COVID 19 Updates
Jupiter Medical Center is not a testing site.
If you suspect you might be infected with COVID-19, please
DO NOT visit the Emergency Department for a COVID-19 test. Instead seek out a community testing site, a home test kit or visit one
of our Urgent Care locations:
Jupiter
5430 Military Trail, Suite 64 (Abacoa Shopping Center, next to McDonald’s)
1335 W. Indiantown Road (West of Delaware Blvd., next to Harmony Animal Hospital)
Palm Beach Gardens
3250 PGA Blvd. (Glass building – southeast corner of PGA Blvd. and
Fairchild Gardens Ave.)
West Palm Beach
625 N. Flagler Drive (West side of Flagler Memorial Bridge)
Stuart
2628 S.E. Federal Highway (Baron Shoppes – west side of Federal Hwy.,
next to City Diner)
Jupiter Medical Center’s Emergency Department is prioritizing patients
with medical conditions requiring emergency care and those with critical
illness. We strongly discourage patients who are asymptomatic or have
mild symptoms from coming to the emergency department so we may preserve
resources for those in our community with emergent medical needs.
Effective March 23, 2022
Visiting Hours are from 8am to 8pm.
- All non-covid inpatients and outpatient procedural patients may have unrestricted
visitors over the age of 5, during visting hours, loves ones may stay
the night as long as the manager/director approves.
- This includes Peds, NICU, Cath Lab, inpatient and outpatient surgery, interventional
radiology, GI lab and the cardiac cath lab.
- Emergency Department will allow 1 visitor after the patient is checked
into a bed, for NON-COVID patients.
- Visitors may utilize the coffee shop in the East lobby, the cafeteria and
the gift shop.
- All visitors must wear a mask.
Maternity Visitation
- During labor and delivery, all non-covid patients may have 2 adult visitors.
No swap-outs allowed.
- Doulas are permitted and are not counted as one of the visitors.
- After delivery, all non-covid patients may have 2 visitors over the age
of 5, during regular visiting hours. Swap-outs are permitted, with only
2 guests at one time. One adult may stay the night.
- Quiet hours are between 2pm - 4pm, and we ask that you do not visit during this time
- Visitors may utilize the Cafeteria, Coffee Shop, or Gift Shop
- A Covid test is required for all scheduled labor inductions and C-Sections.
Your provider will provide you more details.
- A rapid Covid test may be ordered when you arrive in labor depending on
certain circumstances.
- Patients with a positive Covid test are only permitted one visitor who
will remain in the patient room throughout the stay.
CEO Update 3/31/2022
COVID hospitalizations continue to be at low levels, including Florida
and Palm Beach County. A subvariant B.A.2 of the omicron strain has been
proliferating and has become the most dominant strain of COVID in the
US and globally. There continues to be a focus on monoclonal antibody
therapy for appropriate patients. This week, the FDA and CDC released
guidelines for a fourth booster dose in selected groups.
Florida Metrics
- There were 8,774 new cases during the week ending 3/24 (9% increase)
- The percent positive rate was 2.3% for the week ending 3/24 (0.4 percentage
point increase)
- The Rt value is 1.0 (epiforecasts.io 3/28)
- 15.4 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (74% of
population over age 5)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 680 new cases during the week ending 3/24 (14% decrease over 2 weeks)
- The percent positive rate was 3.1% for the week ending 3/24 (increasing)
- 1.07 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (76% of
population over age 5)
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 2 Covid patients currently hospitalized
- There are no COVID patients in the ICU
- 196 patients (13% increase) were tested in our urgent care centers and
7% tested positive (1% increase)
COVID variants
The B.A.2 subvariant of omicron has become the most common variant in the
US and globally (Fig 1). The B.A.2 variant appears to be significantly
more transmissible than the original omicron variant but does not appear
to cause more severe illness. There has been an uptick in new cases associated
with the increase in the B.A.2 variant in Europe and this has been accompanied
by an increase in hospitalizations in some countries including the U.K.
Thus far, the increase in the percentage of cases caused by B.A.2 in the
U.S. has not been associated with a significant increase in cases or hospitalizations.
Florida is in region 4 of the US (designated by the CDC), with 39.4% of
new cases being caused by the B.A.2 variant.

Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
An important consequence of the shift in subvariants is a loss of efficacy
of sotrovimab therapy. Consequently, the FDA is withdrawing its authorization
of sotrovimab in areas of the U.S. where the B.A.2 variant predominates
including New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
The FDA has given emergency approval to another monoclonal antibody, bebtelovimab,
that does inhibit the original and the B.A.2 omicron subvariants. The
treatment has been approved for treatment of mild to moderate COVID in
individuals over 12 years of age with a positive COVID test who are at
high risk for progression to severe disease.
EVUSHELD
EVUSHELD has been approved for pre-exposure prophylaxis in individuals
with moderate to severe immune compromise that may not mount an adequate
immune response to COVID vaccination or for those patients for whom vaccination
with any available COVID vaccine is not recommended due to a history of
a severe adverse reaction to a COVID vaccine or vaccine component. This
is an important treatment for our immunocompromised patients. In the PROVENT
trial, there was a 77% reduction in symptomatic COVID illness at 6 months
in patients receiving EVUSHELD.
Vaccines
An important announcement was made this week regarding an additional booster
dose by the FDA and CDC. A second booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or the
Moderna vaccines was authorized for individuals over 50 years of age at least 4 months
after a first booster dose. In addition, a second booster dose is authorized
for patients who have had a prior solid organ transplant or an equivalent
level of immune compromise (Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is authorized for
those patients over 12 years of age and Moderna is authorized for those
patients over 18 years of age). Dr Peter Marks MD, PhD of the FDA stated:
“Current evidence suggests some waning of protection over time against
serious outcomes from COVID-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals.
Based on an analysis of emerging data, a second booster dose of either
the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine could help increase protection
levels for these higher-risk individuals.”
As another season draws to a close in South Florida, there is cautious
optimism that B.A.2 will not be associated with a significant surge.
Stay well.
CEO Update 2/1/2022
Florida Metrics
- There were 198,719 new cases during the week ending 1/27 (30% decrease).
The preponderance of these cases are occurring in the northern 1/3 of
the state.
- The percent positive rate was 23.5% for the week ending 1/27 (12% decrease).
- The Rt value is 0.45 (covidestim.org 1/28).
- 15.19 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (73%
of population over age 5).
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 8,741 new cases during the week ending 1/27 (68% decrease over 2 weeks).
- The percent positive rate was 19.7% for the week ending 1/27 (decreasing).
- 1.06 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (75% of
population over age 5).
- The Rt values is 0.28 (covidestim.org).
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 23 Covid patients currently hospitalized (50% decrease). 11 of
these patients are unvaccinated, 9 have received their primary vaccine
series, and 3 patients had received boosters.
- 2 Covid patients are in the ICU and both are on a ventilator.
- A total of 258 individuals (40% decrease) were tested at the JMC Urgent
Care sites with a percent positivity rate of 26%.
Vaccination
Evidence is continuing to accrue about the effectiveness of vaccination
during the omicron phase of the COVID pandemic. In the current COVID Data
Tracker Weekly Review put out by the CDC, they note the substantial protection
offered both by vaccination and by full vaccination plus a booster dose
against severe illness requiring hospitalization with data through December
25 (Fig 1). In addition, a recent report shows that compared to vaccinated
adults, unvaccinated adults had more than 50 times the risk of COVID-associated
death (Fig 2).

Therapy
Due to data demonstrating the lack of effectiveness of REGEN-COV and bamlanivimab/etesevimab
against the omicron variant, the FDA has withdrawn its Emergency Use Authorization
(EUA) for these therapies. As a result, the state monoclonal antibody
therapy centers across Florida were closed last week.
Sotrovimab is the monoclonal antibody treatment that has retained effectiveness
against the omicron variant and Jupiter Medical Center continues to offer
sotrovimab therapy in collaboration with the medical staff.
Oral antiviral treatment is available with a physician’s prescription
and the state continues to offer Paxlovid and/or molnupiravir at selected
pharmacies. Our closest site is the Publix pharmacy located in the Crosstown
Plaza on Military Trail in West Palm Beach. On January 31, the pharmacy
indicated that they have exhausted their allocation of Paxlovid but continue
to have a supply of molnupiravir. They have ordered additional Paxlovid,
with no definite date of availability.
We are glad to see the rapid decline in omicron cases as we again strive
to regain a sense of normalcy, while recovering from this most recent
Covid surge.
Stay safe.
CEO Update 1/18/2022
Current data suggests that the Omicron surge is at or near its peak in
Florida. Other states which had early Omicron surges are now seeing decreasing
numbers of daily new cases (New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts).
Florida Metrics
- There were 430,297 new cases during the week ending 1/13 (8.7% increase).
- The percent positive rate was 29.3% for the week ending 12/30 (6.4% decrease).
- The Rt value is 0.87 (covidestim.org 1/16).
- 15.07 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (72%
of population over age 5).
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 26,918 new cases during the week ending 12/30 (8% increase over 2 weeks).
- The percent positive rate was 29.7% for the week ending 12/30 (increasing).
- 1 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (74% of population
over age 5).
- The Rt values is 0.32 (covidestim.org).
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 42 Covid patients currently hospitalized (16% decrease).
- 3 Covid patients are in the ICU and 1 is on a ventilator.
- A total of 717 individuals (43% decrease) were tested at the JMC Urgent
Care sites with a percent positivity rate of 38%.
Omicron Surge
New cases and hospitalizations continue to increase in the US. However,
several states that were in the early Omicron surge are already seeing
reductions in daily cases. New cases and hospitalizations in Florida appear
to be plateauing (Fig 1 and 2) and the reproduction number in Palm Beach
County is reported as 0.35 on January 15 (less than 1 is associated with
a surge reduction).

A recent study demonstrated that there was a high prevalence of asymptomatic
infection in individuals shedding virus, which is undoubtedly a factor
in the rapid dissemination of this variant. On the positive side, another
U.S. study compared over 50,000 individuals infected with the Omicron
variant to a group infected with Delta and found that there was a 53%
reduced risk of hospitalization, a 74% reduced risk of ICU admission,
and a 91% lower risk of death in the group infected with Omicron. This
is consistent with data from South Africa and England which also suggest
reduced virulence of this strain.
Vaccination
A recent study which included over 800,000 participants showed that individuals
who received a booster dose at least 5 months after completion of their
primary vaccine series had a 90% lower mortality from COVID than participants
who did not receive a booster. In addition, there was an 83% reduction
in the risk of developing a symptomatic COVID infection compared to the
non-booster group. This large study clearly shows the benefit of booster
doses in reducing both symptomatic infections and mortality related to COVID.
Therapeutics
Supplies of both monoclonal antibody therapies and oral antiviral treatments
remain very limited. Last week JMC received a limited quantity of sotrovimab
(the antibody therapy which is active against the omicron variant) and
we have been collaborating with our medical staff to provide this therapy
for appropriate patients.
Supplies of Paxlovid and molnupiravir (the oral antivital therapies) remain
very limited. Fortunately, 10 million doses are expected to be delivered
by June and the remainder by September. The Florida Department of Health
is distributing their allocation of oral antiviral therapies to various
pharmacies across the state (the pharmacies which have received allocations
are listed on the floridahealthcovid19.gov website under the treatment
locator tab). The therapy must be prescribed by an authorized healthcare provider.
Testing
The US government announced that individuals could begin ordering at-home
COVID tests on Wednesday January 19th at COVIDtests.gov. The tests are expected to ship within 7-12 days of
being ordered.
Data indicating that the omicron surges appear to be ebbing, coupled with
the availability of antibody treatment and oral antiviral therapy for
those afflicted, provides cause for optimism for the months ahead.
Stay safe.
CEO Update 1/4/2022
As we usher in the New Year, we are facing a dramatic increase in Covid
cases resulting from the omicron variant. While evidence has accumulated
that this variant is associated with less severe disease, the sheer increase
in cases has resulted in a significant increase in hospitalizations. The
large number of cases has also resulted in staff shortages due to illness
across industries, including healthcare. In addition, the resistance of
this variant to some of the monoclonal antibody therapies has diminished
the utility of this treatment modality. While oral antiviral COVID therapies
have recently been approved, supply is scarce, limiting access.
Florida Metrics
- There were 298,455 new cases during the week ending 12/30 (130% increase)
- The percent positive rate was 26.5% for the week ending 12/30 (90% increase)
- The Rt value is 3.27 (epiforecasts.io 1/1, increasing)
- 14.9 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (71% of
population over age 5)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 24,488 new cases during the week ending 12/30 (940% increase
over 2 weeks)
- The percent positive rate was 30.6% for the week ending 12/30 (increasing)
- 1 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (74% of population
over age 5)
- The Rt values is 1.24 (covidestim.org)
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 37 Covid patients currently hospitalized (22 are unvaccinated;
15 are vaccinated with 4 having received boosters)
- 3 Covid patients are in the ICU, all requiring ventilators
- A total of 1,628 individuals were tested at the JMC Urgent Care sites with
a percent positivity rate of 39%
Omicron Surge
The current surge in cases has now surpassed the prior peak levels during
the COVID pandemic (Fig 1), with 486,428 new cases being reported on December
29. The latest data from the CDC reveals that 95.4% of the Covid cases
across the U.S. can be attributed to the omicron variant. Data from South
Africa and England indicate that the omicron surge is likely to follow
an inverted V shape. With the surge in South Africa lasting approximately
4 weeks, this offers hope for a rapid recovery. Various models predict
that the peak of cases in Florida will occur somewhere between mid-January
and mid-February.

