Pennsylvania hospitals began receiving shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine the week of December 14. Through December 20:

• 97 hospitals have received 97,500 vaccine doses.
• 17,700 doses of the vaccine have been administered.

A spreadsheet of facilities that have received vaccine can be found here.

Links to updated guidance and Frequently Asked Questions can be found below:

Frequently Asked Questions for Businesses Operating During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency: https://www.governor.pa.gov/covid-19/business-faq/

Guidance for Businesses in the Construction Industry Permitted to Operate During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency: https://www.governor.pa.gov/covid-19/construction-industry-guidance/

Guidance for Businesses in the Restaurant Industry Permitted to Operate During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency to Ensure the Safety and Health of Employees and the Public: https://www.governor.pa.gov/covid-19/restaurant-industry-guidance/

COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses: https://www.governor.pa.gov/covid-19/business-guidance/

CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts.

Call details are below. Conference lines are limited so we highly encourage you to join via audio webcast, either on your computer or smartphone web browser. You are welcome to share this invitation with your colleagues and professional networks. These calls are not intended for the press.

Calls recordings and transcripts are posted on the CMS podcast page at: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts

COVID-19 Care Site-Specific Call

CMS-CDC Nursing Home Stakeholder Call

When: December 22, 2020; 1-2pm ET

Where: Participant Line: (833) 614-0820   (Conference ID: 7979889)

Overview: Please join CDC and CMS for this call with Nursing Homes focused on COVID 19 vaccination among residents and staff. During this call, you’ll receive:

• Updates on Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program;
• Critical clinical, safety, and infection prevention and control considerations associated with implementation;
• Communication resources you can use to address resident and staff questions and concerns; and
• General reminders for the holiday season.

A questions and answer session will follow updates.

Acute Hospital at Home Q&A Session

When: Tuesday, December 22, 2020 10:30 AM-11:00 AM

Where: Participant Line: (833) 614-0820  (Conference ID: 3985903)

Join CMS for an Acute Hospital Care at Home Q&A Session. This call provides an opportunity for health systems interested in participating as well as hospitals currently enrolled in the program to seek clarification from CMS subject matter experts.  Prior to the call, please review the publicly posted FAQs to verify if an answer to your question is available. Acute hospital care at home FAQs (PDF)

For the most current information including call schedule changes, please click here

To keep up with the important work the White House Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=36fa2226-6aae0b0d-36fa1319-0cc47a6d17cc-2d06c219f858d641&u=http://www.coronavirus.gov/. For information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and reports to Congress with information to help the government work more efficiently.  In a report, the GAO listed a number of findings about challenges across the nation and made 11 specific recommendations for improving the federal response.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday issued an emergency use authorization for the country’s first coronavirus test that can run from start to finish at home without the need for a prescription. People as young as 2 years old are cleared to use the test, which takes just 15 to 20 minutes to deliver a result. Unlike many similar products, which are only supposed to be used by people with symptoms of COVID-19, this test is authorized for people with or without symptoms. Read more. A day after the FDA authorized the nation’s first home COVID-19 test, it on Wednesday cleared a second home test made by Abbott Laboratories. Abbott said the rapid BinaxNow home test will cost $25 and be available through a telehealth provider, eMed, which will determine whether a person is eligible. Only people with COVID-19 symptoms can get the home test.