The immunization advisory board for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given long-term providers a boost by recommending the resumption of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine 10 days...
Leaders expect more providers to follow suit after first Massachusetts operator announces vaccine mandate
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 02, 2021
More long-term care operators in Massachusetts are expected to start mandating COVID-19 shots for all employers after one of the first major providers in the state announced its own policy for workers...
J&J vaccine effective against COVID Delta variant, drugmaker says
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 06, 2021
Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine prompts a “strong neutralizing antibody response” that lasts at least eight months, the drugmaker has announced.
CDC: Stroke ‘very unlikely’ in seniors who receive updated COVID vaccine booster
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 18, 2023
The CDC is investigating bivalent booster shot safety after one of its monitoring systems flagged a potential risk of stroke among seniors.
CDC safety panel: J&J vaccine benefits outweigh rare neuro risks seen in older adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 26, 2021
The benefits of the shot — including reduced hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and death — outweigh the risk of contracting Guillain-Barre syndrome, the Advisory Committee on Immunization...
CDC: New SNF data show COVID-19 booster improves omicron protection
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
May 06, 2022
Data from thousands of U.S. skilled nursing facilities show that a COVID-19 booster shot is more protective against omicron than an initial series alone, investigators say.
‘COVID stakes are still high,’ Becerra tells aging services providers
By
Diane Eastabrook
Jan 19, 2023
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra sounded an alarm Wednesday for older adults to get boosted against COVID-19, as an increasing share are being hospitalized for severe illness. Becerra made the appeal during...
Feds gauging threat to vaccine, test and treatment efficacy in face of omicron variant
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 01, 2021
The United States is prepared to address any potential threat to the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments posed by the new variant, according to the White House and federal health officials.
COVID-19 mortality tied to racial disparities in nursing homes, industry expert says
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 11, 2021
Nursing homes with a non-white resident population of more than 40% have more than three times the rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths than those with fewer non-white residents, says R. Tamara Konetzka,...
Build vaccine trust, vaccination rates among CNAs: HHS releases guide
By
Alicia Lasek
May 25, 2021
A comprehensive new guide and toolkit are aimed at helping nursing home administrators tackle issues of vaccine hesitancy among certified nursing assistants, as well as barriers to vaccination.