COVID-19 UPDATE #257
August 15, 2022
ADVANCING CDC GUIDANCE RELIEFS | A MESSAGE FROM MARK PARKINSON, CEO, AHCA/NCAL
In an email message from Mark Parkinson, CEO for American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), he shared insight into advancing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance reliefs across the long term care spectrum. His email begins:

Just last week in my email update to you, I shared that I’ve heard from countless members that the continued PPE and other related requirements for our facilities don’t make sense. It is time to update the CDC guidance on PPE, screening, testing, and quarantine for the benefit of our residents and their quality of life and to help our staff. 

When I asked for your help to get this guidance changed, you responded. We have seen countless emails sent by our members to the CDC and CMS. You’ve shared the challenges that the current guidance is creating for your staff and how it is affecting the health and well-being of your residents.

Read the full message here.
AHCA/NCAL REQUESTS EXTENSION OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and assisted living communities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, sent a letter today to US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, requesting an extension of the Public Health Emergency (PHE). With new COVID-19 variants emerging and flu season approaching, extending the PHE will ensure that long term care facilities have the necessary resources to continue providing quality care to our nation’s seniors. In addition, as the pandemic continues to evolve, AHCA/NCAL asked that HHS update its COVID-19 guidance for health care settings. Read the letter here.
DEAR ADMINISTRATOR LETTER REGARDING EMERGENCY RULES FILED RELATED TO TRANSFER AND DISCHARGE OF NURSING HOME RESIDENTS
In a Dear Administrator letter dated August 12, 2022, skilled nursing providers are informed on July 29, 2022, the department filed emergency rules under WSR 22-16-063 effective August 2, 2022. These emergency rules continue the suspension of certain transfer and discharge requirements previously suspended under Governor's Proclamation 21-15 and emergency rules filed on April 4, 2022, under WSR 22-08-062.

These emergency rules amend WAC 388-97-0140 to allow nursing homes to immediately transfer or discharge COVID-19 positive nursing home residents to facilities that are equipped to treat the disease when the nursing home is unable to treat COVID-19 positive patients. The emergency rules also amend WAC 388-97-0120 to waive the requirement for nursing homes to suspend certain transfers and discharges pending the outcome of a resident appeal hearing, improving resident safety by allowing faster grouping of COVID-19 positive residents in one facility, or grouping asymptomatic residents together. These emergency rules help expedite infection control processes and maximizes the availability of nursing home beds.

If you have questions, please email Molly McClintock, Nursing Home Policy Manager, or call her at (360) 742-6966.
FINGERPRINTING REMINDER FOR ASSISTED LIVING CAREGIVERS, NURSES, AND ADMINISTRATORS
All providers who began working between November 1, 2019, and April 30, 2022, have 120 days from May 1, 2022, to obtain non-disqualifying fingerprint results from the Background Check Central Unit (BCCU). This means that providers must have non-disqualifying results dated no later than August 28, 2022.

New caregivers, nurses, and administrators who started work on or after May 1, 2022, will have 120 days to get their results from BCCU. For more information, see this linked provider letter. If you have questions, please email Elena Madrid or Vicki McNealley or call (800) 562-6170.
DOH PROVIDES INSIGHT ON COVID-19 WAIVER OFFBOARDING
On August 1, 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) sent a communication regarding the Governor’s announcement of his intent to rescind Proclamation 20-36 which waived certain certificate of need, construction review, and facility licensing requirements to allow health care facilities to rapidly adapt and expand to meet the demands for surge capacity related to COVID-19. DOH has hosted multiple webinars to provide additional insight into DOH’s approach to providing a glide path for facilities to come into compliance and address questions. As requested, the slides from the presentation are available here.

During the webinars, DOH received a number of great questions. Those are being compiled as part of an FAQ document that will be released soon. WHCA will share that document when it is available. Providers who have questions may email COVIDwaiver@doh.wa.gov.
LTC FACILITY TESTING SUPPLY WORKGROUP
As you may be aware, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is currently out of PCR test kits due to the expiration of our supply of viral transport media (VTM). We are working diligently to obtain more test kits and will share additional information about timelines once they are available.  

Relatedly, please ensure any VTM in your PCR test kits is not expired. All existing VTM distributed by DOH are expected to expire by August 13, 2022. Expired VTM are not viable for testing and cannot be processed by our partner laboratories.  

In the interim, we continue to have Everlywell PCR test kits available to order on our portals. These tests are a swab-and-send PCR and require individual email addresses to receive results. Once ordered, these test kits cannot be redistributed. 

An additional resource offered by the federal government and implemented by PerkinElmer is Operation Expanded Testing (OpET). OpET is a no-cost COVID-19 testing program for congregate settings in high Social Vulnerability Index areas and underserved communities. The program is available through December 31, 2022, and includes self-swab PCR test kit delivery, results processing, and a built-in reporting system. Learn more on the PerkinElmer website and contact together@perkinelmer.com to apply.
AT-HOME COVID-19 ANTIGEN TESTS | TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF FALSE NEGATIVE
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising people to perform repeat, or serial, testing following a negative result on any at-home COVID-19 antigen test, to reduce the risk an infection may be missed (false negative result) and to help prevent people from unknowingly spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus to others. The FDA recommends repeat testing following a negative result whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms. The FDA offers recommendations here.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
WHCA continues to post resources and information as it becomes available on our website. If you have questions or need additional information, please call the WHCA office at (800) 562-6170.