The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 12.

White House

• President Biden announced his administration’s objective of making every American eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by May 1.  See a fact sheet about the announcement.
• The White House has posted a transcript of the March 12 press briefing provided by its COVID-19 response team and public health officials.
• President Biden will nominate Melanie Egorin to serve as HHS’s Assistant Secretary for Legislation.

Department of Health and Human Services

• HHS announced that an additional 700 health centers supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration will be invited to join its health center COVID-19 vaccine program.  These health centers will have the opportunity to join the program over the next six weeks, increasing the total number of invited health center participants to 950.
• HHS is exercising its authority under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to add additional categories of qualified people authorized to prescribe, dispense, and administer COVID-19 vaccines, including dentists, EMTs, midwives, optometrists, paramedics, physician assistants, podiatrists, respiratory therapists, and veterinarians.  This action also authorizes medical students, nursing students, and other health care students in the professions listed under the PREP Act with proper training and professional supervision to serve as vaccinators.  Learn more from this announcement and go here for further information about who will be eligible to administer vaccines.
• The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 signed into law yesterday is expected to enhance access to and affordability of health insurance through the Marketplace by increasing eligibility for financial assistance for Marketplace plans.  See an HHS fact sheet for additional information about the new COVID-19 relief law.

HHS COVID-19 Stakeholder Calls

HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response sponsors COVID-19 Clinical Rounds Peer-to-Peer Virtual Communities of Practice that are interactive virtual learning sessions that seek to create a peer-to-peer learning network in which clinicians from the U.S. and abroad who have experience treating patients with COVID-19 share their challenges and successes.  These webinar topics are covered every week:

• EMS:  Patient Care and Operations (Mondays, 12:00-1:00 PM eastern)
• Critical Care:  Lifesaving Treatment and Clinical Operations (Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 PM eastern)
• Emergency Department:  Patient Care and Clinical Operations (Thursdays, 12:00-1:00 PM eastern)

Go here for information about signing up to participate in the sessions and go here for access to materials and video recordings of past sessions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• The CDC has updated its guidance on when people who have had COVID-19, or believe they have had COVID-19, can be around other people again.
• The CDC has updated its FAQs on COVID-19 vaccines.
• The CDC has updated its guidance on the advisability of people with certain underlying medical conditions receiving COVID-19 vaccines.
• The CDC has updated its guidance on routine medical procedures or screenings that can be performed before or after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
• The CDC has updated its guidance on cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools and homes to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.