COVID Training
CMS Offers Training
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will finally offer guidance. CMS announced an infection control training program is now available. The training program aims to stop the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes. The program offers safety guidance to frontline facility workers and managers. Thousands of caregivers have died because of lack of training, staffing, and PPE.
There are five training modules for staff members, and 10 modules for management. The training for staff is titled “CMS Targeted COVID-19 Training for Frontline Nursing Home Staff.” The training will address concerns recently found by surveyors and government “strike” teams concerning basic infection control and prevention practices. Staff still do not wash hands properly and regularly.
The training program for management, called “CMS Targeted COVID-19 Training for Nursing Home Management,” targets infection control and cleanliness but also larger institution-wide issues such as implementation of telehealth, emergency preparedness and vaccine delivery. CMS officials observed that even simple practices such as hand hygiene, widespread availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) have remained persistent problems for nursing homes during the pandemic.
More than 850,000 people globally have died from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. has reported the most deaths caused by COVID-19 of any country at more than 180,000. The U.S. could save nearly hundreds of thousands of lives by December if Trump implements universal mask mandates. But he refuses. Researchers also found that another 175,000 could die by December if Trump continues to ignore the virus. Trump must take further safety measures or more preventable deaths will occur on his watch. That number could worsen if mandates are relaxed.
Data and treatments
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) revised its coronavirus treatment guidelines. The IDSA recommends that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine not be used for COVID-19 patients. Trump must be mad. The IDSA recommended against the use of the drug in conjunction with the antibiotic azithromycin. The updated guideline marking a tougher stance on the drug praised by Trump.
Last Spring, the Trump administration used billions of dollars needed for medical funding to pressure hospitals. Congress passed the funds with no preconditions. But Trump wanted to pay a campaign donor back. Trump coerced hospitals to share data with a Trump ally collecting data for a new Covid-19 database. Trump bypassed the reliable Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The highly unusual demand was aimed at hospitals in coronavirus hot spots. The level of corruption is incredible.
According to a recent poll, 58% of Republicans consider 175,000 covid deaths as “acceptable” when “evaluating the U.S. efforts against the coronavirus pandemic,” compared with 30% of voters overall. Ninety percent of Democrats and 67% of independents said the death toll was “unacceptable.” Good job, Trumpie! The Cult of Personality continues.
