Order will help increase the availability of hand sanitizer and medical devices during the pandemic
Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order that will help increase the availability of over-the-counter drugs, such as hand sanitizer, and medical devices, such as respirators, ventilators and masks, which are in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The order allows the temporary manufacture of over-the-counter drugs and medical devices by firms not currently licensed by the California Department of Public Health. The firms must apply for temporary registration and self-certify they are compliant with guidance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The order defers renewal fees to address COVID-19 related economic hardship for manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, food and cosmetics that currently have California Department of Public Health licenses, registrations, and certificates.
The order also addresses a variety of other issues in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by extending a number of waivers to allow for flexibility in the emergency placement of foster youth and ensure that foster youth have access to critical programs and technology by verifying foster care status for foster youth and wards of the juvenile court whose cases are pending; permit In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program caseworkers to continue their work caring for older adults and individuals with disabilities; and allow the California Department of Justice to develop procedures to perform name-based background checks to ensure there is no delay processing employment for critical sectors, such as health care services and care and support for vulnerable populations, including developmentally disabled persons.
In addition, the order extends statutory deadlines related to the timeframe of when a petition for reconsideration is deemed to have been denied by the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, and for the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board to act on decisions by Workers’ Compensation judges.
The text of the Governor’s executive order can be found here and a copy can be found here.