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West Coast Health Alliance, WA DOH, and Leading National Medical Organizations Continue to Recommend Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns
WCHA disagrees with CDC’s Advisory Committee’s change to decades-long vaccine recommendation that has reduced pediatric hepatitis B infections by 99 percent. The West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) strongly supports that hepatitis B vaccination continue to be routinely offered to all newborns, with the first dose of the vaccine given within 24 hours of birth for…
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02/16/22 Health Advisory: CDC Updated COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines, and More.
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, Provider Resources, VaccineRequested Actions Be aware, on February 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their guidance for COVID-19 vaccination to include: For people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised: People who have completed a primary series of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) are recommended to receive an mRNA booster dose 3 months (instead…
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02/02/22 Health Advisory: FDA Provides Full Approval For Spikevax
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, Novel Coronavirus, Provider Resources, Schools, VaccineRequested 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 authorization (EUA) Moderna COVID-19…
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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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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…
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05/11/21: WCHD Health Alert Influenza Updates
Requested Actions Strongly recommend influenza immunization to everyone 6 months or older, except when influenza vaccine is contraindicated. Immunize your patients against influenza or connect them with a pharmacy or healthcare provider who can. Be aware of optimal timing for influenza vaccine. Keep abreast of local, regional, and national influenza activity. Review influenza testing and…