Argentum Infection Prevention & Control Announcements

Today, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for the prevention of COVID-19 in those 16 years of age and older.

Wednesday, the CDC issued a joint statement with other federal regulatory agencies on plans for an additional booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Need for a booster with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is still being evaluated.

The CDC updated its mask guidance today for people who are fully vaccinated in the general public. Guidance for healthcare professionals remains unchanged at this time. The CDC now recommends wearing a mask indoors in any of these conditions:

As of today, July 1, the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal is now open. Providers that received one or more payments exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, during a Payment Received Period are required to report on the use of funds. PRF recipients must only use payments for eligible expenses, including services rendered, and lost revenues attributable to coronavirus before the deadline that corresponds to the relevant Payment Received Period. Providers who are required to report during Reporting Period 1 have until September 30, 2021 to enter the Portal and submit their information. All recipients of PRF payments must comply with the reporting requirements described in the Terms and Conditions.

Yesterday, the CDC published updated guidance calling for prioritization of visitation, dining, and a re-opening of group activities in assisted living communities. This guidance, which also includes recommendations for discontinuation of routine testing for asymptomatic staff, follows a series of discussions where Argentum advocated for such guidance specifically for the assisted living sector. We thank those at the CDC for listening to the industry's needs and for the volunteers at Argentum for sharing their expertise in helping to shape this guidance.

“This is tremendously welcome news for residents and families who’ve long awaited meaningful engagement with each other," said James Balda, Argentum president & CEO. "Both visitation and dining are core socialization activities at our communities; lifting restrictions for those fully vaccinated will continue to support social enrichment for residents and families. We are thankful that resident vaccination rates across the industry are exceedingly high and that a sense of normalcy is returning. At Argentum, we are continuing to work closely with the CDC to ensure further guidance is adapted for assisted living and other senior living communities.”

Users of the BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card are urged to check the lot numbers and expiration dates of their tests. Abbott has informed users that further testing has authorized use of some tests up to nine months, three months beyond the original expiration dates.

Visitation is essential to the health and well-being of senior living residents. Argentum's latest guidance, "Model Visitation Protocols For Vaccinated Senior Living Communities," provides protocols, considerations, and general practices designed specifically for visitation in the variety of spaces and circumstances in senior living communities. This guidance was compiled by clinical experts, risk managers, and other stakeholders who have in-depth knowledge of senior living. 

The CDC has updated its infection prevention and control recommendations for fully vaccinated people in healthcare settings. These include recommendations for safe visitation in long-term care communities, as well as updated guidance on work restrictions and quarantine for fully vaccinated healthcare providers and residents in healthcare settings.

Today, the CDC has released the first set of public health recommendations for those who are fully vaccinated. This guidance will be updated and expanded as more information becomes available.

(Alexandria, Va.) -- Seniors and their caregivers will be left behind in a $1.9 trillion rescue package that Congress is expected to pass this weekend. Last week, the only proposed funds to support long-term care providers in the American Rescue Plan were eliminated due to “jurisdictional issues,” prior to the House advancing it to the Senate. Now, as the Senate is poised to pass their version of the legislation, the anticipated final package fails to provide any dedicated relief to senior living communities that have been on the front lines, despite their pleas.