Tag archives: COVID-19

COVID-19 Update: US Supreme Court decisions stay OSHA ETS, uphold CMS vaccine mandate

In a 6-3 decision handed down on Thursday, January 13, 2022, the US Supreme Court ordered a stay on the federal OSHA COVID “vaccine-or-test” Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). The stay is predicated on the Court’s finding that the petitioners’ challenges to the ETS are likely to succeed and will remain in effect until a final … 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: Omicron- The New Variant of the Coronavirus

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on November 29, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

On Friday, November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) reported a new variant of COVID-19, the Omicron variant, was detected in South Africa. There is no indication the new variant is more contagious or more lethal, or that it is resistant to the COVID-19 vaccine. The WHO did report, however, that the Omicron variant … Continue reading

CMS Issues COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Interim Final Rule

By Yvonne Puig (US), Thomas Dowdell (US) and Mark Faccenda (US) on November 5, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General, Regulatory

On November 4, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an interim final rule requiring that Medicare-certified providers implement policies for vaccination of all health care workers against COVID-19. Compliance with the requirement will be a Condition of Participation in the Medicare program, and providers may be subject to survey, requests for … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: Panel of FDA Vaccine Advisers Vote in Favor of Vaccination for Children

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on October 26, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

On Tuesday, October 26, 2021, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee members voted to approve vaccinations for children aged 5 through 11. Specifically, the panel addressed the following question: “Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Pfizer . . . Vaccine when administered as a 2-dose … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: White House Plan for Vaccinating Children

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on October 21, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, the White House discussed in a press conference its plan for vaccinating children aged 5 through 11. The White House stated it has worked closely with “governors, pediatricians, pharmacies, community health centers, rural health centers, and other vaccine providers” in preparation of a vaccine rollout. Of course, these plans are … 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: Availability of the Pfizer vaccine

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on September 20, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus

On September 17, 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee rejected Pfizer’s application for the booster shot of its COVID-19 vaccine for all individuals. The advisory committee was tasked with discussing Pfizer’s supplemental application for administration of this third dose for individuals aged 16 and older, and … Continue reading

COVID-19 update: FDA warns against COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than twelve

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on September 13, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus

On September 10, 2021, the Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Janet Woodcock, M.D., and Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Peter Marks, M.D., PhD., issued a statement on behalf of the FDA regarding the vaccination of children under the age of twelve. The FDA noted there are different issues that need … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: Biden Administration requires COVID-19 vaccine or proof of negative COVID-19 test for employees at large companies

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on September 10, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, Regulatory

On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced a new, upcoming mandate that requires all employers with 100 or more employees “to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work.” The Biden Administration projects this … Continue reading

COVID-19 update: United States military requires COVID-19 vaccine

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on August 28, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, Regulatory

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued a memorandum on August 25, 2021, mandating immediate and full COVID-19 vaccines for all members of the United States Armed Forces, including the Ready Reserve and National Guard. The memorandum began, “To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force.” The Secretary of Defense noted … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: Pfizer vaccine fully approved by FDA

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on August 23, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, FDA & Food Safety

On August 23, 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) granted full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (“Pfizer”) vaccine for individuals sixteen-years-old and older. This change shifts the vaccine from emergency-use only and is the first COVID-19 vaccine granted approval by the FDA in the United States. For individuals aged twelve through fifteen, the … Continue reading

COVID-19 update: White House recommends COVID-19 booster shot for most Americans

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on August 18, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, News from DC

On August 18, 2021, the Biden Administration announced with top US health officials a recommendation that Americans receive a COVID-19 booster shot eight months after their second dose was administered. The Administration is not recommending a booster for the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine pending additional data. The statement began, “The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: FDA announces availability of COVID-19 booster shot for immunocompromised

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on August 13, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus

On August 12, 2021, the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) authorized a COVID-19 vaccine booster for immunocompromised individuals. Because booster vaccines were not previously authorized under the FDA’s emergency use authorization, the FDA’s announcement today was a necessary step to begin administering booster vaccines. This is the first time an additional dose of … Continue reading

World Health Organization urges moratorium for COVID-19 booster shots

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on August 10, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General, Regulatory

On August 4, 2021, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (“WHO”) emphasized the import of delaying the administration of booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine until at least September 2021. He believes this delay will allow at least 10% of the population of every country to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Director Ghebreyesus … Continue reading

Biden administration requires federal employees to receive COVID-19 vaccination with Delta variant on the rise

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

On Thursday, July 29, 2021, the White House confirmed that the Biden Administration would articulate new goals related to COVID-19 and the Delta variant: Strengthening safety protocols for federal employees and federal contractors. Protecting those who serve our country. Expanding paid leave to get families and kids vaccinated. Calling on state and local governments to … 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

The Joint Commission seeks to address disparities in the health care system

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Hannah Putnam (US) on July 19, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, Regulatory

The Joint Commission issued a new advisory to encourage health care providers to take tangible steps to better understand and meet the needs of the diverse populations of which they serve. The Joint Commission recognized that COVID-19 has “shed a light on the many gaps in health care that diverse populations have experienced for decades.” … 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

OSHA Updates Its COVID Interim Enforcement Response Plan

By Kevin Mayer (US) on July 12, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, Enforcement, General

Based on an evaluation of current inspection and illness data, federal OSHA has revised its March 21, 2021 National Emphasis Program (NEP), adjusting the targeted industries to those most at risk for COVID-19 exposure. The revised NEP still includes healthcare and non-healthcare industries, including meat and poultry processing, but eliminates a prior appendix that provided … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: OSHA Issues Emergency Workplace Rules Applicable to Health Care

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

As we previously announced, on June 10, 2021 the U.S. Department of Labor issued long anticipated emergency workplace guidelines. The Emergency Temporary Standard is applicable to health care entities such as hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. The full regulation text may be found here. The new rules do not apply to dispensing of … 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: Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Approved for Teens

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

On May 10, 2021 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) announced that the Pfizer-BioNTech Emergency Use Authorization (“EUA”) would be expanded to include children ages 12-15. Previously, the vaccine had been approved for individuals 16 and older. The press release stated that between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021 there were approximately 1.5 … Continue reading