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Tags Posts tagged with "Omicron"

Omicron

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Photo by Alena Shekhovtcova from Pexels

The FDA has approved and authorized for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 formula) that include a monovalent (single) component that corresponds to the omicron variant KP.2 strain of SARS-CoV-2. These vaccines were updated to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by circulating variants. Two vaccines are available for use in the United States: 2024–2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. There is no preference for one vaccine over the other when more than one vaccine is recommended for an age group

Who should get the vaccine?

Everyone ages 6 months and older should get the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This includes people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine before and people who have had COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you from severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

It is especially important to get your 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine if you are:

  • Ages 65 and older,
  • At high risk for severe COVID-19
  • Have never received a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Are living in a long-term care facility
  • Are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, or might become pregnant in the future.
  • Want to lower your risk of getting Long COVID

People who recently had COVID-19:

  • People who recently had COVID-19 may delay getting a COVID-19 vaccine for 3 months.
  • The risk of getting COVID-19 is less likely in the weeks to months following a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Certain factors could be reasons to get a vaccine sooner rather than later, such as:

  • Personal risk of severe COVID-19
  • Risk of COVID-19 in a family or household member or other close contact
  • local levels of COVID-19 illness

Keep in mind‎:

  • Vaccine protection decreases over time, so it is important to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer, more reliable way to build protection than getting sick with COVID-19.

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The following request is for licensed Chapter 6400 Residential Providers only.

The Department of Human Services has a critical need for updated vaccine uptake information as a result of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and availability of boosters. We need your help to gather this important information. Please complete this brief survey by 5:00 pm on Monday, February 14, 2022.

This survey is part of a larger effort to obtain a point-in-time view of the vaccination rate of staff and residents in all 6400 Residential Community Homes licensed by DHS. For the number of staff, please use the count for those currently employed and who work within the licensed residential setting(s) operated by your agency (even if they might not come into direct contact with individuals receiving services).

We realize that you have provided this information in the past and appreciate your ongoing cooperation in stopping the spread of the virus. You will note that this survey is much shorter than previous versions and should not take a great deal of time to complete. Please respond by agency, not licensed home.

For any questions regarding this survey, please contact ODP via email.

Thank you for your support in our ongoing fight against COVID-19.

Survey Link

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From Kevin Dressler, Office of Developmental Programs (ODP):

Updated HANs dealing with Work Restrictions and Return to Work Guidance for Healthcare Workers With COVID-19 Exposure:

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This guidance replaces PA-HAN-616. Information has been added to clarify the recommendations in consultation with CDC as well as to incorporate changes that have been made by CDC on January 21, 2022. Language has changed from using the term “boosted” in PA-HAN-616 to instead describe persons as being “up-to-date” with vaccine doses. This guidance pertains only to the healthcare personnel and their need for work restriction. For guidance on isolation and quarantine in the community, please refer to PA-HAN-615 or its successor.

This update includes clarification that:

  • Being up-to-date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses includes persons who have completed a primary vaccine series at least 2 weeks prior but are not yet eligible for a booster shot per current CDC guidelines.
  • A person is considered up-to-date immediately after receipt of the booster dose; there is no waiting period following a booster.
  • In general, asymptomatic Healthcare Personnel (HCP) who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days do not require work restriction following a higher-risk exposure; however, it should be considered in certain circumstances.

If you have additional questions about this guidance, please contact DOH at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258) or your local health department.

HAN 622

Due to concerns about increased transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, this guidance is being updated to enhance protection for healthcare personnel (HCP), patients, and visitors, and to address concerns about potential impacts on the healthcare system given a surge of SARS-CoV-2 infections. These updates will be refined as additional information becomes available to inform recommended actions.

Updates include:

  • Antigen testing is preferred if testing symptomatic HCP who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days. If tests are in short supply, they should be prioritized to diagnose infection.
  • Added additional information to strategies to mitigate healthcare personnel staffing shortages.

If you have additional questions about this guidance or would benefit from discussion to support infection prevention and control decisions in your facility, please contact DOH at 877-PA- HEALTH (877-724- 3258) or your local health department.

ICF Taskforce Meeting

Date/Time: 2-24-22 from 1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Meeting Registration Link  

After registration, you will receive another link via email that will be used the day of the meeting. Also, from the registration link, you will be able to add an event to your calendar that will contain the meeting link for that day.

As always, if you have any topics that you would like to discuss, please pass them along to me.

Kevin Dressler | Bureau Director
Department of Human Services
Office of Developmental Programs
Bureau of State Operated Facilities
Room 508 Health & Welfare Bldg | Harrisburg, PA 17120
Office Phone: 717-425-5686

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