Week 43 Newsletter
01/27-02/02 Updates
Vaccine Information
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a fifth amendment to the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to increase the workforce authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
The first comprehensive vaccine hesitancy survey of healthcare workers in the US finds that 15% of healthcare workers who have been approved for the COVID-19 vaccine are refusing to take it.
There is a new trend among health care companies to provide financial incentives to their workers that get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccine Information
(02/01/21) HHS Amends PREP Act Declaration to Increase Workforce Authorized to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a fifth amendment to the Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to increase the workforce authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
(02/01/21) Why Health Care Companies Are Paying Workers to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
This article examines the hesitancy of health care workers to get vaccinated and examines the new trend among health care companies to pay their workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
(01/31/21) Patience Is Key When Reacting to Health Care Workers Who Refuse the COVID-19 Vaccine
This NPR podcast urges to show patience to nursing home staff workers who decline the COVID-19 vaccine.
(01/29/21) Most Nursing Home Staff in NY Are Skipping the COVID-19 Vaccine, and No One Really Knows Why
This article finds whereas long-term care facilities in New York are taking the vaccine in large quantities, staff at skilled nursing facilities are choosing not to get vaccinated. In New York, 72% of residents and 44% of workers have been vaccinated so far.
(1/28/21) Growing Racial Inequities in LA County Vaccine Rollout Raise Alarms
An LA Times article examines the disparity among Black healthcare workers who have been vaccinated compared to other racial groups.
(1/15/21) New Survey: 15% of US Healthcare Workers Refuse to Take COVID Vaccine
A new survey finds that 15% of healthcare workers who have been approved for the COVID-19 vaccine are refusing to take it. This is the first comprehensive vaccine hesitancy survey of healthcare workers in the United States.
(01/07/21) COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Health Care Workers in the United States
This journal article that examines healthcare workers attitudes to receiving the COVID-19 vaccination to better understand the barriers to widespread vaccination acceptance.
Surge Capacity Issues
Deploying the right people to the right places and maximizing team members’ skill sets can help prevent healthcare workforce shortages during the pandemic.
Surge Capacity Issues
(1/27/21) Strengthen School Nursing to Support COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience
This opinion article argues for putting a priority on solving the school-nurse shortage in order to prevent the widespread of COVID-19 in elementary schools and to create communities resilient to any future health crisis.
(01/27/21) Efficient Staffing Can Combat Healthcare Workforce Shortages Brought About by COVID-19
This article discusses how efficient staff planning during COVID-19 is essential to help prevent healthcare workforce shortages by deploying the right people to the right situations and maximizing team members’ skill sets.
Telehealth
A Health Affairs blog discuss how mobile apps and text services can be used with community-based organizations to help improve COVID-19 vaccination rates and collect demographic data on those receiving vaccines.
Lawmakers have reintroduced a bill aimed at expanding access to telehealth beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Telehealth
(01/29/2021) Accelerating Digital Health to Achieve Equitable Delivery of the COVID-19 Vaccine
The authors in this Health Affairs blog article discusses how digital health technology can be used with community-based and faith-based organizations to help meet the needs of underserved communities.
(01/25/2021) US Lawmakers Reintroduce House Bill Safeguarding Access to Telehealth
This article discusses a reintroduced House bill aimed at expanding access to telehealth beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Long-term Care
The delay of COVID-19 vaccinations to long-term care sites is causing great anxiety for their residents.
Long-term Care
This article discusses the long wait for COVID-19 vaccinations at long-term care sites and how this delay is causing great anxiety for the residents.
Maintaining the Educational Pipeline
This Lancet article discusses how current health workers can use their knowledge learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to help train medical students and prepare them for future pandemics or health crises.
Maintaining the Educational Pipeline
(01/19/2021) My COVID-19 Dream: Training Enough Health Workers
This Lancet article discusses how current health workers can use their knowledge learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to help train medical students and prepare them for future pandemics or health crises.
