Provider Resources WA

06/24/22 Health Advisory: Updated Monkeypox Guidance

| June 23, 2022
Scientists in lab using microscope

Requested actions Immediately report suspected monkeypox cases to Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Call (253) 649‑1412. Consider submitting a suspect monkeypox intake form to help us determine whether to test for monkeypox. Be aware, recent confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States differ from the classic monkeypox presentation of previous outbreaks. To date, all United States … 06/24/22 Health Advisory: Updated Monkeypox Guidance

06/22/22 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Vaccine for Children as Young as 6 Months

| June 22, 2022
two babies in a pool on floaties

Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup concluded COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for children as young as 6 months. Available to children 6 months to 4 years old: Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, in a 3-dose primary series. Be sure to review dosage and vial labeling … 06/22/22 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Vaccine for Children as Young as 6 Months

06/08/22 Health Advisory: Routine childhood immunization rates down

| June 8, 2022

Requested actions Bring your child and adolescent patients’ vaccinations up to date at every opportunity. Contact families who missed well-child visits or childhood vaccinations and ask them to come in for an appointment. Explain to families why it’s important to keep children’s and adolescents’ vaccinations up to date. Review Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s … 06/08/22 Health Advisory: Routine childhood immunization rates down

05/24/22 Health Advisory: COVID-19 rebound after Paxlovid treatment

| May 24, 2022
close up of a line of prescription pill bottles

Requested actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory about COVID-19 rebound after Paxlovid treatment. Continue to offer Paxlovid for early-stage treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in people at high risk of severe disease. Be aware, providers have reported COVID-19 rebound—recurring symptoms or a new positive test after … 05/24/22 Health Advisory: COVID-19 rebound after Paxlovid treatment

05/24/22 Health Advisory: Monkeypox virus in non-endemic countries

| May 24, 2022
Tray of lab tubes with green and purple tops

Requested actions Be aware, monkeypox virus infections are occurring in non-endemic countries, including 1 case in the United States. Assess for alternative etiologies in conditions causing pox-like lesions—herpes simplex, syphilis, varicella, etc. Report suspected or confirmed monkeypox cases to the Health Department. Call (253) 649-1412. Background Since May 14, 2022, providers have reported clusters of … 05/24/22 Health Advisory: Monkeypox virus in non-endemic countries

05/20/22 Health Advisory: CDC Recommends 5-11 year olds get a Pfizer COVID-19 Booster

| May 20, 2022

Requested actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommend children 5–11 years old get a booster dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine 5 months after completing their primary series. The recommendation came after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded its emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer … 05/20/22 Health Advisory: CDC Recommends 5-11 year olds get a Pfizer COVID-19 Booster

05/19/22 Health Advisory: Severe Hepatitis of Unknown Cause in Children

| May 19, 2022

Requested actions Be aware cases of severe hepatitis are occurring in children in the United States and worldwide. Consider adenovirus testing for pediatric patients with hepatitis of unknown cause. Report suspected cases to the Health Department. Call (253) 649-1412. A suspected case is a child with elevated AST or ALT (>500 U/L) with hepatitis of … 05/19/22 Health Advisory: Severe Hepatitis of Unknown Cause in Children

05/12/22 Health Advisory: FDA Limits Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine.

| May 12, 2022
Syringe in vial

Requested actions Background FDA limited the authorized use of J&J to people age 18 years and older: This decision came after FDA analyzed, evaluated and investigated reported cases of TTS after getting J&J. TTS is rare and includes potentially life-threatening blood clots in combination with low levels of blood platelets. Symptoms typically start 1–2 weeks … 05/12/22 Health Advisory: FDA Limits Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine.

05/05/22 Health Advisory: Colorado person first U.S. case of H5 bird flu

| May 5, 2022
Black triangle with ! "Health Advisory" on yellow background

A person in Colorado tested positive for avian influenza A(H5N1) virus (H5 bird flu), Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported April 28, 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed it is the first U.S. case of H5 bird flu. The person was involved in the culling of poultry with presumptive H5 … 05/05/22 Health Advisory: Colorado person first U.S. case of H5 bird flu

04/27/22 Health Advisory: CDC Treatment Updates and ACIP discusses eligibility for second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine

| April 27, 2022
hands in blue medical gloves holding a syringe and drawing from a vile

Requested actions Be aware, on April 25, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory about the availability and use of recommended COVID-19 therapies. It also advised against using unproven treatments that have known or potential harm. Follow National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 treatment guidelines and use … 04/27/22 Health Advisory: CDC Treatment Updates and ACIP discusses eligibility for second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine