From American Medical Association President Susan Bailey, MD:

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According to the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), Delaware has a total of 716 fatalities due to COVID-19, an increase of 12 from last Friday. Thursday, Nov. 5. Delaware saw its largest single-day case total since mid-May, with 271 new cases.

Aggregate K-12 School-Related COVID-19 Statistics: Delaware cumulative number of COVID-19 positive students and staff, statewide, who were in-person at a school or child care facility while potentially infectious, reported to DPH between Sept. 1, 2020, and Oct. 30, 2020: 

Read more for an update on outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

Additional demographic data on COVID-19 cases and deaths, including race/ethnicity, more age-specific data and rates information by ZIP code, and information on Delaware's contact tracing efforts can be found on the Division of Public Health's My Healthy Community data portal. 

The Department of Health and Human services has committed to sending 290,000 Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 point of care antigen tests to Delaware. The rapid point of care tests, which can diagnose coronavirus infection in as little as fifteen minutes, are being distributed by the State to support Delaware's testing strategy, beginning with increasing access to testing for K-12 students. To find out more about how to obtain test kits and the protocols to follow, click here.

Last week visitation was closed at TidalHealth Nanticoke due to higher COVID-19 rates in Sussex County. Due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional will no longer allow visitors to patients admitted to the hospital starting Monday, November 9th.

Exceptions will be made for end-of-life situations. In addition:

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Delaware physicians holding a Controlled Substance Registration (CSR), will be required to renew by June 30, 2021. All practitioners who apply for a Delaware CSR, must complete a mandatory two-hour, two part course pertaining to safe prescribing and distributing of controlled substances, treatment of pain, and recognizing and treating opioid use disorder. This is the ONLY approved course for meeting the CSR renewal requirement. Practitioners initially issued a CSR for a period less than two years do NOT need to repeat this course in that initial licensure period. All other CSR holders must complete this course to meet the two–hour continuing education requirement each renewal cycle. Learn more.

The Medical Society of Delaware's 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting & Educational Program will be held Tuesday November 17th - Thursday November 19th.

Join us for these Zoom meeting events from the comfort of your home! For more details, visit the MSD website. Zoom meeting details have been emailed to those who have already registered.

This year's MSD Educational Program promises to be informative and timely! Focusing on the medical impact of climate change. The presenters will highlight the health and medical economic impact it has made on patients as well as future changes needed.

The Medical Society of Delaware designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ᵀᴹ.

GRAIL is poised to detect cancer early by combining high-intensity sequencing of unprecedented breadth and depth with the techniques of modern data science. Through what they believe to be one of the largest clinical study programs ever pursued in genomic medicine, GRAIL is creating vast datasets to develop evidence supporting our products.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware serves approximately 441,000 members through the company’s health care benefits business. It is an influential company in the market generating an economic impact of $135 million and supporting more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.

Join your colleagues virtually for the next Practice Management Education lunchtime webinar on Thursday, November 12th from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. This session, Malpractice Claims Landscape Post COVID-19, presented by Jason Newton of Curi and Colleen Shields, Esq., will focus on where immunity has been bestowed and how it will affect claims, risks of continuing telehealth for medically complicated patients, and more. To register.

MSD's Membership Department is pleased to announce the newest members of the Medical Society of Delaware. Welcome to the third oldest medical society in the country!

If you know someone interested in joining the Medical Society of Delaware, please contact Michelle Seymour at 302-224-4905 or Michelle.Seymour@medsocdel.org.

MSD members are afforded a seven day review period from the date of this publication to comment regarding an applicant applying for membership. Please contact Mary LaJudice at (302) 224-5183 or Mary.LaJudice@medsocdel.org with any questions or concerns.