03, 2023: The CDC has listed three Connecticut CountiesLitchfield, Middlesex and New Haven Countiesin the Medium/Yellow category as part of its weekly COVID-19 Community Levels update. Staggering delivery of vaccine to HCP in the facility so that personnel from a single department or unit are not all vaccinated at the same time. Conduct daily active surveillance until at least 1 week after the last laboratory-confirmed influenza case was identified. Resident and staff vaccination data from assisted living and other LTC settings may be monitored by your state. CDC Long-Term Care Facility Vaccine Toolkit; If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. If your loved one is not able to ask questions or otherwise communicate with the LTC staff, heres what to know about consent for getting a COVID-19 vaccine: COVID-19 vaccines are free of charge to all people living in the U.S., regardless of their immigration or health insurance status. Although vaccination by the end of October is recommended, influenza vaccine administered in December or later, even if influenza activity has already begun, is likely to be beneficial in the majority of influenza seasons because the duration of the season is variable, and influenza activity might not occur in certain communities until February or March. COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility Guidance . B) Properly manage residents with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Older adults and other long-term care residents, including those who are medically fragile and those with neurological or neurocognitive conditions, may manifest atypical signs and symptoms of influenza virus infection (e.g., behavior change), and may not have fever. Influenza outbreak control practices and the effectiveness of interventions in long-term care facilities: a systematic review. Ensure that the laboratory performing influenza testing notifies the facility of tests results promptly. If one laboratory-confirmed influenza positive case is identified along with other cases of acute respiratory illness in a unit of a long-term care facility, an influenza outbreak might be occurring. You can review and change the way we collect information below. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Facility operators should balance the need for COVID-19 prevention with the impact from reducing access to daily services and programming. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. The following practices should be considered when SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza viruses are found to be co-circulating based upon local public health surveillance data and testing at local healthcare facilities. Residents and their families can ask a LTC provider about the current COVID-19 vaccination rate among their staff and residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. Antiviral treatment for influenza should be administered as soon as possible following clinical diagnosis. These considerations will be updated as additional information becomes available. Drinka PJ, Gravenstein S, Schilling M, Krause P, Miller BA, Shult P. Duration of antiviral prophylaxis during nursing home outbreaks of influenza A: a comparison of 2 protocols. In the event that a new patient or resident is admitted after the influenza vaccination program has concluded in the facility, the benefits of vaccination should be discussed, educational materials should be provided, and an opportunity for vaccination should be offered to the new resident as soon as possible after admission to the facility. All Residential Care Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities, Intermediate Care Facilities, Skilled Nursing Facilities should follow current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines related to managing healthcare personnel who have tested positive or an exposure to COVID-19. CDC twenty four seven. Facilities may not be able to apply all enhanced COVID-19 prevention strategies due to local resources, facility and population characteristics, and/or other factors. In the majority of seasons, influenza vaccines will become available to long-term care facilities beginning in September, and influenza vaccinationshould be offered by the end of October. Older adults with COVID-19 may not always manifest fever or respiratory symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that weekly Covid-19 cases in nursing homes increased four-fold from June 20 to July 25. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. A substantial portion of people in the facility who are. You can review and change the way we collect information below. If influenza molecular assays are not available and antigen detection tests are used such as rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) or immunofluorescence assays, false negative results can occur because RIDTs and immunofluorescence assays have lower sensitivity than molecular assays for detection of influenza viruses. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Administer the current seasons influenza vaccine to unvaccinated residents and healthcare personnel as per current vaccination recommendations. Information on. April 2, 2020 . Since the release of the last Order, millions of vaccinations have since been administered to residential care facility residents and staff, and these vaccines have been shown to help prevent COVID-19 infection. