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March 12, 2021
Register Now for MSD's Interim Council Meeting
Council Members Strongly Encouraged to Participate in Virtual Meeting
The Interim Meeting of the Medical Society of Delaware Council will be held virtually on April 8th at 6:00 p.m. Participants will hear a presentation on Climate and Health by Mona Sarfaty, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Director, Program for Climate and Health, Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University and Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University. Council members will deliberate submitted resolutions, vote on various nominations for elected positions, and identify members of the Nominating Committee for 2021-2022. Deadline to register is April 6th. For more information. To register.
CDC Releases Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People
Recommendations for Non-Heath Care Settings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released interim recommendations for individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The following recommendations apply to non-health care settings. Fully vaccinated people can:
  • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
  • Visit indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing and refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic.

For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:
  • Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when in public or visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member.
  • Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings.
  • Get tested (and isolate pending results) if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
  • Follow guidance issued by individual employers.

President Biden Signs American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into Law
COVID-19 Relief Act Sends Aid Where it is Most Needed
President Biden has signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This extensive piece of legislation provides wide reaching relief for the country's public health workforce and aims to provide additional resources to combat COVID-19, provide economic relief, and care for the most vulnerable in the U.S. Among other things, the law provides significant funding increases for community health centers, teaching health centers, Medical Reserve Corps, and the National Health Service Corps Repayment Program, thus establishing, expanding and sustaining a public health workforce. Read more.
COVID-19 Vaccine Top Questions of the Week
Important Answers to Share
The Medical Society of Delaware is actively involved in several COVID-19 task forces with the Division of Public Health (DPH) and the Office of the Governor. In order to keep our members current with the latest information, we are sharing the frequently asked questions DPH and Governor Carney's office fielded this week along with important answers to those questions. Please share this information broadly with your patients and contacts. Read Vaccine FAQ.
Community COVID-19 Testing Sites
Information to Share With Your Patients
Governor John Carney, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) have released the list of community testing sites throughout Delaware scheduled for next week, including pop-up and Curative trailer sites, as well as community sites hosted by New Castle County and Henrietta Johnson Medical Center. View list.
DPH Announces Latest COVID-19 Statistics
Vaccination Efforts Continue as Cases and Hospitalizations Decline
Here are the latest Delaware COVID-19 statistics. To date, the Division of Public Health has identified 12 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 variant, SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 (UK variant), and 1 confirmed case of the variant, SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 (South African variant) in Delaware through routine surveillance of test specimens. This variant is the same one that was first discovered in England in December and is also commonly referred to as the UK Variant. The cases include 11 adults ranging in age from 18-65, as well as a child under the age of 10. Eight individuals were from New Castle County and four were from Kent County.

  • 89,911 total laboratory-confirmed cases
  • Total deaths: 1,496 
  • Deaths today: 2
  • Cases today: 161
  • New Castle County cases: 51,890
  • Kent County cases: 14,775
  • Sussex County cases: 23,047
  • Unknown: 199
  • Age range: 0 to 104
  • Hospitalized: 83; Critically ill: 14
  • Number of COVID-19 vaccines reported administered: 303,568 


Additional demographic data on COVID-19 cases and deaths, including race/ethnicity, more age-specific data and COVID rate 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. 
Beebe Healthcare Adjust Visitation Policy
One Visitor Per Day Now Permitted
Starting today, Beebe Healthcare is updating its visitor restrictions to allow inpatients at the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus to have one well visitor per day between the hours of 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. for a total of one hour of visitation. This includes patients at the Lewes and South Coastal Emergency Departments and Beebe Medical Group offices. Patients being discharged from the hospital are allowed one well visitor 30 minutes prior to discharge to help with care instructions. No visitors will be allowed for COVID-19 patients and patients under suspicion for COVID-19 except for special circumstances. Read more.
International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine
Registration Open
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the George Washington University are presenting an online educational program, the “International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine.” As an educational supporter, MSD invites you to register for the event taking place virtually on July 15-17, 2021. Hear from leading nutrition experts and earn continuing education credits, as well as MOC credit. To register.
AMPAC Candidate Workshop
Registration Open
Ever wonder how doctors get elected to Congress or your state legislature? Considering a run for office for yourself? The AMPAC Candidate Workshop will teach you how to run a winning political campaign. The Candidate Workshop is designed to help you make the leap from the exam room to the campaign trail and give you the skills and strategic approach you will need to make a run for public office. The Virtual Candidate Workshop will be conducted over the course of two consecutive weekends: May 1-2 and 8-9. Read more.
Members in the News
Kristine B. Diehl, MD
The last twelve months have been, by all accounts, the most challenging months that physicians have ever experienced. As we hit the one-year mark of when Governor Carney shut down the First State, MSD member and family physician Kristine B. Diehl, MD reflected on the year behind and looked ahead to the future in a commentary piece for the Delaware State News. Read commentary.
LaShauna B. McIntosh, MD
MSD member and OBGyn LaShauna B. McIntosh, MD was recently elected as President of the National Medical Association (NMA) First State Chapter. Dr. McIntosh started her two-year term in August and has been working with the 125 year old prestigious organization to champion access to high quality medical care for all people, as well as to promote social justice in medicine. The NMA is considered the leading voice for black physicians and the communities they serve.
Welcome MSD New Member!
Sarah J. Matthews, MD, Beebe Palliative Care
MSD's Membership Department is pleased to announce the newest member 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.
Pending Member
Amanda K. Johnson, MD
Karin Thomas, MD
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.
"Rerum Cognoscere"
The Latin phrase Rerum Cognoscere translates to learn, examine, or become aware of facts or things. In this section we highlight measurable items of interest in health care from MSD, Delaware, the US, and the world.
2,617
Current number of cases of Multisystem Inflamatory Syndrome (MIS-C) reported in children in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. 33 children have died of MIS-C.

CDC
2,817%
Rate of increase of telemedicine claims from Dec. 2019 to Dec. 2020 for non-Medicaid and non-Medicare patients.


Fair Health
1 in 4
Adults in the U.S. who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Thursday, March 11, 2021.



The White House
Upcoming Events
March 13 - 25th Annual Diabetes Update, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., virtual event.
March 18 - Dementia Care - Persons with Dementia and Residential Care, 8:00 - 11:00 a.m., virtual event.
March 25 - MSD Practice Management Education Session – COVID-19 HR Update, noon - 1:00 p.m., virtual event.
April 29 - Campaign for Kids "It's OBVIOUS" presents: The Dangers of Vaping, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., virtual event.
June 15-19 - 43rd Annual Eastern Shore Medical Symposium, virtual event.
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