The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and reports to Congress with information to help the government work more efficiently.  In a report, the GAO listed a number of findings about challenges across the nation and made 11 specific recommendations for improving the federal response.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday issued an emergency use authorization for the country’s first coronavirus test that can run from start to finish at home without the need for a prescription. People as young as 2 years old are cleared to use the test, which takes just 15 to 20 minutes to deliver a result. Unlike many similar products, which are only supposed to be used by people with symptoms of COVID-19, this test is authorized for people with or without symptoms. Read more. A day after the FDA authorized the nation’s first home COVID-19 test, it on Wednesday cleared a second home test made by Abbott Laboratories. Abbott said the rapid BinaxNow home test will cost $25 and be available through a telehealth provider, eMed, which will determine whether a person is eligible. Only people with COVID-19 symptoms can get the home test.

The COVID-19 vaccine was not tested in pregnancy, but experts say it’s still worth considering if you’re expecting. As healthcare workers prepare to receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine starting this week, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee has recommended that pregnant workers–a group typically excluded from vaccine trials–still be allowed to decide with their doctors whether to receive the vaccine. Read more.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced that it has completed a review of Phase 3 applications from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) program and will distribute $24.5 billion to over 70,000 providers. Up from the $20 billion originally planned, the addition of another $4.5 billion in funding is being used to satisfy close to 90 percent of each applicant’s reported lost revenues and net change in expenses caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of 2020. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recognizes this pandemic has upended the health care system and caused significant financial hardships. These resources, along with previous distributions, have provided much needed relief. Payment distribution started Wednesday and will continue through January 2021. Read more.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has provided guidance for responding to signs and symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination in healthcare personnel (HCP). Strategies are needed for healthcare facilities to appropriately evaluate and manage post-vaccination signs and symptoms among healthcare personnel (HCP) to minimize staffing disruptions and transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Key points in the advisory include:

• Signs and symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, headache, chills, myalgia, and arthralgia, can typically occur following COVID-19 vaccination, usually within the first three days of vaccination.
• Presence of signs and symptoms consistent with SARS-CoV-2 infection that are not typical for post-vaccination signs and symptoms (i.e., cough, shortness of breath, rhinorrhea, sore throat, loss of taste or smell) should not be attributed to the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Positive viral (nucleic acid or antigen) tests for SARS-CoV-2, if performed, should not be attributed to the COVID-19 vaccine, as vaccination does not influence the results of these tests.

The steps healthcare facilities should take in response to HCP who develop symptoms in the 3 days following vaccination for COVID-19 are outlined. If you have questions about this guidance, please contact DOH at 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1- 877-724-3258) or your local health department. Click here to access all the 2020 DOH Health Alerts, advisories and updates.

Pennsylvania Governor Wolf’s Administration began distribution of the 10th allotment of COVID-19 antigen test kits provided by the federal government to Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified institutions in the remaining 20 counties that have not yet received a shipment. All 67 counties have now received shipment of antigen tests. The test detects an antigen on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus while the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test detects viral RNA. Both PCR and antigen tests can detect active infection and are considered diagnostic tests. Antigen tests can be considered for symptomatic individuals (within the first five to seven days of symptom onset) and in asymptomatic individuals in settings where there is a high probability that the individual to be tested is positive, such as when they are a close contact of a case. On Oct. 15, the Secretary of Health issued an Order to health care providers and facilities reinforcing that all antigen test results, both positive and negative, are required to be reported to the Department of Health. If you have questions about tests, please contact Eric Kiehl, PACHC Director of Public Policy and Partnerships.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced that Pennsylvania received 97,500 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 66 counties, with Philadelphia County receiving its own allotment of 13,650 doses, for a total of 111,150 doses for healthcare workers identified in the state’s vaccine distribution plan. The initial 97,500 doses were delivered to 87 hospitals across the state. The vaccine will be available in phases beginning with critical populations due to the limited supply. The first phase is divided into two parts, with the first doses of vaccine administered to healthcare workers, EMS first responders and residents and staff in congregate care settings. After these priority populations can receive the vaccine, and once a sufficient supply of vaccine exists (likely late spring), everyone will be given access to the vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is a suspension for intramuscular injection administered as a series of two doses given 3 weeks apart and must be stored in ultra-low temperature freezers (between -112 degrees Fahrenheit and -76 degrees Fahrenheit), with vials of the vaccine kept frozen and protected from light until ready to use. A second vaccine, the Moderna vaccine, has less stringent storage requirements and is expected to receive FDA emergency use authorization as early as this week with distribution following shortly thereafter.

On December 16, 2020,  the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced it had completed the review of Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 3 applications. HRSA has begun distributing $24.5 billion to over 70,000 providers, which is up from the $20 billion originally planned to be distributed. Payment distribution will continue through January 2021.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Healthcare Resilience Working Group has developed the Respirators for Healthcare during COVID-19: Authorized Use & Avoiding Fraudulent Products Fact Sheet (PDF – 155 KB), which provides an overview of key practices and resources to help consumers to understand approved and authorized use of respirators, to avoid purchasing fraudulent products, and to report fraud or potentially fraudulent distributors, resellers, or other suppliers.