Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) published its Beyond the Blueprint Framework for Industry and Business Sectors ahead of the state’s anticipated June 15 retirement of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Under the Beyond the Blueprint framework, all sectors listed in the current Blueprint Activities and Business Tiers Chart may return to…
Read More »Earlier this week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced it would maintain its existing COVID-19 guidance related to the use of face coverings until June 15 when the state aims to retire the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The move comes as the CDC last week announced it had updated its masking guidance…
Read More »On Thursday, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) postponed a scheduled vote on the Cal/OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) proposal that would have allowed individuals to return to workplaces without physical distancing or face coverings if all individuals in the workplace are vaccinated. The delay came at the request of Cal/OSHA leadership…
Read More »This week, the Newsom Administration announced the state’s new Employer Vaccination Toolkit, which is intended to improve the process for employers to request a local provider partner or workplace COVID-19 vaccination clinic. The Employer Vaccination Toolkit provides employers with vaccine education materials, information on COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave and other employee guidance, and an…
Read More »The California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (CAPH) and the California Health Care Safety Net Institute (SNI) recently released a report detailing recommended practices for equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. California’s public health systems have been undertaking efforts to vaccinate community members of color, low-wage essential workers, and other most at-risk populations…
Read More »The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents ages 12 through 15. The FDA amended the EUA originally issued for the vaccine on December 11, 2020, for administration of the vaccine in individuals 16 years of age and older. Based…
Read More »This week, the Biden-Harris Administration identified a number of additional strategies to inoculate Americans against COVID-19 in an attempt to reach the country’s goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the U.S. adult population with one vaccine dose by July 4. The Administration announced the following: Free Rides to Get Vaccinated: President Biden announced a new…
Read More »On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that fully vaccinated adults against COVID-19 can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance. The move by the CDC represents a…
Read More »On Thursday, the Biden-Harris Administration announced it will invest $7.4 billion from the recently enacted American Rescue Plan to recruit and hire public health workers to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future public health threats. Of the total amount, the Biden-Harris Administration will invest: $4.4 Billion to Surge Public Health Staffing…
Read More »This week, Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Subcommittees resumed hearings in preparation of the Governor’s May Revise Budget that will be released next week. On Tuesday, the Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services (HHS) convened a hearing to review proposals under the purview of the Office of Statewide…
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