Monoclonal antibody therapy
Regen-COV and bamlanivimab/etesevimab, which were used successfully in
previous phases of the pandemic, do not appear to retain activity against
the Omicron variant. In region 4 (as designated by HHS to include Florida,
Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and the Carolinas),
the omicron variant now represents 97.3% of the Covid cases.
Sotrovimab, an antibody therapy that has demonstrated strong evidence of
efficacy against omicron is now being allocated by U.S. health officials
to states based on the number of Covid cases and hospitalizations.
Evusheld is an additional new monoclonal antibody therapy. It has received
an EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) for pre-exposure prophylaxis in high-risk
patients including those with moderate to severe immune compromise and
those who have had severe allergic reactions to COVID vaccines. The PROVENT
study in 5,000 patients demonstrated a 77% reduction in the development
of COVID infections in the treatment group. This reduction in risk of
infection was maintained for 6 months and importantly, a recent study
demonstrated that Evusheld retained its neutralizing activity against
the Omicron variant.
Florida state monoclonal antibody sites continue to schedule patients for
monoclonal antibody therapy, expanding access and helping ease the burden
on hospitals.
Oral Antiviral Therapy
A recent development in COVID therapy is the approval of Pfizer’s
Paxlovid and Merck’s molnupiravir as oral therapy for early COVID
disease in patients at risk of severe disease, such as those with weakened
immune systems. They are designed to be taken at home within the first
few days of contracting Covid-19. Early data indicates Paxlovid reduces
the risk of hospitalization or death by 89% while molnupiravir reduces
the risk by 30% and both appear to be effective against the omicron variant.
DHS (Department of Health and Human Services) allocated 65,000 courses
of Paxlovid and 300,000 courses of molnupiravir last week and these are
being distributed through state health departments, which will decide
the hospitals and pharmacies that will receive shipments. Many of these
doses are in transit and have not yet reached their destinations. It is
anticipated that the availability of these therapies will remain very
limited for the upcoming weeks.
Vaccination
The FDA has authorized COVID booster shots for teens aged 12 to 15 years
of age by extending the EUA for the Pfizer booster shot. The Advisory
Committee for Immunization Practice of the CDC is scheduled to meet later
this week and consider this authorization. The committee recommendation
will then go to the CDC director for final approval. The FDA is basing
this decision on data from Israel that demonstrated no significant safety
concerns in this age group with no cases of myocarditis reported.
In addition, the FDA is moving the interval for booster doses from six
to five months based on the Israeli data, which showed that the shorter
interval is effective.
The next 4-6 weeks will pose significant challenges as the impact of the
rapid rise in Covid cases is compounded by staffing shortages across industries.
Fortunately, the decreased clinical severity of omicron coupled with the
advent of new therapeutics will help us weather the current wave of the
Covid-19 pandemic.
Best wishes for a safe, happy and healthy New Year.
Effective December 29, 2021
Patients are allowed 1 visitor (over the age of 18) per day. Visitation
will not occur in rooms with COVID patients.
Visiting hours occur daily from 11am - 7pm
Visitors will enter via the East entrance. Labor & Delivery Patients/Significant
others and Pediatric visitors will enter via the South entrance.
Inpatient visitation will resume as follows:
- INPATIENTS ONLY are allowed 1 visitor (over the age of 18) per day at the
same time. Please use the East entrance.
- Visitors must present with a government issued ID and must wear a mask
at all times.
- Visitors will be directed to the patient room and asked to stay in the room.
- Visitors may utilize the cafeteria but must wear a mask when not eating/drinking.
Visitors may also purchase coffee at the Coffee Shop in the east lobby.
- Visitors will not be permitted entry after 6:30pm.
- Visitation will not occur in rooms with COVID patients.
-
Pediatric patients are allowed to have both parents visit at the same time.
One parent can spend the night.
- Pediatric visitors will enter via the South lobby.
- Labor & Delivery patients/significant others will enter using the South
lobby and the significant other should plan to stay the entire encounter,
there will be no switching out of visitors.
- NICU patients may have both parents visit at the same time.
- Emergency Department (ED) patients may have 1 visitor, once placed in a
room in the ED.
-
INPATIENT and OUTPATIENT Surgical patients (this does NOT include patients
here for procedures such as cardiac caths, eletrophysiology, GI lab or
interventional radiology):
- Will be permitted 1 visitor to accompany them to the preop area.
- Visitor must present their government issued ID and must wear a mask at
all times.
- Visitors will be permitted to stay with their loved one in the preop area.
- Visitors may utilize the cafeteria but must wear a mask when not eating/drinking.
Visitors may purchase coffee at the Coffee Shop in the East lobby.
- Visitors may wait for their loved one in the surgical waiting area and
must wear a mask at all times.
Effective December 6, 2021
Visiting hours occur daily from 11am - 7pm
Visitors will enter via the East entrance. Labor & Delivery Patients/Significant
others and Pediatric visitors will enter via the South entrance.
Inpatient visitation will resume as follows:
- INPATIENTS ONLY are allowed 2 visitors (over the age of 18) per day at
the same time. Please use the East entrance.
- Visitors must present with a government issued ID and must wear a mask
at all times.
- Visitors will be directed to the patient room and asked to stay in the room.
- Visitors may go to the cafeteria but must wear a mask when not eating/drinking.
Visitors may also purchase coffee at the Coffee Shop in the east lobby.
- Visitors will not be permitted entry after 6:30pm.
- Visitation will not occur in rooms wtih COVID patients.
-
Pediatric patients are allowed to have both parents visit at the same time.
One parent can spend the night.
- Pediatric visitors will enter via the South lobby.
- Labor & Delivery patients/significant others will enter using the South
lobby and the significant other should plan to stay the entire encounter,
there will be no switching out of visitors.
- NICU patients may have both parents visit at the same time.
- Emergency Department (ED) patients may have 1 visitor, once placed in a
room in the ED.
-
INPATIENT and OUTPATIENT Surgical patients (this does NOT include patients
here for procedures such as cardiac caths, eletrophysiology, GI lab or
interventional radiology):
- Will be permitted 1 visitor to accompany them to the preop area.
- Visitor must present their government issued ID and must wear a mask at
all times.
- Visitors will be permitted to stay with their loved one in the preop area.
- Visitors may go to the cafeteria but must wear a mask when not eating/drinking.
Visitors may purchase coffee at the Coffee Shop in the East lobby.
- Visitors may wait for their loved one in the surgical waiting area and
must wear a mask at all times.
CEO Update 12/21/21
The Omicron variant is dominating current news regarding the Covid pandemic.
According to estimates released by the CDC yesterday, the Omicron Covid-19
variant now accounts for approximately 75% of new coronavirus cases in
the Unites States. Increased transmissibility as well as a genetic profile
that may reduce its susceptibility to vaccination and monoclonal antibody
therapy are cause for concern.
New England and the Midwest are seeing the impact of dual surges consisting
of delta and omicron variants simultaneously. Hospitals in some areas
were already seeing increased numbers of cases due to the Delta variant
and now New York/New Jersey are also seeing increased numbers of omicron
cases, with up to 13% of new cases being omicron last week. Given the
rapid doubling time of the omicron variant, it is likely that the overall
case numbers will continue to surge.
Florida Metrics
- There were 29,568 new cases during the week ending 12/16 (120% increase)
- The percent positive rate was 5.4% for the week ending 12/16 (108% increase)
- The Rt value is 1.1 (epiforecasts.io 12/18, increasing)
- 14.6 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (70% of
population over age 5)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 2,445 new cases during the week ending 12/16 (160% increase)
- The percent positive rate was 6.5% for the week ending 12/16 (150% increase)
- 1 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (73% of population
over age 5)
- The Rt values is 1.6 (covidestim.org)
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 3 Covid patients currently hospitalized
- 2 Covid patients are in the ICU with one requiring a ventilator
- We tested 635 patients (up 82%) for Covid last week in our Urgent Care
centers with a percent positive rate of 21% (increasing)
Omicron
Since its discovery in Botswana on November 11 and South Africa on November
12, the omicron variant is now present in 70 countries and in 45 states
in the U.S. Two areas of concern are its increased transmissibility and
its decreased susceptibility to current vaccination and monoclonal antibody
therapy. This variant has over 30 mutations in the spike protein and several
of these mutations are known to increase transmissibility. The omicron
variant has spread rapidly in South Africa and in England with doubling
times of 1-3 days (Fig 1).

In South Africa, cases increased by 10% within 24 hours. Early analysis
has demonstrated that reinfections are 2.39 times more common with omicron
than prior variants (study posted on December 2). A study from England
estimated the reinfection rate of Omicron is 5.4 times that of Delta.
Vaccination/boosters
Breakthrough cases in vaccinated individuals are being seen more commonly
with omicron. In a recent study, there was a significant reduction in
neutralizing activity of blood from vaccinated or previously infected
individuals against omicron. In a study prepublished in medRxiv from Massachusetts
General Hospital, most individuals vaccinated with mRNA vaccines had undetectable
neutralization of omicron. Fortunately, a booster dose induced potent
neutralization of the omicron variant. Moderna also released data showing
that the omicron variant was 49-84 times less sensitive to neutralization
by their 2-shot regimen than the beta variant. However, a third dose induced
a 12.6 fold increase in neutralization titers against omicron (posted
December 15). A recent study from England demonstrated that 2 doses of
the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines provided limited or no protection against
symptomatic disease with omicron. A booster with the Pfizer vaccine significantly
increased protection (MedRxiv, December 14).
Both Pfizer and Moderna are already developing mRNA vaccines against the
omicron variant. The CEO of Pfizer estimated that it would take 100 days
to develop a vaccine against omicron using the mRNA platform. They had
previously developed vaccines which targeted the beta and delta variants
but decided against EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) applications because
of the continued effectiveness of the existing vaccine against those variants.
Therapeutic agents
Omicron was recently demonstrated to be less susceptible to casirivimab
and imdevimab, two of the available monoclonal antibody treatments (medRxiv,
December 8).
Two oral agents are pending approval for EUAs from the FDA and the CDC.
These agents are effective when administered within the first few days
of a COVID infection. Paxlovid from Pfizer, which is a protease inhibitor,
should maintain its effectiveness in patients infected with omicron. Likewise,
molnupiravir, which blocks viral polymerase and inhibits multiplication
of the virus should also maintain its effectiveness against the omicron
variant. Molnupiravir has already been approved by an FDA advisory panel
and is expected to receive full approval in the coming weeks.
Fortunately, the omicron variant appears to produce less severe disease
than prior variants. The initial cases in South Africa were described
in young university students. The symptoms included extreme fatigue, muscle
aches, a scratchy throat and dry cough. Most of the patients did not require
hospital admission. Since the initial reports, there has been a decoupling
between the rapid rise in cases and a much lower increase in hospitalizations
in South Africa.
In Palm Beach County, case numbers and the reproduction number (Rt) are
rising while hospitalizations remain flat. This may be an indication that
the increase in case numbers is related to the omicron variant, which
at this time is believed to have a less severe clinical course. However,
we must be prepared that this may represent a lag between the surge in
cases and a subsequent increase in hospitalizations. We believe that the
first explanation is the more likely one but will continue to monitor
the data closely in the upcoming days and weeks.
Regrettably, the emergence of the omicron variant has suddenly altered
hopes and plans for the upcoming season for many of us.
Best wishes for a safe and healthy holiday for you and your families.
CEO Update 11/10/21
New COVID cases and percent positivity continue to drop in Florida and
Palm Beach County. There is also promising news regarding therapeutic
agents for COVID. In the vaccination arena, the CDC has expanded its recommendations
for vaccination to the 5-11 age group.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 11,069 new cases during the week ending 11/4 (14% decrease)
- The percent positive rate was 2.6% for the week ending 11/4 (13% decrease)
- The Rt value is 0.513 (covidestim.org 11/8)
- 14 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (73% of
population over age 12)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 793 new cases during the week ending 10/14 (decreasing)
- The percent positive rate was 2.9% for the week ending 10/14 (decreasing)
- 985,000 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (76% of population
over age 12)
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 9 COVID patients currently hospitalized
- 1 patient is in the ICU and is on a ventilator
- We tested 175 patients for COVID this week in our Urgent Care centers (down 20%)
Therapeutics
Pfizer reported encouraging results from the phase 2/3 trial EPIC-HR of
its oral agent Paxlovid. There was an 89% reduction in the risk of COVID
hospitalization or death in this randomized, double-blind study in non-hospitalized
COVID patients treated within the first 3 days of symptom onset compared
to control patients. The decrease was 85% when patients received the drug
within 5 days. Due to the excellent efficacy of the treatment, the study
was stopped and Pfizer plans to use this data to support an EUA (Emergency
Use Authorization) application.
Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics recently submitted an EUA application
for another oral antiviral agent molnupiravir. The Phase 3 MOVe-OUT trial
in high-risk non-hospitalized COVID-positive patients with mild to moderate
COVID-19 with symptom onset within 5 days of enrollment showed a 50% reduction
in hospitalization or death. An independent Data Monitoring Committee
recommended that the study be stopped early due to the positive results.
The EUA application was filed on October 11.
Regeneron has reported that a single dose of its antibody cocktail RegenCOV
reduced the risk of contracting COVID by 81.6% in the 2-8 month period
following administration. This is especially significant in patients who
are immunocompromised or those unresponsive to vaccination. The study
participants were in the same household as a patient diagnosed with COVID
within the prior 4 days. The participants received RegenCOV versus placebo.
There were no hospitalizations in the treatment arm.
Vaccine
The FDA advisory committee met on October 26 and unanimously recommended
that the FDA grant EUA for the COVID vaccine for children 5 to 11 years
old after reviewing the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in that
age group. This was followed on October 29 by the FDA authorizing the
emergency use of the COVID vaccine in 5 to 11 years old children using
a 10 microgram dose given 3 weeks apart. On November 2, after a systematic
review of available data, CDC’s ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices) also made a recommendation for use of the Pfizer vaccine in
children aged 5-11 years old.
We are pleased that the trend of COVID cases in our region continues to
be favorable.
CEO Update 10/19/21
New COVID cases and percent positivity continue to decline in our region.
Florida Metrics
- There were 19,519 new cases during the week ending 10/14 (24% decrease)
- The percent positive rate was 3.8% for the week ending 9/30 (21% decrease)
- The Rt value is 0.51 (covidestim.org 10/18)
- 13.8 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (72% of
population over age 12)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 1,430 new cases during the week ending 10/14 (decreasing)
- The percent positive rate was 4.1% for the week ending 10/14 (decreasing)
- 973,000 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (75% of population
over age 12)
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 9 COVID patients currently hospitalized (59% decrease over 2 weeks)
- 1 patient is in the ICU and is on a ventilator
Vaccines
The FDA vaccine advisory panel met twice last week. On day 1, they unanimously
approved a booster of the Moderna vaccine for administration at least
6 months after the second vaccination. The booster dose would be 50 micrograms,
which is half of the first shot dose. The groups recommended for booster include:
- people over age 65
- individuals 18 to 64 years old at high risk for severe COVID disease
- those with institutional or occupational exposure to COVID such as healthcare workers
On day 2, the panel considered a booster dose for the J+J vaccine. The
panel unanimously voted for a second vaccine dose at least 2 months after
the initial dose for all recipients of the J+J vaccine. Some of the speakers
characterized this as a belief that the data indicates that the J+J vaccine
should have also been a 2-shot vaccine based on the results that demonstrated
a significantly lower effectiveness in preventing serious illness 4 months
after vaccination.
During this meeting, the panel also considered “mix and match”
vaccination, in which the individual receives a different type of vaccine
from the initial vaccination. Research was presented by a US MixNMatch
trial at 10 clinical sites consisting of 450 patients who received booster
doses. Findings revealed that mixing boosters were safe without any increased
adverse events. Booster doses of all 3 vaccine types led to increased
antibody levels in participants who had received any of the 3 vaccine
types initially. Heterologous boosters (a different vaccine type for the
booster) generated higher responses than homologous boosters. mRNA vaccine
boosters generated higher antibody titers than the J+J vaccine in the
first 28 days after the boost. However, the panel did not make a recommendation
about regarding “mix and match” vaccination and cited a lack
of sufficient data to propose a recommendation at this time.
The next step in the process is a meeting of the Advisory Committee for
Immunization Practice on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. COVID vaccination
is on the agenda for Thursday, and it is likely that the Committee will
recommend boosters for both Moderna and J+J vaccinated individuals. The
Moderna booster will likely be recommended for the same groups as were
identified for the Pfizer boosters. The J+J booster will be recommended
for all persons over age 18 who received single dose vaccination with
the J+J vaccine. It is expected that the acting commissioner of the FDA
and the CDC director will issue recommendations by the end of this week.
Influenza Vaccination
We experienced a very mild flu season last year. The rate of flu hospitalization
was only 4 per 100,000 compared to a usual rate of 70 per 100,000. Unfortunately,
it is predicted that the flu season will be more severe this year.
The CDC and ACIP recommend flu vaccination for all persons over 6 months
of age who do not have contraindications. Flu vaccination should ideally
be administered by the end of October.
Individuals over age 65 and those with immunocompromise should consider
a high dose flu vaccine.
Flu vaccines can be administered at the same time as a COVID vaccine but
should be given at a different injection site (i.e., in opposite arms
or in the same arm at least one inch apart).
Therapy
A meeting of the FDA advisory panel is scheduled for November 30 to consider
Merck and Ridgeway Biotherapeutics application for an EUA of their oral
therapeutic agent molnupiravir. Given the very promising results seen
in the randomized trial with a 50% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths
(primary endpoint), the FDA could also consider activating an expanded
access protocol, which was done for convalescent plasma last year before
an EUA was issued.
As a result of the continued favorable trend of Covid-19 cases in Florida
coupled with the approval of vaccine boosters and the increased availability
of therapeutics for early-stage Covid infection, we look forward to a
happy and healthy holiday season.
Effective October 11, 2021
Visiting hours occur daily from 12pm - 6pm
Visitors will enter via the East entrance. Labor & Delivery Patients/Significant
others and Pediatric visitors will enter via the South entrance.
Inpatient visitation will resume as follows:
- INPATIENTS ONLY are allowed 2 visitors (over the age of 18) per day at
the same time. Please use the East entrance.
- Visitors must present with a government issued ID and must wear a mask
at all times.
- Visitors will be directed to the patient room and asked to stay in the room.
- Visitors may go to the cafeteria but must wear a mask when not eating/drinking.
Visitors may also purchase coffee at the Coffee Shop in the east lobby.
- Visitors will not be permitted entry after 5:30pm.
- Visitation will not occur in rooms wtih COVID patients.
-
Pediatric patients are allowed to have both parents visit at the same time.
One parent can spend the night.
- Pediatric visitors will enter via the South lobby.
- Labor & Delivery patients/significant others will enter using the South
lobby and the significant other should plan to stay the entire encounter,
there will be no switching out of visitors.
- NICU patients may have both parents visit at the same time.
- Emergency Department (ED) patients may have 1 visitor, once placed in a
room in the ED.
-
INPATIENT and OUTPATIENT Surgical patients (this does NOT include patients
here for procedures such as cardiac caths, eletrophysiology, GI lab or
interventional radiology):
- Will be permitted 1 visitor to accompany them to the preop area.
- Visitor must present their government issued ID and must wear a mask at
all times.
- Visitors will be permitted to stay with their loved one in the preop area.
- Visitors may go to the cafeteria but must wear a mask when not eating/drinking.
Visitors may purchase coffee at the Coffee Shop in the East lobby.
- Visitors may wait for their loved one in the surgical waiting area and
must wear a mask at all times.
CEO Update 10/5/21
We are pleased to report that Covid cases continue to trend favorably.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 37,772 new cases during the week ending 9/30 (33% decrease)
- The percent positive rate was 6.5% for the week ending 9/30 (24% decrease)
- The Rt value is 0.50 (covidestim.org 10/1)
- 13.6 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (71% of
population over age 12)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 2,416 new cases during the week ending 9/30 (decreasing)
- The percent positive rate was 6.5% for the week ending 9/16 (decreasing)
- 950,700 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (74% of population
over age 12)
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 22 COVID patients currently hospitalized (decreasing)
- 5 patients are in the ICU with 2 requiring ventilators and 3 requiring BiPAP
- We tested 262 patients for COVID this week in our Urgent Care centers (down 10%)
Vaccines
The FDA has scheduled three meetings of its independent vaccine advisory
committee for October. The first meeting on October 14 will review data
regarding booster shots for the Moderna vaccine. The second meeting on
October 15 will discuss J+J vaccine boosters and will also cover the administration
of booster dose of a different vaccine than the original vaccination type
(referred to as mix-and-match boosters). The third meeting on October
26 will involve Pfizer’s request for an EUA for its vaccine for
5- to 11-year-old children. The recommendations by the vaccine advisory
committee are usually the last step before the FDA makes its formal recommendation.
This is typically followed by recommendations from the Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and CDC guidelines regarding vaccination.
J + J has presented data to the FDA from a range of studies prior to next
week’s FDA meeting. The single shot vaccine produced a humoral and
cellular immune response that lasted at least 8 months. The ENSEMBLE trial
showed that the single shot vaccine was 85% effective against severe disease.
A booster dose given 2 months after the initial dose resulted in a 4-fold
increase in antibodies and was 94% effective in preventing mild to severe
COVID infections. If the booster dose was given at an interval of 6 months,
a 12-fold increase in antibody levels was seen.
In a study of over 3.4 million individuals which was published on October
4, new data was presented regarding the Pfizer vaccine effectiveness over
6 months. For fully vaccinated people over the entire study period, effectiveness
against infection was 73% and against hospitalization was 90%. Effectiveness
against infections fell from 88% during the first month after vaccination
to 47% after 5 months. For infections caused by Delta variant, vaccine
effectiveness against infection fell from 93% to 53% at 4 months after
vaccination. Protection from hospitalization for Delta infections (genome
sequenced) remained high at 93% for 6 months. This data is consistent
with other information showing a decrease in protection from infection
but a persistent effectiveness against severe disease by mRNA vaccines.
The CDC has also begun reporting on COVID vaccine effectiveness. There
are a number of systems being used to monitor effectiveness in terms of
infections, hospitalizations, and deaths in different groups. These include
long-term care residents; healthcare providers and first responders; and
hospitalized individuals.

