Feb. 1st COVID-19 Update

New updates pertaining to the COVID-19 emergency continue to be announced by both the state and federal government on a regular basis. The latest developments for providers of long-term/post-acute care (LTPAC) and senior services are reviewed below.

As a reminder, LeadingAge NY continues to convene weekly webinars on Mondays at 11 a.m. to address emerging questions on COVID-19. A recording of our most recent webinar, held on Jan. 31^st, is available here, and a list of the items shared by LeadingAge NY staff in the webinar chat can be accessed here. If you have questions for next week’s update or would like the access information, please contact Jeff Diamond.

Cross-Sector Updates

CDC Clarifies Definitions of “Up to Date” and “Not Up to Date” for Vaccine Mandate

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has clarified the definitions of “up to date” and “not up to date” for the COVID-19 vaccine and booster mandates. The new piece is the change in terminology from “boosted” to “up to date.” Click here for more information.

Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Webinars

There are several webinars coming up that may be of interest to members:

LeadingAge National/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Webinar: Reporting on Nursing Home Infection Control (NHIC) Provider Relief Funds (PRF): Feb. 2^nd, 1 p.m. Registration is available here.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Nursing Home Stakeholder Call: Feb. 2^nd, 3-3:45 p.m. CMS and the CDC will host, with updates on COVID-19; revisions to nursing home guidance; and best practices for long term care (LTC) providers, staff, and resident advocates. Register here to receive the Zoom link.
New York State Department of Health (DOH)/New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) Webinar: COVID-19 Updates: The Current Situation, Treatments to Consider, and Understanding Isolation and Quarantine: Feb. 4^th, 1-2 p.m. Geared toward nursing home and other clinical providers. No registration necessary.
LeadingAge NY Free Webinar Series Funded by Mother Cabrini Health Foundation: Multiple programs starting Feb. 22^nd. Earn up to eight hours of continuing education credit for Nursing Home Administrators, Adult Care Facility/Assisted Living (ACF/AL) Administrators, and Social Workers. Registration will be opening soon.

Nursing Home and ACF/AL Updates

Governor Extends EO 4 Through March 1^st

On Jan. 30^th, Governor Hochul issued Executive Order (EO) 4.5 extending her previous EOs (4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4) through March 1^st. There were no new “orders” issued as part of this EO; however, it continues the suspension of the 70/40 minimum direct care spending regulation enforcement as well as the minimum staffing regulation enforcement through at least March 1^st. Members should also note that EO 4.5 allows the continuation of the use of out-of-state licensed staff in the nursing home setting without a New York State-issued nursing license.

Health Care Staff Booster Rates

DOH posts COVID-19 vaccination rates for residents, staff, and direct care staff of nursing homes and ACFs. The data are posted weekly. The Department also makes available hospital staff vaccination rates. The posting includes percentages of staff who are partially immunized, fully immunized, or are immunized and have also received a booster shot for all three service lines. For nursing homes and ACFs, separate rates are shown for all staff as well as direct care staff only.

As of Jan. 25^th, approximately 30 percent of nursing home and ACF staff and 35 percent of hospital staff statewide have received a booster shot. While all regions of the state have similar overall booster rates, Staten Island reports the lowest median rate of 20 percent, with Brooklyn at 24 percent. Of larger upstate cities, Syracuse and Buffalo have a median rate of 31 percent, Monroe facilities report 28 percent, and the Albany median is at 34 percent. To view a compilation of the data, click here.

Updates to CMS Vaccine Mandate Survey Documents for Nursing Homes

Last week, CMS updated the vaccine mandate survey documents for nursing homes. The updates are effective as of Jan. 27^th. There are new items on the entrance conference worksheet that need to be produced within four hours of entrance, including a vaccine matrix that may be used for the mandatory task of infection control. CMS has outlined the surveyor steps they will follow during a nursing home annual or focused infection control survey. The links below will open to the main CMS page where the ZIP files can be accessed; look for the date of January 2022 for the updates.

CMS Issues Memo Outlining Surveyor Vaccination Expectations

On Jan. 25^th, CMS issued memorandum QSO-22-10-ALL outlining its expectations regarding vaccination of surveyors. Click here for more information.

CDC Guidance on Contact Tracing When Outbreak Occurs

When an outbreak occurs in the nursing home setting, the CDC recommends the approach outlined here be taken for outbreak testing.

FREE Project Firstline Infection Control Training Available

Direct care staff of nursing homes and AL facilities are encouraged to access FREE infection control training through Project Firstline NY. The program is offered by the New York State Health Facilities Association (NYSHFA) and other provider associations across the state and is available through a grant program established and operated by the CDC. Click here for more information.