This Week at Cooper – September 22, 2021

We hope you are having a safe and productive week. We appreciate everything you are doing to support our patients, families, and each other.  

What You Should Know This Week:  

• To Boost or Not To Boost, That is the Question. There is a great deal of confusion around COVID-19 booster shots. We hope to clear it up a little. The only booster shots currently being considered by the FDA and CDC are for those individuals who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna and J&J booster shots are not being considered at this time.
  • • • • • • • • • Last week, an FDA advisory panel recommended booster shots for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for those who are over 65 years of age and high risk for occupational exposure (such as health care workers). The FDA has not given final approval to this recommendation.
                  • The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is evaluating whether to recommend booster shots for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine today and tomorrow.
                  • If the CDC recommends Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, the New Jersey Department of Health plans to follow suit. This process could happen very quickly. The recommendation will likely be that individuals receive their Pfizer vaccine booster 6 to 8 months after their second dose.
                  • We are working on a process for distributing booster shots at Cooper. You will also be able to get your booster at your Cooper primary care office or at other sites (CVS, Walgreens, Etc.). Once approved, we will send out a detailed email about how you can receive a booster shot.
• Don’t Be Confused with Third Shot for Immunocompromised Individuals. Previously, the CDC recommended that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems receive a third dose of mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) COVID-19 vaccines at least 28 days after their second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
• Cooper’s Flu Vaccination Program began earlier this week. Please review the information here to ensure you are compliant. Click here for the schedule.
• Congratulations to Anthony Welch, named one of “ROI Influencers: People of Color 2021 – Difference Makers.” To read the full ROI-NJ.com article, click here.  
• New: The State of New Jersey issued a proclamation earlier this week recognizing September 20 as Addiction Professionals Day. We want to recognize our outstanding team of addiction medicine experts at The Cooper Center for Healing, who are leading the way with innovative and effective multidisciplinary treatments for our patients. To read more, click here.
• Reminder: State Mandated Testing Continues. Team members who are not fully vaccinated must be COVID-19 tested weekly under a mandate from the State of New Jersey. Each test is valid for seven days. Before beginning a shift, you must have had a negative COVID-19 test within the seven previous days. If you no longer wish to be tested, please sign up to receive the vaccine on myCooper.
• Win Prizes in Our I Spy Campaign. We appreciate your input to give our Mission, Vision, and Values a refresh this past year. We need your help again to track down remnants of our old Mission, Vision, and Values across our health system. We know there are signs and documents all over our Cooper Network that we need to update. Send in a tip to CooperCom@CooperHealth.edu or post on Pulse+ to be entered weekly into a raffle to win wireless ear pods, $100 gift cards, and Cooper swag.
• To continue expanding vaccination rates in the region Cooper, in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Health, will offer mobile walk-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the Cherry Hill Mall throughout September and October. Click here to read more.
• Voting for Philadelphia Magazine’s 2022 Top Doctors is now open. The deadline for nominations is November 1, 2021. Physicians take this opportunity to submit a nomination of one of our colleagues. Learn more here.
• We love to hear patient feedback about their excellent health care experience at Cooper. Kudos to all who are making The Cooper Experience a reality and who received individual recognition from our patients in recent surveys, including Gail, Kristi, Cat, Joclyn, Laurie, Pat, Trisha, Sierra, and Diana. Click here to read more.
• Click here to read today’s Daily Dose, entitled, “A Matter of Time.” As always, you can view the Daily Dose archives here.
• Topic of the Week: Autumnal Equinox. Today at 3:20 p.m. it marked the Autumnal Equinox, which is the day when the sun rises due east and sets at due west and the length of daylight and darkness are the same. It also marks the end of summer. As the cold weather months and holidays quickly approach, the direction of the COVID-19 pandemic is still unknown. We encourage everyone to stay vigilant and continue to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines and take prudent precautions to stay healthy and keep those around you healthy as well.
  
  Movie Quote: “Things that could have been brought to my attention YESTERDAY!”

We appreciate your ongoing hard work and commitment during these challenging times.