Therapy
AstraZeneca has filed a request for an EUA for a long-acting antibody combination
for prophylaxis of symptomatic COVID 19 which is given intramuscularly.
The drug is a combination of two antibodies (tixagevimab and cilgavimab)
derived from B cells donated by convalescent patients after COVID infection.
In a PROVENT pre-exposure prophylaxis trial in 5,197 patients, the treatment
reduced the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 77% compared to
placebo. There were no cases of severe COVID or death in those treated
with the study drugs.
Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have reported promising results in
a Phase III trial of their oral COVID agent molnupiravir. In a study of
1,400 patients with risk factors for severe disease, a 5-day course of
the drug given within 5 days of symptom onset, reduced hospitalization
by 50%. In addition, there were no deaths in the patients who had received
the study drug compared to 8/377 patients in the control group. This is
an exciting development in the treatment of COVID, because the other therapies
found to be effective early in the disease (monoclonal antibody agents)
require intravenous infusions.
Holiday Travel
As many of us begin planning holiday travel, additional studies are being
published about airline travel safety. These studies include analysis
of actual flights and case studies, as well as ones using modeling to
define risks and develop tactics to reduce risks. It should be stressed
that the risk of onboard spread appears to be very small.
Some practical guidance which can be considered:
- In-flight mealtime in which most passengers have their masks off is a time
of increased risk. A recent study found a 60% increased risk of transmission
during a one-hour mealtime on a 12- hour flight. It would be prudent to
consider keeping your mask on during meal service.
- A second period of increased risk is during boarding and deplaning. This
is possibly related to people clustering and breathing in close proximity.
One airline has instructed their pilots to leave ventilation systems running
during boarding and deplaning. Being with a large group in a poorly ventilated
jet bridge should also be avoided if possible.
- There is data which demonstrates that masking does reduce the risk of infection.
Wearing a surgical mask or even an N-95 mask should be considered.
- If the toilet is used, your mask should be kept on. In addition, the lid
should be closed prior to flushing. The flushing has been shown to create
an upward air current with droplets being carried to a height of 100 cm.
- Frequent hand disinfection and wiping down surfaces such astray tables
and arm rests are advised.
While the data is not conclusive, this is a list of activities which appear
to play a role in transmission.
We continue to remain optimistic regarding the upcoming season in South Florida.
CEO Update 9/21/21
Nationally, headlines related to the COVID pandemic have been dominated
by the FDA and CDC recommendations regarding booster doses in the U.S.
In Florida, the continued reduction in new cases and percent positivity
is welcome news.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 75,906 new cases during the week ending 9/16 (24% decrease)
- The percent positive rate was 11.2% for the week ending 9/16 (18% decrease)
- The Rt value is 0.51 (covidestim.org 9/19)
- 13.4 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (70% of
population)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 4,568 new cases during the week ending 9/16 (decreasing)
- The percent positive rate was 10% for the week ending 9/16 (decreasing)
- 950,700 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (73% of population over 12)
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 34 COVID patients currently hospitalized (17% decrease over the
past 2 weeks)
- 7 patients are in the ICU with 3 requiring ventilators and 3 requiring BiPAP
- We tested 292 patients for COVID last week in our Urgent Care centers (down
40%) and the percent positive rate was 11% (decreasing)
Booster Doses
The FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted
unanimously to recommend a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to
people 65 years and older, health care workers and others at high risk
of occupational exposure, as well as people who are at risk of severe
COVID. However, the committee voted against a proposal to recommend a
third Pfizer dose for all individuals 16 and over. The panelists indicated
that majority of vaccinated people have sufficient protection against
severe illness requiring hospitalization or death.
Multiple studies were reviewed by the FDA Vaccine Advisory Committee. A
study published Friday Sept 17 in MMWR looked at COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations,
and Deaths by Vaccination Status in 13 U.S. jurisdictions from April through
July 17, 2021. A key finding was that vaccination has been highly effective
in preventing infection, hospitalization, or death even during the Delta
surge (Fig 1).

Protection from hospitalization and death continued to be robust during
the period of the study (Fig 2). However, researchers did see a higher-than-expected
number of COVID infections in vaccinated individuals during the later
period in the study, which would be consistent with a decrease in vaccine
effectiveness from a 90% to an 80% level.

Additionally, the increases in the percentages of hospitalizations and
deaths among vaccinated persons over 65 years of age were greater than
were expected. This finding is consistent with a more significant reduction
in vaccine effectiveness over time in the elderly.
Multiple other studies were considered by the committee. Several studies
related to boosters have originated from Israel. In July, Israel reported
a decline in vaccine effectiveness to 40% in preventing symptomatic infection
but found that the vaccine was still 88% effective in preventing hospitalizations
and deaths. Breakthrough infections were more common in individuals over
the age of 60. In early July, Israel began giving booster doses to immunocompromised
and transplant patients as they saw a spike in cases related to the Delta
variant. Subsequently, Israel began giving booster doses in individuals
over 60 years of age. Over a several week period, this decision was expanded
to all persons over the age of 12. Following that decision, researchers
found a significant improvement in protection which was present within
10 days following a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine. A third dose provided
four times the protection against infection vs. 2 doses in people over
the age of 60. The booster shots improved protection against serious illness
and hospitalization by 5 to 6 times. Pfizer also presented data that their
vaccine effectiveness against infection steadily decreases over time,
to about 84% for vaccinated people 4 months after receiving the second
dose. A recent study from the Mayo Clinic found that vaccine effectiveness
against hospitalization remained high in July (Moderna, 81%; Pfizer 75%)
but was lower against infection Moderna, 76%, Pfizer, 42%). A recent Oxford
University study found that 90 days after the Pfizer vaccine, its effectiveness
against preventing infections had dropped to 75%.
A meeting is scheduled this week for the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practice, which advises the CDC on whether it should recommend vaccines
that the FDA has approved. ACIP will consider the recommendations made
by the FDA vaccine committee last week and make a recommendation to the CDC.
Pediatric Vaccines
Earlier this week, Pfizer announced that a trial in children aged 5 to
11 demonstrated that their vaccine given as a two-dose regimen 3 weeks
apart was safe and effective in generating a robust immune response. The
dose was about one-third of the adult dose. The company plans to submit
the data as soon as possible to the FDA for consideration of approval
in this age group. It is projected that the review by the FDA will take
between 4 and 6 weeks and that an approval could come by the end of October.
Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers
On September 9, 2021 President Biden announced vaccine mandates for workers
in healthcare settings that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement,
including, but not limited to hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory
surgical settings, and home health agencies. CMS (Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services) is developing an Interim Final Rule containing
pertinent details that will be issued in October.
We are glad to see a continued reduction in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations
as the upcoming season approaches.
CEO Update 9/7/21
The most significant news locally is the 20% week over week reduction in
new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in Palm Beach County. Cases in
the pediatric population continues to be an area of focus, as we wait
for additional data about pediatric vaccinations to become available.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 129,240 new cases during the week ending 9/2 (20% decrease).
- The percent positive rate was 15.2% for the week ending 9/2 (23% decrease).
- The Rt value is 0.65 (covidestim.org 9/5).
- 13.1 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (69% of
population).
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 6,863 new cases during the week ending 9/2 (decreasing).
- The percent positive rate was 12.6% for the week ending 9/2 (stable).
- 931,000 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (72% of population over 12).
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 41 COVID patients currently hospitalized (27% decrease over the
past two weeks).
- 10 patients are in the ICU with 9 requiring ventilators and 1 requiring BiPAP.
- We tested 584 patients for COVID last week in our Urgent Care centers (down
27%) and the percent positive rate was 23% (decreasing).
Delta Surge
Palm Beach County and Jupiter Medical Center are seeing significant and
rapid reductions in the number of new cases and new hospital admissions
over the past 2 weeks. The percent positivity has also started to drop
and the reproduction number (Rt) has been dropping rapidly. These forward-looking
indicators suggest that we will continue to see substantial improvements
in these parameters over the next few weeks.
Booster Doses
The data clearly demonstrates a reduction in effectiveness at preventing
COVID infection with time as antibody levels decrease post vaccination.
Since HHS (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) initially released
the recommendation for booster doses in all Americans receiving either
the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine pending FDA and CDC’s ACIP (Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices) approval, several events have occurred.
Two leading FDA scientists, the director and deputy director of the Office
of Vaccines Research and Review, announced that they were leaving the
agency due to their concerns that the usual process of having the FDA
examine the data and make recommendations was not being followed. Dr Fauci
subsequently stated that only the Pfizer vaccine may get FDA and CDC approval
in time for the September 20 rollout and that Moderna will require additional
time. Pfizer has already submitted their booster data to the FDA for review.
There has been no announcement about the J+J vaccine, which produced lower
initial levels of protection from COVID infection. It has been announced
that an FDA advisory panel will review Pfizer’s application for
a booster on September 17.
Pediatric Cases
The impact of the Delta surge on cases in children accompanied by the school
year opening is being monitored and the CDC released several reports last
week related to this subject. One study demonstrated that hospitalizations
were 10x lower in vaccinated adolescents as compared to those who were
unvaccinated. While mortality rates are very low in the pediatric age
groups, about 25% of children require ICU level care if they require admission
for COVID infection. The overall hospitalization rates for COVID infection
in children were similar in the time periods before and during the Delta
surge, suggesting that Delta did not produce more severe infection in
the pediatric population. A second study demonstrated that ED visits and
hospitalizations were significantly higher in states with lower population
vaccination coverage and lower in states with higher vaccination coverage.

