HAP's Latest News

During a press conference today, the Wolf Administration reviewed the current status of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania and reinforced ongoing mitigation efforts, while confirming the time-limited order put into place on December 12 will expire on January 4. Officials also provided an update about progress in administering the COVID-19 vaccine and reinforced the priority of ensuring access to the COVID-19 vaccine for health care and emergency workers.

This week, the American Hospital Association (AHA) released a public service announcement (PSA) and social media campaign thanking health care workers for their resiliency and service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As winter holiday celebrations continue this week, HAP urges residents across the commonwealth to stay safe and follow the public health precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Late Monday night, the U.S. House and U.S. Senate passed a year-end legislative package that provides critical support for small businesses, workers, and health care providers suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic; offers important relief for hospitals; and addresses the issue of surprise medical bills. The legislation extends funding for the federal government through the end of the federal fiscal year, but additional relief will be necessary during 2021 to continue to support the state’s hospitals and health system.

In an effort to support the health care workforce, the Pennsylvania Department of State (DOS) announced today it is extending the license renewal deadline for health care professionals licensed under the State Board of Medicine for 90 days. The DOS also is extending emergency temporary licenses granted to out-of-state practitioners, and reactivated licenses for retired and inactive Pennsylvania-licensed practitioners.

Pennsylvania’s hospitals and health systems will begin receiving shipments of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine this week, state health officials reported.

This week, HAP released the first of a series of public service announcements (PSA) to encourage the public to do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19. Featuring photos of health care workers from the state’s hospitals, the PSA asks Pennsylvanians to continue to wear a mask, avoid gatherings, wash hands often, get a flu shot, and stay home if sick.

As communities across the nation see increasing COVID-19 case counts, rising hospitalization rates, and suffer from the fatigue of battling the global pandemic, hospitals continue to look for new ways to address the strain on the health care workforce. In Washington, D.C., federal lawmakers are discussing several proposals to maximize the health care workforce through legislative action and regulatory policy. 

This week, health care workers in Pennsylvania and across the country welcomed news of the distribution of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Months of planning for this vaccine has been condensed to weeks and days, as hospitals have had to focus on strict guidelines for the storage, allocation, and distribution of the vaccine, in order to maximize every available dose. 

On Friday, December 11, the Food and Drug Administration granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the first COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine’s  EUA marks a milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the first results from Operation Warp Speed. Other vaccines—including Moderna’s—are completing clinical trials and anticipate similar approval during the coming weeks.