Update to Office Procedures During COVID-19 corresponds to the key reference from the American Dental Association (ADA), Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit., adding to it a number of new considerations from hazard assessment and staff protection to screening protocols following the recent release of new and revised infection control recommendations and requirements, such as OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare Settings and Guidance for Dental Settings: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. This short checklist of considerations makes practice during the pandemic a little bit easier and it will surely be another indispensable part of your COVID-19 toolkit. Click here to read Update to Office Procedures During COVID-19.

Guidance for Dental Settings, a key infection control resource for dentists practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been updated to reflect the current understanding of the risks involved with COVID-19 transmission and aerosol-generating procedures. The CDC removed the recommendation for all patients to avoid aerosol-generating procedures following the observation that, to date, dentistry has demonstrated a high level of safety for patients and clinicians. The guidance still advises that dentists avoid aerosol-generating procedures for patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Click here to visit Guidance for Dental Settings: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

Patients experiencing lingering symptoms for four months or longer after initial infection or symptom presentation fall into a category called post-covid conditions, otherwise known commonly as "long COVID" and "COVID long haulers", or clinically as post-acute sequalae of SARS-COV-2 infection (PASC). Unfortunately, the specter of long-term health consequences from coronavirus can be as haunting to children as to adults. Top symptoms for children experiencing post-Covid conditions include gastrointestinal issues, chest pain, headaches, fatigue, joint/muscle pain/weakness, sore throat, dizziness, rashes, mood changes and nausea.

The NIH has undertaken a research initiative called RECOVER to understand PASC and aid in the recovery of those who are impacted longer term because of infection with the virus. Clinicians who would like more information this topic can look to these two excellent resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Post-COVID Conditions: Information for Healthcare Providers  and Evaluating and Caring for Patients with Post-COVID Conditions: Interim Guidance. 

The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal opened today, July 1, 2021 for first period reporting. Period 1 reporting can be completed between now and September 30, 2021. HRSA announced revisions to reporting requirements for recipients of PRF including those distributed from The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Health Care Enhancement Act, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. The updates include adjustments to timelines to use and report on funds in the Provider Relief Fund Reporting Portal. For assistance getting started with registration, click here. Reporting is only mandatory for providers who received $10,000 or more cumulatively. For more information on PRF, visit Frequently Asked Questions: HHS Provider Relief Funds from the American Dental Association.

HHS Summary of Reporting Requirements Time Periods

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that it is within the rights of the employer to create mandatory vaccination policies in the recently updated technical guide and FAQ, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws. The guide explains how equal opportunity (EEO) laws apply to workplace COVID-19 vaccination policies, especially mandatory vaccination and incentive programs, stressing that policies must adhere to anti-discrimination and accommodation principles of EEO laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). Because some employees face greater difficulty accessing vaccines, the EEOC advises that employers consider the impact of their policies on protected groups of the Civil Rights Act. Click here to read What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws. This updates Litch's Law Log May 2021 article, Legal Issues Related to Dental Staff and COVID-19 Vaccine. Click here to read.