|
Guidance Updates
Marin County Public Health Order
Marin County, alongside other Bay Area counties, instituted a health order that requires patients, staff and visitors to wear a mask in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities for the fall and winter virus season, November 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024.
The intent of the order is to protect individuals in these high-risk healthcare settings and limit the spread of seasonal respiratory viruses including RSV, influenza, and COVID-19. It will apply to all individuals within the facility while they are in patient care areas. Children under age 6 and those with a valid medical reason are exempt.
Marin County Public Health Advisory
Local Spike in Fentanyl Use and Overdoses
During the week preceding September 17, 2023, the concentration of norfentanyl, a marker of fentanyl use, doubled in Marin wastewater compared to the previous week. The following week, Emergency Medical Services responded to eight suspected opioid overdoses, double the usual weekly rate. This pattern could signify increased availability and intentional use of fentanyl or increased levels of fentanyl contamination in other substances.
AVISO DE SALUD PÚBLICA
All Facilities Letters (AFLs) from CDPH
COVID-19 Treatment Resources for Skilled Nursing Facilites
AFL 23-29 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Treatment Resources for Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) provides guidance recommending that all SNF residents with symptomatic COVID-19 be evaluated by a prescribing clinician to be considered for COVID-19 therapeutics. This AFL also provides information regarding available guidance and resources and recommends SNFs provide information on appropriate therapeutics to their healthcare personnel (HCP) who have symptomatic COVID-19.
Legal Requirement to submit immunization data
AFL 23-26 New Legal Requirement to Submit Immunization Data is now available. This AFL notifies SNFs and ICFs of the chaptering of AB 1797 (Chapter 582, Statutes of 2022) requiring all California healthcare providers to report vaccine administration information to a California Immunization Registry (CAIR or Healthy Futures/RIDE).SNFs and ICFs must ensure that they enter every vaccine administered, along with patient’s race and ethnicity, into the immunization registry to support access to immunization data needed for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reporting.
If you have any questions about this AFL, please contact the CAIR Help Desk via email at CAIRHelpdesk@cdph.ca.gov or phone at 800-578-7889. or your Local CAIR Representative
View AFLs at the All Facilities Letter webpage.
PINs from CDSS
Influenza and RSV Vaccination Recommendations
The best way to prevent flu and its potentially serious complications is by getting a yearly flu vaccine. CDC recommends flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older. Flu vaccination is especially important for people 65 years and older because they are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications.
New CDC RSV Vaccination Recommendations
RSV infections can cause severe illness in older adults, including pneumonia, as well as worsening of underlying medical conditions like asthma, other chronic lung disease or congestive heart failure. Adults at highest risk for severe RSV infection include:
- Older adults
- Adults living in long-term care facilities
The CDC recommends use of new RSV vaccines from GSK and Pfizer for people 60 years and older based on discussions with their healthcare provider about whether RSV vaccination is right for them. These new vaccines are available now.
Expired COVID-19 Test Kit Guidance
Marin Public Health recommends that you suspend use of test kits that are beyond their extension date.
Please dispose of all test kits that are beyond the FDA Extension date.
At this time, County Public Health has limited supply of test kits. While we work with CDPH to secure additional, non-expired test kits, please work with your vendors to purchase additional test kits, as needed for your facility/agency, to ensure CalOSHA / CDPH / CDSS compliance.
|
