October 13, 2022
Save the Date: Rural Medicine Lecture Series – Wednesday, October 26, 2022 6:15 – 7:45
Please see the flyer below, for the next Rural Medicine Lecture Series lecture. Please complete the registration form to receive the calendar item with Zoom information.
October 11, 2022
Now Available! October MBQIP Monthly
MBQIP Monthly is an e-newsletter that highlights current information about the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) and provides critical access hospitals (CAHs) information and support for quality reporting and improvement. MBQIP Monthly is produced through the Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance program by Stratis Health.
Current Issue: MBQIP Monthly October 2022
October 7, 2022
HHS amends PREP Act declaration increasing workforce authorized to administer Monkeypox vaccines
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra today amended the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) declaration for smallpox medical countermeasures to expand the categories of providers authorized to administer vaccines and therapeutics against smallpox, Monkeypox virus, and other orthopoxviruses in a declared emergency.
“As our supply of JYNNEOS vaccine steadily increases, we are exceeding demand in all 50 states,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell. “By expanding the pool of providers who can administer Monkeypox vaccines, we can increase equitable access for people at high risk for Monkeypox infections who have not yet had an opportunity to get vaccinated.”
This declaration expands the types of providers who, with outlined training and supervision, are covered persons authorized to administer vaccines and therapeutics against smallpox (variola virus), Monkeypox virus, and other orthopoxviruses, in addition to the professionals already licensed or authorized under their state laws to administer these vaccines and therapeutics. The list of authorized providers now includes:
Subject to certain limitations, a covered person is immune from suit and liability under federal and state law with respect to all claims for loss resulting from the administration or use of a covered countermeasure if a declaration under the PREP Act has been issued with respect to such countermeasure.
All authorized providers must administer all countermeasures in accordance with all relevant requirements and recommendations of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and consistent with the scope of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval, authorization, and any applicable expanded access requirements of FDA’s protocol.
The amendment announced today also:
The amended declaration can be found in the Federal Register and answers to frequently asked questions about Monkeypox PREP Act can be found on ASPR’s website.
Jurisdictions across the country have ordered approximately 835,700 vials of the approximately 1.1 million vials of JYNNEOS vaccine HHS had allocated to prevent Monkeypox.
Also at the request from jurisdictions, ASPR has distributed approximately 38,000 patient courses of the drug TPOXX to treat patients infected with Monkeypox, particularly those with severe disease, or at risk for severe disease, such as immunocompromised, and pediatric cases. TPOXX is approved to treat smallpox and is only available under an expanded access investigational new drug protocol to treat Monkeypox infections.
| October 7, 2022
Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Providing Protection Against Omicron Variant Available at No Cost The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), has announced that people with Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage, private insurance coverage, or no health coverage can get COVID-19 vaccines, including the updated (bivalent) Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines, at no cost, for as long as the federal government continues purchasing and distributing these COVID-19 vaccines. Updated COVID-19 boosters add Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine composition, helping to restore protection that has diminished since previous vaccination by targeting variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading. The boosters are authorized for use per the following:
Authorized as single booster dose administered at least 2 months after either:
Link to full News Alert The CMS Office of Minority Health Director Dr. LaShawn McIver participated in a livestream forum with BlackDoctors.Org on October 4 to answer questions about vaccines including the newly updated COVID-19 vaccine. Helpful Resources
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October 6, 2022
HRSA Scholarships and Loan Repayment Programs for Nurses
The Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (HRSA IEA), and the Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) in Region 7 invite you to a webinar on HRSA Scholarships and Loan Repayment Programs for Nurses working in Critical Shortage Facilities such as public health departments, hospitals, and rural health clinics.
Date: Monday, October 31, 2022
Time: 3 pm – 4 pm CT
Topics at a Glance
Who Should Attend?
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar on October 31st.
For more information about the webinar, contact Kim Shiu at KShiu@hrsa.gov.
For more information about HRSA’s Nurse Corps Programs, check out these fact sheets:
October 6, 2022
Missouri WIC works to improve health of 80,000 Missourians each month
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Every month, over 80,000 Missourians participate in the Missouri WIC program. WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The program provides quality nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, nutritious foods, and referrals to health services.
Missouri WIC offers healthy food choices that target specific essential nutrients often missing from the diets of participants, such as iron, calcium, protein, and vitamins A, C, and D. To meet these needs, the WIC food package includes fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains, milk and yogurt along with other nutritious foods.
