May 09, 2012
Just say "cheese" was my first reaction when I saw the notice.
A medical face mask that catches and destroys 99.9% of infectious viruses - and kills them within five minutes - has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The masks have been approved for use in nursing homes and other healthcare settings.
There's been a lot of discussion lately about a new superbug. Apparently, it may not be as "super powerful" as some people may think.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new influenza vaccine that protects against the H1N1 strain as well as seasonal strains of the flu.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Tuesday issued proposed guidance that would update and replace previous inflection control guidance for the seasonal and H1N1 flu.
If you think the worst of the swine flu has passed, you're not alone: A new poll shows that nearly half of all Americans believe the H1N1 outbreak is waning.
Some 12 million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine will expire by Feb. 15. That is earlier than expected, according to manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur, which recently notified U.S. governmental agencies of this finding.
While the flu seems to be waning, a new outbreak is still possible, according to the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
The Department of Health and Human Services Thursday widened its H1N1 flu vaccination campaign to those who are not considered at high risk of contracting the illness.
November 25, 2009
A nationwide shortage of seasonal flu vaccines at nursing homes has forced federal health officials to redirect existing supplies from chain pharmacies and supermarkets to facilities.
November 24, 2009
The swine flu appears to have peaked in the U.S., but the pandemic and other forms of flu can hit several peaks in a season, U.S. health officials said.
November 24, 2009
If a case of H1N1 ends up in your long-term care facility, there are actions you can take to prevent the flu from spreading throughout the building.
November 23, 2009
A total of about 54.1 million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine have been made available as of last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday.
November 17, 2009
More seniors are likely to die from H1N1 if they contract it than younger people, according to two new reports.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host an Open Door Forum Tuesday to clarify the use of Section 1135 waivers under the H1N1 national emergency declaration.
October 27, 2009
President Obama has declared the H1N1 flu pandemic a national emergency. As a result, skilled nursing facilities can petition the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a waiver to increase the number of certified beds.
October 26, 2009
The New York State Health Department halted a regulation requiring all healthcare workers in the state to receive both the H1N1 and seasonal flu inoculations.
The New York State Supreme Court has temporarily suspended a controversial rule that would require most healthcare workers to receive both the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
Seniors' apparent immunity from swine flu could indicate that the human population, as a whole, has a preexisting immunity to H1N1. Such thinking would help explain why H1N1 symptoms have been generally mild, researchers said Wednesday.
October 15, 2009
Healthcare workers who are in close contact with patients having suspected or confirmed H1N1 flu should use N95 respirators, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in interim guidance released Wednesday.
Nursing home providers are awaiting a decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on whether they need respirators as a defense against H1N1. That decision could come today, said Janice Zalen, senior director of special programs for the American Health Care Association.
The first round of H1N1 vaccines—roughly 600,000 doses in total—will be delivered to 25 cities and states Tuesday. Another 6 million to 7 million doses are expected to be available early next week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
October 02, 2009
Seniors aged 65 and older should consider getting vaccinated against pneumonia as well as the seasonal influenza strain, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend in a new report.
It turns out that seniors, and therefore, long-term care residents, are not entirely safe from the influence of H1N1 after all.
September 21, 2009
Concern for patient safety was only third in a list of reasons why healthcare workers get flu vaccinations, according to a study in Germany.
Health officials say the H1N1 flu vaccine could be available as early as three weeks from now. And only one dose may be needed for each recipient.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued new MDS coding guidance for skilled nursing facilities for the upcoming flu season.
September 08, 2009
Healthcare providers will receive the same Medicare payment rate to administer the H1N1 flu vaccine as the seasonal flu vaccine, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said.
September 01, 2009
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control released a statement Monday urging all healthcare workers to get vaccinated against both seasonal flu and H1N1. It also suggested recourse for workers who refuse the vaccine.
