Health care professionals from all care settings are encouraged to use the resources listed in this TMF Quality Innovation Network change package to help care for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Note, you must log into this website to download this change package.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert about the CDC and Food and Drug Administration’s recommended pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for adverse events involving a rare type of blood clot and can provide proper management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot. This alert includes specific recommendations for clinicians.

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed gaps in equitable health coverage and equal access to health care. The solution to attain health equity is to engage all organizations - not just health care organizations and facilities - to work together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has listed some guidance for community and faith-based organizations, private employers, public health agencies and state, tribal, local and territorial governments.

Listen to this webinar recording from the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement featuring a panel of state and regional thought leaders that highlight successes and challenges to equitable COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

As part of President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will invest $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan to ramp up screening testing to help schools reopen, $2.25 billion to scale up testing in underserved populations, and provide new guidance on asymptomatic screening testing in schools, workplaces and congregate settings.

Download this toolkit from Cynosure Health, which is designed to help hospital leaders increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health care workers and help them become confident advocates for COVID-19 vaccination in their communities.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health will offer the funding as health literacy grants to localities, who will partner with community-based organizations, to reach racial and ethnic minority, rural and other vulnerable populations.

Watch this video presentation, hosted by the Health Resources and Services Administration, to learn how to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. This recording features Catherine Lindsey Satterwhite, PhD, MSPH, MPH, regional health administrator for the U.S. Department and Health Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in Region VII; Marwan Haddad MD, MPH, AAHIVS; and Kasey Harding MPH. You must use the following passcode to access the video: n1c=*y70.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of Johnson & Johnson, will be the first federal partner to use repurposed Merck facilities to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine. Merck will use two of its facilities to produce drug substance, formulate and fill vials of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.

The de Beaumont Foundation offers concise, practical guidance around language and messaging to support vaccine acceptance. This toolkit includes communication tips and specific recommended language emerging from a broader survey conducted on the topic.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued new guidance removing barriers to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and vaccinations, and strengthening requirements that plans and issuers cover diagnostic testing without cost sharing.

The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity has released two videos that speak to the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, how communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and how it is important to get vaccinated to protect themselves and loved ones from the virus. The videos are available in English and Spanish.

Do you know how to code for administering a COVID-19 vaccine? View this webpage from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for more information.

Health care providers can view this webpage from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to learn how to enroll in Medicare to bill for administering COVID-19 vaccines.

What do you need to know to get a COVID-19 vaccine? View this Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website for answers to your questions about the vaccine, including where to sign up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

View the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health website to see a list of health care providers who are administering the COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is implementing 21 new procedure codes into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10_PCS) for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.