See the full notice, which includes the following DC Health Recommendations for Healthcare Providers 

1) UPDATED: Criteria to Guide Evaluation of Patients Under Investigation (PUI) for 2019-nCoV 

2) Immediate notification to DC Health 
3) Infection Control Recommendations

4) Specimen Collection Guidelines  

For the most up-to-date CDC guidance, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

Health Alert Notice for DC Healthcare Providers

The CDC is closely monitoring a reported cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology (PUE) with possible epidemiologic links to a large wholesale fish and live animal market in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.This Health Alert Notice provides situational awareness about this outbreak and reinforces the importance of asking patients about recent travel history.


To review the full notice, please see Health Alert Notice.

Matt Baker

HHSREGION3

Delaware | District of Columbia | Maryland  | Pennsylvania | Virginia | West Virginia  V

December 3, 2019

Dear Partners,

Today, HHS is announcing Ready, Set, PrEP, a national program that will provide HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications to thousands of Americans. Truvada for PrEP^® and Descovy^® are safe and effective medications that keep people from getting HIV and this program will bring the nation one step closer to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States.

More than one million Americans could benefit from taking PrEP medications but only a small percentage are using this effective HIV prevention tool. The Ready, Set, PrEP program provides access to PrEP medications at no cost for people who qualify. Over the next ten years, Ready, Set, PrEP will increase access and ensure these life-changing drugs are available to people at high risk.

To qualify for Ready, Set, PrEP, individuals must test negative for HIV, have a valid prescription, and not have prescription drug coverage. All prescriptions are fully covered for qualifying participants, however, the costs of necessary clinic visits and lab tests may vary depending on income. Individuals can find out if they qualify by visiting GetYourPrep.com or calling 855-447-8410.

For more information about Ready, Set, PrEP, visit HIV.gov.  There, you will also find information cards, posters, consumer flyers, and other available resources for easy downloading and printing to help promote the program to potential participants in your community. 

Ready, Set, PrEP is a key component of the Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) initiative. EHE aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the United States by 75 percent in five years and by 90 percent in 10 years. By increasing awareness and access to PrEP, the Ready, Set, PrEP program will provide thousands of people a safe, effective way to prevent HIV and bring our nation one step closer to ending the HIV epidemic. 

Recognizing the importance of expanded access to HIV PrEP medications, CVS Health, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have donated their dispensing services to HHS. Beginning no later than March 30, 2020, as part of these donations, qualified patients can obtain the PrEP medications at the more than 21,000 combined CVS Health, Walgreens, and Rite Aid locations throughout 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands or through mail order—all at no cost to patients. These pharmacies represent about a third of all the pharmacies in the United States. CVS Health, Walgreens, and Rite Aid will also provide patient counseling and take steps to promote patient adherence to the regimen.  Between now and March 30, 2020 patients will be able to access PrEP medications through this program at thousands of participating pharmacies.

Thank you in advance for your support in increasing the uptake of PrEP medications among those who can benefit most from PrEP. The time is now to end the HIV epidemic in the United States.  Working together, I know we can achieve this goal.

Best regards,

Matthew E. Baker

HHS, Regional Director, Region III

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

801 Market Street, Suite 8000

Philadelphia, PA 19107-3134

The following is from a notice from DC Health, Division of Epidemiology–Disease Surveillance and Investigation, posted on March 26, 2019
******************************************************

Health Notice for District of Columbia Health Care Providers
Guidance on Measles Testing and Control Measures

SUMMARY
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State Health Departments are investigating measles outbreaks in multiple states. From January 1 to February 28, 2019, 206 people from 10 states (CA, CO, CT, GA, IL, NJ, NY, OR, TX, and WA) have been reported as having measles. Five outbreaks (defined as 3 or more linked cases) have been reported, in Rockland County, New York; Monroe County, New York; New York City; Washington; Texas; and Illinois. Of these outbreaks, two are ongoing from 2018. These outbreaks have been linked to travelers from other countries such as Israel and Ukraine, where large measles outbreaks are occurring.

This health notice is to inform healthcare facilities about the measles outbreaks, and to provide guidance regarding measles testing recommendations and control measures to help prevent an outbreak in Washington, DC. DC Health is urging healthcare providers to maintain an increased index of suspicion for measles in patients with clinically-compatible symptoms, and to ensure that all patients are up to date on MMR vaccine, including before international travel.

Background
Measles is a highly contagious, acute viral disease. It is transmitted through direct contact wth infectious droplets and by airborne spread. It begins with a prodrome of fever, cough, coryza (runny nose), and conjunctivitis (pink eye). These symptoms last two to four days prior to rash onset. The rash is typically maculopapular and spreads from the head to the trunk, then lower extremities. Infected individuals are contagious from four days before to four days after the rash appears. After an infected person leaves a location, the virus remains viable for up to two hours on surfaces and in the air. The incubation period for measles from exposure to fever onset is usually about 10 days (range, 7 to 12 days) and from exposure to rash onset is usually 14 days (range, 7 to 21 days). Measles can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and death. There is no treatment for measles; the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination is the best way to
prevent measles infection.

Recommendations for Healthcare Providers
 Discuss the importance of MMR vaccine with parents, Listen and respond to parents’ questions and prepare for questions parents may ask.
   o More information can be found on the CDC’s Provider Resources for Vaccine
Conversation with Parents.
 Ensure all patients are up to date on MMR vaccine (review vaccination section for more details)
 Consider measles in any patient presenting with a febrile rash illness and clinically compatible measles symptoms (cough, coryza, and/or conjunctivitis).
   o Ask patients about recent international or domestic travel to an area with an ongoing outbreak, history of measles exposures in their communities, or whether they had contact with someone with a febrile rash illness.
 Promptly isolate patients with suspected measles and immediately report cases to DC Health.
   o Immediately provide a mask or place patients in an airborne isolation room when
available.
   o For outpatient facilities, any waiting or public areas and shared air spaces (including
those with shared air ducts) should be cleared for two hours after the patient has left the area.
 Obtain specimens for testing, including viral specimens for confirmation and genotyping

To review the full notice, including Vaccination, Diagnostic Testing, Reporting, see DC Health Notice.

See the full Health Notice for DC Health Care Providers.

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A large majority of Americans want the federal government to increase funding to prevent Zika’s spread in the U.S. and also help women at risk in affected areas get access to abortion, contraception and family planning services, according to a poll released Thursday.

The virus, which has reached epidemic levels in Latin America and the Caribbean and is likely to spread further this summer, has been linked to serious birth defects in babies born to infected mothers.

The Kaiser Family Foundation’s survey revealing broad public support for federal Zika spending landed as Congress remains in a months-long stalemate over allocating emergency funds to combat the mosquito-borne virus. On Tuesday, a Senate vote that was split along party lines left a $1.1 billion proposal in limbo.  

There have been more than 800 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the U.S. — including 265 pregnant women — and all stemmed from travel outside the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But in Puerto Rico, CDC figures show, more than 1,800 people have caught the virus, including from locally infected mosquitoes in the territory. The virus also can be spread through sexual contact.

Read the full article.