune Article

Upcoming Trainings and Opportunities

Great opportunity! NHICS Training & TTX. Open to all sites.

Wednesday, June 7th 10-11:30am

Zoom invitation sent by HPP

contact HPPCoordinator@marincounty.org for questions or invitation

Facility Evacuation: Lessons Learned

Training held May 4, 2023: RECORDING

Virtual Infection Prevention Train the Trainer Workshops, by CDPH
Trainings are repeated four times per week for each workshop topic to accommodate schedules. Choose one day/time per workshop topic to attend.

Urinary Tract Infection Prevention
Multiple offerings: June 20-23
Register HERE

Certified Nursing Assistant IPC Curriculum
Multiple offerings: July 17-21
Register HERE

EVS IPC Curriculum for EVS Managers
Multiple Offerings: August 21-15
Register HERE

MCPH and Early Alert Canines are visiting SNFs. See them in action in this video.

We are providing monthly newsletters to provide updates from Marin County Public Health in terms of guidance, status updates, and trainings. These newsletters will be sent mid month, and our Ombudsman meetings will be held the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 PM.
Please contact Dan Steckline to be added to those meeting invitations (DSteckline@marincounty.org).
Next Ombudsman meeting is: Tuesday, May 23 2:00-3:00 PM

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Public Health Newsletter