COVID-19 Therapeutics Information for Alaska's Health Care Providers and Tribal Health Partners, March 18, 2022 

 

Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Public Health, Director's Office

P.O. Box 110610, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0650

 

March 18, 2022

Dear Health Care Professionals and Tribal Health Partners,  

There have been several updates to resources available to clinicians since the last time we sent a letter about COVID-19 therapeutics. As many more people have heard about these lifesaving therapeutics, you may be getting more questions from patients about their eligibility to receive them. In addition, as the information continues to develop, we want to ensure you have the most current information and resources available to you.   

About COVID-19 Therapeutics:  

Early action is vital: Consider discussing treatment options, the importance of testing, and reporting symptoms with high-risk patients during routine care. 

• Treatments must begin quickly after getting sick. Both oral antivirals (Paxlovid and Molnupiravir) must begin as soon as 5 days after symptom onset. 
• Patients must have a positive test result to begin treatment.
• Treatments reduce hospitalizations for high-risk patients as defined here: Underlying Conditions. The list of high-risk conditions continues to be expanded. We encourage health care providers to educate high risk patients about treatments during routine care appointments.
• Treatments are generally available at low or no cost.
• Patients will need a prescription from you.

Our website has been updated with resources for clinicians: Outpatient Treatments as well as the public. We recommend you get familiar with the site and bookmark it as we will continue to keep it current as new information emerges.

Attached to this email, or linked below:   

1. A side by side overview of the authorized treatments of mild-moderate COVID-19 with links to fact sheets for more details. Link: https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Documents/side-by-side-overview.pdf
2. Decision Aid: to help determine what therapeutic to provide depending on the individual patient. Link: https://www.phe.gov/emergency/events/COVID19/therapeutics/Documents/COVID-Therapeutics-Decision-Aid.pdf
3. Federal Response to COVID-19: Therapeutics Clinical Implementation Guide—includes the following topics: Overview, Product Information, Reimbursement, Monoclonal Antibody Administration, Oral Therapeutics Administration, and Additional Resources. This is a very detailed toolkit and has some great resources such as checklists for those prescribing therapeutics. Link:  https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Documents/USG-COVID19-Tx-Playbook.pdf
4. The COVID-19 Therapeutics Locator: is an interactive map that assists health care professionals with identifying licensed and authorized locations where patients can fill prescriptions or receive therapy. The locator displays public locations with available courses of U.S. Government-procured COVID-19 therapeutics. These therapeutics are available under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA). The locations displayed can be filtered by product name via the “therapeutic selector” drop box. The number of courses available at each location is listed. (attached) 
5. Template for writing prescriptions for COVID-19 oral therapeutics. (attached) Link: https://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/id/Pages/COVID-19/therapeutics.aspx
6. Treatment flyer: please print and post in your offices, waiting rooms, and distribute widely to get the word out. (attached) 

The Therapeutics team is here to help answer your questions, so please reach out if you have any questions: covidquestions@alaska.gov or our COVID Call Center at 907-646-3322. As always, you are encouraged to join our ECHOs, specifically the one for Medical Providers held on the first Tuesday of each month: ECHO Calendar 

 

 

Coleman Cutchins, PharmD, BCPS

State Pharmacist, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

 

• Molnupiravir Checklist .pdf
• 4-Therapeutic locator updates Fact Sheet FINAL.pdf
• HSS_DPH_Therapeutics Provider Letter March 18 2022.pdf
• 5- Template for Oral Prescriptions.docx
• Paxlovid Checklist.pdf