COVID-19 vaccines requirements to end May 11, loneliness is as dangerous as smoking

CMS is ending a requirement that all hospital providers and suppliers be vaccinated against COVID-19 as of the end of the public health emergency on May 11. Vaccines are still strongly urged, however.

Loneliness is as big a health risk as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, according to a 81-page report from the office of Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD. Released on May 2, the report explains that loneliness increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30%, and that about half of all American adults say they’ve experienced loneliness.

For hospitals with cardiac programs that include performing ventricular assist device (VAD) implants, The Joint Commission (TJC) offers the reminder that as of May 12, 2023, CMS will resume monitoring the number of procedures done by the VAD team as part of determining coverage under Medicare.

The survey found that most respondents believed that their organizations are extremely or very well prepared for incidents like a fire (75%) and severe weather or a natural disaster (64%). By comparison, 40% believed that their workplace is extremely or very well prepared for an active assailant incident.

As we rapidly approach May 11 and the official termination of the Public Health Emergency relating to COVID-19, I realized that I’ve been “sitting” on some COVID stuff that I wanted to get to you folks before it became too long in the tooth. The world’s response over the last three years or so is likely going to inform the management of a lot of things beyond “emerging infectious diseases,” particularly as a function of, but not limited to, occupational exposures.

President Biden signed legislation ending the COVID-19 national emergency, and HHS is ending the public health emergency (PHE) declaration on May 11. However, there are still thousands of COVID-19 cases from day to day, and there are still compliance steps to take.

“This setback can and must be temporary. The COVID-19 pandemic has unmistakably shown us that antimicrobial resistance will not stop if we let down our guard; there is no time to waste,” said Michael Craig, MPP, director of CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Coordination & Strategy Unit, in a statement announcing the report. “The best way to avert a pandemic caused by an antimicrobial-resistant pathogen is to identify gaps and invest in prevention to keep our nation safe.”

Hospitals are central to a community’s recovery in the immediate aftermath of any tornado. But what if it’s the hospital itself that’s damaged? How do you sift through all that debris and find what you need?

The wrong label on the wrong container in the laboratory can be dangerous, even lethal. Given the wide variety of chemicals, biologicals, combustibles, and other materials the laboratory worker uses every day, ensuring everything is properly labeled with the right information is key to workplace as well as patient safety.