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CDC to Fund Infection Control Strike Teams

According to a recent article in McKnights Long-Term Care News, federal officials have announced a new infection control initiative that includes $500 million to help states provide rapid assistance to long-term care facilities battling COVID-19 outbreaks, beginning in October. The plan is part of a three-year, $2.1 billion investment of American Rescue Plan funds to improve infection prevention and control (IPC) activities across the U.S. public health and healthcare sectors. The Biden administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made the announcement on Friday.

The soon-to-launch long-term care component will allow states and other U.S. jurisdictions to “staff, train and deploy” strike teams to help long-term care operations with known or suspected COVID-19 infections, the CDC said in a statement
posted on its website. “The strike teams will allow jurisdictions to provide surge capacity to facilities for clinical services; address staffing shortages at facilities; and strengthen IPC activities to prevent, detect and contain outbreaks, including support for COVID-19 vaccine boosters,” it said.

Staff Contact: 
dwatford@mehca.org