Health Alerts

September 08, 2022

Advisory

JYNNEOS: Expanded Eligibility, Second Doses & Minor Consent

The purpose of this Health Advisory is to share updated guidance regarding JYNNEOS with healthcare providers. Actions requested of healthcare providers include:

• Expanding eligibility criteria for JYNNEOS vaccination to ALL gay and bisexual men, transgender people, or men who have sex with men or transgender people. Other eligibility criteria for MPX vaccination remain unchanged.
• Second doses of JYNNEOS vaccine should be administered to anyone who received a first dose at least 28 days prior.
• Vaccination sites run by Alameda County staff and contractors will allow all minors 12 to 17 years of age to receive the JYNNEOS vaccine without parent/guardian consent. ACPHD urges all healthcare facilities to also consider implementing a minor consent process for JYNNEOS.

Please review the Advisory for further details. Please also see the 9/6/22 letter from CDPH regarding recent Title 17 revisions.

September 02, 2022

Advisory

Monkeypox (MPX) Guidance for Healthcare Providers

The purpose of this Health Advisory is to share updated guidance regarding monkeypox (MPX) with healthcare providers. Actions requested of healthcare providers include:

• Report all suspect cases (e.g., epidemiologic risk factors and signs and symptoms of MPX) in children or youth < 18 years of age within 1 working day via the pediatric PUI form.
• For patients <18, submit a specimen to the Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory (VRDL) at California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in addition to regular commercial lab testing.
• Follow up with patients about their MPX test results. The ACPHD contact tracing team has encountered several patients who were never informed that they tested positive.
• Healthcare providers should begin to utilize their vaccine allocations to give second doses, as there is now adequate supply.

Please review the Advisory for further details. Please also see the CAHAN: Healthcare Provider Health Advisory: Updates on Laboratory Testing and Treatment for Monkeypox (MPX) Virus Infection in California (8/30/22)

August 19, 2022

Advisory

Updated Clinical Provider Guidance for Monkeypox (MPX)

The Alameda County Public Health Department has issued a health advisory to provide clinicians with updated guidance regarding monkeypox. Specifically, this advisory provides updated guidance to County healthcare providers regarding monkeypox virus testing, reporting, vaccine administration, and treatment. Guidance provided in this Health Advisory will replace guidance issued on 7/27/2022 and will go into effect on 8/19/2022.

Please review the full health advisory for additional background and action requested of clinicians.

August 10, 2022

Advisory

Health Advisory Update: Outpatient COVID-19 Therapeutics

The purpose of the attached Health Advisory is to share current COVID-19 therapeutics information with clinicians in Alameda County.

Please see our full health advisory for complete information, including the most recent COVID-19 Therapeutics Program Update from CDPH

For questions about COVID-19 therapeutics, please contact Arnie Spanjers, MD, Alameda County Public Health Department at arnie.spanjers@acgov.org

August 01, 2022

Advisory

Clarification Regarding Monkeypox Health Advisory Released on July 27, 2022

On July 27, 2022, the Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) released a health advisory providing updated clinical guidance for monkeypox. Since we released this health advisory, ACPHD has received several questions regarding our updated JYNNEOS vaccine prioritization criteria. To address these questions, we are providing further clarification regarding our vaccine prioritization criteria.

Please review full health advisory for additional background and action requested of clinicians.

July 27, 2022

Advisory

Updated Clinical Provider Guidance for Monkeypox

The Alameda County Public Health Department has issued a health advisory to provide clinicians with updated guidance regarding monkeypox. Specifically, this advisory provides updated guidance regarding monkeypox reporting, testing, vaccine prioritization, and treatment.

Please review the health advisory for additional background and action requested of clinicians.

July 21, 2022

Advisory

Make Evusheld Available to Eligible Patients

The purpose of this health advisory is to remind clinicians about thebavailability of Evusheld as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for COVID-19 in certain adult and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg). Providers are encouraged to reach out to all patients eligible for Evusheld to discuss risks and benefits and ensure access to this medication. Please visit ACPHD’s Treatment webpage for more information.

