BREAKING 2: It’s official: Nursing homes must vaccinate employees or lose Medicaid, Medicare funding
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 18, 2021
President Joe Biden announced late Wednesday afternoon that U.S. nursing homes must use workers vaccinated against COVID-19 or risk losing vital Medicare and Medicaid funding.
Repeat booster jabs for residents? COVID-19 immunity in nursing homes wanes quickly, large study shows
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 21, 2022
Results from hundreds of facilities demonstrate not only the value of booster vaccinations, but that there may be an ongoing need for additional shots in the long-term care population.
CDC: Prior infection plus vaccination tied to lower COVID-19 case rates
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 20, 2022
A new public health study suggests not only that vaccination protects against developing severe illness, but that surviving a bout with COVID-19 prevents reinfection, investigators say.
Wait, what did you just say, CMS?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Feb 15, 2022
Keeping up with the constantly changing guidance between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulations would make even a rocket scientist’s...
Hospital surges tied to lower COVID-19 survival rates; cases rising mostly in the unvaccinated
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 09, 2021
Surges accounted for about 1 in every 4 U.S. COVID-19 hospital deaths through Oct. 2020, analysts say. This trend continued even as more effective treatments became available.
Infection control experts throw support behind healthcare vaccine mandates
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 01, 2021
Voluntary vaccination policies are not a sure path to herd immunity in healthcare facilities, APIC says. The infection control advocate has endorsed vaccine mandates as a condition of employment.
Coronavirus vaccines safeguard people with obesity, but less so in the underweight: study
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jul 05, 2022
Underweight people may have less vaccine-derived immunity due to frailty or immunosuppression, investigators theorize.
Feds wait for lowered vaccine efficacy to recommend COVID-19 booster shots
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 22, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will not be necessary until mRNA vaccines become less effective, federal health officials say. But immunocompromised Americans are potential near-term recipients, they told...
Booster clinics set to begin in facilities following CDC sign-off on Pfizer shot
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 27, 2021
Booster shot clinics at long-term care facilities are expected to begin immediately after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday recommended that Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster dose be administered...
CMS memo: ‘Dramatic staff losses’ not happening due to vax requirements
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 02, 2022
Declaring once again that “Vaccine requirements work,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on Tuesday urged healthcare facility administrators to increase...