In the 1980s and 1990s, several approaches were developed to counteract what were thought to be important microbial and host mediators in the development of sepsis and septic shock with the goal of reducing mortality. These efforts proved to be unsuccessful in reducing mortality related to sepsis and septic shock. Because of these failures, the focus changed to identifying patients …
Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic Healthcare personnel are using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) everyday, during the provision of care to their residents. The effect of heat loss related to wearing PPE compared to regular clothing/scrubs can lead to heat strain, dehydration, excessive sweating and increased cardiovascular strain. In an article recently published in the BMJ, heat strain is a real …
As with all science, new and old, there are flaws; there is no perfect science. While we navigate through the science of the COVID-19 pandemic, many new and exciting ideas are emerging. Of course, researching these ideas takes time, sometimes many years and we really don’t have that much time. Fortunately, breakthroughs happen every day. A few innovative technologies arising …
Social isolation has many adverse effects on people and can negatively impact seniors as well as young people. Detriments of social isolation are not picky- it affects everyone! Due to this, there has been research on the idea of “Social Bubbles;” so what is a social bubble? Here are a few key points: A social bubble is when two families …
As more states introduce universal mask requirements, there are a lot of questions on the efficacy of masks and the inconvenience of masking. When the United States first identified the risk of pandemic last winter, national experts indicated that masks were not effective. Today, however, the experts support mask mandates as a means to control the spread of infection. The …
Reports of atypical presentations of COVID-19 have been emerging as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has grown across the globe. Atypical presenting features refer to patients where the constitutional or respiratory symptoms are absent or minimal and other non-respiratory symptoms or signs are early or predominant features. Studies have shown that the greatest risk factor for severe COVID-19 is increasing age, particularly …
The spread of COVID-19- Person-to-person transmission most commonly happens during close exposure to a person infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, primarily via respiratory droplets produced when the infected person speaks, coughs, or sneezes. Droplets can land in the mouths, noses, or eyes of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs of those within close …
As we continue to navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic, many healthcare professionals are becoming numb when it comes to using facemasks. Many of us have been very successful at protecting our residents from the spread of the virus but now is not the time to lower our standards or relax infection control best practices. Here are a few reminders for …
Last week, Administrator Verma held a nursing home call announcing that “Point of Care” testing will be made available to all long-term care facilities in the country, beginning with those located in high-risk hot spots first. The Quidel Corporation’s Sofia 2 SARS Antigen Fluorescent Immunoassay (FIA) received an emergency use authorization from the FDA on May 8, 2020, and is …
It is no surprise to most of us that physical activity has long-lasting, positive effects on the human body. But a recent study published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease reaffirmed this long-standing belief. The study evaluated long-distance skiers and found that although their brains may have degenerative changes associated with Parkinson’s disease, they didn’t experience the physical symptoms usually …
