This week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced modifications to its “Beyond the Blueprint” COVID-19 guidance for large events to strengthen COVID-19 precautions for large events. Beginning September 20, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to the event will be required for indoor gatherings with 1,000…
Read More »Following a move by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week to allow for the administration of an additional Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine dose to certain immunocompromised individuals, the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup convened and concurred with the FDA move, paving the way for third doses to be administered to…
Read More »On Thursday, the Medical Board of California (MBC) notified all physician licensees and the public that a physician who grants a mask or other exemption without conducting an appropriate prior examination and without finding a legitimate medical reason supporting such an exemption within the standard of care may be subject to disciplinary action by the…
Read More »With federal supplemental unemployment benefits set to expire next month, a host of California state departments and agencies are joining together to encourage eligible individuals to apply for critical public benefit programs that offer free or low-cost health coverage, provide money to pay for food, and pay rent and utilities. The California Department of Health…
Read More »This week, public health and medical experts with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the ongoing development of a plan to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to vaccinated Americans beginning on September 20. The move comes as recent data suggests protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection from the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines…
Read More »This week, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced the development of an emergency regulation requiring staff vaccinations against COVID-19 within the country’s more than 15,000 Medicare and Medicaid-participating nursing facilities. According to CMS, the new requirement is intended to…
Read More »On Tuesday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. directed his Administration to extend 100 percent federal reimbursement to states for eligible COVID-19 emergency response costs, including emergency medical care, non-congregate sheltering, and vaccination operations, through December 31, 2021. Tuesday’s action extends the order President Biden issued upon taking office directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)…
Read More »This week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a new state public health officer order requiring all public and private TK-12 school personnel to either verify proof of full vaccination or submit to at least once-weekly testing for COVID-19. The order does not apply to home schools, childcare, or higher education. The step,…
Read More »Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended its emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to allow for the administration of an additional vaccine dose in certain immunocompromised individuals, including solid organ transplant recipients or those diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent…
Read More »On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data demonstrating the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant persons. The CDC continues to recommend all individuals ages 12 and older get vaccinated against COVID-19. The CDC’s analysis focused on current data from the v-safe pregnancy registry and found that vaccination early…
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