Seniors’ H1N1 immunity could come from seasonal flu exposure, vaccinations
Oct 16, 2009
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...
CDC continues to support respirator use among healthcare workers during H1N1 pandemic
Oct 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...
McKnight’s Newsmaker Video: CDC to make determination on respirators in nursing homes
Oct 09, 2009
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...
First H1N1 doses to arrive Tuesday, healthcare workers likely to be first in line
Oct 05, 2009
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,...
No rest for long-term care providers with swine flu lurking
By
Liza Berger
Oct 02, 2009
It turns out that seniors, and therefore, long-term care residents, are not entirely safe from the influence of H1N1 after all.
CDC recommends pneumonia vaccine and flu vaccine for seniors this year
Oct 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.
Healthcare worker attitudes toward flu vaccinations concerning, study suggests
Sep 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.
H1N1 vaccine could be available by end of month
Sep 15, 2009
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.
New MDS flu guidance for nursing facilities
Sep 11, 2009
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued new MDS coding guidance for skilled nursing facilities for the upcoming flu season.
Medicare to pay same rate for administering H1N1 vaccine as seasonal flu vaccine
Sep 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.