Decline in Long-Term Care COVID-19 Cases Continues. This week's state dashboard on COVID-19 in long-term care facilities (SNFs, assisted living communities, and ICFs/IID) showed another decline. Total new cases among residents and staff stood at 4,104, down 672 from last week. Deaths also were lower this week, at 183 compared to 206.

Vaccination News. Today, at the Health Department's (ODH's) COVID-19 Vaccination Providers Workgroup meeting, Lance Himes provided a number of updates.

• As of yesterday, per Mr. Himes, all SNFs in Ohio had received their first vaccination clinics.
  
• ODH instructed local health departments to continue vaccinating Phase 1A populations even as they move into Phase 1B. The local departments will receive vaccine allocations for those Phase 1A vaccinations.
  
• The state has not yet allocated vaccine to many of the enrolled Phase 1B vaccine providers. The providers who received vaccine so far are pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Centers, hospitals, and local health departments.
  
• Mr. Himes confirmed that ODH directed hospitals largely to stop vaccinating employees and to turn to Phase 1B.
• He reiterated yesterday's announcement about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who do not live congregate settings qualifying for Phase 1B only if they also have one of an enumerated list of medical conditions. Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) Director Jeff Davis said in an earier meeting that Ohio's children's hospitals will help with those who qualify.
  
• Responding to a question from OHCA, Mr. Himes, as Director Davis did previously, said the state has not determined when people with ID/DD who live in non-congregate settings and do not have one of the specified conditions will be vaccinated.
  
• This week, Ohio received 82,650 doses of Pfizer vaccine and 67,700 doses of Moderna. They are expecting 70-75,000 doses of each next week.
  
• OHCA asked how homebound people in the Phase 1B age cateogries will be vaccinated. Mr. Himes replied that a number of home health agencies have enrolled as vaccine providers, and local health departments could vaccine these individuals as well. He noted that during Governor Mike DeWine's press conference yesterday, a local health department visiting nurse vaccinated a homebound person.
  
• Mr. Himes acknowledged that neither home health agencies nor long-term care pharmacies would be in a position to vaccinate people coming in from the general public.
  
• Relative to congregate facility residents and staff who are in Phase 1A but are not vaccinated through the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care clinics, Mr. Himes said the federal program will not be expanded to include additional clinics, but the state welcomes suggestions from the associations.

DODD Report. In addition to the vaccination-related items mentioned above, Director Davis said ODH soon will amend its order on ID/DD adult day services to allow up to 12 participants in a group, exclusive of staff. DODD's Kim Hauck added that the items currently in DODD's adult day guidelines also will be incorporated into the order. Director Davis reminded everyone of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS's) approval of Ohio's Appendix K extension. He said the state submitted the Appendix K amendment to provide a one-time payment to ID/DD waiver providers yesterday or today. He felt confident that CMS will act quickly on it despite the change of administration.

Also in the meeting, DODD Chief Medical Officer Dr. Laura Sorg promoted using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to treat people with disabilities who have COVID-19, so long as it is in its early stages. Her experience was that it helped keep the illness from getting worse and leading to hospitalization. Hospitals, long-term care pharmacies, and home infusion companies are options for obtaining mAbs when ordered for patients. OHCA asked if Dr. Sorg could compile a list of hospitals that will send personnel on-site to administer the treatment. We also can assist members with more information about mAbs.

Updates from ODH for Home Health and Hospice. During the quarterly non-long term care (NLTC) provider association meeting with ODH, OHCA requested an update on resumption of recertification surveys for home health and hospice agencies. ODH once again responded that they do not have an update at this time and are continuing to conduct only initial and complaint surveys. Only complaints that raise an infection control-related issue or that, upon investigation, reveal an infection control issue will result in the surveyors doing a Focused Infection Control survey (FIC). They use the revised COVID-19 FIC Survey Tool for Acute and Continuing Care in CMS Quality, Safety, and Oversight (QSO) memo 21-08-NLTC, updated December 30, 2020, to conduct home health and hospice FIC surveys. Key items updated in the QSO include the screening process for symptoms, standard precautions, including hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub, appropriate eye protection, and education practices for staff. Please review the survey checklist for possible updates to your policies.

Vaccine-Related Fraud Alert. Providers who are partnering with CVS for vaccination clinics should be aware, per a memo from CVS, that a scammer is trying to take advantage of the relationship. Apparently, they call facilities and tell them they qualify for a $100 gift card for participating in the partnership - if they pay $4 shipping by disclosing financial information. CVS wrote:

Please be aware that CVS Health is not offering financial awards to facilities participating in the Onsite Vaccination Program. Furthermore, representatives of CVS Health will never ask you for payment, no matter how insignificant, or require financial information for the administration of the clinics.

If you receive one of these calls, do not provide them with any information and report the number and circumstances to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also call 1-877-382-4357. The FTC is the primary federal agency that collects scam complaints.