The Biden administration plans to require all foreign travelers coming to the United States to be vaccinated against Covid-19 before entering the country, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from the District of Columbia, Tennessee, and Texas.
- District of Columbia: The Biden administration is working toward requiring all foreign visitors to the United States—with limited exceptions—to be vaccinated against Covid-19, the Associated Press reports. The vaccination requirement would be part of a phased approach to easing travel restrictions for foreign travelers, although a timeline for implementing the requirement has yet to be determined. Currently, the U.S. limits non-U.S. residents from entering the country if they have visited certain regions, including China, the United Kingdom, and Brazil, within the past two weeks. In addition, all travelers are required to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test within three days of traveling to the United States. (Miller, Associated Press, 8/4)
- Tennessee: LifePoint Health has established a founding partnership with Cadence, a remote care monitoring company, which launched Aug. 5 after raising $41 million in funding. Cadence created a remote care management platform for patients with chronic conditions, which develops personalized care plans based on patients' vitals, medical history, and overall wellness. LifePoint will implement the platform across its facilities to deliver remote care to more than 100,000 patients. Once the platform is fully implemented, LifePoint and Cadence will focus on increasing adherence to Guideline Directed Medical Therapy for patients with heart failure. (Drees, Becker's Hospital Review, 8/5)
- Texas: The Texas Education Agency last week released guidance stating that schools are not required to conduct contact tracing if an individual tests positive for the coronavirus, Axios reports. However, schools are required to report positive cases to their local health departments and "should" notify other students' parents, Axios reports, who can then decide whether to keep their children at home if they have come into contact with an individual who tested positive. Schools can offer students who test positive up to 20 days of remote learning, but those who need longer periods of remote learning will have to apply for waivers. (Gonzalez, Axios, 8/7)