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.

Latest

The departments of Health and Human Services and Defense will pay Moderna Inc. about $1.5 billion to produce and deliver 100 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate to vaccinate Americans if authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, the agencies announced.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced it has expanded the providers eligible for its Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund “General Distribution.”
Houston’s Kindred Healthcare and TIRR Memorial Hermann are among the many post-acute care providers that have incurred increased costs to prepare for and treat COVID-19-positive patients and complex post-COVID-19 patients.
The Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of George Washington University Public Health Laboratory’s GWU SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Test.
Researchers have launched two clinical trials to test whether monoclonal (laboratory-made) antibodies can safely prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection or symptoms in healthy adults, the National Institutes of Health announced.
More than 380,000 U.S. children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, which represents 9.1% of cases in states reporting age, according to an analysis released by the American Academy of Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital Association.
The Department of Health and Human Services continues to update its CARES Act FAQ to aid hospitals and health systems in understanding the nuances of the provider relief fund.
The American Medical Association released new Current Procedural Terminology codes for reporting SARS-CoV-2 laboratory testing on medical claims.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the extension of its Appropriate Use Criteria testing period through 2021.
Health and Human Services posted COVID-19 testing plans for state, local and territorial jurisdictions through the rest of calendar year 2020.
The Food and Drug Administration revoked its emergency use authorization for a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test made by Autobio Diagnostics Co. due to concerns with the accuracy of the test when evaluated at the National Institutes of Health’s Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research.
President Trump authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to use up to $44 billion in Stafford Act disaster relief funds to supplement individuals’ wages resulting from lost work due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The Health Resources and Services Administration expects in mid-August to distribute half of the $5 billion in Provider Relief Funds announced last month to enhance COVID-19 response at Medicare-certified long-term care facilities, the agency said Friday.
In an op-ed published in Fierce Healthcare, Robyn Begley, AHA’s chief nursing officer and CEO of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, urged Americans to take steps to defeat COVID-19 by adopting the mindset employed in every hospital and health system nationwide.
by Melinda L. Estes, M.D.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals remain cornerstones of their communities, as they’ve always been. They continue to serve and heal, provide jobs, food, social services and education around sound health practices. 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report describing the characteristics of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a rare but serious condition that states have reported in more than 500 children with COVID-19.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the reopening of the state’s coronavirus emergency enrollment period. The reopening of enrollment, which is for private health plans only, will last through Dec. 15.
The Food and Drug Administration Tuesday authorized the emergency use of three types of ventilator accessories for treating COVID-19 patients.
President Trump last night signed an executive order intended to increase domestic production of essential medicines, medical equipment and protective gear.
Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., introduced the Getting Early Treatment and Comprehensive Assessments Reduces Emergencies (GET CARE) Act, which would encourage patients to continue seeking preventive care during the COVID-19 pandemic, including disseminating scientific and evidence-based, preventive care-related information, with the goal of increasing the number of Americans seeking preventive care across all ages, particularly in medically underserved communities.