Tag archives: CDC

COVID-19 Update: Federal Mask Mandate Struck Down by Florida Court

On April 19, 2022, a federal district court in Florida determined the federal mask mandate from the Biden Administration was unlawful and therefore void. The mandate required patrons to wear a mask on public transportation, like airplanes, trains, and buses. The federal judge presiding over the case determined the mandate exceeded statutory authority created under … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: Vaccine No. 4 and the CDC’s Quarantine and Isolation Calculator

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on March 30, 2022 Posted in Coronavirus, General

Yesterday, March 29, 2022, the CDC launched a new calculator designed to help individuals exposed to COVID-19 discern how many days of quarantine and/or isolation are necessary. This tool was created in order to aid in the prevention of spreading the virus. Users are first prompted to select whether they have tested positive for COVID-19 … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: Omicron Variant Specifics

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on December 30, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

Since its first detection, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been reported in numerous countries worldwide and in most of the United States. It is likely more transmissible than the other variants of COVID-19 and has officially surpassed the Delta variant contraction rates. As of December 25, 2021, the CDC reported the Omicron variant represents … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: New CDC Guidance About the Omicron Variant

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on December 15, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General, Regulatory

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) reported that the Omicron variant has been detected in all but sixteen of the United States. The Delta variant continues to be the main variant circulating in the United States, however. The World Health Organization (“WHO”) reported on December 14, 2021, that seventy-seven countries have reported cases … Continue reading

COVID-19 update: Efficacy of mask use and vaccinations for children

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on October 7, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus

On October 1, 2021, the CDC issued its weekly “Morbidity and Mortality” report and noted according to a July 1 – September 4, 2021 study that “[s]chool mask requirements, in combination with other prevention strategies, including COVID-19 vaccination, are critical to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools.” The study analyzed “differences between county-level pediatric … Continue reading

COVID-19 update: CDC panel recommends Pfizer booster shot for some

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on September 23, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus

On September 23, 2021, a panel of experts from the CDC, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (“ACIP”), recommended that three categories of people should receive a COVID-19 booster shot: (1) those aged 65 and older; (2) those in long-term care residencies; and (3) those over 18 with underlying medical conditions. ACIP members voted unanimously … Continue reading

COVID-19 update: CDC releases updated masking recommendations

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on July 27, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, Regulatory

On July 27, 2021, Dr. Rochelle Walenksy updated the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (“CDC”) recommendation regarding mask use for vaccinated individuals in a Media Telebriefing concerning COVID-19. At the time of this writing, the transcript is not yet available on the CDC’s media announcements. During the update, Dr. Walensky explained the … Continue reading

COVID-19 update: CDC student guidelines and Delta variant

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on July 15, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, Regulatory

On Friday, July 9, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) released new guidelines for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The CDC updated its guidelines to “provide safe and supportive learning environments for students.” It recognized that outbreaks of COVID-19 have occurred in schools; however, it indicated that multiple studies show that … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CDC Updates Mask Guidance

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Mary Ytterberg (US) on May 13, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

On May 13, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) released an update that fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a mask in most settings. The update continues the trend of public health authorities relaxing previous guidelines for individuals that have received a COVID-19 vaccine. See Health Law Pulse posts … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Updates Mask Guidelines

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US), Jeff Wurzburg (US) and Mary Ytterberg (US) on April 28, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

On Tuesday, April 27, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC) unveiled updated guidelines detailing activities that vaccinated people can safely resume. The guidelines continue the trend of public health authorities relaxing previous guidelines for individuals that have received a COVID-19 vaccine. See Health Law Pulse posts here, here and here. After … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CDC Updates Travel Guidelines While New Double Variant Emerges

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on April 5, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General, International

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) has updated its travel guidelines, advising that there is low risk for fully vaccinated individuals to travel domestically. The CDC further provides that for fully vaccinated individuals COVID-19 testing or a quarantine period is unnecessary following travel. When traveling internationally, the CDC states that testing is … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CDC Updates School Guidelines

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on March 19, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