An additional study looked at a school outbreak in California. It was found
that an unvaccinated teacher continued to come to school for 2 days following
the development of COVID symptoms. The teacher at times read aloud to
the students while not wearing a mask. 50% of 24 students developed COVID
infections. 80% of students in the first 2 rows became ill, while only
28% of students in the next 3 rows developed infection. The authors concluded
that in addition to vaccination, implementation of multimodal prevention
strategies including masking, distancing, testing, ventilation, and staying
home when symptomatic improves the safety of school instruction.
It is encouraging that the trend of Covid cases and hospitalizations continues
to improve. We will provide further details regarding booster vaccinations
as they become available.
CEO Update 8/25/21
The number of hospitalizations reported this week by the Florida Hospital
Association has stabilized. We are currently seeing a downtrend in cases
at JMC. Our Covid-19 cases reflect a 5% drop in our urgent care centers
and a 15% drop in hospitalizations at JMC. The site covidestim.org and
Scott Gottlieb, the former FDA commissioner are both reporting a reproduction
number (Rt) of less than 1, which would indicate a decreasing number of
cases moving forward. These facts support that we are at or just past
the peak of the current surge. One important factor which could impact
this trend was the recent opening of schools on August 10. There has been
an uptrend in cases in the pediatric age ranges over the past several
weeks, although there are currently no pediatric patients admitted with
Covid at JMC.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 150,118 new cases during the week ending 8/19 (stable)
- The percent positive rate was 19.8% for the week ending 8/13 (up slightly)
- The Rt value is 0.99 (covidestim.org 8/13)
- 12.7 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (65% of
population)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 9,257 new cases during the week ending 8/19 (stable)
- The percent positive rate was 17.9% for the week ending 8/1 (stable)
- 905,000 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (70% of population over 12)
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 76 COVID patients currently hospitalized (15% decrease)
- 18 patients are in the ICU with 6 requiring ventilators and 7 requiring BiPAP
- We tested 912 patients for COVID last week in our Urgent Care centers (5%
decrease) and the percent positive rate was 28%.
Elective Surgery
Although elective surgeries were suspended as a result of the Covid surge,
we continued performing urgent and emergent cases such as cancer and cardiac
surgeries during the two-week pause. In evaluating the upcoming weeks,
the schedule appears light resulting from physician summer vacations and
the approaching holiday weekend. We have also noted that some patients
are opting to reschedule elective surgeries to a later date. Taking these
factors into consideration along with the decline in Covid cases, we will
begin resuming elective surgeries next week. This will assist us in accommodating
elective overnight surgeries, which primarily impacts patients requiring
orthopedic procedures. We will continue to closely monitor the situation
and make adjustments should the trends change.
Therapy
One of the biggest developments during the past week was the Florida announcement
to open 21 sites for monoclonal antibody therapy across the state. Each
site would be capable of treating more than 300 patients per day. The
therapy has received an EUA for individuals 12 years old and above who
are COVID positive or who had a significant exposure and who have a risk
factor for severe disease (heart disease, lung disease, pregnancy, older
age, obesity, immunosuppressive disease, sickle cell disease, and neurodevelopmental
disorders). This would allow early treatment of over 6,000 patients per
week in these groups.
Vaccination
Vaccination continues to be a primary weapon against the COVID pandemic.
The FDA has now given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine full approval for ages
16 and older. The vaccine continues to have an EUA for ages 12-15. Pfizer
and BioNTech plan to apply for full approval for that age range as soon
as the required data is available. Moderna filed for full approval of
their vaccine in June, the month following the Pfizer-BioNTech application.
On August 18, HHS Public Health and medical experts issued a joint statement
announcing a plan to begin offering booster shots to all Americans on
September 20 and starting 8 months following an individual’s second
dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, pending an FDA evaluation of the
safety and efficacy of a third dose and the CDC’s AICP (Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices) issuing a recommendation for the
booster dose. This followed the recent FDA emergency use authorization
for an additional dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine in solid organ
transplant recipients or those who have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.
The statement did not include the J+J vaccine.
Additional information continues to be released about the effectiveness
of vaccines over time, the impact of the variants on the timeline, and
the impact of booster doses on immunity. Data from Israel showed that
people vaccinated in January with an mRNA vaccine had 2.26x greater risk
of breakthrough infection than those vaccinated in April. The data showed
that in people 65 years and older who were vaccinated in January, the
Pfizer vaccine was less than 55% effective against severe disease and
hospitalization. In a study from nursing home residents in the U.S., it
was found that the mRNA vaccines had an efficacy against all infections
that dropped from 75% pre-Delta to 53% after Delta became the dominant
strain. In the UK, protection against symptomatic infection decreased
significantly for the Delta period, to 84% for the Pfizer vaccine and
to 71% for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Recently, Israel has experienced a significant surge related to the Delta
variant, despite having over 78% of individuals over 12 years old being
fully vaccinated. Israel currently has one of the world’s highest
infection rates at 650 new cases daily per million people. 59% of individuals
hospitalized with severe or critical disease were fully vaccinated. Of
the vaccinated, 87% were 60 or older. Based on this data, Israel was one
of the first countries to authorize booster doses. They found that booster
doses significantly increased protection one week after administration
in a study involving 149,000 subjects. The booster decreased the risk
of infection by 86% and the risk of severe infection by 92%. This Israeli
data was a factor in the recent announcement by HHS related to boosters
in all Americans who had received an mRNA vaccine.
The exact type of booster shot is still under investigation. The current
plan is to use the same Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for the booster. Moderna
and Pfizer are also working on boosters which are specifically tailored
to be more effective against the variant strains and the initial data
appears promising. In addition, mix and match of vaccine types for booster
may be a desirable strategy. In this strategy, a different type of vaccine
is given as the booster dose. Early studies have demonstrated even higher
levels of antibodies in individuals receiving these boosters. Additional
data and details from ongoing studies should be available in September.
We are cautiously optimistic that Florida and our community appear to be
past the peak of the Delta variant Covid surge, and the situation will
continue to improve over the next few weeks.
CEO Update 8/16/21
The Delta variant driven COVID surge continues to result in increased new
cases and hospitalizations both regionally and nationally. Given the increased
number of weekly new cases, it is very likely that the strain on hospital
systems will continue for the upcoming weeks. The decrease in the (Rt)
reproduction time in Florida is cause for optimism, as it suggests that
the surge in Florida should moderate in the next few weeks.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 151,415 new cases during the week ending 8/13 (12% Increase)
- The percent positive rate was 19.3% for the week ending 8/13 (Stable)
- The Rt value is 0.99 (covidestim.org 8/13)
- 12.4 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (65% of
population)
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 9,159 new cases during the week ending 8/13 (20% Increase)
- The percent positive rate was 17.8% for the week ending 8/13
- 888,767 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (68% of population over 12)
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 79 COVID patients currently hospitalized (25% increase)
- 15 patients are in the ICU with 8 requiring ventilators and 6 requiring Bi-PAP
- We tested 1,065 patients for COVID last week in our Urgent Care centers
(27% increase) and the percent positive rate was 27%.
Delta Variant and Current Surge
Nationally, 97.4% of new Covid cases are Delta variants (based on genomic
analysis). As detailed above, new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths
continue to rise on the state and local levels. Hospitalizations have
increased 20% week over week. The Florida Hospital Association reported
that 87% of hospitalized patients are unvaccinated, a drop from the early
reports that 95% of hospitalizations were in the unvaccinated population.
There has also been an increase in pediatric cases and hospitalizations
in the 0-17 years-old age groups.

Cancellation of Elective Procedures
We anticipate these high Covid related volumes to continue for the next
1-2 weeks. In order to free up clinical resources, last week we made the
decision to cancel and reschedule inpatient elective surgeries that are
not considered urgent or emergent, effective Monday 8/16 through Friday
8/20. We will reassess the situation on a regular basis to determine if
this will need to be extended, based on bed availability. These steps
will assist us in accommodating emergency cases and necessary surgeries
that cannot or should not be delayed, while providing needed resources
for all of our patients.
The cancellations apply only to inpatient elective procedures that are
not considered urgent or emergent. Outpatient elective procedures are
not affected at this time.
Update on COVID therapy
In contrast to the great success in vaccine development, finding or developing
additional therapeutic agents has been challenging. The mainstay of treatment
is dexamethasone, a steroid, which has been shown to reduce the risk of
death when used in COVID patients who require oxygen. Remdesivir is also
widely used in COVID patients. An early study demonstrated faster recovery
time in COVID patients who require low levels of oxygen therapy. In addition,
remdesivir did appear to confer a significant survival benefit in this
population at 29 days. More recently, baricitinib and tocilizumab may
be beneficial in patients who are demonstrating rapidly increasing oxygen
requirements.
Monoclonal antibody therapy with casirivimab plus imdevimab or the single
agent, sotrovimab have been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization
or death in patients with mild to moderate COVID disease and risk factors
for disease progression. Monoclonal antibody therapy has been shown to
reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death by 70%.
These agents have received emergency use authorization from the FDA. In
Florida, Governor DeSantis announced a plan to launch rapid response units
to offer monoclonal antibody therapy. In addition, strike teams would
be deployed to long-term care facilities to administer monoclonal antibody
therapy to seniors for which the therapy is indicated.
The World Health Organization has announced that they are relaunching the
Solidarity trial to study COVID therapy. Three drugs have been chosen
as the initial agents for investigation by an expert panel based on their
potential in reducing mortality. Artesunate is a malaria drug with anti-inflammatory
properties. Imatinib is a cancer agent that reverses pulmonary capillary
leak (a trial in the Netherlands has generated positive data). Inflixamib,
a TNF alpha inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties which is used
in rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease patients.
Currently, there are over 630 drug development programs in planning stages
and over 460 trials that have been reviewed by the FDA. 11 therapies have
received EUAs and one treatment is currently approved by the FDA for use
in COVID-19 (Remdesivir).
Due to the increasing strain on hospitals and health systems across Florida,
Covid-19 testing and antibody therapy facilities are being planned and
mobilized by state and local authorities.
COVID Prevention
Vaccinations remain essential in our fight to prevent the spread of Covid.
Many still have questions regarding vaccination, including those previously
afflicted by Covid or those with concerns regarding the effect of Covid
vaccines on fertility or pregnancy. Dr. Charles Murphy (JMC’s Chief
Quality and Patient Safety Officer) recently convened a panel of medical
experts to address these and other vaccine related topics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjcKAQtetso.
COVID Vaccine Booster
As predicted in our last update, the FDA and CDC are now recommending COVID
booster doses for solid organ transplant recipients or individuals with
an equivalent level of immunocompromise. Immunocompromised individuals
have a higher risk of developing severe disease if they do have a COVID
infection. The CDC has concluded that an additional dose of vaccine would
increase protection in this vulnerable population. Internationally, Israel
has extended their approval of booster to include healthcare workers and
individuals over 50 years of age.
CEO Update 8/12/21
Florida is experiencing an unprecedented surge in COVID hospitalizations.
Health systems across the state are approaching maximum capacity.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 134,506 new cases during the week ending 8/6
- The percent positive rate was 18.9% for the week ending 8/6
- The Rt value is 1.2
- 12.1 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 7,787 new cases during the week ending 8/6
- The percent positive rate was 17.1% for the week ending 8/6
- 900,000 individuals have received at least one vaccine dose (60% to total
population)
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 63 COVID patients currently hospitalized
- 9 patients are in the ICU with 5 requiring ventilators and 3 requiring Bi-PAP
- We tested 1,065 patients for COVID this week in our Urgent Care centers
(27% increase) and the percent positivity rate was 27%
Delta Variant
There continues to be a large surge in COVID cases and hospitalizations
triggered by the very contagious Delta variant. New cases in Florida have
increased from 45,000 per week to over 134,000 per week over the past
month. The reproduction number (Rt) has increased to the 1.3 range during
the same time period. Over 90% of the new cases are caused by the Delta
variant. Hospitalizations in Florida have also increased dramatically
and are currently in the 15,000 range. This is 150% of the peak in July,
2020. Approximately 50% of patients in ICUs in Florida are there with COVID.
Over the past few days, there has been some reduction in the reproduction
number (Rt) as shown in Figure 1.

Fig 1. Florida Reproduction Number
While this is certainly good news, there is a lag between the number of
new cases and the number of new hospitalizations. The decrease in Rt is
encouraging and suggests that we may see an inverted V-shaped spike with
a rapid downslope as was seen in England with the Delta variant.
Cancellation of Elective Procedures
We are currently experiencing unprecedented volumes at JMC with 259 patients
in house of which 63 are Covid positive patients. These volumes have significantly
challenged us from a capacity standpoint. The team is working collectively
to expedite discharges to free up beds and accommodate patients from the
Emergency Department.
We anticipate these high volumes to continue for the next 1-2 weeks. In
order to free up clinical resources, we have made the decision to cancel
and reschedule elective surgeries that are not considered urgent or emergent,
effective Monday 8/16 through Friday 8/20. We will reassess the situation
on a regular basis to determine if this will need to be extended, based
on bed availability. These steps will assist us in accommodating emergency
cases and necessary surgeries that cannot or should not be delayed, while
providing needed resources for all of our patients.
Booster Doses
The need for booster doses of the COVID vaccine and the timing of those
boosters is under active study. It is known that the antibody response
to vaccination degrades over time. As antibody levels decrease, the individual
becomes susceptible to re-infection. The mRNA vaccines are demonstrating
effectiveness at the 6-month mark in the 90% range for preventing severe
illness or death from COVID infection, including illness caused by the
variants. Their effectiveness in preventing infection altogether appears
to be significantly less, but the illness is much less severe than in
unvaccinated individuals. The FDA is expected to announce a decision to
recommend booster doses for the immunocompromised in the next few days.
Thank you for your continued support as we face the next set of challenges
posed by the pandemic.
Update 8/12/21
We are offering the Moderna Covid 19 Vaccine to those age 18 and older
at our Jupiter Medical Center Urgent Care locations in Jupiter, 5430 Military
Trail, Suite 64 and 1335 W. Indiantown Road. Walk-ins welcome, no appointment
necessary.
Update 8/2/21
The Delta variant continues to be responsible for the surge in global COVID
cases. In the US, Florida accounts for approximately 20% of new cases.
On Saturday, Florida set a record for new cases (21,683) and on Sunday,
Florida set a record for current hospitalizations (10,207). The Florida
data shows that 96% of confirmed hospitalized patients are unvaccinated
and 25% of these patients are in the ICU. 14% of hospitalized patients
require ventilators.
Florida Metrics
- There were 110,477 new cases during the week ending 7/30 (increasing).
- The percent positive rate averaged 18.1 % for the week ending 7/30 (increasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 1.3 (increasing).
- 11.75 million individuals (61%) have received at least one vaccine dose.
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 5,948 new cases for the week ending 7/30 (increasing).
- The positivity rate was 15.5% for the week ending 7/15 (increasing).
- 848,268 individuals (65%) have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 46 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with COVID-19.
- 10 patients are in the ICU, with 2 requiring ventilators and 5 requiring BiPAP.
- We tested 449 patients for COVID last week in our urgent care centers and
the positivity rate was 31%.
Delta Variant
The delta variant is responsible for a continuing global surge in the COVID
pandemic. A significant report in the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report came out this week regarding outbreaks including breakthrough infections
associated with large gatherings last month in Massachusetts. There were
reports of dense gatherings in bars, restaurants, guest houses and rental
homes. 469 cases were documented, including 246 (74%) in fully vaccinated
individuals. 90% of the infections that underwent genetic sequencing were
Delta. 274 (79%) of the vaccinated cases were symptomatic. 5 patients
required hospitalization of which 4 were vaccinated. There were no deaths.
Among vaccinated people who were infected, the median time from the 2-week
mark after full vaccination until the onset of symptoms was only 86 days.
Similar cycle times on PCR testing suggests that the viral loads in vaccinated
and unvaccinated people were similar. This report is very significant
due to the finding of a significant number of breakthrough cases and similar
viral loads in vaccinated individuals. The good news is that vaccination
was protective in terms of disease severity with only 5 hospitalizations
and no deaths.

