Although many emergency department patients with known or suspected COVID-19 require hospital admission, the majority are discharged home. Concern for surges in hospital occupancy compel emergency clinicians to preserve inpatient resources and discern which patients benefit most from admission. Some patients with COVID-19, however, experience delayed decompensation and may develop serious illness several days after initial symptoms. Many of these …
Staffing, a long-standing thorn in the side of skilled nursing operators even before the COVID-19 pandemic, has emerged as one of the most critical elements in how facilities manage an outbreak and navigate the current public health emergency. This Skilled Nursing Article highlights that the percentage of CNAs who live below the poverty line in the U.S. far outstrips the …
Since December 2019, an increasing number of pneumonia cases caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have been identified in Wuhan, China. This new pathogen has exhibited high human-to-human transmissibility with approximately 16,819,944 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 662,000 deaths reported globally as of July 29, 2020. In addition to population mobility and human-to-human contact, environmental factors such as absolute humidity …
Have you ever wondered why your primary care physician keeps an eye on your blood glucose levels when running laboratory tests? Add to that, they want “fasting” levels which means no coffee before the test, right?! In a retrospective study by S. Wang and colleagues from 2 hospitals in Wuhan, China, FBG ≥ 7 mmol/L at admission independently predicted 28-day …
In a study published September 18, 2020, in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, they discuss the risk of testing positive again once you have recovered from the COVID-19 infection. Between April 21 and May 21, 2020, a total of 137 individuals who officially recovered from COVID-19 were enrolled in this study. All patients were tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus …
In an article published in Medscape in August 2020, it discussed a study that had been conducted on the spread of COVID-19. Yes, there have been a gazillion studies conducted and many have differing opinions outcomes. The goal of sharing these studies is to keep you informed of the scientific research being conducted throughout the world to find a cure …
How CDC Is Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations CDC is making coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations for the United States based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP is a federal advisory committee made up of medical and public health experts who develop recommendations on the use of vaccines in the U.S. public. ACIP holds regular …
In an article published in BMJ Thorax online, September 11, 2020, results indicate that seroprevalence among hospital workers may vary by job and by ethnicity. “All health care workers in the hospital are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection, not just those that are patient-facing, and all health care workers should closely follow advice and training on social distancing, handwashing …
Improved understanding of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) within households could aid control measures. To assess household transmission, a case-ascertained study was conducted in Nashville, Tennessee and Marshfield, Wisconsin beginning in April 2020. Because household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is common and can occur rapidly after the patient’s illness onset, persons should self-isolate immediately at …
Per the CDC Weekly MMWR report that was published October 27, 2020 and updated October 30, 2020, self-reported engagement in mitigation behaviors (mask-wearing, handwashing, physical distancing, crowd and restaurant avoidance and cancellation of social activities) differed significantly by adult age group. During April-June 2020, the prevalence of these behaviors was lowest among adults aged 18-29 years and highest among those …
