Recommended isolation time for individuals who are asymptomatic or have resolving symptoms is now 5 days The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services is adopting new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which shortens the recommended isolation period for the general population and for health care personnel. According to CDC, the change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of COVID-19 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1 to 2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2 to 3 days after. Quarantine period varies depending on an individual’s vaccination status The CDC also updated the quarantine guidance for persons who have been exposed to COVID-19. Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent the spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick. Those in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health and follow directions from their public health authority.
Visit the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health Technical Bulletins web page for details about this new guidance.
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Senate Bill 329 requires reporting of certain business arrangements A new Nevada law passed in 2021 (Senate Bill 329) requires hospitals and physician groups to report certain business arrangements to the Department of Health and Human Services effective Oct. 1, 2021. The following form is provided for hospitals and physician groups to comply with this requirement. The requirement is as follows:
Child care facilities must comply with the annual requirement, which is extended this year to Jan. 31, 2022 The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance for all individuals to be up to date on their routine vaccinations, as well as the annual influenza vaccine. Many children and adolescents fell behind on routine vaccines and well-child visits during the pandemic. Routine, influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are essential to helping children, students, families and communities stay healthy.
The Nevada State Immunization Program (NSIP) is aware that COVID-19 has changed and continues to impact many aspects of public, private and charter schools, child care facilities and accommodation facilities. Per Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 392.435, 394.192, 432A.230, and 432A.235, each public, private and charter school, child care facility and accommodation facility must submit immunization information to the Division of Public and Behavioral Health every year by Dec. 31. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NSIP is providing a final deadline extension of Monday, Jan. 31, 2022. Visit the Immunize Nevada website linked here to submit your 2021-2022 school and/or facility immunization information. More resources will be available on the Immunize Nevada website, including instruction packets to assist with the reporting. Also visit the Nevada State Immunization Program’s School and Child Care Immunizations web page. If you have any questions, contact the NSIP School and Child Care Immunization Coordinator at [email protected]. CDC recommendation due to certain higher risk with Janssen vaccine The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on December 16, 2021, concerning the risk of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) and Guillain- Barré Syndrome (GBS) following the receipt of the Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine. The data presented to ACIP shows that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have higher effectiveness and are associated with fewer severe adverse events than the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine, receipt of which continues to be associated with an elevated risk of TTS and a substantially higher risk of GBS. The ACIP voted unanimously to give a preferential recommendation to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines produced by PfizerBioNTech and Moderna for those ages 18 years and older, given their greater effectiveness and stronger safety profile.
For full details, see the Division of Public and Behavioral Health’s Technical Bulletins web page. State Directive 045 follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance The Nevada Child Care Licensing Unit has been receiving inquiries regarding mask-wearing in child cares/preschools. Facilities are being advised to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines as set forth regarding Child Care, which indicate that wearing masks should continue within facilities. Gov. Steve Sisolak has issued Directive 45, which aligns Nevada’s mask and face covering requirements with the CDC. The directive and Directive 045 Guidance can be viewed here on the Nevada Health Response website. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Nevada Regulations have been integrated to help child care providers reduce the risk of coronavirus spread within their facilities. The Nevada Child Care Licensing unit is providing the attached documents to show providers how CDC recommendations pair with state-level requirements. Facilities are encouraged to utilize the attached Operating Checklist and reference guide while continuing to operate during this time of important vigilance. Child care facilities should use the Operating Checklist to help prepare for inspections, as surveyors will be completing this checklist as part of each on-site inspection.
Review child care facility communicable disease reporting training webinar online Complete and timely reporting of communicable diseases and conditions enables appropriate public health follow-up and helps identify outbreaks. Child care facilities are required to report within 24 hours when a confirmed case of any reportable communicable disease — including COVID-19 — is identified in their facility. Nevada Child Care Licensing and the Office of Public Health Investigations and Epidemiology (OPHIE) are to be notified to ensure a proper investigation can be completed and help to stop the spread of transmission throughout the facility. To help child care facilities with communicable disease reporting requirements, Nevada Department of Health and Human Services staff conducted an online training on Dec. 9, to review reporting requirements in Nevada, contact information for the State of Nevada and local health authorities, and use REDCap to report cases and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for COVID-19. A recording of the training is available to watch here on YouTube.
The link to report to Child Care Licensing and submit online can be found here and the link to report to OPHIE is here. The local health authority must also be notified. On Monday, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced “Protect Nevada’s Future,” a focused, statewide effort to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 years against COVID-19 before the end of the year. In partnership with Nevada Health Response, the Nevada State Immunization Program, Immunize Nevada and local partners, “Protect Nevada’s Future” will focus on a series of vaccine events for kids from December 18 to 23. The event will feature pharmacies, pop-up clinics, and provider offices throughout the state that will be offering Pfizer’s 5-to-11-year-old COVID-19 vaccine. Each site will provide vaccine information for parents and caregivers to make sure their questions are answered.
To find a vaccine site for kids ages 5 to 11 years, visit nvcovidfighter.org or call 800-401-0946. Nevada health officials provide details in new technical bulletin On December 9, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster recommendation to include all individuals ages 16 years and older following the expansion of Pfizer’s Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents ages 16 and 17 years. Adolescents ages 16-17 years are now recommended to receive a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series, based on their individual benefits and risks. CDC Interim Clinical Considerations, the booster webpage for the public, Pfizer (12 years and older) Standing Orders, and the Provider Requirements and Support webpage have all now been updated to reflect this updated recommendation. For details about this update, see the Division of Public and Behavioral Health’s Technical Bulletin web page. Nevada health officials provide full details in a new technical bulletin On Nov. 19, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) expanded recommendations for booster doses to include all adults ages 18 years and older who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine primary series. The booster dose may be administered at least six (6) months after the completion of a two-dose primary series of either mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product. Healthy people who were not previously recommended for a booster dose may now receive one if they completed a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series six (6) or more months ago.
In addition, the ACIP updated recommendations for the groups that should receive a booster dose at least six (6) months after completing a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series to include all individuals ages 50 years and older and all residents of long-term care settings who are 18 years and older. Although these recommendations are specific to mRNA COVID-19 vaccine recipients, individuals eligible for a booster dose are able to choose to receive any of the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the United States for their booster dose. There were no changes to CDC’s existing booster dose recommendations for recipients of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. All individuals who received an initial dose of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine should receive a booster dose at least two (2) months after receiving the initial vaccination. Full information can be found on the Division of Public and Behavioral Health’s technical bulletins web page. |
AuthorThe Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance (HCQC) licenses medical and other health facilities, child care facilities and personnel, and medical laboratories and personnel in Nevada. HCQC also conducts compliance surveys and takes complaints. Archives
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