Healthcare Professionals Newsletter - November/December Edition

Virginia Department of Health sent this bulletin at 12/11/2024 10:00 AM EST

November/December 2024

Healthcare Professionals Newsletter

🚭Reducing Tobacco Use🚭

In honor of the coming new year, remember to ask all patients about their tobacco use. VDH has a series of info sheet flyers available to help with these conversations. Several flyers highlight related health issues such as diabetes, COPD and heart disease. Others offer tips such as quitting before surgery. To download and print these flyers, see the VDH Tobacco Control Program Resources. To refer patients to free and confidential Quit Services, visit Quit Now Virginia.

Increase in Pediatric Pneumonia and Pertussis Infections

✅ VDH continues to see an increase in cases of pertussis (whooping cough). 

✅ VDH has seen a significant rise in emergency department and urgent care visits involving diagnosed pneumonia in children aged 0-17 years.  

✅ For more information, please see the November 19 VDH Clinician Letter. 

First Clade I Mpox Case Reported in the United States

✅ On November 18, 2024, CDC released a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory about the first U.S. patient with clade I mpox.

✅ The risk of clade I mpox to the U.S. public remains low. 

✅ Healthcare providers should continue to: 

Consider mpox as a possible diagnosis in patients with epidemiologic characteristics and symptoms consistent with mpox. 
Contact your local health department to report suspected mpox cases and request clade testing in patients who traveled to Central or Eastern Africa in the 21 days before symptom onset. 
Recommend vaccination to people who are eligible for mpox vaccine, including those who may have a recent mpox exposure.

✅ For more information, please see CDC’s Mpox Updates for Clinicians

Vaccination Updates 

➡️ CDC approved several changes regarding the use of respiratory vaccines. This follows CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting on October 23–24, 2024.

➡️ For the updated recommendations, see the following CDC webpages:

Paxlovid Benefits

➡️ A recent study found that Paxlovid reduced COVID-19 hospitalizations and prevented Long COVID in adults during the Omicron-variant period.  

➡️ Paxlovid was associated with a 61% lower risk of hospitalization and a 58% reduced risk of developing long COVID.  

➡️ For more information on COVID-19 treatment, see VDH’s webpage. 

Underused Flu Antiviral Treatment

➡️ During the 2023-24 flu season in outpatient settings, only 31% of children and adolescents recommended to receive flu antiviral treatment were prescribed antivirals.  

➡️ All hospitalized children and adolescents and those at higher risk for flu complications seen in the outpatient setting with suspected flu should receive antivirals as soon as possible to reduce the risk of complications. 

➡️ For more information, please see CDC’s recent MMWR report. 

Marburg Outbreak in Rwanda Updates

➡️ On November 9, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office stated that it has started a 42-day countdown until the outbreak can be declared over, after Rwanda’s last Marburg patient was discharged from the hospital. 

➡️ CDC considers the risk of infection in the U.S. to be low. 

➡️ For more information, see VDH’s Marburg webpage.  

Virginia Mental Health Access Program

➡️The Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP) is a statewide initiative that increases access and improves mental, behavioral, and emotional health and development.

➡️ It does so by providing education, consultation, and care navigation to medical providers.

➡️VMAP services are available to Virginia PCPs and emergency department staff at no cost. 

➡️ For more information, please visit the VMAP website.

New VMAP for Moms+ Line

➡️ VMAP for Moms+ is a new initiative for any Virginia healthcare provider who screens or provides clinical care for perinatal persons.

➡️The initiative provides CME/CE trainings for healthcare providers on screening, diagnosing, and treating perinatal mental health conditions.

➡️For referrals, providers can call 888-371-VMAP (8627) 

➡️ For more information visit vmap.org/vmap-for-moms/

New & Updated Resources from the VDH HAI/AR Program

➡️ CPO and C. auris Education Booklets for Healthcare Facilities: Learn more about how Candida auris and carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) affect healthcare settings. These booklets provide important tips to help facility leaders and staff prevent and control the spread of these organisms.

➡️ Enhanced Barrier Precautions Algorithm: This algorithm helps nursing home staff know when to use Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP). This resource also outlines how to implement EBP.

➡️ Wound Care Infection Prevention and Control Trainings: This new three-part video series describes the infection prevention and control practices that should be followed during wound care procedures.

Part 1: Wound Care Infection Risks and Your Infection Prevention Program (Video; PDF; Transcript)

Part 2: Standard Precautions for Wound Care (Video; PDF; Transcript)

Part 3: Use of Transmission-Based and Enhanced Barrier Precautions for Wound Care (Video; PDF; Transcript)

➡️ Injection Safety Educational Poster: Stay safe with every injection! Follow these simple steps to make sure injections are given safely.

School Entrance Health Form Update

➡️ The School Entrance Health Form (MCH213G) has been updated.

➡️ The updated fillable form and instructions are available on the School Health webpage.

🔗 Resources for Clinicians

🔗 Clinician Letters

🔗 VDH Respiratory Disease in Virginia

Did someone forward this email to you?

Subscribe here to get future updates straight to your inbox!

Virginia COVID-19 Information Center
1-877-VAX-IN-VA | 1-877-829-4682 | Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

Manage Preferences | Unsubscribe | Subscriber Help