Situation Report | August 16, 2021
CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently revised its guidance for fully vaccinated individuals. This guidance includes the wearing of masks indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. As of August 6, 2021 – outside the city of New York and Long Island – there are now over 30 counties designated as substantial or high areas of transmission.
This list has changed frequently since its publication and further updates are expected. The detailed list of counties is available on the CDC website.
FDA
On August 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for both the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals, specifically, solid organ transplant recipients or those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was scheduled to meet Friday to discuss further clinical recommendations regarding immunocompromised individuals. This action does not apply to people who are not immunocompromised.
In response to the FDA’s action, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Medicare would pay for administering an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines consistent with the modified FDA EUA (with no beneficiary cost sharing).
For COVID-19 vaccines administered on or after March 15, 2021, the national average payment rate for physicians, hospitals, pharmacies and many other immunizers is $40 to administer each dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The Medicare program would continue to pay providers $40 to administer this additional dose – the same amount as paid for other doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
CMS will share more information and guidance in the coming days about billing and coding for the additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised patients.
More information is at available on the FDA website and CMS website.
NYC DOHMH
The following NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) vaccination resources are available to home health care professionals, staff and clients:
- NYC’s in-home vaccination program is open to everyone 12 years and older. All three authorized vaccines (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Moderna and Pfizer) are available.
- Use this link to sign up for an in-home vaccination or call 877-VAX- 4NYC (877-829-4692).
- Free transportation to and from COVID-19 vaccination sites are available for those 65 years or older or with a disability.
- For more vaccination information, click here or call 855-491-2667.
- For general resources and information on COVID-19, click here.
- Speaker’s Bureau
- COVID-19 Vaccine Train-the-Trainer program
NYC Mobile Vaccine Buses continue to provide vaccines in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens. The full schedule of mobile vaccine locations can be found here. Walk-ups are welcome and you can also book in advance through the Vax4NYC site.
While walk-up vaccines are available at City-operated vaccination sites, appointments can still be made by using vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.
The NYU CHW Research & Resource Center is holding a COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall: Getting Vaccinated in New York City on Tuesday, August 24 from 2 PM to 3 PM to learn about current vaccination rates and efforts in NYC, updates on how to get vaccinated, and DOHMH’s progress on addressing vaccine inequities.
This event will feature a presentation by Dr. Olusimbo Ige, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Health Equity Capacity Building, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Ivette Cabrera, Community Health Worker, Patient Navigation Center, NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn.
COVID-19 Testing
Free testing continues to be available throughout the five boroughs. A schedule of mobile testing locations throughout the City as well as detailed information on locations and types of testing offered at regular testing sites (including rapid testing and antibody tests) can be found here.