COVID-19 breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated
Editor's Note This study led by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Massachusetts Department of Public Health finds that people vaccinated against COVID-19 can carry as much coronavirus as those who are unvaccinated. After multiple large public events in a Barnstable County, Massachusetts town, 469…
Federal workers, contractors must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination
Editor's Note President Biden on July 29 announced that all federal workers and contractors will be required to prove their COVID-19 vaccination status or face travel restrictions, mask requirements, and weekly or twice-weekly testing, Reuters reports. The federal government has about 2.18 million civilian employees (including nurses and other healthcare…
Use of targeted behavioral science messages to increase HCW COVID-19 vaccinations
Editor's Note In this study by researchers at Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pennsylvania, an individually addressed email nudge designed with behaviorally informed features caused more than twice as many healthcare workers (HCWs) to register for a COVID-19 vaccination, compared with HCWs in a control group. The health system initially sent…
Growing number of healthcare organizations mandating COVID-19 vaccinations
Editor's Note Since Houston Methodist announced March 31 that all managers had to receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or get an exemption by April 15, and all employees had to be vaccinated by June 7, more than 60 healthcare organizations have announced vaccination mandates for their…
Psychological consequences of COVID-19 in HCWs, effect of health-promoting resources
Editor's Note This German study finds that social support and especially a higher sense of coherence were beneficial for the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 4,324 HCWs from four professions (physicians, nurses, medical technical assistants, and pastoral workers) completed a survey on…
US News & World Report releases best hospital rankings
Editor's Note US News & World Report on July 27 released its best hospital rankings for 2021-2022, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, earning the top spot for the 6th year in a row. Rounding out the top five in the Honor Roll were: Cleveland Clinic UCLA Medical Center…
Analysis of COVID-19 infection in hospital HCWs
Editor's Note This study from two university hospitals in the Netherlands finds that healthcare workers (HCWs) on hospital COVID-19 wards are at increased risk for nosocomial COVID-19 infections and play an important role in HCW-to-HCW transmission. Of 801 hospital HCWs analyzed, 439 worked in patient care for those with COVID-19,…
CDC revises indoor mask guidance for fully vaccinated
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 27 released new guidance recommending that โfully vaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settingsโ in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates. The CDC cited data showing that some vaccinated people who tested positive for the Delta variant…
COVID-19 as possible cause of orbital cellulitis
Editor's Note In this case study, craniofacial surgeons from Brazil describe their experience with a 28-year-old COVID-19-positive man who developed orbital cellulitis, requiring surgical intervention. A few weeks before, the man had a mild illness with fatigue and loss of smell and taste. He didnโt seek medical care until he…
ACS joins more than 50 organizations in call for COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers
Editor's Note In a July 26 press release, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced that it had joined more than 50 healthcare professional organizations in calling for healthcare employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for all healthcare workers. ACS executive director, David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, noted that: โThe COVID-19…