The Commissioner of the Department of Public Health today issued a Public Health Order requiring nursing home personnel to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The accompanying August 4, 2021 DPH Guidance states all nursing homes must ensure that all personnel are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 10, 2021, unless such administration is medically contraindicated or the individual objects to vaccination on the basis of a sincerely held religious belief.

FDA Authorizes Expanded Use of REGEN-COV mAb (Regeneron); DPH Extends Enhanced Guidance for Barnstable County Long Term Care Facilities; DHS Announces Registration Process for Temporary Protected Status for Haiti; MassHealth Extends Deadline for PPA Adjustments and CMS SNF Open Door Forum Call This Thursday

DPH Issues Updated Vaccine Guidance; DPH Issues Advisory on Face Coverings and Cloth Masks; CMS Issues FFY 2022 Medicare SNF PPS Final Rule; MassHealth Issues Reminder on Medical Documentation for Completing MMQ

Mass Senior Care is pleased to announce that, in recognition of long term care providers extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, New Kids on the Block and the Dell Technologies Heroes Program have made available 200 complimentary tickets to nursing facility staff to attend the New Kids on the Block concert on Friday, August 6th at Fenway Park.

The second iteration of the Healthcare Cybersecurity Monthly Calls series hosted on July 8th by the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter, in collaboration with Massachusetts Senior Care Association, saw our attendance more than double from the first call in June. 58 representatives from across the Massachusetts provider landscape came to hear from our discussion leaders Ron Ford – Cybersecurity Advisor for CISA New England and Sergeant Brian Gavioli of the Massachusetts State Police and Commonwealth Fusion Center, both of whom provided updates on recent cyber threats and trends. Stephanie Helm, Director of the MassCyberCenter, led a discussion around our attendees’ monthly topic of choice – Cyber Incident Response Planning.

CDC’s National Training Collaborative for Healthcare Infection Prevention & Control provides foundational knowledge of infection control training for health care workers in all settings.

For a study of how nursing home palliative care was impacted by COVID-19, a recent Brandeis graduate is seeking Directors of Nursing to participate in a 30-minute Zoom interview, and will thank participants for their time with a $25 Amazon gift card. Your first-hand accounts of what is happening during the crisis can contribute to support for nursing home palliative care moving forward.

CMS has recently rescinded its July 2017 guidance that CMPs should be imposed for prior non-compliance on a per-instance basis only.

The DPH Weekly COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Bulletin released 7/23/2021 has important updates related to Ordering COVID-19 Vaccine in Smaller Increments. The updated guidance includes: As of 7/26/21, providers will be able to order COVID-19 vaccines in smaller increments. Providers should continue to place their orders in the Massachusetts Immunization Information System(MIIS). Only order doses that you will use within 30 days.