“The WIC program takes into consideration the distinct needs of the women, infants, and children it serves, providing participants with individualized nutrition counseling and then prescribes a food package to fit their nutritional needs,” said Angie Oesterly, Missouri WIC Director. “Breastfeeding mothers receive additional support to ensure a successful breastfeeding journey for their infant and themselves.”
To qualify for the WIC program, participants must meet the following requirements:
Missourians interested in learning about the benefits of WIC may visit by clicking here or call TEL-LINK at 1-800-835-5465 to find the WIC local agency in their county.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Nondiscrimination and complaint information can be found on our website at wic.mo.gov.
WIC is funded by the USDA and is administered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
October 5, 2022
HHS IEA Weekly Monkeypox Briefing
Please join the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) for a Monkeypox briefing TOMORROW at 2:00 PM EST. Starting this week, these briefings will be held every other Thursday (next briefing 10/20).
Date: Thursday, October 6
Time: 2:00 PM EST
Register for the briefing here.
Monkeypox Response Equity Resources
October 4, 2022
HHS IEA Briefing on Monkeypox
Please join the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) for our weekly Monkeypox briefing on Thursday at 2:00 PM ET.
Date: Thursday, October 6th
Time: 2:00 PM ET
Register for the briefing here
October 4, 2022
Funding Opportunity TA Webinar: Public Health AmeriCorps
Please join the Department of Health and Human Services for the following events this week:
Funding Opportunity TA Webinar: Public Health AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps recently announced a new round of funding for Public Health AmeriCorps!
Public Health AmeriCorps, launched in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a $400 million investment to engage new communities and individuals in public health, recruiting and building a new workforce ready to respond to the nation’s public health needs. Last year, over 80 organizations were awarded a total of more than $60 million. Funding is open to nonprofit, faith-based, tribal, and community-based organizations; higher education institutions; state, local, and territorial government entities, including local public health departments.
Is your organization seeking capacity to address a public health issue? Learn more about how to apply for a Public Health AmeriCorps grant!
Date: Thursday, October 6th
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Register for the webinar here.
This session will walk through the Public Health AmeriCorps NOFO components and programmatic requirements.
To learn more:
For more information, visit americorps.gov/publichealth or contact publichealth@americorps.gov
Date: 10/03/2022
HSS COVID-19 Update
READING OF METTING WITH HEALTH SYSTEM AND HOSPITAL LEADERS ON MANAGING COVID-19 THIS FALL
White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy met with health system and hospital leaders to discuss the importance of acting aggressively this fall to protect their patients, health care workers, and communities from COVID-19 and the flu. The discussion focused on steps hospitals and health systems can take to help ensure all Americans, including health care workers, get their updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall, and encourage people to get tested and seek treatment when they get sick—steps that will save lives, reduce burden on the health care system, minimize disruptions to daily life, and help the U.S. effectively manage COVID-19.
INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
Evusheld: FDA added important information to the authorized Fact Sheets for Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) to inform health care providers and individuals receiving Evusheld of the increased risk for developing COVID-19 when exposed to variants of SARS-CoV-2 that are not neutralized by Evusheld. Detailed neutralization data can be found in the revised authorized Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers. Health care professionals should inform patients of this risk and advise patients who develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 to test for SARS-CoV-2 infection and promptly seek medical attention, including starting treatment for COVID-19, as appropriate if they test positive.
RESEARCH
Exploring a New Approach to Universal Vaccines Against COVID-19: NIH published a news story on a new approach to universal vaccines against COVID-19. Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are exploring a different idea for vaccines. Instead of focusing on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, they are studying the virus’s nucleocapsid (N) protein, which rarely mutates. The N protein could be the key to creating a future universal vaccine to fight emerging variants. NIAID researchers found that N proteins produced by cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 neutralize multiple chemokines. Chemokines are substances produced in response to an infection or injury, and they attract white blood cells to the area. When N proteins bind to chemokines, this binding weakens the body’s immune response. Without white blood cells to kill virus-infected cells, the virus keeps multiplying and infecting more cells. Until now, most scientists thought that N proteins stayed inside a cell infected by SARS-CoV-2. But the NIAID researchers discovered that up to 100,000 copies of the N protein stud the surface of a single infected cell. In addition, N proteins on an infected cell can spread to uninfected neighboring cells so that they lose immune protection.
