AHPA continues to follow new COVID-19 regulations, guidance and other government actions. The updates below are the latest guidance and other developments since December 21 to help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. For earlier COVID-19 regulations and guidance, visit the previous Policy Brief.

Trump Administration Announces Plan to Speed Up Vaccine Delivery

• The Trump Administration has announced its plan to begin accelerating vaccine delivery by offering vaccinations in pharmacies. Within the next two weeks, the Administration estimates that between 3,000 and 6,000 pharmacies could begin administering COVID-19 shots.

FEMA Extends Rule Prioritizing Scarce PPE for Domestic Use

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended their rule allocating certain health and medical resources for domestic use, prohibiting their exportation without explicit FEMA approval.

FDA Warns of False Negative Risk from Curative’s COVID-19 Test

• The FDA has warned that Curative’s SARS-CoV-2 test could produce false negative test results and that health care providers should strictly follow its authorization and labeling.

Updated FAQs for State Medicaid Agencies’ COVID-19 Pandemic Response

CMS has posted additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to Medicaid.gov, to aid state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.