The CEO of Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday that people may need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 annually for the next several years; similar to seasonal flu shots. “Unfortunately, as the virus spreads, it can also mutate,” Alex Gorsky said in an interview on CNBS. “Every time it mutates, it’s almost like another click of the dial, so to speak, …
On February 11, 2021, 3M issued a letter to their customers warning about fraud related to three of their surgical respirator models. The company said they have been received reports of both fake/counterfeit products being sold and ‘offers’ that are never delivered. By working with law enforcement, they have been able to identify and seize millions of such products, but …
Testing is the cornerstone of a successful public health response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Nasopharyngeal sampling for nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) is the current, non-invasive criterion standard diagnostic test. However, nasopharyngeal testing requires trained personnel and handling of a specially designed swab, and the technique cannot be easily or reliably performed in all populations (i.e., children and quarantined …
World Health Organization experts have warned that even though the coronavirus pandemic has been very severe, it is “not necessarily the big one” and that the world will have to learn to live with COVID-19. Professor David Heymann, the chair of the WHO’s strategic and technical advisory group for infectious hazards said, “It appears the destiny of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is …
The CDC previously released guidelines for contraindications to vaccinations; however, it has now broadened these guidelines to include those with a history of an immediate allergic reaction to previous doses of or any component of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, including polyethylene glycol. According to the updated interim guidance, anyone with a history of immediate allergic reaction of any severity to any …
During this pandemic and beyond, we see that the stress put on our caregivers and staff has increased dramatically. We have added new policies, revised existing policies, and required staff to take on additional documentation and tasks throughout their shift. All of these changes can and have proven to increase their level of stress. As a leader, are you aware …
The cost of a fall among older adults requiring emergency services is unclear, especially beyond the acute care period. In a recent study, medical expenditures (costs) to 1 year among community-dwelling older adults who fell and required ambulance transport, including acute versus post-acute periods, the primary drivers of cost and comparison to baseline expenditures were evaluated. Results showed that the …
OSHA is committed to protecting the health and safety of America’s workers. As such, they have published a document to provide guidance for the employers of those working nursing homes, assisted living, and other long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. LTCFs are different than other healthcare settings because they assist residents and clients with tasks of daily living in …
A KHN News article says that nursing homes, small physician offices, and rural clinics are being left behind in the rush for N95 masks and other protective gear, exposing some of the country’s most vulnerable populations and their caregivers to COVID-19 while larger, wealthier health care facilities build equipment stockpiles. More than eight months into the pandemic, health care leaders …
The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services recently issued a new bulletin for nursing facilities regarding Covid-19 response and policies. Its purpose is to “establish COVID Relief (CR) Facilities to allow eligible nursing facilities to retain COVID-positive residents and, with enhanced standards, under special circumstances, they will also be able to admit new COVID-positive residents when additional capacity is …
