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The Latest from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
This information is reprinted from the HRSA HIV/AIDS Bulletin. For additional information on HAB and HRSA check out the HRSA HAB website.
HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau Update: Special Bulletin
April 14, 2021
CDC and FDA Call for Pause on Administration of J&J Vaccine
HHS released a joint CDC and FDA statement on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine yesterday. Based on six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot, HHS recommends that vaccine providers pause on administering the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine.
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is meeting today. Yesterday, CDC and FDA provided additional information and answered questions at a media briefing. A recording of that media call is now available.
People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
Updated HIV/AIDS Bureau Site Visit Guidance
Given the importance of HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) recipients in the local, state, and national response efforts, as well as CDC guidance, HAB will postpone all on-site visits planned through September 28, 2020. This decision is made in consideration of the potential impact to RWHAP service providers’ operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, HAB staff and consultants, as well as the need for staff to be available for immediate mission critical assignments.
Site visits are an important part of the RWHAP monitoring and oversight process. Therefore, HAB will reschedule the postponed comprehensive and other site visits as soon as is practical.
Updated COVID-19 FAQs
We continually update our Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) webpage, including new and updated questions on:
- Guidance for RWHAP recipients on allocating FY 2020 CARES Act funding
- RWHAP recipients conducting remote site visits
- COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal
COVID-19 Resources
- Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Coronavirus FAQ Webpage
- Technical Assistance Information for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program CARES Act Recipients
- Resources for People with HIV on HIV.gov
- HRSA’s Coronavirus Webpage
Thank you again for the vital work you do in your communities to provide care and treatment to people with HIV.
HRSA HAB COVID-19 FAQ Webpage UpdateHRSA HAB is continually updating the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) webpage. Recently added or updated questions include:
Access the COVID-19 FAQ Webpage. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services Report (RSR) Reporting Deadline: April 30 HRSA’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA HAB) RWHAP Services Report (RSR) reporting deadline is Thursday, April 30, 2020. The RSR is open and recipients can submit as early as possible; however, data will be accepted through April 30, 2020. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 activities and assess the impact on RWHAP recipient and subrecipient activities. As always, DART and Data Support are available to assist you with any technical assistance needs. (Not a U.S. government website) Updated HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau Site Visit Guidance Given the importance of HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) recipients in the local, state, and national response efforts, as well as CDC guidance, HAB will postpone all site visits planned through July 31, 2020. This decision is made in consideration of the potential impact to RWHAP service providers’ operations during the COVID-19 outbreak, HAB staff and consultants, as well as the need for staff to be available for immediate mission critical assignments. Site visits are an important part of the RWHAP monitoring and oversight process. Therefore, HAB will reschedule the postponed comprehensive and other site visits as soon as is practical. FY 2021 RWHAP Part C EIS NOFO Update - Funding Opportunity is Postponed HRSA’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) has received numerous communications from current recipients expressing concern that they will be unable to submit applications for competition due to extreme interruptions and barriers to normal business operations. HRSA recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on recipients’ staffing resources and their ability to conduct business functions and effectively address the emergency needs of clients. In consideration of these ongoing issues, HRSA has determined that the FY 2021 RWHAP Part C EISEGA NOFO (HRSA-21-060, -061, and -062) will be postponed. HRSA plans to host a competition for the entire RWHAP Part C EISEGA program in FY 2022 when recipients’ business operations are anticipated to be stabilized and the appropriate staff and resources are available to develop quality applications for competition. Training Slides: COVID-19 Update for People with HIV (Technical Assistance) A set of three training slides on what providers treating people with HIV should know about COVID-19 is now available. Overall learning objectives include identifying risk factors for and strategies to reduce severe COVID-19 in people with HIV, recognizing the importance of antiretroviral treatment and potential drug-drug interactions, and considerations related to people with HIV and COVID-19. Sections include:
The slides were developed by the South Central AIDS Education and Training Center. (Not a U.S. Government website) Other NewsWebinar on Access to Care for People with HIV During COVID-19: May 7 This webinar, which takes place May 7, 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET, will cover state, federal, and insurer-level policies expanding access to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance during the COVID-19 crisis. Discussion will include considerations for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part B/ADAP recipients, including best practices to adapt policies and procedures to ensure uninterrupted access to care. It is presented by the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD). (Not a U.S. Government website) Updated 2020 ADAP Formulary Database The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) released the updated 2020 National AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Formulary Database. The database provides an online, searchable, publicly available resource detailing state-by-state ADAP coverage of medications both individually and by drug class including HIV antiretroviral treatments, “A1” Opportunistic Infections medications, treatments for hepatitis B and C, mental health and substance use disorder treatment medications, and various vaccines and laboratory tests. It includes ADAP formulary coverage for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as of December 31, 2019. (Not a U.S. Government website) CDC Report on Newly Reported Acute and Chronic Hepatitis C Cases CDC released a Vital Signs report showing a growing number of hepatitis C cases among young adults. This shift has prompted the CDC to revise its hepatitis C testing recommendations to increase and expand hepatitis C testing and quickly link people with hepatitis C virus infection to treatment. Virtual International AIDS Conference: July 6-10 The 23rd International AIDS Conference will be held virtually July 6-10. There will be virtual sessions and community networking including exhibitions, workshops, the Global Village, and satellites and pre-conferences. (Not a U.S. Government website) |