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06/13/24 Health Alert: Avian Flu Update
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, Influenza, Influenza Update, News and Update, Notifiable ConditionsAlthough recently detected in dairy cattle in some states, the risk of H5N1 avian influenza A to the general public is still considered low. It is primarily an occupational risk and limited to people with direct contact with infected or potentially infected animals, such as sick birds and dairy cattle and their environments, or to unpasteurized…
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05/24/22 Health Advisory: Monkeypox virus in non-endemic countries
Advisory or Update, Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Notifiable Conditions, Provider ResourcesRequested actions Be aware, monkeypox virus infections are occurring in non-endemic countries, including 1 case in the United States. Assess for alternative etiologies in conditions causing pox-like lesions—herpes simplex, syphilis, varicella, etc. Report suspected or confirmed monkeypox cases to the Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD). Call 360-778-6150. WCHD will coordinate testing at the public health…
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05/20/22 Health Advisory: CDC Recommends 5-11 year olds get a Pfizer COVID-19 Booster
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Alert, Immunization, Notifiable Conditions, Novel Coronavirus, Provider ResourcesRequested actions Be aware, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommend children 5-11 years should get a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose five months after completion of the primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. This recommendation comes after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded its emergency use…
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05/19/22 Health Advisory: Severe Hepatitis of Unknown Cause in Children
Actions Requested Be aware of severe cases of hepatitis in children that are occurring in the U.S. and worldwide. Consider adenovirus testing in pediatric patients with hepatitis of unknown cause (see preferred samples below). Report suspect cases in children to Whatcom County Health Department. A suspect case is a child with elevated AST or ALT…
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05/16/22 Health Advisory: FDA Limits Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine.
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Health Alert, Immunization, MERS-CoV, News and Alerts, Novel Coronavirus, Provider Resources, VaccineRequested actions Be aware, on May 5, 2022, because of the risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after getting Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine (J&J), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limited its authorized use to people 18 years or older: For whom other COVID-19 vaccines are not accessible or clinically appropriate. Who want only…
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05/12/22 Health Advisory: FDA Limits Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine.
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Provider ResourcesRequested actions Background FDA limited the authorized use of J&J to people age 18 years and older: This decision came after FDA analyzed, evaluated and investigated reported cases of TTS after getting J&J. TTS is rare and includes potentially life-threatening blood clots in combination with low levels of blood platelets. Symptoms typically start 1–2 weeks…
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05/05/22 Health Advisory: Colorado person first U.S. case of H5 bird flu
A person in Colorado tested positive for avian influenza A(H5N1) virus (H5 bird flu), Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported April 28, 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed it is the first U.S. case of H5 bird flu. The person was involved in the culling of poultry with presumptive H5…
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04/27/22 Health Advisory: CDC Treatment Updates and ACIP discusses eligibility for second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Requested actions Be aware, on April 25, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory about the availability and use of recommended COVID-19 therapies. It also advised against using unproven treatments that have known or potential harm. Follow National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 treatment guidelines and use…
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04/27/22 Health Advisory: CDC Treatment Updates and ACIP discusses second COVID-19 booster dose eligibility
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Immunization, Infection Control, MERS-CoV, News and Alerts, News and Update, Notifiable Conditions, Novel Coronavirus, Provider Resources, VaccineRequested Actions On April 25, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory about the availability and use of recommended COVID-19 therapies. It also advised against using unproven treatments that have known or potential harm. Follow National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 treatment guidelines and use recommended antivirals…
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04/08/22 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Information for Providers
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, News and Alerts, Notifiable Conditions, Provider ResourcesRequested actions Be aware, on March 29, 2022, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended its emergency use authorization (EUA) for Moderna COVID-19 booster dose vaccine. A new multi-dose vial is now available. It has a dark blue cap and a label with a purple border. Doses from this vial are 0.5 mL. Multi-dose vials are…
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4.1.22 WCHD Provider Advisory~ COVID Therapeutics
Requested Actions Be aware, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup have endorsed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorization of a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer) or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for specific groups. These second boosters are particularly important for people…
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03/30/22 Health Advisory: CDC endorses second booster dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for certain groups
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, Health Advisory, News and Alerts, Notifiable Conditions, Provider ResourcesRequested actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup endorsed Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) emergency use authorization (EUA) of a second booster dose of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for specific groups. The EUA allows: A second booster dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least…
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03/07/22 Health Advisory: Update on Johnson & Johnson vaccine ordering and guidance for healthcare settings
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Immunizations, MERS-CoV, Notifiable Conditions, Novel Coronavirus, Provider Resources, VaccineRequested actions Be aware, on March 4, Washington State Department of Health (DOH) discontinued ordering Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine because inventory is very low at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Washington Immunization Information System (IIS). We encourage providers to post and look for available doses on IIS vaccine advertisement page. Email…