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. Check where your state stands on nursing home and long-term care visitors. (c) "Assisted living facility" means an unlicensed establishment that offers community-based residential care for at least three unrelated adults who are either over the age of 65 or need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), including personal, supportive, and intermittent health-related services available 24-hours a day. Influenza Surveillance Report (FluView), Previous Forecasts for the 2021-2022 Season, Tools to Prepare Your Practice for Flu Season, Information for Clinicians on Influenza Virus Testing, Multiplex Assays Authorized for Simultaneous Detection of Influenza Viruses and SARS-CoV-2, Information on Collection of Respiratory Specimens for Influenza Virus Testing, Information for Clinicians on Rapid Diagnostic Testing for Influenza, Information on Rapid Molecular Assays, RT-PCR, and other Molecular Assays for Diagnosis of Influenza Virus Infection, Algorithm: Interpreting Influenza Testing Results When Influenza is Circulating, Algorithm: Interpreting Influenza Testing Results When Influenza is NOT Circulating, Guide: Influenza Diagnostic Testing in Closed Setting Outbreaks, Guidance: Standard-Based Electronic Laboratory Reporting, Guidance: Antiviral and Obstetric Health Care, Guidance: Outbreak Management in Long-Term Care Facilities, Guidance: Use of Mask to Control Influenza Transmission, Guidance: Prevention & Control in Peri- and Postpartum Settings, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Monto AS, Rotthoff J, Teich E, et al. Facilities can also assess the unique risks of their setting and the populations they serve and use enhanced COVID-19 prevention strategies, described below, to help reduce the impact of COVID-19. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. To receive weekly email updates about Seasonal Flu, enter your email address: We take your privacy seriously. These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. Planning for personnel to have time away from work if they develop systemic symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination. After skilled nursing facilities, consider broadening to other facilities, including: Intermediate care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities. BMC Geriatr. CDCs guidance titled Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings contains details on the prevention strategies for all healthcare settings. Use of oseltamivir in Dutch nursing homes during the 20042005 influenza season. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Examples of standard precautions include: Droplet Precautions are intended to prevent transmission of pathogens spread through close respiratory or mucous membrane contact with respiratory secretions. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are issuing new recommendations to State and local governments and long-term care facilities (also known as nursing homes) to help mitigate the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus There are no FDA-cleared influenza diagnostic assays that utilize saliva specimens. Outbreaks of 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) Among Long-Term Care Facility Residents Three States, 2009. Fact sheets, guidelines, reports, and resources, Fact sheet, patient safety and other information, Checklists, fact sheet, toolkits, and additional links, Specialized training and resources for nursing home staff, How facilities are keeping residents safe from infections, State-developed resources and information, The Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Nursing Homes, The Department of Health and Human Services has developed a strategy to address infections in Long-term Care Facilities in Phase 3 of the National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections: Road Map to Eliminationexternal icon. Please see Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices United States, 2022-2023 Season [523 KB, 32 pages] for the latest information regarding recommended influenza vaccines. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Implementation of outbreak control measures can also be considered as soon as possible when one or more residents have acute respiratory illness with suspected influenza and the results of influenza molecular tests are not available the same day of specimen collection. LA-HAN Update on the Availability of the State and Commercial COVID-19 Testing. G) Encourage residents and HCP to remain up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses. For persons aged 65 years, the following quadrivalent influenza vaccines are recommended: high-dose IIV, adjuvanted IIV, or recombinant influenza vaccine. It should be noted that some long-term care residents may have difficulty using the inhaler device for zanamivir. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. Talk with the LTC staff about getting vaccinated on site. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. Wearing gloves if hand contact with respiratory secretions or potentially contaminated surfaces is anticipated. Four influenza antiviral drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are recommended for treatment of uncomplicated influenza in the United States: neuraminidase inhibitors: oral oseltamivir (available as a generic version or under the trade name Tamiflu), as a pill or suspension; zanamivir (trade name Relenza), available as an inhaled powder using a disk inhaler device; and intravenous peramivir (trade name Rapivab); and a cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor: baloxavir marboxil (trade name Xofluza) available as a tablet. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The facilities identified in this Order must either: (1) verify visitors are fully vaccinated, or (2) for unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated visitors, verify documentation of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. COVID-19 Community Levels Update, Mar. DHS 132, DHS 134, and DHS 145. Baloxavir is approved for post-exposure antiviral chemoprophylaxis of influenza in persons aged 5 years and older but no data are available from clinical trials of baloxavir chemoprophylaxis of influenza in long term care facility residents. You can review and change the way we collect information below. CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. According to requirements, each resident is to be vaccinated unless contraindicated medically, the resident or legal representative refuses vaccination, or the vaccine is not available because of shortage. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. Residents found to have SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus co-infection should be placed in a single room or housed with other co-infected residents. MMWR 2011:60(RR07);1-45, Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization PracticesUnited States, 202223 Influenza Season [523 KB, 32 pages], Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Resources for Health Professionals, Interim Guidance for Routine and Influenza Immunization Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America: 2018 Update on Diagnosis, Treatment, Chemoprophylaxis, and Institutional Outbreak Management of Seasonal Influenza, Influenza Antiviral Medications: Summary for Clinicians, Information for Clinicians on Influenza Virus Testing, Influenza virus testing in investigational outbreaks in institutional or other closed settings, Information on Rapid Molecular Assays, RT-PCR, and other Molecular Assays for Diagnosis of Influenza Virus Infection, Healthcare-associated infections and long-term care settings, Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings, CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Co-circulation of Influenza Viruses and SARS-CoV-2, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To limit the potential transmission of antiviral drug-resistant influenza virus, whether in chronic or acute-care settings or other closed settings, measures should be taken to reduce contact between ill persons taking antiviral drugs for treatment and other persons, including those receiving antiviral chemoprophylaxis. During an outbreak, once a single laboratory-confirmed case of influenza has been identified in a resident, it is likely there are other cases among exposed persons. COVID-19 vaccines may be administered along with and on the same day as other vaccines, such as the flu vaccine. DHHS Guidance on Masking for Assisted-Living Facilities NEW 7/14/2021 Guidance on Communal Dining/Group Activities for NF and AL Nursing Home Visitation - COVID-19 from CMS Essential Caregiver Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities Licensure Unit, Office of Outpatient and In-Home Care Services Guidance Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. BMJ Open 2016; 6:e011686. CDC Resources for Nursing Homes CDC Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spre COVID-19 Community Transmission Level COVID-19 Vaccines for People who are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised Stay Up to Date with Your COVID-19 Vaccines CMS Resources for Nursing Homes Stay connected with the healthcare-associated infection program in your state health department, as well as your local health department, and their notification requirements. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep 2004; 28:396400. Am J Infect Control. For newly vaccinated individuals with exposure, antiviral chemoprophylaxis can be considered for up to 2 weeks following inactivated influenza vaccination until vaccine-induced immunity is acquired. F) Encourage influenza vaccination for unvaccinated residents and HCP. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. Wearing a gown if soiling of clothes with a residents respiratory secretions is anticipated. Information for Long-term Care Administrators and Managers, Information for Jurisdictions (State and Local Immunization Programs). When at least 2 residents are ill within 72 hours of each other with laboratory-confirmed influenza, the facility should expand antiviral chemoprophylaxis to non-ill residents living on the same unit as the residents with influenza (outbreak affected units), regardless of influenza vaccination status. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Less common symptoms can include new or worsening malaise, headache, or new dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective especially against becoming seriously ill, being hospitalized and dyingand very important for older adults. Older adults are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine first. Therefore, they can add combinations of these enhanced prevention strategies as feasible for a layered approach to increase the level of protection. The previous CMS guidelines, issued in September 2020 and largely adopted by the states, recommended allowing indoor visits if a facility has been case-free for 14 days and is located in a county with a positivity rate on coronavirus tests of less than 10 percent.