06/30/2022

ODA Awareness for Preparedness Webinar

On June 29, the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) hosted the Awareness for Preparedness Creating Health Environments webinar for Long-Term Care Facility Residents and Staff. The webinar covered current testing guidance, vaccination coverage, COVID-19 therapeutics, and CDC’s current infection control recommended practices.

During the webinar it was announced that ODA has rescinded the old Ohio testing orders from May of 2021. The CMS QSO-20-38-NH testing memo and the CDC community transmission webpage were reviewed by ODA. Director McElroy stated that facilities should continue to utilize the ODA COVID-19 Care Center Portal to request testing supplies, temporary staffing, vaccine support, and reporting. Antigen testing orders will now be processed only on Wednesdays. Facilities were reminded about the COVID-19 vaccine maintenance program, which 1,380 facilities are currently participating in. There have been 83.62% of residents who have received their primary vaccination series, 78.03% residents have received their booster, 44.07% of staff have received their booster, and 75.27% of facilities have reported via NHSN and the COVID-19 Care Center portal.

The Regional Rapid Response Assistance Program (R3AP) was reviewed to remind providers of the assistance available for testing support, vaccine access, resources and supplies, and crisis staffing teams. The R3AP can be reached by calling 1-855-R3AP-ODA or email at aging@ohio.gov/R3AP.

The CDC’s Up to Date definition was reviewed. Ohio Department of Health confirmed they are not citing facilities for not quarantining residents or testing staff who have not received their booster shot, but advised facilities to be moving towards this definition. The current available vaccines were also reviewed.

ODA reviewed current visitation recommendations during an outbreak, which includes:

• Visitors should be educated about their potential to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in the facility.
• Visitation should ideally occur only in the resident’s room or outside, and the resident and their visitors should wear well-fitting source control (if tolerated), and physically distance (if possible).
• Source control and physical distancing recommendations should also be followed for residents who are up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses.
• Outdoor visitation could be allowed, but residents should wear well-fitting source control (if tolerated), maintain physical distance from others, and not linger in common spaces when moving from their rooms to the outdoors.
• ODA reviewed the CDC guidance for any resident who is in quarantine or isolation and when healthcare personnel (HCP) should wear PPE and source control including:
• Full personal protection equipment (including eye protection).
• Wear a N95 or higher respirator, not a facemask.
• If the facility has an uncontrolled outbreak, or the cause cannot be determined through contact tracing, then HCP should proceed as if the whole area in question is in quarantine, including wearing full PPE.

ODA acknowledged the concern with PPE fatigue and offered solutions, such as: wearing masks and eyewear that fit well, scheduling frequent breaks, and getting fresh air. Additional recommendations included emphasis on self-care education, hydration, nutrition, adequate sleep, using anti fog eye wear, comfortable ear loops, extended straps, assessing workload, avoiding “shaming,” focusing on safety and compliance, instituting policies for staff care, and Employee Assistance Programs.

ODA reminded facilities how they “stood up” during the pandemic by offering crisis staffing teams. ODA stated that in spite of on-going staffing challenges, the support has not been utilized. Facilities should utilize the COVID-19 Care Center portal to submit requests for staffing. ODA also plans to streamline the process.

ODA reminded facilities of  the Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Guide available on the ODA’s The Road Back: COVID-19 Resources for Congregate Settings webpage. The current COVID-19 available treatments and medications were also reviewed and can be found on the CDC’s webpage.