The delta variant is believed to be as transmissible as chickenpox (Fig
1), with only measles being more transmissible. Viral loads in delta patients
have been found to be 1000 times higher than in original COVID infections.
Delta infections may also be more severe, with a Scottish study demonstrating
that the risk of hospital admission was doubled. Similar findings were
reported in Canada and Singapore. In the US, rates of hospitalization
in the age 18-49 age group have increased by 40%. In England, people younger
than 50 were 2.5 times more likely to be infected than older people (prevalence,
0.20% vs 0.08%).
Given this new information, the CDC revised their guidelines related to
mask wearing. This was based on the new data showing similar viral loads
in vaccinated patients and the knowledge that these individuals can be
asymptomatic. In addition, even vaccinated individuals are at risk of
COVID infections from the new variants in areas with high levels of transmission.
The CDC is therefore recommending that fully vaccinated individuals wear
masks in public indoor settings in areas with substantial or high transmission
or if they are immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease.
COVID Vaccine Booster Doses
Vaccines continue to demonstrate very good protection from COVID infection
caused by the variants. Three studies from Canada, Singapore, and Scotland
demonstrated that the Pfizer vaccine was more than 90% effective against
hospitalization or death from the Delta variant. However, in Israel, 60%
of hospitalized patients had been fully vaccinated. In England, 23% of
hospitalized patients had been vaccinated. Israel is now giving booster
doses to individuals over 60 years of age in addition to those who are
immunocompromised. England and Germany have also announced plans to offer
vaccine booster shots this fall.

While it is known that the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines provide the
most robust immune response, it is uncertain how long the protection will
last. Recent modelling studies have predicted that 50% efficacy will be
reached in about 250 days following the mRNA vaccines (Fig 2). Obviously,
last week’s data showing a median interval of only 86 days from
vaccination to infection is concerning, although, there were no deaths
reported in this group. Pfizer has already applied for an EUA (Emergency
Use Authorization) for a booster dose of their vaccine. Recently, 2 San
Francisco hospitals reported that over 200 of their staff members had
tested positive for COVID. About 80% of these individuals had been vaccinated
and most of the cases were breakthrough infections related to the Delta variant.
We anticipate that a recommendation will be forthcoming for booster doses
in the upcoming weeks by the relevant US agencies which will be evidence-based
and stratified by the risk of COVID infection in various populations.
Our team continues to provide care to an increasing number of COVID patients.
We are seeing an uptake in critically ill patients, even in younger age
groups. We continue to recommend vaccination for all individuals who qualify
for the vaccines. This remains the single best way to prevent severe COVID
infection or death.
Update 7/20/21
The emergence of the Delta variant is fueling the resurgence of COVID cases globally.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 45,604 new cases during the week ending 7/15 (increasing).
- The percent positive rate averaged 11.5 % for the week ending 7/15 (increasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 1.2 (increasing).
- 11.2 million individuals (59%) have received at least one vaccine dose.
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 2,483 new cases for the week ending 7/15 (increasing).
- The positivity rate was 9.6% for the week ending 7/15 (increasing).
- 820,849 individuals (63%) have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 28 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with COVID-19.
- 1 patient is in the ICU and is requiring BiPAP.
- We tested 313 patients for COVID this week in our urgent care centers.
The positivity rate was 23%.
Delta variant
The Delta variant, also known as the B.1.617.2 variant, is the dominant
strain in the US and accounts for 58% of new infections. It is present
in all 50 states and new case rates are increasing in most states. The
Delta variant appears to be 50% more transmissible than the Alpha (UK)
variant, which was itself 50% more transmissible than the original variant.
Based on data from the UK, the Delta variant may be more likely to cause
hospitalization and death. Vaccination may be slightly less effective
against the Delta variant. Two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine
are 88% effective against Delta variant infection and 96% effective against
hospitalization. The AstraZeneca vaccine is 60% effective against infection
and 93% effective against hospitalization or death. In the US, new cases,
new hospitalizations, and percent positivity are all increasing at the
present time. National forecasts are predicting an increase in the number
of new hospital admissions over the next 4 weeks. Models are also predicting
an increase in Florida.

The vast majority of the new COVID infections are in unvaccinated people.
Only 6,000 cases of breakthrough infections have been reported, which
is 0.003% of those vaccinated. Current hotspots are being seen in Arkansas
and Missouri, where only 35% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
Hospital resources are strained, with hospitals in the Springfield Missouri
area having more than 100 COVID patients each and needing to borrow ventilators
to meet demand. While Florida has a higher percentage of its populace
that are fully vaccinated (50%), there are still 9.5 million residents
who are not fully vaccinated and over 500,000 individuals over 65 who
are not vaccinated. Models are predicting a nationwide surge in cases
over the next 2 months related to the Delta variant. The number of new
cases may be underestimated because vaccinated individuals who contract
COVID may be asymptomatic or only exhibit mild symptoms.
As noted above, vaccination is effective against the Delta variant. Some
areas are also reinstating other public health measures such as wearing
masks indoors regardless of vaccination status (Los Angeles). Some countries
have also reinstated restrictions on bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.
The World Health Organization has encouraged people to continue to wear
masks and practive social distancing. Most of the hospitalizations and
deaths are occuring in individuals who are not vaccinated, underscoring
the importance of vaccination.
COVID Therapy
Steroids and Remdesivir remain the mainstays of therapy for hospitalized
patients with COVID. In addition, baricitinib or toclizumab are indicated
in patients with rapidly increasing oxygen requirements. Steroids demonstrate
a survival benefit in hospitalized patients requiring supplemental oxygen.
Remdesivir demonstrates an improved time to recovery in patients requiring
supplemental oxygen and is the only medication which is FDA approved for
the treatment of COVID. Convalescent plasma, which contains antibodies
against COVID, is also being used in hospitalized patients. Clinical trials
are underway to identify which subsets of patients benefit from this therapy.
For outpatients, treatment recommendations have changed as the new variants
have emerged. Monoclonal antibody therapy with bamlanivimab with or without
etesevimab is no longer recommended because of the new variants. Monoclonal
antibody therapy with casirivimab plus imdevimab or with sotrovimab is
recommended in outpatients who are at high risk of disease progression.
If a COVID patient requiring oxygen is not admitted to the hospital, the
NIH panel recommends treatment with dexamethasone for up to 10 days.
Booster Vaccine Doses
As cases counts increase, debate is emerging regarding whether people will
need to receive booster shots of the vaccines. On July 8, Pfizer and BioNTech
announced that they would be applying for an emergency use authorization
(EUA) for a booster dose of their vaccine, citing internal evidence that
their vaccine efficacy is waning over time, and a booster dose may be
required 6-12 months after vaccination. In response, the FDA and the CDC
jointly announced that individuals do not need a booster shot at the present
time. While antibody levels do fall over time, this is not the entire
story related to immunity. There is data that demonstrates protection
from the current vaccines may last for years because B and T cells also
participate in the immune response and create germinal centers which contain
memory cells. These memory cells can provide long-term immunity. A study
published in Nature in June demonstrated that mRNA based vaccination of
humans induces a potent germinal center response, which could potentially
provide protection for years. Preliminary data out of Israel indicates
a decline to 64% in the Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy in preventing
infection. However, the vaccine is still 93% effective in preventing hospitalization
or death. As a result, Israel has begun administering booster doses to
some immunocompromised patients. Additional studies are needed to fully
understand the time course of vaccine protection and the need for booster
doses of vaccine.
While the ebb of COVID cases during the spring was a welcome development,
we have been aware that future surges fueled by variants was a possibility.
JMC has continued to maintain our preparedness for COVID testing, treatment
and vaccinations.
As mentioned above, the World Health Organization is encouraging people
to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing. The current
surge of the pandemic is largely afflicting the unvaccinated, so please
consider vaccination if you have not already done so.
Update 6/16/21
We have exhausted our supply of vaccine and are no longer scheduling appointments.
To keep phone lines open for medical emergencies, please continue to check
this page for updates. Thank you for your patience and continued support
of Jupiter Medical Center.
Patients who received first dose vaccinations at Jupiter Medical Center
will be able to receive their second dose at our facility.
Update 04/14/21
Headlines regarding the COVID pandemic continue to be centered on the presence
of significant surges around the globe, the impact of variants on case
rates and therapies, and the development of new therapies. In addition,
the FDA and CDC have recommended pausing the use of the J+J vaccine in
the US due to the occurrence of rare cases of blood clotting associated
with low platelet counts.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 5,558 new cases on 4/10 and 41,896 in the week ending 4/4 (increasing).
- There were 3,023 patients hospitalized on 3/29 (increasing).
- The percent positive rate averaged 7.47% for the week ending 4/4 (increasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 1.1 on 4/10 (stable).
- 7.2 Million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose.
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 346 new cases on 4/10 and 2,778 new cases for the week ending
4/4 (increasing).
- The positivity rate was 6.93% for the week ending 4/4 (increasing).
- 528,000 individuals have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 10 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with COVID-19.
- 5 patients are in the ICU (2 requiring ventilators and 3 requiring BiPAP).
- We tested 328 patients this week in our urgent care centers for COVID (9.7%
increase).
Global Surges
There continue to be significant surges around the globe. Important factors
are believed to be the impact of variants, the easing of social distancing
and mask requirements, and the challenges of vaccinating populations in
a timely manner. India is setting records of 68,912 new cases per day.
Only 1% of their population is vaccinated. Additional surges are being
seen in Europe, Brazil, and the Philippines.
There continue to be increasing new case numbers and hospitalizations in
the US. 5 states account for 42% of the new cases (Michigan, New York,
Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey). Case rates for children under
19 are at record rates. Epidemiologists have identified school sports
as a major source of spread.
Variants
The variants continue to play a critical role in the pandemic. They are
a major factor in the new surges that have occurred. The CDC has developed
a classification system based on the characteristics of the variants and
resulting actions and consequences for public health. The 3 categories
are variants of interest, variants of concern, and variants of high consequence.
There are currently 5 variants of concern and no variants of high consequence
in the US.
Israel has published new data that indicates that the South African variant
is breaking through the Pfizer vaccine in Israeli study. The study compared
over 400 people who tested positive more than 14 days after receiving
one or two doses of the vaccine compared to the same number of unvaccinated
patients with COVID. They found that the prevalence rate of the variant
was 8x higher in the vaccinated versus the unvaccinated group (5.4 vs
0.7%). This suggests that the vaccine is less effective against the South
African variant.
Vaccines
The FDA and the CDC have now recommended pausing the use of the J+J vaccine
due to the presence of rare cases of blood clotting associated with low
platelet counts. There have been 6 cases reported in women between 18
and 48 years of age who had received the vaccine between 6 and 13 days
prior to developing the blood clots. These events are similar to the ones
seen with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Both of these vaccines use the adenovirus
vector as the framework for the vaccine. A possible mechanism for the
clotting is that the antibodies stimulated by these vaccines are binding
to platelets and causing the body to inappropriately destroy platelets,
which are a key element in the normal clotting process. A similar issue
is seen in some patients who receive heparin. This story is just coming
out and we will be following developments closely.
Pfizer has requested the FDA to expand the emergency use of their COVID
vaccine to adolescents aged 12 to 15. Pfizer had reported that the vaccine
was found to be safe, effective and produced a robust antibody response
in 12 to 15 year olds in a clinical trial involving 2,260 patients. The
vaccine was 100% effective in preventing illness in the trial.
China’s top disease control official acknowledged that the currently
available Chinese vaccines do not have high protection rates at preventing
symptomatic COVID infections. The efficacy rates reported by the companies
have ranged from 50-79%. The threshold considered necessary for vaccines
is at least 50%. He stated that mixing vaccines is among strategies being
considered to boost their effectiveness. In addition, mRNA vaccines developed
in China are now entering clinical trials.
Therapy
Regeneron has reported that their antibody therapy Regen-COV reduced the
risk of developing symptomatic COVID by 81% compared with placebo in people
living with someone infected with COVID. They will ask the FDA to approve
its use in people exposed to the virus who have not been vaccinated.
On April 8th, the NIH COVID-19 Guidelines Panel recommended the use of combination
anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies to treat outpatients with mild to
moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of clinical progression. The treatment
should be administered as soon as possible after a positive COVID test
and within 10 days of symptom onset. The panel recommends against the
use of monotherapy with bamlanivimab due to variant resistance.
World’s Best Hospitals 2021
Newsweek has released its
World’s Best Hospitals 2021 list (see cover below). Utilizing criteria selected by medical experts from around the world (United
States, Germany, France, Switzerland and Israel), the publication partnered
with Statista (a global data research firm) to compile this group.
The criteria included:
- Medical KPI’s (key performance indicators)
- Patient surveys
- Recommendations from medical experts (doctors, hospital managers, health
care professionals)
Using these criteria, approximately top 2% of the 164,500 hospitals globally
and roughly top 5% (world class) of the 6,090 hospitals in the Unites
States were identified.
I am proud to announce that Jupiter Medical Center is honored on this list
and is the only hospital representing Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
According to Newsweek, the World’s Best Hospitals stand out for their
consistent excellence, including distinguished physicians, top notch nursing
care and state-of-the-art technology.
Given the enormity of the obstacles presented by the Covid-19 pandemic
and the challenges inherent in launching new programs (cardiac surgery,
medical oncology, women’s & children’s), this is an incredible
achievement by our medical staff and the entire Jupiter Medical Center team.
Update 03/30/21
A Message from the CEO Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM
The critical elements of the Covid pandemic are the occurrence of significant
new global surges, the proliferation of variants and the race to vaccinate
populations as a mitigation strategy.
Florida Metrics
- There were 4,943 new cases on 3/28 and 35,551 in the week ending 3/21 (increasing).
- There were 2,871 patients hospitalized on 3/29 (stable).
- The percent positive rate averaged 6.62% for the week ending 3/21 (increasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 1.1 on 3/28 (increasing).
- 5.6 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose.
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 369 new cases on 3/28 and 2,551 new cases for the week ending
3/21 (increasing).
- The positivity rate was 6.6% for the week ending 3/21 (increasing).
- 415,000 individuals have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 14 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with Covid-19.
- 2 patients are in the ICU (both requiring BiPAP).
- We tested 316 patients this week in our urgent care centers for Covid-19
(17% increase).
COVID Surges
There continue to be significant surges around the world, Europe has been
hit hard in the most recent uptick. New case rates have exceeded 1,000
new cases/100,000 population (the current rate in the US is 127.4/100,000).
In response, France has imposed a partial lockdown and Italy has announced
a full Easter lockdown. Physicians in France have warned that ICUs will
likely be overwhelmed and care rationing may need to be implemented. South
America has also seen a significant increase in cases and Brazil’s
healthcare system is strained with >80% of ICU beds being filled. These
trends are important to monitor because prior surges in Europe predated
surges in the US by 2-3 weeks.
After a plateau had been reached following the surge in December/January,
there has been a recent uptick in the US new case rates by 6.7% week over
week (March 24). Florida’s new case rate has also started trending
up as has the percent positive rate for testing. In addition, the reproduction
rate (Rt) has increased to 1.1 in Florida, which also indicates that new
cases are increasing. The contributions of variants versus other factors
is not clear and Spring break/Easter gatherings may contribute to an increase
in case numbers. It is not believed that vaccinations have reached levels
necessary to prevent surges.
Variants
Variants continue to be of concern because of the increased transmissibility
of some of the strains, the possibility of variants causing more severe
disease, and the potential for allowing vaccine escape. The most recent
data from the CDC demonstrates that the B.1.1.7 variant may now account
for >20% of Covid cases in the US. The graph below shows the significant
increase in this variant of concern since January 1st. This variant has
been found to be 50% more transmissible than the baseline virus and some
reports have demonstrated a higher mortality rate from this variant (which
was first identified in Great Britain). As of February 27th, 13.2% of Covid cases in Florida were identified as B.1.1.7.

