Readout of Meeting with Nation’s Leading Clinical Societies on the Importance of Getting Americans Vaccinated and COVID-⁠19 Treatments this Fall and Winter

On Monday, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha and federal public health officials met with leading organizations representing America’s physicians, nurse practitioners, and other clinicians to discuss the ongoing work to protect people against and treat COVID-19 this fall and winter. Administration officials shared that they are carefully monitoring emerging subvariants in the U.S. and around the world, and underscored the potential for an increase in both COVID-19 and flu infections this fall and winter. There was broad agreement that the single-most important thing Americans, particularly the elderly, can do to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19 and serious illness is to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine without delay. As Americans go about their more normal routines and access health care throughout this fall, Administration officials emphasized the essential role the nation’s clinicians will play in ensuring people stay healthy and protected, and our nation manages the fall and winter without the suffering and disruptions we have seen in the past. To that end, Administration officials called on the organizations to ensure their members are doing everything they can to get Americans their updated COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot this fall, including through individual patient counseling, as well as phone calls, emails, and text reminders to patients. The discussion also focused on the progress the U.S. has made in making COVID-19 a treatable illness, with COVID-19 deaths down 90 percent since the President took office, and the steps health care providers can take to further drive down COVID-19 deaths. This includes making sure patients—particularly those at high-risk of developing serious illness—understand the effectiveness of treatments in saving lives, and the importance of testing for COVID-19 if they have symptoms and seeking treatment quickly if they test positive. Administration officials conveyed their deep gratitude to America’s health care providers for their ongoing efforts to help the country manage COVID-19, and reiterated their commitment to providing any support they can in the weeks and months ahead.

Meeting Participants

• White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha
• U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy
• FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf
• American Academy of Family Physicians
• American Academy of Physician Associates
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners
• American College of Emergency Physicians
• American College of Physicians
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• American Geriatrics Society
• American Medical Association
• American Osteopathic Association
• Council of Medical Specialty Societies
• Infectious Diseases Society of America
• Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine

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