02/22/2022

California updates the Public Health Order to Extend Booster deadline for Workers with Recent COVID-19 Infection

California updates the Public Health Order to Extend Booster deadline for Workers with Recent COVID-19 Infection

Citing evidence that a combination of infection after completing the primary series of vaccination can build strong hybrid immunity, the State Public Health Officer Order – Health Care Worker Vaccine Requirement was updated to allow delay of the March 1, 2022 deadline for receiving a booster for covered workers with proof of a recent infection for up to 90 days from date of infection. The updated order is effective February 22, 2022.

CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Updates reporting of ASC 20 to include vendors as healthcare personnel

NSHN has communicated that the following changes were made to the ASC-20 COVID-19 Vaccination reporting guidance and data tracking worksheet materials:

1. Previously, CDC instructed facilities not to include vendors as healthcare personnel. After receiving stakeholder feedback, CDC updated COVID-19 vaccination data reporting guidance to include vendors under the “other contract personnel” category if they are regularly scheduled to work in the facility, regardless of clinical responsibility or patient contact. Facilities should now begin reporting data on vendors from this point forward. If possible, please revise data reported for prior weeks in accordance with this new guidance. For more information, please see the updated frequently asked questions, specifically questions 14 and 15, under the “Data Reporting: General” section: FAQs on Reporting COVID-19 Vaccination Data | NHSN | CDC.
   
   
2. In accordance with CDC’s latest definition of a medical contraindication, we have clarified that an individual who has a severe allergic reaction after one dose of a COVID-19 should be classified as a medical contraindication rather than a partial vaccination.
   
   
3. The data tracking worksheet, which is a data tracking tool in an Excel spreadsheet format, was updated on the COVID-19 vaccination webpages in January 2022. To allow users to better manage individual-level tracking of COVID-19 vaccination status, we are currently in the process of building this worksheet into the NHSN application. Training on how to use this new feature will be announced in Spring 2022.
   
   
4. Several of the updates noted in this message were also reviewed during refresher trainings that CDC hosted on February 3 and 8, 2022. Training slides are now available on the NHSN COVID-19 Vaccination Module webpages and are located under the “Training” section of the webpage and titled: “COVID19 Vaccination Data Refresher Training and Updates – February 2022.”

As a reminder, ASC-20 is one measure in the ASC Quality Reporting Program, which is a pay for participation NOT pay for performance. This is a different requirement from the CMS vaccine mandate. More information on the CMS vaccine mandate is available here: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/attachment-b-asc.pdf-0