CDC Quick Reference Guide for the COVID-19 Vaccine
The CDC has provided a Quick Reference Guide for healthcare professionals for the COVID-19 Vaccine. Click Here to download the guide pictured below.
COVID-19 Updates
Your Peninsulas EMS Council remains committed to serving our EMS Agencies and other partners even in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic. Today we are launching a new section on our website that concentrates on providing you news regarding the coronavirus as well as providing you with links to the Virginia Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control's EMS Guidance, and the Virginia Office of EMS. We encourage you to visit these links often as they will provide you current information on the Coronavirus. Please click on the COVID-19 in the ribbon to see our new web features.
We Are PEMS!…Using Partnerships, Science and Synergy to Create Regional EMS System Excellence…For You!
COVID-19 Delta Variant: What You Need to Know
In December 2020, a new variant of COVID-19 was detected in India and is now the most dominant variant in the United States. With the rapid spread of this newest variant throughout the U.S., coronavirus cases are spiking in parts of the country, especially in communities with low COVID-19 vaccination rates.
In December 2020, a new variant of COVID-19 was detected in India and is now the most dominant variant in the United States. With the rapid spread of this newest variant throughout the U.S., coronavirus cases are spiking in parts of the country, especially in communities with low COVID-19 vaccination rates.
The discovery has prompted questions and concerns about this new mutation. How contagious is the Delta variant? What are the symptoms, and how effective are the vaccines against the new strain?
We invite you to view the video below, produced by Riverside Health System as Cindy Williams, Chief Pharmacy Officer, for Riverside answers these questions and more.
Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Updates Visitation Policies
Effective 3/4/2021
Mary Immaculate Hospital continues to review community prevalence of COVID positivity and works to adjust our visitation policies accordingly. Beginning March 4th, 2021, the following visitation policies will be in effect. We appreciate your support and adherence to these policies to protect our patients, staff, and visitors.
Read more: Bon Secours Mary Immaculate and Rappahannock Updates Policies
FEMA ADVISORY --- May 2021
COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance: All-Hazards Incident Response and Recovery
To address the challenges of managing disaster response and recovery efforts as our nation enters the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, FEMA is releasing the “COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance: All-Hazards Incident Response and Recovery” to help emergency managers and public health officials best prepare for disasters, while continuing to respond to and recover from COVID-19.
The guidance can also be used by private sector and non-governmental organizations to gain an understanding of the government’s posture, planning and readiness efforts. This updated document takes an all-hazards approach and builds on guidance provided in last year’s "COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season."
Response and Recovery Operations Amid COVID-19
The guide provides actions emergency managers and public officials can take to prepare for response and recovery operations during ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response efforts. Specifically, the guidance:
- Describes continued challenges to disaster operations posed by COVID-19 and planning considerations, based on science and the best available data, for emergency managers in addressing those challenges.
- Outlines considerations for state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) governments related to planning COVID-19 testing and vaccination operations. This includes an overview of how FEMA supports SLTTs to establish and operate testing facilities and vaccination sites that ensure the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines to all individuals who want one.
- Provides updated resources (e.g., checklists, reports, and other guidance)—reflecting current lessons learned and best practices for operating in a pandemic environment— to enable emergency managers to best adapt response and recovery plans.
- Outlines how FEMA plans to continue to adapt response and recovery operations to the evolving risks of COVID-19 to ensure prioritization for life safety, life sustainment, and workforce protection, and to maintain the delivery of FEMA’s programs.
Working Together
FEMA will continue to operate under the framework of locally executed, state/tribal managed, and federal supported incident response. By creating a shared understanding of expectations among FEMA and state, local, tribal and territorial partners, the nation will be better positioned to achieve operational outcomes in disaster response and recovery efforts.
Webinars
FEMA is offering webinars throughout the month of June to go over the pandemic operational guidance. To sign up, click on the link associated with the date of attendance.
- Webinar 1 - Thursday, June 3, 10 am ET
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar1/event/registration.html
- Webinar 2 - Tuesday, June 8, 3 pm ET
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar2/event/registration.html
- Webinar 3 - Thursday, June 10, 11 am ET
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar3/event/registration.html
- Webinar 4 - Wednesday, June 16, 7 pm ET
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar4/event/registration.html
- Webinar 5 - Thursday, June 17, 1 pm ET
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar5/event/registration.html
To download the documents and view the full webinar schedule, please visit COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance Webinars | FEMA.gov. Advance registration is required for the webinars and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Captioning will be available for each webinar. Please direct all webinar questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Contact Us
If you have any questions, please contact Office of External Affairs:
- Congressional Affairs at (202) 646-4500 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Intergovernmental Affairs at (202) 646-3444 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Tribal Affairs at (202) 646-3444 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Private Sector Engagement at (202) 646-3444 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Training Resources for EMT SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinators NHTSA Office of EMS
These resources can serve as just in time training for vaccination programs utilizing emergency medical technicians:
Training video on COVID-19 intramuscular vaccine administration
Click Here to View IM Vaccine Administration Video This video created by the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) can be used to provide EMTs with didactic knowledge to administer IM injections. With the exception of the MIEMSS link referenced in the video, it can be used by EMTs in any state or territory. It should be accompanied by a skills assessment, which is discussed below.
Intramuscular Injection Skill Checklist may be found at: Click HERE (A clinical skills assessment checklist for EMTs preparing to administer IM injections.)
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Training for EMTs
A written description of the skills required of EMTs to administer the vaccine may be found at: Click Here
Click Here to view the Moderna and Pfizer Vaccine Comparison.
In the following presentation from late January 2021, Florida State EMS Medical Director Kenneth Scheppke, MD, provides an overview of the latest science related to COVID vaccines. Click Here to view
COVID-19 Vaccination Training Programs and Reference Materials for Healthcare Professionals
CDC recommended resources to prepare healthcare workers to administer COVID-19 vaccines. Click Here
EMS Vaccine Administration Program Manual
This guide from the State of Indiana can serve as a resource to help state and local officials and EMS organizations with the creation and implementation of EMS vaccination programs. Click Here
To download this entire flyer with the associated links: Click Here