Due to the recent discovery of Kawasaki-like illness in children with evidence of recent infection with COVID-19, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) is requesting reporting of potential cases of what has been named, “Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19” or “PMIS.” Clinician Guidance explaining what needs to be reported with respect to this syndrome, and how to report it to KDPH, is available here.
KDPH will also be hosting its next COVID-19 Clinician and Public Health Update Webinar next Tuesday, May 19, 2020 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. This update will cover topics including:
- Current situation in Kentucky and nationally
- Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS) Associated with COVID-19
- Updates on laboratory and serology testing
- Remdesivir discussion
- Contact tracing initiative
- PPE Requesting
- Additional relevant topics
Registration is available at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5761398455473277197
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Kentucky Health Information Exchange Grant Opportunity
In collaboration with the Department for Medicaid Services and the Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE), Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid (Anthem) is offering participating Anthem providers the opportunity to apply for a grant to help offset the costs associated with connecting to KHIE. If approved, providers may be awarded up to $2,000, per tax identification number and/or business entity, until all grant funds up to $100,000 are depleted. Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2020.
More information and the application is available here.
Additional Medical Student Volunteers May Be Deployed to Assist COVID-19 Efforts in Bowling Green
Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Steven Stack, M.D. has announced that medical student volunteers may be sent to help with a surge in coronavirus cases in Bowling Green, including 25 cases in children. The area now has the second-highest number of reported cases in the state.
KMA assisted Commissioner Stack with communicating about the opportunity for medical students to volunteer during the pandemic. More than half of the state’s medical students signed up to volunteer.
Reminder: Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System
The Battelle CCDS provides healthcare facilities a process to decontaminate N95 or N95-equivalent respirators for reuse up to 20 times without degrading the respirator’s performance. The system can decontaminate up to 80,000 N95 respirators a day. Deployment includes a complete system, logistic planning, and an onsite Battelle CCDS team to operate the system.
For more information, and to register, please visit the website: Battelle CCDS
Healthcare facilities will be provided with a procedure to collect used masks, properly bag masks, and track masks in process. This process is available to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, physician offices, dental offices, and others. Additionally, physicians may use this for healthcare facilities in an operational unit, even if across state lines.
Battelle CCDS, through a federally awarded contract, will provide N95 respirator decontamination at no charge to healthcare providers. The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) has asked that physicians and facilities maximize our use of this opportunity in Kentucky and enroll facilities immediately to begin using this service.