For questions regarding the distribution of COVID-19 outpatient therapeutic products within ALCO, please contact Cynthia Frankel, RN, Alameda County Therapeutics Distribution Lead at cynthia.frankel@acgov.org

For clinical questions about COVID-19 therapeutics,please contact Arnie Spanjers, MD, Alameda County Public Health Department at arnie.spanjers@acgov.org

• ACPHD Health Advisory

May 25, 2022

Advisory

CDC-HAN: COVID-19 Rebound After Paxlovid Treatment

The CDC has issued a Health Advisory to provide an update on the potential for recurrence of COVID-19 or “COVID-19 rebound” after Paxlovid treatment. COVID-19 rebound has been reported to occur between 2 and 8 days after initial recovery and is characterized by a recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms OR a new positive viral test after having tested negative. A brief return of symptoms may be part of the natural history of SARS-CoV-2 infection in some persons, independent of treatment with Paxlovid and regardless of vaccination status. Available information suggests that persons treated with Paxlovid who experience COVID-19 rebound have had mild illness; there are no reports of severe disease. Please see the health advisory for recommendations for healthcare providers.

For questions regarding the distribution of COVID-19 outpatient therapeutic products within ALCO, please contact Cynthia Frankel, RN, Alameda County Therapeutics Distribution Lead at cynthia.frankel@acgov.org

For clinical questions about COVID-19 therapeutics, please contact Arnie Spanjers, MD, Alameda County Public Health Department at arnie.spanjers@acgov.org

May 24, 2022

Advisory

Cases of Monkeypox Identified in Non-Endemic Countries Including the US

The Alameda County Public Health Department has issued a health advisory for clinicians regarding monkeypox in light of reports of global transmission of monkeypox including the United States. As of May 24, 2022, monkeypox virus infections have been confirmed in Australia, Europe and North America including 1 confirmed in a Massachusetts resident – all countries where the virus is non-endemic. In addition, patients with symptoms compatible with monkeypox infection are under investigation in the United States (7) who are all confirmed with Orthopox viral DNA. Cases of monkeypox have been identified since early May 2022; many of the cases have involved men who identify as gay, bisexual or have sex with men (MSM) without a history of travel to an endemic country. Clinical details on these cases, including any hospitalizations or deaths, are currently unknown.

Please review the full health advisory for additional background and action requested of clinicians.

May 19, 2022

Advisory

Homemade Infant Formula to Infants

On May 13th, the California Department of Public Health issued a Health Advisory on the current infant formula shortage which includes helpful recommendations for families. The California Department of Public Health/Women, Infants and Children Division (CDPH/WIC) is monitoring reports of widespread low-stock situations, outages, and rationing of powdered infant formula in California.

Actions requested of clinicians:

• Please remind families that they should not excessively dilute formulas or attempt to make their own infant formulas at home.
• WIC staff are encouraging families to consult with their pediatrician before making any substitutions, especially for infants requiring a specialized or therapeutic formula. Healthcare providers who provide care for children in critical need of a particular specialty formula should contact Abbott directly to request the product by calling 1-800-881-0876 or visiting their formula information and product request form.

April 29, 2022

Advisory

Bebtelovimab + Evusheld appointments available at Total Infusion!

We are pleased to announce that Total Infusion remains open to administer both Bebtelovimab (provider and patient referrals) and Evusheld (provider referrals only). The appointment page can be found here: https://totalinfusion.com/book-an-appointment/ or you can call (510) 878-9528 with questions.

For general questions about treatment,please contact Arnie Spanjers, MD, Alameda County Public Health Department at arnie.spanjers@acgov.org

April 26, 2022

Advisory

Recommendations for Adenovirus Testing and Reporting of Children with Acute Hepatitis of Unknown Etiology

The CDC and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have issued a health advisory regarding a cluster of pediatric cases of hepatitis associated with Adenovirus type 41. Clinicians are requested to report cases of children that meet the following criteria to the local health department within one business day.

Reporting criteria:

Children <10 years of age with elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (>500 U/L) AND who have an unknown etiology for their hepatitis (with or without any adenovirus testing results, independent of the results) since October 1, 2021

To report cases to Alameda County Public Health Department, contact the Acute Communicable Disease (ACD) Section

By phone: at 510-267-3250 option 2, Monday –Friday 8:30am through 5PM.

By secure email: acutecd@acgov.org