On May 10, the AHA and other national organizations addressed a letter to HHS asking for the Public Health Emergency regarding COVID-19 to be maintained until an extended period of greater stability has occurred. The AHA believes that maintaining the Public Health Emergency will help prevent any future surges of COVID-19 from threatening the overall health and safety of patients and healthcare professionals throughout healthcare facilities and systems.
The letter elaborates on how the flexibilities under the Public Health Emergency have proven vital in allowing facilities to safely care for patients while also proving to be critical to facilities’ adaptation to COVID-19 and its variants; how the termination of the Public Health Emergency can jeopardize FDA’s ability to quickly approve new products for COVID treatments, which may be needed in response to potential COVID-19 variants that may arise; and how the flexibilities under the Public Health Emergency have allowed healthcare facilities, health systems, nursing homes, and other providers to effectively utilize their workforce and pivot care for patients.