An important recent finding has been the significantly impaired effectiveness
of single agent monoclonal antibody therapy against the Covid variants.
A recent study demonstrated that bamlanivimab was not effective in vitro
against viruses containing the mutations of the B.1.1.7 (UK) or the B.1.351
(South African) variants. Based on this information, the US has halted
the distribution of the single monoclonal antibody agent. It appears that
combination monoclonal antibody therapies continue to demonstrate efficacy
against the variant strains and the use of these products in outpatients
with mild to moderate disease should still be considered. An additional
disappointing finding is the decreased effectiveness of convalescent plasma
against the variant strains, particularly against the South African variant.
Vaccinations
In an effort to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 surges and variants, significant
progress continues in vaccinating our citizens. Nationally, 2.5 million
vaccines are being administered each day. In Florida, 25.8% of the population
has received at least one dose. As of Monday March 29th, persons 40 years of age and older are eligible for vaccines and as of
April 5, persons 18 years of age and over will be able to be vaccinated
in Florida. Jupiter Medical Center continues to provide vaccinations to
our community in line with the state guidelines. Our primary focus in
recent months has been providing vaccines to individuals with comorbidities
that make severe disease more likely. We are now expanding our recipient
pool based on state and federal guidelines. We are proud that we have
been able to provide this critical service to our community.
Doctor’s Day
On behalf of all JMC team members and our boards, I would like to thank
our entire medical staff for their tireless efforts during the pandemic.
The dedication and commitment of our physicians in collaborating with
us to develop Covid safety/treatment protocols, vaccine prioritization
and most importantly, selflessly taking care of our sickest patients,
proved to be an invaluable asset to our community when we needed them the most.
Happy Doctor’s Day!
Visiting Hours Updates
Effective March 15, 2021
The health and safety of our patients, visitors, team members and community
is our top priority, our visitor policy is as follows:
- Inpatients will be allowed one designated visitor from 1pm - 5pm. and will
enter through the East Entrance. Upon arrival, visitors will be screened,
provide identification, are required to wear a mask and will be directed
to the patients room where they will need to remain during their visit.
- Labor & Delivery and Pediatric patients may have one visitor accompany
them during their stay.
- Parents with an infant in the neonatal ICU will be allowed to be with their
infant, one parent at a time.
- Other exceptions, including visits to hospice, will be considered on a
case-by-case basis.
Visitors who are sick are not permitted to enter the hospital, without
exception. Visitors will be screened at the time of arrival.
Hospital Entrance
All visitors are now being directed to enter the hospital through the East Entrance.
Update 03/2/21
A Message from the CEO Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM
News concerning vaccines continues to be the dominant theme concerning
the Covid pandemic and there are numerous developments.
- A third vaccine developed by Johnson and Johnson (J&J) has been approved
in the US and shipments have begun this week.
- Pfizer was granted permission by the FDA to store their vaccine in regular
freezers for up to 2 weeks.
- Trials are currently underway involving individuals in the 12-18 age range.
It is believed that the emergency use authorization may be extended to
this group before the next school year begins.
- Vaccination for younger children may require full evaluation by the FDA
rather than an emergency use authorization, due to the lower risk of Covid
in these individuals.
- In Florida, Governor DeSantis announced that police, firefighters, and
teachers over 50 years of age are now able to receive vaccinations at
four FEMA sites in Florida.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 1,817 new cases on 2/28 and 40,000 in the week ending 2/21 (decreasing).
- There were 3,687 patients hospitalized on 3/2 (decreasing).
- The percent positive rate averaged 6.39% for the week ending 2/21 (decreasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 0.92 on 2/28 (stable).
- 3 million individuals have received at least one vaccine dose.
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 412 new cases on 2/27 and 3,140 new cases for the week ending
2/21 (decreasing).
- The positivity rate was 6.67% for the week ending 2/21 (decreasing).
- There was a decrease in Covid-like illness cases to 435 for the week ending
2/21 (decreasing).
- 265,000 individuals have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 13 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with Covid-19.
- 2 patients are in the ICU (1 requiring ventilator support and 1 requiring
BiPAP support).
- We tested over 400 patients this week in our urgent care centers for Covid.
Covid-19 vaccines and variants
The J&J Covid vaccine received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from
the FDA on February 28th after the FDA advisory panel unanimously recommended that action on Friday.
The CDC director approved the vaccine on Sunday and distribution of up
to 4 million doses of the vaccine has begun this week. The J&J vaccine
is based on viral vector technology. A common cold virus called adenovirus
26 is genetically engineered to cause human cells to manufacture a fragment
of the Covid spike protein. This causes the body to develop an immune
response to the spike protein and thus Covid. The altered adenovirus does
not cause recipients to develop a cold. Advantages of this vaccine are
that it only requires one shot and it can be kept in regular refrigerators
for up to 3 months. It is also significantly less expensive than the Pfizer
or Moderna vaccines. Protection from the J&J vaccine begins about
two weeks after the shot; zero hospitalizations or deaths were seen by
four weeks after the dose.

The EUA request was based on a Phase 3 trial involving 44 thousand individuals.
The vaccine is highly effective in the prevention of severe/critical Covid
disease. The vaccine prevented all hospitalization and deaths 28 days
after vaccination and is highly effective against the South African variant.
The vaccine also has an excellent safety profile. Based on this data,
individuals should be vaccinated with any of the three vaccines that have
received emergency use authorization, J&J, Moderna or Pfizer. All
three are highly effective at preventing severe Covid disease and its
complications.
As vaccine production accelerates, the important topic of the vaccination
of children against Covid is coming to the forefront. Moderna and Pfizer
began enrolling children 12 years of age and older in clinical trials
and plan to have results by the summer. The FDA will then review the results
of these trials before deciding to extend the emergency use authorizations
to this population. Only 1% of Covid deaths occur in individuals under
21 years of age. However, about 2% of children who develop Covid require
hospitalization and 227 children have died of Covid. Moving below 12 years
of age will likely require new studies and modifications of the doses
due to an enhanced response in children. It is likely that the FDA will
perform a complete analysis related to children under 12 years of age
and that the approval would not occur in the form of an EUA.
In Florida, Governor DeSantis announced that police, firefighters, and
teachers over the age of 50 will be able to receive vaccinations at the
4 FEMA centers located in Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa. He
also extended the vaccine program for at risk individuals under the age
of 65 with comorbidities to physicians, advanced practice providers, and
pharmacies. This will require availability of vaccine doses at these sites
before operationalization and a state form completed by a provider.
Jupiter Medical Center continues to be active in both the prevention and
treatment of Covid disease. We are continuing with the very successful
program to vaccinate individuals under 65 years of age with comorbidities
in partnership with community physicians. We anticipate continuing to
provide this important service to our community based on vaccine allocations
from the state. In addition, we are one of the few hospitals in the region
that continues to provide monoclonal antibody therapy early in Covid disease
to prevent hospitalizations and severe disease. Our teams continue to
provide outstanding care to patients with moderate and severe Covid disease
who require hospitalization. We are very proud of the sustained response
to the pandemic by all members of the JMC family.
Update 02/25/21
Jupiter Medical Center received a limited supply of COVID 19 vaccine. The
focus was on patients
age 18-64, residing in Palm Beach or Martin Counties, and have
comorbidities. We have completely exhausted our supply of vaccine. If you
were not contacted with an appointment time, we reached capacity and are
no longer scheduling appointments.
To keep phone lines open for medical emergencies, please continue to check
this page for updates. Thank you for your patience and continued support
of Jupiter Medical Center.
Update 02/17/21
A Message from the CEO Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM
The dominant themes concerning the COVID-19 pandemic are the significant
reduction in cases and hospitalizations from the peak levels of the recent
surge, the progress towards vaccination of the population, and the impact
of COVID-19 variants. In the U.S., vaccine supply constraints are beginning
to ease as production accelerates and vaccination channels proliferate.
Over 10% of the US population (37 million people) has received at least
one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In Florida, 2.3 million individuals have
received at least one dose (10% of the population). Unfortunately, Florida
also has the most confirmed cases of the U.K. variant, with 347 cases
reported as of February 11. We are watching the data very closely as the
U.K. variant is expected to be the dominant strain in the U.S. by March.
It is certainly possible that another surge could be the result and it
is essential that we continue to protect ourselves and our community.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 3,615 new cases on 2/15 (decreasing).
- There were 4,689 patients hospitalized on 2/14 (decreasing).
- The percent positive rate averaged 7.25% for the week ending 2/7 (decreasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 0.91 on 2/14 (stable).
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 333 new cases on 2/15 and 3,382 new cases for the week ending
2/7 (decreasing).
- The positivity rate was 7.32% for the week ending 2/7 (decreasing).
- There was a decrease in COVID-like illness cases to 502 for the week ending
1/31 (decreasing).
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 15 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with COVID-19.
- 3 patients are in the ICU (1 requiring BIPAP).
- We tested over 400 patients this week in our urgent care centers for COVID-19.
Covid-19 vaccines and variants
Early data from COVID-19 vaccinations is giving hope to people across the
globe. Some of the most compelling data is coming from Israel, which has
vaccinated over half of eligible residents (3.5 million people) with 69.4
doses per 100 people. In contrast, the rate in the U.S. is 15.4 doses
per 100 people. Over 90% of individuals over age 60 have been vaccinated
in Israel, resulting in a 40% drop in confirmed new cases and a 30% drop
in hospitalizations. This is compared to a 12% drop in new cases and a
5% drop in hospitalizations in a younger age group, in which only 30%
have been vaccinated.
There is also data which indicates that vaccinated individuals are far
less likely to spread the virus. In Moderna’s phase 3 trial, there
was an 89% reduction in asymptomatic and symptomatic cases prior to the
second dose of the vaccine.
Clearly, vaccination is an important way to reduce one’s risk related
to Covid and many who have been vaccinated are wondering what they can
safely do following vaccination. There is evidence that maximum protection
occurs about 3 weeks following the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine,
which should also be applicable to Moderna.

