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This message is being sent to local public health officers, Tribal health directors, local public health department staff, local health department nurses, the DHS health alert network (HAN), infection preventionists, Assisted Living Forum, and DQA Notifications.
CDC Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory: Urgent Need to Increase Immunization Coverage for Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV Immunizations and Use of Authorized/Approved Therapeutics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Wisconsin Department of Health Services are alerting health care providers to low vaccination rates against influenza, COVID-19, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). Low vaccination rates, coupled with ongoing increases in national and international respiratory disease activity caused by multiple pathogens, including influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), and RSV, could lead to more severe disease and increased health care capacity strain in the coming weeks.
Health care providers should administer influenza, COVID-19, and RSV immunizations now to patients, if recommended. Health care providers should recommend antiviral medications for influenza and COVID-19 for all eligible patients, especially patients at high-risk of progression to severe disease such as older adults and people with certain underlying medical conditions.
Data from the DHS COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard show only 12% of Wisconsinites have received an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Data from the DHS Influenza Vaccine Dashboard show only 30.3% of Wisconsinites have received the flu vaccine.
Last week, DHS issued the news release, DHS Continues to Make COVID-19 Treatment Easily Available as Cases Climb, to emphasize the importance of getting COVID-19 antiviral treatments within five days of symptoms onset, and to promote the state’s easy-to-use COVID-19 treatment telehealth service. The service is available to adults statewide, accessible through internet and telephone. Consultations are available in 17 languages and are available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If eligible, a clinician can prescribe an oral antiviral pill that can be filled at over 600 pharmacies in the state or have it mailed overnight to your residence.
Learn more about COVID-19 treatments. Find COVID-19 vaccine near you at Vaccines.gov.
View the HAN for more information.
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