Abbott Laboratories announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the company’s Alinity™ m Resp-4-Plex molecular assay to detect and differentiate SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B and Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) in one test. This is an important tool because these viruses have similar symptoms but require different treatment approaches. This test …
Antibiotic stewardship programs (Aps) are being established across the U.S. in response to the negative consequences associated with antibiotic overuse. Although ASPs have been successful in reducing antibiotic use within institutions, their ability to train clinicians to self-steward their antibiotic use on an ongoing basis has been less of a focus. Antibiotic stewardship programs are limited in their resources to …
Alcohol is one of the most widely available psychoactive substances globally. Many accept the risks associated with alcohol consumption for reasons such as social engagement and feelings of pleasure. Alcohol consumption in a nursing home setting highlights the moral and logistical challenges of balancing the need for a safe living and working environment with the dignity of risk (DoR) and …
In a recent study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH), they compared low-fat, plant-based diets with low-carb, animal-based diets. We have all talked about these diets at one time or another, Keto, Adkins, Mediterranean, Vegan, etc., so it was interesting that a “real” study was done. What they found was that people on a low-fat, plant-based diet ate …
All major indicators of COVID-19 transmission in the United States continue to fall rapidly. Weekly new cases have fallen from 1.7 million at the national peak in early January to fewer than 600,000 the week of February 18, 2021, and cases have declined in every state. As we’ve seen at many points in the pandemic, case numbers are changing most …
More than 500,000 residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities have been infected in the United States, accounting for 40% of the total deaths from COVID-19. Among survivors, an understanding of the expected durability of the antibody response may be helpful in estimating the risk of a new infection. This is particularly important in preparation for another surge. Previous …
SARS-CoV-2, like other RNA viruses, constantly changes through mutation, with new variants occurring over time. Generally, when new variants become more common, they do so because of some selective advantage to the virus. Among the numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants that have been detected, only a very small proportion are of public health concern because they are more transmissible, cause more severe …
After the administration of 13.8 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to the U.S. population during the first month of the vaccination program, the post-authorization safety profiles for both vaccines are reassuring. Most (90.9%) VAERS reports were more non-serious events and involved local and systemic symptoms; transient local and systemic reactions were also frequently reported in v-safe. The …
After administration of 13.8 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to the U.S. population during the first month of the vaccination program, the post-authorization safety profiles for both vaccines are reassuring. Most (90.9%) VAERS reports were for non-serious events and involved local and systemic symptoms; transient local and systemic reactions were also frequently reported in v-safe. Reports of …
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has not only created a global health crisis, but it is also now threatening the environment. A multidisciplinary collaborative approach is required to fight against the pandemic and reduce the environmental risks associated with the disposal of used personal protective equipment (PPE). A paper published on Science Direct discusses ways to decrease the impact on our …