It continues to be unknown how long immunity from full vaccination will
last. It is very possible that a yearly booster will be required. It is
also possible that an additional dose of a modified vaccine tailored to
the variant strains will also be necessary.
The CDC has advised that people who have received the full course of COVID-19
vaccines can skip the standard 14-day quarantine after exposure to someone
with infection, as long as they remain asymptomatic.
While the aforementioned provides significant optimism, there are individual
differences in development of immunity following vaccination. Furthermore,
the detection of new variants raises concern of vaccine efficacy against
these variants. Viruses constantly mutate, but particular combinations
of mutations can result in vaccine escape. Influenza, which mutates much
faster than coronavirus, requires modification of flu shots every year,
resulting in development of a global flu vaccine system. Similar tracking
will need to be established for COVID-19 and fortunately, the vaccines
are based on a flexible technology that can be updated for booster development
as needed.
As a result, vaccinated individuals should continue to wear masks, socially
distance, and avoid large gatherings to decrease transmission and the
risk of acquiring COVID-19.
The U.S. continues to ramp up the pace of vaccinations. Experts have stated
that vaccinations could become widely available by May. The government
has begun shipping vaccine to pharmacies. In phase one, one million doses
were sent to 6,500 pharmacies. 21 pharmacy networks including over 40,000
pharmacies are participating in the program. CVS, Walgreens, Walmart,
and Publix pharmacies are included in the program. Many pharmacies already
provide vaccinations for illnesses such as the flu and shingles. It is
believed that the pharmacies could administer up to 100 million doses
of COVID-19 vaccine a month. It is estimated that over 70% of the U.S.
population could have received at least one dose by mid-September.
In Florida, pharmacies are focusing on vaccinating those over age 65 while
some hospitals are being asked to partner with state organizations to
focus on providing vaccination to individuals under age 65 with serious
comorbidities. Jupiter Medical Center is proud to be one of the hospitals
serving this group. In the first phase of this initiative, we have partnered
with hundreds of community physicians to vaccinate at-risk individuals
that they identify as most vulnerable. Later this week, JMC will be launching
the next phase, which will provide direct community outreach to this population
via our website. Details will be posted on our website in the upcoming days.
These developments continue to offer hope for a return to a more normal
state over the next 6-9 months. Continued vigilance and compliance with
masks, social distancing, and avoiding large groups remains important
in the fight against the pandemic.
As always, thank you for your continued support of Jupiter Medical Center.
Update 02/03/21
COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and Florida continue their downward trend. In
Florida, new cases, percent positivity, and hospitalizations have all
been decreasing over the past 3 weeks. We expect this trend to continue
as vaccination efforts accelerate.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 70,727 new cases during the week ending 1/24 (decreasing).
- There were 6,109 patients hospitalized on 2/2 (decreasing).
- The percent positive rate averaged 9.26% for the week ending 1/24 (decreasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 0.91 on 2/2 (decreasing).
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 349 new cases on 2/1 and 4,899 new cases for the week ending
1/24 (stable).
- The positivity rate was 9.09% for the week ending 1/24 (stable).
- There was a decrease in COVID-like illness cases to 661 for the week ending
1/24 (decreasing).
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 23 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with COVID-19.
- 4 patients are in the ICU (1 requiring ventilator support and 1 requiring
BIPAP support).
- We tested over 500 patients last week in our urgent care centers for COVID-19,
a 50% decrease since last month
Covid-19 vaccines
In the U.S., 26 million people (7.8% of the population) have received one
or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. In Florida, over 1.7 million individuals
(7.7%) have received at least one dose. Vaccine supply continues to be
the rate limiting step, prompting President Biden to order a 16% increase
in shipments to the states.
As a result, Florida received 307,000 doses of vaccine last week instead
of the prior 266,000 weekly doses. A portion of the increased supply this
week has been allocated towards medically vulnerable individuals between
the ages of 16 and 64 years old and JMC is very pleased to be one of the
hospitals which will participate in serving this population. This population
was mentioned in Governor Desantis’ executive order regarding priority
populations and was included in the 1C group of the initial CDC Advisory
Committee for Immunization Practices Guidelines for vaccine allocation.
Certain medical conditions which include COPD, chronic kidney disease,
diabetes, and heart failure are associated with more severe COVID-19 illness.
We are partnering with medical staff primary care physicians in the community
to identify individuals to vaccinate in this high-risk population.
The over age 65 population continues to be a priority and mass vaccination
site(s) with the capacity to administer thousands of doses daily are being
planned in Palm Beach County. Publix pharmacies continue to serve as a
vaccine source for this population. As many of you are aware, Jupiter
Medical Center has a Publix pharmacy partnership on our campus. After
discussions with Publix leadership, we are pleased to announce that the
Publix pharmacy on JMC campus has been added as a vaccination site for
those over age 65. Appointments for this site can only be made via the
Publix website.
While vaccine demand still far outpaces supply, we are encouraged by the
increase in shipments to the states. Furthermore, pending FDA approval,
the J&J vaccine will provide an additional boost to supply by March/April.
Rest assured that the JMC team will continue to advocate to serve as a
vaccine resource for our community to provide as many doses as possible,
as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your patience as we continue our fight against the pandemic
and thank you for your continued support of Jupiter Medical Center.
Sincerely,
Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM
Update 02/02/21
Jupiter Medical Center has received a very limited supply of the Moderna
vaccine from the State. This allotment is focused on patients who are
age 18-64 and have
co-morbidities which increase the severity of illness from Covid-19. The CDC has identified
comorbidities which are known to increase the chance of severe illness
and include:
- Cancer (active, not history of)
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD
- Heart conditions (CHF, cardiomyopathies, CAD)
- Solid organ transplantation
-
Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2)
- Sickle cell disease
- Down’s Syndrome
- Diabetes
We are partnering with medical staff primary care physicians in the community
to identify individuals to vaccinate in the high-risk population. Patients
who meet criteria will be submitted through their PCP and then scheduled
to have the vaccine administered.
We will not be booking appointments through our website. We had hoped to receive more doses of vaccine that would allow us to vaccinate
more of these patients at increased risk, but our supply is very limited.
To keep phone lines open for medical emergencies, please continue to check
this page for future updates. Your continued support of Jupiter Medical
Center is greatly appreciated.
Updated 01/29/21
While numerous countries across the globe continue to grapple with the
spread of COVID-19, new cases and related hospitalizations in the US are
finally decreasing. Due to the lingering effects of post-holiday travel
and the discovery of new variants, we must approach this news with cautious optimism.
Statewide Metrics
- There were 76,697 new cases during the week ending 1/17 (decreasing).
- There were 6910 patients hospitalized on 1/25 (decreasing).
- The percent positive rate averaged 10.05% for the week ending 1/17 (decreasing).
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 0.96 on 1/25 (stable).
Palm Beach County Metrics
- There were 592 new cases on 1/24 and 4,783 new cases for the week ending
1/17 (decreasing).
- The positivity rate was 9.27% for the week ending 1/17 (stable).
- There was a decrease in COVID-like illness cases to 632 for the week ending
1/10 (decreasing).
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 33 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with COVID-19.
- 6 patients are in the ICU (2 requiring ventilators and 1 requiring BIPAP support).
- We tested over 600 patients per week in our urgent care centers for COVID.
Covid-19 variants and vaccines
Multiple variants of the COVID-19 virus have been identified. Current investigations
are underway to define the transmissibility, severity of illness, and
the susceptibility to current vaccines of these variants. Recent data
has demonstrated that the UK variant is 30-70% more transmissible than
the original and suggests that it is more lethal.
President Biden has issued several executive actions aimed at improving
the national pandemic response. In an effort to stem the tide of new COVID-19
variants entering the US, a ban is being reinstated on many non-US citizens
attempting travel to the US. Additionally, the CDC has announced that
it will require all travelers flying to the US from abroad to show proof
of a negative coronavirus test before getting on a plane.
Vaccine development, delivery and administration are central to any COVID-19
mitigation strategy and numerous pharmaceutical companies have been pursuing
vaccine development. The maker of the single dose vaccine, J&J, is
expected to report critical data in approximately 2 weeks, which will
set the stage for the FDA issuing an EUA (Emergency Use Authorization)
in late February or early March for the vaccine. Although the Astra Zeneca
vaccine has been approved for use in Europe, a significant issue with
the trial used for approval in Europe has caused the company not to submit
for a United States EUA and the FDA will perform an independent analysis.
Merck reported disappointing results with both of their candidate vaccines
and has subsequently stopped clinical trials.
One of the major issues related to vaccines has been supply. Both Moderna
and Pfizer committed to deliver 100 million doses each by the end of March.
So far, they have delivered 36 million doses and are currently delivering
12-18 million doses per week. In order to boost supply, President Biden
said his administration will soon be able to confirm the purchase of an
additional 100 million doses each of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines,
with the shipments to be delivered by this summer. The new order represents
a 50% increase in the country’s total vaccine supply from 400 million
ordered doses to 600 million.
Until the aforementioned steps take effect, it is unlikely that Florida’s
vaccine shipments from the federal government will surpass the current
rate of approximately 250,000 doses per week. In an effort to rapidly
increase vaccination sites, state authorities are directing vaccine supply
towards Publix pharmacy sites, now expanded to over 100 pharmacies in
12 Florida counties. As a result, it is doubtful that hospitals and perhaps
even county departments of health will receive additional vaccine going forward.
For those of you that received your first vaccine dose (either Moderna
or Pfizer) at Jupiter Medical Center, I am pleased to announce that we
have received second dose shipments for both.
As COVID-19 cases begin to ebb and vaccine administration accelerates,
we appear to be gaining momentum in the battle against the pandemic. Let’s
all continue to do our part by practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
Thank you for your continued support of Jupiter Medical Center.
Updated: 01/22/21
Nationally, the number of new COVID-19 cases has now declined from the
most recent peak. There continue to be significant hotspots in COVID-19
activity across the U.S. following the holidays. California and Arizona
have seen significant surges in the number of new cases. In Arizona, the
daily death rate has increased from 90 to 160 deaths over the past 2 weeks.
Review of recent data in Florida suggests that we may be starting to see
some moderation after the most recent surge. The Rt currently stands at
0.93, below the important threshold of 1.0. Number of new cases and percent
positivity rates are both decreasing. There has also been a trend of decreasing
COVID-like illness presenting to emergency rooms over the past week.
The impact of the variant COVID-19 viruses, which appear to be more transmissible,
remains uncertain. The United Kingdom has seen a significant acceleration
in new case rates which is attributed to the variants. It is predicted
that the U.K. variant may become the dominant virus in the U.S. by March.
Efforts to vaccinate key populations have been accelerating. Over 12 million
people have received initial vaccine doses nationally, which is about
3.6% of the population. In Florida, almost one million individuals (4.5%)
have received their first shot.
Statewide Metrics
-
There were 92,485 new cases during the week ending January 10th (decreasing).
-
There were 7420 patients hospitalized on January 18th (decreasing).
-
The percent positive rate averaged 10.73 for the week ending January 10th (decreasing).
-
The retransmission rate (Rt) is 0.93 on January 19th (decreasing).
Palm Beach County Metrics
-
There were 505 new cases on January 17th and 5,684 new cases for the week ending January 10th (decreasing).
-
The positivity rate was 9.18% for the week ending January 10th (decreasing).
-
There was a decrease in COVID-like illness cases to 643 for the week ending
January 10th (decreasing).
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 31 patients currently hospitalized at JMC with COVID-19
- 5 patients are in the ICU (3 of these patients requiring ventilator support
and 2 requiring BIPAP support).
- We are testing approximately 600 people per week for COVID-19 in the urgent
care centers, down from 1000 per week.
Vaccine Update
Since December 23rd, Jupiter Medical Center has received approximately 2,000 doses of vaccine.
Of these, roughly 1,200 doses were administered to healthcare workers
with direct patient contact, comprised of JMC clinical team members and
community physicians. The remaining approximately 800 doses, focusing
on community members over age 65, were booked within 34 minutes of being
posted on our website. 800 doses is barely enough to serve the needs of
even one community in the towns surrounding JMC, let alone the over 90,000
residents over the age of 65 in our Primary Service Area (defined as the
area where 75% of JMC patients reside). The limited number of doses received
has simply been woefully inadequate to meet the tremendous need that exists.
As mentioned in my memo last week, recent policy changes provided hope
that vaccine supply constraints would abate in February as second doses
of the vaccines, which had been previously placed in reserve, would now
be released immediately. Unfortunately, breaking news later in the week
revealed that no stockpile exists, meaning that vaccine allocations to
states for the upcoming weeks will remain flat.
State authorities are now shifting to a delivery model which will emphasize
retail store chains as the primary sites for community members to receive
vaccinations. Governor DeSantis yesterday announced plans to increase
access sites for vaccine administration by focusing on Publix pharmacies.
We are continuously reaching out to County and State officials to request
additional supply for JMC so that we can administer vaccine to our local
community. We have submitted applications to AHCA (Agency for Healthcare
Administration) to serve as a Community Vaccination site with the ability
to administer thousands of vaccines weekly on the JMC campus and our Urgent
Care Centers.
We have completely exhausted our vaccine supply and as the focus shifts
away from hospitals to Publix pharmacies as vaccination sites, we do not
know when or if we will receive additional shipments of vaccine. As a
result, we encourage people to pursue all available avenues for receiving
their vaccinations. We will continue to provide updates on our website
and additional communications as we receive information from our state
and county partners.
If you received your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at JMC, we have
been assured by state authorities that we will receive an additional shipment
to administer your second dose.
While early signs indicate that the most recent surge in COVID-19 cases
may be receding and vaccine access sites appear to be increasing, please
continue safe practices such as wearing masks and social distancing. Hopefully,
the combination of the aforementioned will help slow the momentum of COVID-19 cases.
Thank you for your continued support during these challenging times.
Updated: 01/19/21
We have completely exhausted our vaccine supply. In an effort to increase
vaccine access sites, State authorities announced today that vaccine administration
will shift away from hospitals towards local Publix Pharmacies. As a result,
we are uncertain when or if we will receive additional vaccine shipments.
To keep phone lines open for medical emergencies, please continue to check
this web page for updates.
Your continued support of Jupiter Medical Center is greatly appreciated.
Updated 01/15/21
We have currently exhausted our supply of COVID-19 vaccine. We are in communication
with state and local authorities to receive additional allotments. We
do not know the exact timing or quantity of our next shipment. To keep
phone lines open for medical emergencies, please continue to check this
page for updates.
Your continued support of Jupiter Medical Center is greatly appreciated.
Updated 01/13/21
The salient updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic are based upon the
continued national surge in cases as well as a slower than expected rollout
of initial vaccination administrations. New cases in the U.S. continue
to rise, with over 300,000 new cases reported on January 8th. Additionally, hospitalizations continue to rise with over 129,000 patients
reported in the U.S. This represents more people hospitalized now than
at the peak of the spring and summer surges combined. December was the
deadliest month nationally in long-term care facilities since the beginning
of the pandemic. This surge has also been seen in Florida, with continued
increases in the number of new cases as well as in the number of hospitalizations.
The number of new cases per day has increased by 8% over the past 7 days.
The pace of vaccinations has significantly underperformed expectations.
Only 9 million people have received the initial dose of 25 million vaccine
doses nationally and only 600,000 individuals have received the initial
dose in Florida. The biggest issue appears to be related to the supply
of vaccine. In addition, getting the doses administered in a timely fashion
once the vaccine has been delivered to the destination has been challenging
for many hospitals, although that has not been the case for JMC.
Statewide Metrics
-
There were 109,536 new cases during the week ending January 3rd.
-
There were 7,713 patients hospitalized on January 12th.
-
The percent positive rate averaged 12.65 for the week ending January 3rd.
-
The retransmission rate (Rt) was 1.05 on January 12th.
Palm Beach County Metrics
-
There were 753 new cases on January 12th and 6,113 new cases for the week ending January 3rd.
-
The positivity rate was 10.85% for the week ending January 3rd.
-
There was a decrease in COVID-like illness cases to 663 for the week ending January 3rd.
Jupiter Medical Center
- There are 29 patients currently hospitalized with Covid-19 at JMC.
- 7 patients are in the ICU, 2 requiring ventilators
- We continue to test over 1,000 patients per week in our urgent care centers
for COVID-19.
Vaccine Update
While significant vaccine supply challenges persist, we were glad to recently
receive 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the state. The JMC team implemented
plans to administer vaccine based on the parameters established in the
governor’s executive order. Our first allotment a few weeks ago
focused on healthcare workers (team members and medical staff). With many
of those needs met, our most recent shipment focused on community residents
over age 65. Unfortunately, due to the limited supply and unusually high
demand, vaccination appointments were booked in under an hour of posting
availability on the website. Approximately 75% of those appointments were
booked by community members over age 65, residing mostly in Jupiter and
Palm Beach Gardens with a few residing in Stuart and West Palm Beach.
The remaining 25% were booked by healthcare workers from the JMC clinical
team and community medical practices.
We share your frustration regarding the limited supply of the vaccine and
the unpredictable nature of the process. Fortunately, policy changes over
the past few days provide hope that vaccine supply constraints will abate
in the upcoming weeks. Starting in two weeks, vaccines will be distributed
weekly to states based on the number of residents over 65-years old and
by the pace of administration in each state. Furthermore, second doses
of the vaccines, which had been previously placed in reserve, will now
be released immediately. These changes should help us secure more vaccine
in the upcoming weeks. While this may cause concern for those who have
been fortunate to receive the first dose of the vaccine, we have been
assured by state officials that current vaccine production rates will
be sufficient to meet second dose requirements. Florida State Surgeon
General, Dr. Scott Rivkees, testified before the State Healthcare Committee
this morning that our state is scheduled to receive 250,000 vaccine doses
weekly, exclusive of the second dose supply. Dr. Rivkees also testified
that the CDC has committed to having the necessary doses for the second shot.
Further encouraging news came from Moderna’s Chief Medical Officer
earlier this week at JP Morgan’s 39th Annual Healthcare Conference. Moderna believes that its vaccine should
provide protection against COVID-19 for at least a year. This is an important
development since current vaccine administration projections delineate
a 9-12 month timeline for vaccine administration across the U.S. If a
booster dose were to be required within this timeframe, it would pose
further logistical challenges.
Based on the aforementioned information, we are optimistic that vaccine
supply will improve in February. We continue to advocate with state and
local officials for larger allocations of vaccine for JMC in upcoming
shipments and have applied as a Community Vaccination site. We realize
that this is a trying process as COVID-19 cases rise and vaccine distribution
seems haphazard at best.
Please know that the JMC team is working diligently to obtain as much vaccine
as possible, as quickly as possible, in order to meet the needs of our
community and healthcare workers.
Thank you for your support during these challenging times.
Update 01/12/21
We shared here yesterday that we received a limited supply of the Pfizer
COVID-19 vaccine for community members over age 65 and healthcare workers.
The demand was very high and available appointments filled quickly. We
anticipate that as vaccine supply becomes available, we will be able to
offer more appointment times to our community.
We are working closely with the state of Florida to receive additional
allotments of the vaccine. Please continue to monitor the website for
updates. In the interim, should you wish to pursue vaccination through
another avenue, we encourage you to do so to avoid any delays.
We look forward to serving you in the future.
Updated 01/05/21
A Message from the CEO, Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM
The most significant developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic are
the expected surge related to the Christmas/New Year’s holidays,
the detection of the UK variant B117 in the United States and the rollout
of the Pfizer/ Moderna vaccines. CDC forecasts project a sustained high
level of 1.2 to 2 million new cases per week in the U.S. National models
continue to project an increasing number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19.
State level models demonstrate a continued high level of new cases in
Florida (75,000 new cases per week) over the next 4 weeks. Unfortunately,
we are experiencing the impact of this trend on our urgent care centers,
emergency department and our inpatient wards/ICU, as demonstrated by the
JMC metrics below.
The second important item is the detection of the UK variant in the US.
The B117 variant is believed to be 40-70% more transmissible than other
strains, meaning that more persons are likely to be infected when they
come in contact with an infected individual. Projections show that the
retransmission rate (Rt) may be increased by 0.4 to 0.7 by the new strain.
It is not yet known whether the new strain produces more severe disease.
Scientists are currently evaluating the susceptibility of the variant
strain to the current vaccines. At the present time, it is believed that
the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be effective against the new strain.
Statewide Metrics
-
There were 91,109 new cases during the week ending December 27th
-
There were 7,245 patients hospitalized on January 3rd
-
The percent positive rate averaged 12.4% for the week ending December 27th
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 1.15
Palm Beach County Metrics
-
There were 796 new cases on January 4th and 5,088 new cases for the week ending December 27th.
-
The positivity rate was 9.85% for the week ending December 27th.
-
COVID-like illness cases have increased to 617 new cases per week (ending
December 27th).
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 29 COVID positive patients admitted at JMC.
- 6 of these patients are in the ICU (two patients requiring mechanical ventilation,
one requiring BIPAP support).
- The number of patients being tested daily in the ED for COVID illness has
jumped to over 50 per day.
- We are testing over 1,000 patients per week in our urgent care centers
for COVID.
Vaccines
While the development of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in record time
has been a boon, distribution of the vaccines has proven to be a significant
logistical challenge around the globe and our nation.
In Florida, the state has received nearly 965,000 doses of vaccines for
Covid-19, of which 533,000 doses have been provided to hospitals and approximately
250,000 of those vaccines have been administered. The vast majority of
the doses arrived between 12/22/20 and 12/29/20, hampering rollout due
to the holiday break.
On December 23, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis signed an Executive Order prioritizing
vaccine administration to healthcare workers, long-term care facility
residents and those over age 65. Unfortunately, the current supply of
vaccine is not enough to meet the demand even for the priority categories,
and it will require months to successfully vaccinate these individuals.
Hospital staff and long-term care residents/staff in Florida constitute
at least 750,000 individuals and there are more than 4.5 million individuals
65 and older. Compounding this challenge is the fact that the current
vaccines require administration of a second dose to these recipients within
3-4 weeks of the first one.
The first week of Covid-19 vaccine deployment in Florida began with the
distribution of Pfizer vaccine to five pilot sites, for the purpose of
vaccinating healthcare workers and long-term care residents. Week two
marked shipment of the Moderna vaccine to hospitals across the state for
healthcare workers, along with vaccination of long-term care residents
by CVS/Walgreens. In week three, all 67 county health departments received
the vaccine to begin community vaccinations.
As we enter week four, Governor DeSantis has directed the Florida Division
of Emergency Management to work with the Florida Department of Health
to identify state-run COVID-19 testing sites that can be converted into
vaccine sites. He has also directed the Florida Division of Emergency
Management to identify places of worship and other locations in underserved
communities where the vaccine may be administered. Florida has already
begun a pilot program in Escambia County, where over
500 seniors have received their vaccine and have been scheduled for their
booster shot, which they will receive at the same location. The governor
has directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to hire 1,000
contract nurses to support vaccination efforts and these nurses will be
deployed throughout the entire state to help run vaccination sites. Governor
DeSantis is also directing the Florida Division of Emergency Management
to assume additional responsibilities regarding the administration of
vaccines in Florida’s over 3,000 assisted living facilities, supplementing
and accelerating the efforts being undertaken by CVS and Walgreens, pursuant
to their agreement with the federal government. At this time, vaccines
for those over 65 will be available from the county health department
and hospitals.
At Jupiter Medical Center, we are proud that we were able to start vaccinating
healthcare workers (team members and medical staff) within 2 hours of
receiving our first vaccine allocation on December 23rd. Additionally, we administered the vaccine on Christmas eve as well as
Saturday and Sunday of the holiday weekend to increase access for medical
staff providers unable to participate during the week due to patient care
responsibilities.
We have exhausted our first allocation of the vaccine focusing on healthcare
workers and have submitted a plan to the Agency for Healthcare Administration
(AHCA) requesting a significant increase in future allotments. This would
allow us to vaccinate thousands of community members weekly, prioritizing
those over 65 years of age, while continuing to vaccinate healthcare workers.
We have offered to conduct community vaccination clinics on JMC campus,
our Urgent Care Center locations and in the community, seven days a week.
While we don’t yet know the exact timing or quantity of our next
shipment of vaccine from the state, we anticipate receiving it as early
as next week. Much of the uncertainty stems from a national vaccine supply
chain process which is still under development. Currently, the states
receive a varying allotment of vaccine on a weekly basis from federal
authorities and subsequently allocate it to hospitals and county health
departments. In our discussions with state health agency officials, they
have assured us that significant efforts are underway to streamline this
process and improve predictability of vaccine allotment in the upcoming
weeks and months.
JMC leadership continues to advocate with state and local leadership/legislators
for increased vaccine allocation for our community. As mentioned above,
we have a plan in place to administer community vaccinations, which we
are ready to operationalize as soon as we receive notice of our next vaccine
allocation. Once we receive notification, we will send out detailed communication
regarding the appointment scheduling process, locations, etc.
While we are all glad to put 2020 behind us, we face significant challenges
for the first few months of 2021. COVID-19 cases are on the rise and are
projected to increase over the next 4-6 weeks as a result of holiday travel.
Although vaccines will provide much needed protection against future spread
of the virus, the current demand far outpaces supply.
Please know that through these trying times, the entire JMC team is here
to serve. Whether it is to diagnose those presenting with COVID-19 symptoms
at our urgent care centers/emergency department, or to provide the latest
treatments for those requiring admission to the hospital, we are here.
While the vaccine rollout presents significant challenges, we are advocating
vigorously to obtain as many doses as possible for community vaccinations
and re-purposing personnel throughout the organization to operationalize
vaccine clinics as soon as we receive more vaccine.
We will get through these trying times together.
Best wishes for a safe and healthy new year.
Updated 12/29/20
A Message from the CEO, Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM
JMC received its first shipment of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from the
Florida Department of Health on Wednesday, 12/23/20. I am proud to say
that we began administering it to our healthcare workers (team members/medical
staff) within 90 minutes of arrival.
In just 6 days, we have vaccinated over 625 members of our staff, physicians
and nurses, prioritizing those who face high risk exposures or high frequency
of events. While we continue to vaccinate our healthcare workers, we are
working closely with the Florida Department of Health and anticipate vaccinating
community members, 65 and older, in the upcoming weeks based on CDC recommendations
and the Governor’s Executive Order. To keep you informed, we will
continue to post updates on Tuesday and Friday.
Please remember, your best protection from #COVID19 will be a combination
of getting a COVID-19 #vaccine, wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet
away from others, avoiding crowds, and washing your hands often.
Statewide Metrics
-
There were 68,614 new cases during the week ending December 20th
-
There were 6,400 patients hospitalized on December 28th
-
The percent positive rate averaged 9.03% for the week ending December 20th
-
The retransmission rate (Rt) is 1.05
Palm Beach County Metrics
-
There were 626 new cases on December 28th and 3,529 new cases for the week
ending December 20th
-
The positivity rate was 7.15% for the week ending December 20th
-
COVID-like illness cases have remained stable at 472 new cases per week
(ending December 20th)
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
-
There are 21 COVID positive patients admitted at JMC
-
5 of these patients are in the ICU (one patient requires BIPAP respiratory support)
-
There has been a 4% increase in the number of patients seen in the Urgent
Care Centers for COVID testing.
Updated 12/23/20
A Message from the CEO Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM
The surge in new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations has continued over
the past several weeks, partly a sequela of the Thanksgiving holiday.
On December 18th, there were over 400,000 new cases in the U.S. There are over 100,000
patients hospitalized in the U.S. and 21,000 requiring ICU level care.
Current models project a continued increase in cases over the next 4 weeks
and predict 1.2 to 2.3 million new cases will be reported in the week
ending January 9th. On a positive note for our state, the consensus projection for models
of Florida and Palm Beach County demonstrate a plateau in number of new
cases over the next 4 weeks. The state is projected to add 75,000 new
cases weekly over the next 4 weeks.
A concerning new development is the emergence of a more transmissible strain
of COVID in the United Kingdom. The new variant was first detected in
September and already accounts for two-thirds of cases in London. The
new strain also exhibits mutations involving the spike protein, which
is worrisome because current vaccines target the spike protein. Scientists
are studying whether the current vaccines will be effective against the
new variant and they believe that will be the case. Due to these concerns,
there has been a rapid move to limit travel from the UK to slow the spread
of the new variant.
Statewide Metrics
-
There were 74,545 new cases during the week ending December 13th
-
There were 5,241 patients hospitalized on December 21st
-
The percent positive rate averaged 9.38% for the week ending December 13th
- The retransmission rate (Rt) is 1.08
Palm Beach County Metrics
-
There were 459 new cases on December 20th and 3,791 new cases for the week ending December 13th
-
The positivity rate was 7.59% for the week ending December 13th
-
COVID-like illness cases have decreased to 470 new cases per week (ending
December 13th)
Jupiter Medical Center Metrics
- There are 20 COVID positive patients admitted at JMC
- 2 of these patients are in the ICU (both patients require BIPAP respiratory support)
- We are testing approximately 25 patients per day in the ED for COVID-19
- There has been a 30% increase in the number of patients seen in the Urgent
Care Centers for COVID testing.
Vaccines
We are proud to report that JMC received its first shipment of the Moderna
Covid-19 vaccine today from the state and we have initiated administration
of the vaccine for healthcare workers, a very significant advance in our
battle against the pandemic. An FDA advisory panel recommended on Thursday,
December 17th that the Moderna vaccine receive an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA),
which was issued this past Friday.
The Moderna vaccine is based on a messenger RNA platform. The messenger
RNA enters the cell and encodes the spike protein of the virus, which
in turn causes the body to develop antibodies against this antigen. The
vaccine demonstrated 94.1% efficacy in preventing COVID infection in a
Phase III trial which included 30,000 participants. Vaccination requires
2 doses, 4 weeks apart. Additionally, there were no severe cases of COVID
disease in the few patients who did contract COVID illness after vaccination.
The side effect profile is excellent. There were no patients who had an
anaphylactic or severe hypersensitivity reaction. The most common adverse
reaction was injection site pain (90%). A flu-like syndrome with: fatigue
(60%), muscle pain (60%), joint pain (40%), and chills (40%) which lasted
for 1 to 2 days was also fairly common. This syndrome was more frequently
seen after the 2nd dose and in younger patients (<55 years old). Serious adverse events
occurred in less than 1% of patients in the vaccine group and in the control
group, with no evidence that these were related to the vaccine.
On December 20, 2020 the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) released its recommendations regarding COVID-19 vaccine
administration. Their goal is to balance the prevention of morbidity/mortality
from COVID with the preservation of societal functioning:

