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11/21/24 Health Advisory: Pertussis Update
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, Health Advisory, Pertussis, Provider ResourcesWhatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS) staff continue to respond to a rise in pertussis infections at the local levels. Pertussis reports have also been rising in Washington state and nationally. WCHCS asks that healthcare providers remain alert for patients with symptoms of pertussis and to report suspected cases. Current Situation Pertussis cases reported…
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02/01/22 Health Advisory: FDA Provides Full Approval For Spikevax
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Notifiable Conditions, Provider Resources, UncategorizedCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested actions Be aware, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full authorization to Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people 18 years or older. Evidence shows the vaccine is safe and effective and manufactured with high quality. The vaccine will now be called Spikevax but has the same formulation as emergency use…
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01/08/22 Health Advisory: CDC updated Antiviral Guidance; Booster Eligibility Expanded
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Alert, Immunization, Infection Control, News and Alerts, News and Update, Notifiable Conditions, Novel Coronavirus, Provider Resources, Schools, Vaccine, WCHD Epi WatchCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested actions Updated Antiviral Guidance Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment recommendations. Sotrovimab monoclonal antibody formulation retains significant efficacy against Omicron, the dominant circulating variant. Other monoclonal antibody formulations under emergency use authorization (EUA)—bamlanivimab and etesevimab and casirivimab and imdevimab—lack clinical benefit…
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01/06/22 Health Advisory: Booster Eligibility Expanded
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Immunizations, News and Alerts, Notifiable Conditions, Provider ResourcesCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP’s) decision to strongly recommend a single Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for people 12–17 years old at least 5 months after their primary series. This expands the age of booster access and strengthens…
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01/04/22 Health Advisory: CDC updated antiviral guidance
Advisory or Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, News and Alerts, Notifiable Conditions, Provider ResourcesCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment recommendations. Sotrovimab monoclonal antibody formulation retains significant efficacy against Omicron, the dominant circulating variant. Other monoclonal antibody formulations under emergency use authorization (EUA)—bamlanivimab and etesevimab and casirivimab and imdevimab—lack clinical benefit against Omicron and…
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12/29/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers – New I&Q Guidance, FDA grants EUA to Molnupiravir
COVID-19, Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Health Alert, Infection Control, News and UpdateRequested actions Be aware that the community testing site in Whatcom has decreased capacity due to staffing and weather conditions. Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new isolation and quarantine (I&Q) guidance for healthcare workers (HCWs). The guidance is complex and varies based on vaccination status, level of exposure and level…
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12/22/21 Health Advisory: Paxlovid granted EUA and Testing before gathering
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Health Alert, Immunization, Immunizations, Infection Control, News and Alerts, News and Update, Notifiable Conditions, Novel Coronavirus, Prevention, Provider Resources, Schools, Travel, VaccineCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested actions Be aware, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to the first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19, Pfizer’s Paxlovid. The EUA comes after research showed Paxlovid was nearly 90% effective at preventing hospitalization and death in people 12 years or older at high risk of severe…
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12/17/2021 Health Advisory: Updated J&J Vaccine Recommendations
Advisory or Update, COVID-19, Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Immunization, Infection ControlRequested actions Be aware, on Dec. 16, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna) over Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine for all people 18 years or older. The recommendation is based on the increased risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after getting J&J COVID-19 vaccine. Be…
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12/13/21: Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Health Alert, Immunization, Immunizations, News and Alerts, News and Update, Notifiable Conditions, Provider Resources, Schools, TravelCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommend everyone 16 years or older get a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose at the recommended interval. This recommendation comes after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded its emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer-BioNTech…
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12/03/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Immunizations, News and Alerts, Notifiable Conditions, Provider Resources, Schools, Travel, VaccineCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested Actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory warning of COVID-19 variant of concern Omicron (B.1.1.529). Cases have been detected in multiple states. Omicron has not yet been detected in Whatcom County; however, we are tracking its impact nationally and globally. This new variant has…
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11/08/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody and Testing Updates
Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Immunizations, Provider Resources, SchoolsRequested Actions Be aware, Washington State is currently experiencing a shortage of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Adhere to National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines on the use and prioritization of MAbs. Do not administer or prescribe Ivermectin for prevention or treatment of COVID-19. CDC issued a health alert about the rapid increase in Ivermectin prescriptions and reports…
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11/08/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Vaccine 3rd and Booster Doses
Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Immunizations, Infection Control, Provider Resources, VaccineRequested Actions Be aware of the confusion between the terminology and guidance for 3rd dose versus booster doses. 3rd dose: vaccine doses available now for people who are considered moderately or severely immunocompromised On August 12, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended its emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow an additional (third) dose…
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11/08/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Vaccine For Ages 5-11
Communicable Disease Data Report, COVID-19, Health Advisory, Immunizations, Provider Resources, Schools, VaccineRequested actions Be aware, on Nov. 2, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 5–11 years old under the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) emergency use authorization (EUA). Be aware, the U.S. is experiencing a shortage of BinaxNOW COVID-19 rapid antigen tests. Background COVID-19 vaccine for children 5–11 years…