In response to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for fully vaccinated people, several states, including Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, have lifted their statewide mask mandates.

Illinois is the first state to extend Medicaid coverage to low-income residents ages 65 and older, regardless of immigration status, due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania heightened security measures to protect staff and providers against the spread of COVID-19.

HHS has left it up to the states' discretion on how to distribute the investigational antiviral drug. Several states — including Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Texas — are beginning to release plans on the distribution of the drug.

States are expanding requirements for hospitals to report their bed capacity and supply inventory, and readying facilities to expand capacity to treat patients with COVID-19. CMS has approved Section 1135 waivers for 38 states.

State legislators in Illinois, Michigan, and New York seek to limit the number of patients that hospital nurses can treat at a time.