Frontline Essential Workers are defined as workers who are in sectors essential
to the functioning of society and are at substantially higher risk of
exposure to COVID (i.e. firefighters, police, teachers, etc.) while Other
Essential Workers include those in transportation, food services, housing, etc.
While CDC data reveals that COVID-19 incidence is highest in young adults
(ages 18-29), mortality rates are highest in older adults (those over
85 years followed by ages 75-84).
From a population perspective, group 1a represents approximately 24 million
people, group 1b about 49 million unique persons and group 1c represents
129 million unique persons. Barring unforeseen circumstances, CDC models
predict requiring roughly 8 weeks to vaccinate group 1a, 12 weeks for
group 1b and 24 weeks for group 1c.
In Florida, the Department of Health is partnering with pharmacies (CVS,
Walgreens, etc.) to administer COVID vaccinations for long term care facilities.
Therefore, JMC’s initial vaccination plan focuses on healthcare
workers. Based on CDC guidelines, our leadership team has developed a
plan for vaccinating JMC team members and our medical staff, prioritizing
vaccinations for those who face high risk exposures or high frequency
of events. This includes individuals working in our COVID Unit, the Emergency
Department, Intensive Care Unit, etc.
In line with national models, we anticipate that it will take several weeks
to provide the initial dose of the vaccine to our team members and medical
staff. We will be working with state authorities to coordinate JMC participation
in the vaccination of our community members, which we anticipate will
begin in the spring based on CDC projections. This plan continues to evolve
and the timeframe depends on our allocation of vaccine, when they are
received, as well as evolving CDC and ACIP recommendations.
We remain committed to being a leader in the fight against the pandemic
and coordinating with state and local authorities to rapidly vaccinate
our team members, providers, and members of our community. In an effort
to keep you apprised of this rapidly evolving situation, which affects
all of us and our families, we will update our website every Tuesday and
Friday and post details as they become available via the following link:
https://www.jupitermed.com/covid19-vaccine/.
The arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine certainly brings much needed hope that
we will all soon be on the path to “normalcy’ in our lives
for which we have been yearning.
Best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season for you and your families.