In an article published in MedPage Today, Bernadette Melnyk, Ph.D., RN, vice president for Health Promotion, University Chief Wellness Officer, and Professor and Dean of the College of Nursing at the Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus, was quoted as saying “We cannot pour from an empty cup”. What an impactful statement! What Ms. Melnyk was referring to are our …
“As of June 25, 2021, the CDC has identified that the combined frequencies of the SARS-CoV-2 P.1/Gamma variant (first identified in Brazil) and the B.1.351/Beta variant (first identified in South Africa) throughout the United States now exceed 11% and are trending upward. Results from in vitro assays that are used to assess the susceptibility of viral variants to particular monoclonal …
According to a press release launched on Florida Congressman Gus Bilirakis’ website, fellow Florida representative Darren Soto will be joining Bilirakis in the fight to protect seniors with much-needed reforms nationwide. They are doing this via the launch of the Infection Prevention and Control in Long-Term Care (IPC-LTC) Caucus, which will work closely with agencies such as CMS, the CDC, …
Bacterial co-infections and secondary infections are commonly identified in severe influenza (23%) and other severe respiratory viral infections, in which they are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. National and International COVID-19 guidelines vary in their recommendations on empirical antimicrobial therapy, some recommend empirical antimicrobial therapy in severe diseases where others do not. In a study published in the Lancet, …
The US Office of Inspector General recently conducted an audit to assess CMS’s controls related to hospital preparedness for emerging infectious diseases. According to their report on the audit, they “reviewed the design and implementation of CMS’s controls regarding the approximately 500 hospitals certified to participate in Medicare and Medicaid by State survey agencies under contract with CMS. We also …
An ABC News article published May 27, 2021 examined the need for and importance of a booster COVID-19 vaccine shot. Many long-term advocates are concerned about how long immunity will last compared with the standard procedure for FDA approval for a booster shot. The long-term care residents were among the first to receive COVID vaccines and likely will then be …
What is already known about this topic? Health care personnel (HCP) are at high risk for COVID-19. The early distribution of two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) to HCP provided an opportunity to examine vaccine effectiveness in a real-world setting. What is added by this report? The first U.S. multisite test-negative design vaccine effectiveness study among HCP found a …
On June 1, 2021, Aklermes announced FDA approval of LYBALVI™ for the treatment of schizophrenia and Bipolar I disorder. The following was published as part of their press release announcement: “Schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder are complex, chronic diseases and there remains a persistent need for new medications with proven efficacy and safety. Olanzapine, a highly-efficacious atypical antipsychotic, is associated …
According to the New York Times, Chinese health officials confirmed the world’s first known human infection from a strain of bird flu called H10N3 on June 1, 2021. The 41-year-old man in China’s easter Jiangsu province contracted the virus and was hospitalized April 28. China’s CDC performed genome sequencing on a virus sample from the man on May 28 and …
On June 18, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services awarded 59 jurisdictions with $200 million to bolster support and enhance the disease intervention specialists (DIS) workforce. These awards represent the initial funding of the $1.13 billion investment being made over the next five years, consistent with the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and will …
