The Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) has published new guidance on Cleaning & Disinfecting for Reopening. The guidance reviews spaces used for various purposes and details on how they should be cleaned and disinfected and how often. The resource also details when it is not necessary to increase cleaning procedures, such as certain outdoor areas and facilities that have not been occupied in seven days or more. Click here to view the guidance.

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC), together with their partners in the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns, unveiled their proposal to provide stimulus relief for early care and education infrastructure during the coronavirus pandemic. Circulated to members of the state House and Senate to gain their support, the plan proposes the utilization of federal funds for emergency actions in order to preserve and stabilize capacity in the sector. The proposal suggests the following three-pronged strategy to support high-quality child care:

• Federal funds should be used to pay child care subsidies and contract payments to Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs for the duration of the crisis.
• Federal funds should also be used to compensate for the shares of revenues that would have otherwise been collected by providers in the Child Care Works program as co-pays until child care services return to normal.
• Federal funding should be used to cover a portion of lost revenues for uncollected private pay tuition through the crisis period.

As stated by PPC, in order to protect gains made through state pre-k investments and boost the chances of school success when the pandemic ends, the General Assembly should appropriate funds to allow Pre-K Counts and Head Start programs to offer summer instruction for children who will enter kindergarten in the fall. Additionally, to protect providers, instill consumer confidence in reopening and decrease risk of subsequent infection, every child care, Pre-K Counts and Head Start program must be required to attend free training on the practices needed to sanitize all spaces in which children and staff are working, and funding must be provided so publicly-funded programs are able to clean before re-opening. Finally, legislation must be passed to impose an immunity from tort liability associated with claims related to COVID-19 for all certified child care providers. Sen. Pat Stefano has filed a co-sponsorship memo seeking support for a proposal that will provide liability protection for Pennsylvania businesses and potentially help protect the viability of child care centers during and after the pandemic.

PPC is working with their partners in the campaigns to educate the legislature and administration on the need for swift action on the stimulus recommendations in order to ensure that parents returning to work once the current crisis is abated have reliable, quality child care. Stay tuned for updates.

Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today reminded Pennsylvanians that with spring and warm weather comes farmers market season in the commonwealth. Farmers markets, like grocery stores, offer life-sustaining food and essentials and have been provided guidance from the department for how to continue operations safely and with minimal risk amid the COVID-19 public health crisis.

When Governor Tom Wolf first designated agriculture and the supply chain as life sustaining, tthe Department of Agriculture issued guidance for Farmers Markets and On-Farm Markets with recommendations on how to continue operations safely and minimize contact for shoppers and employees. The guidance includes:

• Offer delivery or pick up options and online or phone ordering if possible.
• Pre-package bags of fruit, vegetables, and other items to limit shoppers’ handling food and keep customers moving quickly.
• Offer designated times for high-risk and elderly persons to shop at least once a week.
• Communicate with consumers via website or social media to explain changes, delivery options, or other extra precautions to mitigate against COVID-19.
• Separate stands to limit crowds and consider limiting the number of customers in the market at one time.
• If possible, have a different person handle products and handle money, or wash hands and sanitize between tasks.
• Remove tablecloths and eliminate samples and eating areas.

Pennsylvanians interested in supporting local can find a market by visiting pafarm.com or by looking for the PA Preferred® logo when shopping in a grocery store for a guarantee that you’re supporting a Pennsylvania farmer.

A revised MLN Matters Special Edition Article SE20016 on New and Expanded Flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) is available. Learn new information on billing for distant site telehealth services during the COVID-19 PHE, including:

• New telehealth services that can be provided by RHCs and FQHCs, including audio only telephone evaluation and management services
• Revised bed count methodology for determining the exemption to the RHC payment limit for provider-based RHCs

At President Trump’s direction, and building on its recent historic efforts to help the U.S. healthcare system manage the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today issued another round of sweeping regulatory waivers and rule changes to deliver expanded care to the nation’s seniors and provide flexibility to the healthcare system as America reopens. These changes include making it easier for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to get tested for COVID-19 and continuing CMS’s efforts to further expand beneficiaries’ access to telehealth services.

Full press release

The American Hospital Association (AHA) highlights a rural California’s plan to prepare for a potential surge related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including steps taken to provide care through community outreach and maintain financial support.

An hour-long YouTube video brings frontline information for rural providers and hospitals addressing COVID-19, hosted in partnership between Kansas Patients and Providers Engaged in Prevention Research (KPPEPR) and High Plains Research Network (HPRN) of Colorado.