Supply Chain

The federal government has awarded a $590 million loan to ApiJect Systems America for a novel injection device the company said could be used instead of traditional glass vials and syringes for vaccinations. 

Companies most often cited the cost of COVID-19 testing as the primary reason they weren't testing their workers, rather than test availability or turnaround times, The New York Times reported. 

Ten hospitals and health systems posted job listings for supply chain expertise in the last week:

HHS has launched a pilot program in five states to test the portable COVID-19 molecular test used by the NBA to control the virus in its "bubble" this season. 

Senate Democrats introduced a bill Nov. 18 to boost the U.S. supply of personal protective gear by allocating $10 billion for the government to buy masks, gloves and face shields, The Hill reported. 

The FDA has issued an emergency authorization for the first at-home COVID-19 test that can deliver results in less than 30 minutes. 

3M, a Minnesota-based conglomerate that spans the automotive, construction and energy industries, has become increasingly involved in production of personal protective gear for healthcare workers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. House of Representatives has started a COVID-19 testing program for lawmakers and staffers as many travel back and forth from Washington, D.C., The Hill reported. 

Thirty-four health systems have partnered with Premier and DeRoyal Industries, a medical manufacturer, to form a joint venture designed to produce isolation gowns in response to critical shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way hospital systems prepare for the outbreak of viral infections.