**Covid on the Rise Again in Dozens of States: Health Authorities Report Increasing Cases of Virus in Wastewater and Higher Risk for Elderly and Immunocompromised**
As the winter season approaches, health authorities are sounding the alarm about a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across dozens of states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies have reported a significant uptick in COVID-19 cases, particularly in wastewater samples, which serve as an early indicator of community spread. This rise in cases is especially concerning for the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, who are at higher risk of severe illness.
**Winter Preparedness Plan**
In response to the increasing cases, the Biden Administration has unveiled a comprehensive COVID-19 Winter Preparedness Plan. This plan aims to make vaccinations, testing, and treatments more accessible to the public. The administration emphasizes that while COVID-19 may not be as disruptive as it once was, the virus continues to evolve, necessitating ongoing vigilance and preparedness.
**Expanding Access to Testing**
One of the key components of the Winter Preparedness Plan is expanding access to free COVID-19 testing. The administration is encouraging Americans to use at-home tests when they exhibit symptoms, before and after traveling for the holidays, or when visiting vulnerable individuals. Over 15,000 free community testing sites are available nationwide, and health insurance plans are required to cover eight free at-home tests per month per individual.
Additionally, the administration has reopened COVIDTests.gov for a limited round of ordering, allowing U.S. households to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. These tests will be mailed directly to households, with shipments starting the week of December 19th. The administration is also distributing free at-home tests at more than 6,500 Department of Housing and Urban Development-assisted rental housing properties serving seniors and expanding distribution to major food banks.
**Vaccinations and Treatments**
The federal government continues to support state, local, territorial, and Tribal communities in their efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and treatments. This includes working with medical providers, businesses, and other groups to raise awareness about updated COVID-19 vaccines and highly effective treatments. The administration is also setting up additional mobile and pop-up vaccination sites and surge testing sites.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has sent a letter to all governors outlining key actions to prepare for increased cases and hospitalizations this winter. This includes setting up Test to Treat sites where individuals can get tested and receive prescribed treatments on-site if they test positive.
**Community Efforts**
Communities across the nation are stepping up to expand vaccine access through mobile and pop-up vaccination clinics. For example, Los Angeles County plans to open up to 800 pop-up clinics per week, while New York City is expanding the use of mobile vaccination, testing, and treatment units. Chicago is increasing its at-home vaccine administration program, providing vaccines for up to 10 people per visit in their place of residence.
The Administration for Community Living is awarding $125 million to support community-based organizations in the aging and disability networks. These funds will help hold accessible vaccine clinics, provide in-home vaccinations, transportation, and other supportive services to increase COVID-19 vaccinations for older adults and people with disabilities.
**Monitoring and Resources**
The administration is closely monitoring the impacts of COVID-19 variants, cases, and hospitalizations. Federal capabilities are ready to support urgent needs, including clinical staffing, personal protective equipment, and technical assistance. The administration is also pre-positioning critical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile, such as N-95 masks, gloves, gowns, and ventilators, to be shipped to states as needed.
Federal agencies will continue to monitor Omicron subvariants and other emerging variants through genomic surveillance of specimens from representative populations. The CDC tracks and reports on genomic sequencing results from various sources, including public health and commercial laboratories, wastewater, and international air travel.
**Protecting High-Risk Individuals**
The administration remains focused on protecting Americans at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19, including residents of nursing homes and other congregate care facilities. A winter playbook for nursing homes and long-term care facilities will be released, summarizing actions to reduce serious illness, prevent hospitalizations and deaths, and minimize disruptions.
Nursing homes are encouraged to ensure that every resident is educated on and offered an updated COVID-19 shot, evaluated, and offered treatment if they test positive. Staff at nursing homes will now be able to administer COVID-19 vaccines to all residents, and HHS will work with states to launch teams to deliver vaccines to long-term care facilities.
**Encouraging Vaccinations**
HHS leadership has called upon hospitals to vaccinate their unvaccinated patients or ensure they are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations before discharge, especially if they are heading to a nursing home. The administration is also expanding access to high-quality masks in communities and offering guidance to pharmacies and grocery stores on how to distribute these masks more widely.
**Personal Action Plan**
The CDC has launched a COVID-19 Personal Action Plan, an easy-to-use guide for individuals, caregivers, and clinicians. This plan helps guide individuals through making a plan for where to access free tests, the location of their closest Test to Treat site, and what to ask their provider on treatments if they test positive. The goal is to ensure that all Americans, especially those at highest risk, can decrease the risk of COVID-19 and have a plan to quickly seek out treatment if they become infected.
**Conclusion**
As COVID-19 cases rise again in dozens of states, the Biden Administration and health authorities are taking proactive measures to ensure that vaccinations, testing, and treatments are widely available and accessible. The focus remains on protecting the most vulnerable populations, including the elderly and immunocompromised, and ensuring that every individual has a plan to prevent and respond to COVID-19 this winter.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
