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February 26, 2021
DPH Issues COVID-19 Vaccination Order for Vaccinators
Priority Must Be Made for Second Doses
Division of Public Health Director Karyl Rattay, MD on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Services, signed two orders pertaining to COVID-19 health care vaccinating partners and the vaccine second dose. Included in the orders are requirements that:

  • Health care/vaccination providers are to administer the second dose of a two-dose series to persons who received a first dose from them, if requested.
  • Health care/vaccination providers are required to administer a second dose to patients of record who have been administered the first dose by a different provider.
  • Administration of the second dose shall be a higher priority than administration of a first dose to an unvaccinated person if vaccine supply is not sufficient to accomplish both.
  • Vaccination partners are to report inventory daily to Vaccine Finder, a national web-based system that allows providers to report levels of supply. This inventory should include the number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine and adjuvants that were unused, spoiled, expired, or wasted.

Failure to comply with these orders may result in a fine between $100 and $1,000 per day. Repeated failure to comply may result in cessation of vaccine distribution to the non-compliant provider. Read more.
MSD Advocating for YOU!
MSD Leadership 2021 “Attends” AMA National Advocacy Conference
This year’s American Medical Association (AMA) National Advocacy Conference was virtual, but that did not prevent MSD President Matthew Burday, DO, AMA Delegate and Past President Janice Tildon-Burton, MD, and Executive Director Mark B. Thompson from participating in the 2-day event. This meeting, always held in Washington, DC, was more timely and critically important than ever before as our nation passed the tragic milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 deaths. Highlights of the event included a virtual meeting with the MSD delegation with Senator Tom Carper, Senator Chris Coons, and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester as well as their respective health policy staffers. For AMA NAC highlights and details click here.
Johnson & Johnson Close to Getting EUA for COVID-19 Vaccine
Canada Authorizes AstraZeneca Vaccine
Vaccine advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously today to recommend the agency grant emergency use authorization to Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine for people 18 and older. According to the analysis by the FDA, the efficacy of the single-shot vaccine against moderate to severe/critical Covid-19 across all geographic areas was 66.9% at least 14 days after the single-dose vaccination and 66.1% at least 28 days after vaccination. The FDA is expected to act on the recommendation tomorrow, making it the third COVID-19 vaccine authorized for use in the United States. It will be the first one-shot vaccine, and one that can be stored in regular refrigerators. Meanwhile, health regulators in Canada approved the coronavirus vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca today. Read more.
CDC to Hold Informational Session on Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
What Clinicians Need to Know About the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call on Tuesday, March 2nd at 2:00 p.m. to help answer questions about what clinicians need to know about the Johnson & Johnson single-dose Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. This event will help participants learn about vaccine characteristics and administration, vaccinating special populations, and contraindications, as well as get answers to a number of clinical questions the CDC has received about this new vaccine. Read more.
Information to Share with Your Patients
COVID-19 Vaccination Talking Points to Help Answer Patient Questions
In an effort to help physicians ease and answer concerns of patients regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, the Delaware Division of Public Health has compiled helpful information to assist you. Many questions have arisen about registering for the vaccine and the challenges associated with presenting proper identification. According to the Governor's office:

  • Photo ID and proof of residency and/or employment/medical home may be required depending on the vaccination site.
  • Lack of ID will not be a barrier to individuals with undocumented immigration status. You may bring an alternate version of identification.  
  • Insurance or payment are not required for vaccination.
  • All health care providers, facilities, and entities that decide to offer vaccinations shall make those vaccinations available to any person meeting the vaccination criteria without regard to that person’s ability to pay, type of health insurance, or participation in any particular provider network.

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
Hospitalizations / Cases Continue Downward Trend
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, 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. 

  • 84,181 total laboratory-confirmed cases
  • Total deaths: 1,418
  • Deaths today: 12
  • Cases today: 301
  • Total B.1.1.7 variant cases: 12
  • New Castle County cases: 49,019
  • Kent County cases: 14,295
  • Sussex County cases: 22,590
  • Unknown: 194
  • Age range: 0 to 104
  • Hospitalized: 156; Critically ill: 26
  • Number of COVID-19 vaccines reported administered: 204,389


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. 
Your Feedback is Requested
Non-Opioid Approaches for Chronic Pain Management Survey
Approximately 1,500 providers received “Non-Opioid Approaches for Managing Chronic Pain: A Toolkit for Providers” from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health (DPH) in March 2020. The toolkit, developed by DPH, shared comprehensive, evidence-based non-opioid pain management resources so that patients can receive non-opioid pain management options. Opioid prescribing should not be the first or only choice to treat chronic pain.

DPH is conducting a review of this outreach effort. If you or your office received a toolkit, please take a short survey to give feedback about your experience with it. The survey is anonymous and will take no longer than five minutes. Take survey.
"It's OBVIOUS" Presents: The Dangers of Vaping
Registration Open
MSD's "It's OBVIOUS" Campaign for Kids public education session is proud to present, The Dangers of Vaping on Thursday, April 29th from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker Albert Rizzo, MD, FACP a Pulmonologist and Chief Medical Officer with the American Lung Association will present the latest information regarding the dangers of vaping. To register.
CME Opportunity - Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families
"The Future of Food is Plants"
Join MSD for a virtual presentation of The Power of Nutrition by Reshma Shah, MD, MPH, a pediatrician and Brenda Davis, RD, a world renowned expert and pioneer in plant-based nutrition, as part of the OBVIOUS Campaign for Kids, promoting the health and wellbeing of Delaware youth. This virtual event will be held on Wednesday, March 3rd, 6:00– 7:30 p.m. To register.
In Memoriam
Rafael E. Alzamora, MD
It is with sadness that we share MSD member Rafael E. Alzamora, MD died on February 1st. Dr. Alzamora started his career as a general surgeon with Saint Francis Healthcare, later running a private practice as well as working as the New Castle County Coroner. He spent the majority of his career as a staff physician at the DuPont Company’s Experimental Station site. He concurrently worked in emergency medicine at various hospitals in the Wilmington area, and was a founding member of Doctors for Emergency Services. He is survived by his wife Laura and his five children. Read obituary.
Welcome MSD New Member!
Tabassum F Ali, MD – Delaware Ophthalmology Consultants, Wilmington
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
Lauren E Bailey, PA-C
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.
5.6%
Percentage of U.S. adults who identify as LGBTQ, a 1% increase from 2017.



Gallup
#1
New Jersey is the first state in the Mid-Atlantic region to legalize marijuana and the fourth state on the East Coast.

USA Today
#1
Delaware is ranked first in the nation for prescribing both high-dose opioids and long-acting/extended-release opioids.

CDC
Upcoming Events
March 3 - Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m., virtual event.
March 6 - 32nd Annual Update in Cardiology, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., virtual event.
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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