Coronavirus Updates & Resources
MHCA Created Resources
- MHCA Example Testing Policy
- Sample Respiratory Protection Plan
- Hand Hygiene Competency
- Basic Infection Prevention Strategies during PPE Shortages
- Top Tens Things to do Once You have a Positive COVID Case
- MEMA District Liaison Contacts for PPE Requests
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Obtaining PPE
- AHCA/NCAL PPE Supplier List (MHCA' group purchasing vendors highlighted in green boxes) (10/22/20)
Proper Use of PPE
- OSHA Respiratory Physical Exam Questionnaire
- USM No Cost PPE Training (04/10/20)
- CDC Informational Videos on Proper PPE Usage
- Free N-95 Respirator Education for Direct Care (03/16/20)
Updated PPE Resources
- Please note that the PPE request process for the COVID-19 event has changed. All organizations are now directed to submit PPE requests to their County Emergency Management Agency.
- 05/22/2020 - Important Information about COVID-19 Testing Capacity at the State Lab (PDF)
- 05/21/2020 - Guidance on Ordering Swabs and Viral Transport Media (PDF)
Testing Updated Guidance
Testing
- Covid Testing Vendors
- FAQ HETL eTOR and Submission of Covid-19 v.1.1
- HETL Lab Web Portal (LWP) Quick Start Guide v.4
- AHCA/NCAL List of COVID-19 Testing Vendors for LTC (12/07/20)
Resource Material for Testing
- Revised Testing Options for Nursing Facility Staff Testing (PDF)
- Examples for Sequencing Antigen and PCR Tests (PDF)
- Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory Electronic Test Ordering and Reporting Portal (ME-HETL ETOR) User Guide (PDF)
- HETL Frequently Asked Questions for ETOR and Submitting COVID-19 Specimens (PDF)
- COVID-19 Testing Vendors for LTC (PDF)
- Abbott BinaxNOW Ag Test Card Guidance (PDF)
- BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Test Card Expiry Update (PDF)
Vaccinations
- COVID-19 Vaccines: Get the Facts! (01/28/21)
- CDC COVID Vaccine Updates on Allergic Rxns and Analphylaxsis (12/30/20)
- CDC Communication Toolkit
- Vaccine Information
- Answering Residents’ Vaccine Questions
- COVID-19 Vaccination Program Operational Guidance
- Healthcare Professionals: Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccination
- Pfizer Vaccine EUA Fact Sheet
- 08/11/2021 - OADS DHHS Call PPT from August 11, 2021
- 06/29/2021 - COVID-19 Guidance for Re-Opening In-Person Community Support, Adult Day Health, Work and Career Services (PDF)
- 05/11/2021 - Domestic Travel Work Restrictions Decision Tree for Healthcare Workers (PDF)
- 05/05/2021 - Guidance for Staff Testing and Community Engagement for Assisted Housing Facilities (PDF)
- 05/24/2021 - Table 3-A. Guidance for Staff Testing and Community Engagement for Assisted Housing Facilities (Applies to Group A) (PDF)
- 05/24/2021 - Table 3-B. Guidance for Staff Testing and Community Engagement for Assisted Housing Facilities (Applies to Group B) (PDF)
- 03/19/2021 - Visitation and Applicability of Recent Federal CDC and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People (PDF)
- Maine DLC Clarification on Admissions (01/26/21)
- Covid-19 Healthcare Risk Reduction Checklist (11/17/20)
- LTC Covid-19 Self Assessment (11/17/20)
- Email to coordinate staff testing through Maine HETL Lab: covidtesting@maine.gov
- Maine HETL COVID Swabs and Transport Media Chart
- CDC Specimen Collection Chart
- OASH nasal spec fact sheet (all words)
- IDSA table with all types of swabs with instructions (written)
- Anterior Nares collection guide
Educational Training Resources
Maine Infection Prevention Forum (More training videos will be posted here soon)- Respiratory Protection Program & PPE Supply Strategies Tutorial
- Exposure Investigations Tutorial and Checklist
Regulatory Relief - State and National
MHCA Daily Covid-19 Briefings
MHCA has discontinued the COVID-19 Briefings; however, please use this link to check the COVID-19 section of the E-News blog page for continued information relevant to ever-changing COVID guidance.Archived MHCA Daily Covid Briefings
AHCA Communication
- AHCA/NCAL: COVID-19 Update - CMS Pulls Back Memo Restricting Use of COVID Tests (10/07/22)
- AHCA/NCAL: COVID-19 Update - Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 3 Due September 30 (09/22/22)
- AHCA/NCAL: COVID-19 Update - CMS Updates Testing and Visitation Guidance, Aligning with Latest CDC Guidance (09/26/22)
- AHCA/NCAL: COVID-19 Update - CDC Releases Updates to COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidance (09/23/22)
- AHCA/NCAL: COVID-19 Update - COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine Booster Approved (09/02/22)
Staffing
- FrontLine Warmline Poster - English (8.5x11) (08/06/20)
- FrontLine Warmline Poster - English (11x17) (08/06/20)
- FrontLine Warmline Poster - Multi-Language (8.5x11) (08/06/20)
- FrontLine Warmline Poster - Multi-Language (11x17) (08/06/20)
- The Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 document provides guidance on when healthcare workers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can return to work, and includes options for basing this decision on test-based criteria and non-test-based criteria. There is additional guidance on what precautions these healthcare workers need to take when they return to work.
- The Discontinuation of Home Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 document provides options for basing discontinuation decisions on test-based criteria and non-test-based criteria.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- PPE and Testing Supply Request Form (08/21) (Excel)
- HAN (08/21)
- ME CDC FAQs (08/10/21) (PowerPoint)
- CDC
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Communications/Media Relations
- Crisis Communication in an Infectious Diseases Outbreak (04/03/20)
- When COVID Gets into Your Facility (04/03/20)
- Infection Control Statement and Talking Points for Confirmed COVID-19 Case (03/30/20)
Advanced Care Planning
- Resources on ACP from Respecting Choices
- Maine POLST Form
- Maine Advanced Directives Form
- Transfer Protocol for Nursing Homes MFDA