On March 19, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) released updated guidelines for K-12 schools that is anticipated to facilitate the reopening of schools across the country. The CDC states that “[o]pening schools for in-person learning as safely and quickly as possible, and keeping them open, is important given the many … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CDC Releases Guidance for Vaccinated Individuals

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on March 8, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

Ever since the U.S. declaration of a public health emergency on March 13, 2020, Americans have wondered what life would look like if and when a vaccine was developed. In December, the first vaccine was administered in the U.S. On March 8, 2021, the positive momentum accelerated when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CDC Increasing Sequencing for Virus Variants

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on February 26, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

The Biden Administration recently announced additional funding to increase genomic sequencing of COVID-19 to 25,000 samples a week. In a recent article in the Journal for the American Medical Association, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) Director Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CDC Recommends Double Masking and Changes Quarantine Guidelines

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on February 11, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

Two recent updates in COVID-19 guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) demonstrate the challenges faced by public health officials to appreciate and incorporate the ever-changing science surrounding the global pandemic. New guidance from the CDC recommends wearing a cloth mask over a medical mask. The CDC’s guidelines recommend: Choosing a … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: Secretary Azar Extends Pubic Health Emergency

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on January 8, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General, News from DC

On January 6, 2021 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar renewed the Public Health Emergency declaration, effective January 21, 2021. In a tweet, Secretary Azar announced the renewal and stated that “[o]ur work to combat the virus will continue, as will our work to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition.” The … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: First Person Receives COVID-19 Vaccine in U.S.

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on December 14, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General

Almost eleven months after the first confirmed coronavirus patient in the State of Washington (HL Pulse post here), the first dose of Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine was administered in the U.S. to a critical care nurse a little after 9:00 a.m. ET. This happened just three days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: First COVID-19 vaccine approved in UK

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on December 2, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, FDA & Food Safety, International

On December 2, 2020 the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (“MHRA”) announced approval of Pfizer and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine. According to a press release from the U.K. government: This was done using a regulatory process known as a ‘rolling review’. A ‘rolling review’ can be used to complete the assessment of a … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: First EUA for COVID-19 Vaccine Filing Imminent; CDC Urges Americans Not to Travel for Thanksgiving

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on November 20, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, FDA & Food Safety, General

On Friday November 20, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they would submit a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) seeking Emergency Use Authorization for their vaccine candidate. Earlier this week, the companies announced that at the completion of their Phase 3 trial, the vaccine was 95 percent effective. In addition to the effectiveness, … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CDC Updates Guidance on Public Transportation and Close Contacts

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on October 23, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General, News from DC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) continues to update COVID-19 guidance as more information is known about how the coronavirus spreads. On October 21, 2020, the CDC made a significant update to the definition of “close contact”. Individuals that have spent 15 cumulative minutes within six feet of an infected individual during a 24-hour … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: U.S. Surpasses 200,000 Fatalities; CDC Releases Holiday Guidelines

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on September 27, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General

This past week the United States surpassed the grim milestone of 200,000 COVID-19 deaths and seven million cases of COVID-19. The spread of the virus has altered the way we work, live, and play around the world and will soon touch on one of the most treasured times of the year, the holiday season. The … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: FDA Inspections Signal Resumption of Government Enforcement Efforts

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on July 14, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General, Regulatory

On July 10, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it would resume domestic on-site inspections beginning the week of July 20. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA suspended inspections of facilities in March “to help slow the spread of the virus and help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic.” To … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: The Joint Commission Resumes Laboratory Survey Activities

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on June 29, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General

In a special LabFocus The Joint Commission revealed they have resumed some laboratory survey activities. TJC stated that “[a]ccount executives are contacting organizations due for a survey to assess the impact that the coronavirus pandemic had on their operations and their current state.” To determine which organizations will be surveyed, TJC is looking at “a … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: World Health Organization Warns of Dangerous Phase

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on June 22, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General, International

During a press conference on June 19, 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that “[t]he pandemic is accelerating” and that we are now in a “dangerous phase” where the virus is “spreading fast.” June 22, 2020 saw the largest single day spike in cases, with 183,020 new cases worldwide. In the … Continue reading