Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome new members to our Association. Our Associate Members have demonstrated their commitment to the senior care provider community by joining Mass Senior Care and participating as exhibitors and sponsors for events and educational conferences. Mass Senior Care members are encouraged to contact Associate Members when they are in need of long term care products and services. You can find all of our Associate Members listed on our website, www.maseniorcare.org/preferred-vendors.

Recent updates regarding COVID-19 include: COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs, State’s COVID-19 Staffing Portal 3.0, COVID-19 Vaccination Criteria, CMS Updated Guidance on Focused Infection Control Surveys, and Update to Comprehensive PPE Guidance

Now that we are nearing the end of the second week of the federal vaccination clinic rollout, nearly 320 facilities have successfully completed their first clinics and are reporting that these highly anticipated events are running smoothly. CVS and Walgreens have been conducting the clinics for both residents and staff and anticipate having all clinics completed by January 25, 2021.

Members are invited to join today’s COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Session with CMS and CDC, provided information on CMS revised criteria for conducting focused infection control surveys and survey FAQs, update to comprehensive PPE guidance, and clarification on reporting of BinaxNOW POC test results.

Information provided on the MassHealth Nursing Facility Bulletin 159 which updates the conditions for participating in the new targeted Isolation Space program, COVID-19 Long-Term Care Staffing Portal 3.0, COVID-19 Vaccination Criteria, and DPH Weekly Call new participant code.

Members are reminded the DPH Skilled Nursing Facilities Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Survey is due tomorrow, and updated on MassHealth Nursing Facility Bulletin 158: Updated COVID-19 Ongoing Surveillance Testing Requirements for Nursing Facilities which supersedes MassHealth Nursing Facility Bulletin 152.