Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) News

Below are links to AHA Today stories on novel coronavirus (COVID-19). For all coronavirus resources and news updates, visit our COVID-19 page.

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will host a March 3 roundtable discussion on the academic, social and emotional impacts of distance learning on children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Israeli patients aged 70 and older were much less likely to require mechanical ventilation for COVID-19 after most people in their age group had received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
AHA released a one-stop web hub for hospitals and health systems to find communication resources related to COVID-19 vaccines.
The Food and Drug Administration will allow undiluted frozen vials of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be transported and stored at conventional pharmaceutical freezer temperatures (-13°F to 5°F) for up to two weeks as an alternative to its preferred storage at -112 F to -76ºF, the agency announced.
by Rick Pollack
For the last few weeks, we’ve used this space to highlight the need for the next COVID-19 relief package to provide hospitals and health systems with additional resources and support so they can continue to care for patients and protect communities.
President Biden continued the national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic beyond March 1.
The AHA and eight other hospital organizations urged Senate leaders to include additional COVID-19 relief funding for health care providers in the current reconciliation package.
The Food and Drug Administration's Office of Minority Health and Health Equity released two videos on COVID-19 vaccines and the importance of communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 getting vaccinated to protect themselves and loved ones from the virus.
The AHA has received $6 million in grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote clinician and public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, and help train current and future health care personnel to prevent and control infectious disease.
Data submitted to the Food and Drug Administration confirms that Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate is safe and effective.
Judy Rich, president and CEO of Tucson Medical Center in Arizona, said on a call with media that on top of nursing costs, which in some instances have jumped from $48 per hour to $150 per hour, her hospital is even funding a kindergarten-through-sixth grade school so staff can come to work.
The Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care, of which the AHA is a founding member, has launched a new TV ad urging Congress to provide critical resources to help hospitals and health systems as they continue the battle against COVID-19.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Community Care Network now offers COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible veterans nationwide at its urgent care and retail pharmacy locations, the agency reports.
At a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on his nomination to serve as Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra said he supports additional COVID-19 funding for health care providers.
Johnson & Johnson plans to deliver 20 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate to the United States by the end of March if the Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use of the single-dose vaccine, a company executive told a House subcommittee at a hearing on expanding vaccine availability.
During an AHA virtual briefing for lawmakers and staff, leaders from three health systems — One Brooklyn Health System, Grady Health System, and The Hospitals of Providence, part of Tenet Healthcare — discussed the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on communities of color and how their health systems are working with their communities to deliver high quality, culturally responsive care.
Hundreds of hospital and health system leaders today participated in an AHA advocacy virtual event to get the latest on Congress’ efforts to pass President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package and urge lawmakers to include provisions to support hospitals and health systems.
A new Kaufman Hall study is showing the extent to which hospitals’ finances continue to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new resource from the American Society for Health Care Engineering and Naval Medicine Readiness and Training Command summarizes recommended ventilation system controls for health care facilities treating COVID-19 patients.
Authorized health care providers should now order the monoclonal antibody therapy bamlanivimab and antibody cocktail casirivimab/imdevimab directly from the sole distributor, AmerisourceBergen Corp., the Department of Health and Human Services announced.