Risk factors linked to COVID-19 in HCWs
Editor's Note This study finds that most risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection in US healthcare workers (HCWs) are outside the workplace. In this analysis of 24,749 volunteer HCWs at four large healthcare systems in three states (ie, Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Johns Hopkins Medicine and University of Maryland Medical…
Joint Commission returns to unannounced onsite surveys March 15
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 10 announced that it will be returning to unannounced onsite surveys. Beginning March 15, organizations will no longer receive a phone call or email when it has been determined the area is at low enough risk for an accreditation survey team to visit.…
Obese adults with COVID-19 at higher risk for hospitalization, ICU admission, death
Editor's Note This study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that obesity increases the risk for severe COVID-19-associated illness. Of 148,494 US adults with confirmed COVID-19 treated at 238 hospitals included in the study, 28.3% were overweight and 50.8% were obese. Severely obese adults…
CMS updates nursing home visitation guidance
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), issued updated guidance on March 10 to help nursing homes safely expand visitation options during the COVID-19 pandemic. The updated guidance says nursing homes โshould allow responsible indoor visitation…
Large study concludes surgery should be delayed 7 weeks after COVID-19 diagnosis
Editor's Note A new international study with more than 15,000 coauthors from 116 countries concludes that surgical procedures should be delayed for 7 weeks after a patient tests positive for COVID-19, to reduce postoperative mortality risk. The analysis of 140,231 patients undergoing surgical procedures in 1,674 hospitals in October 2020…
COVID-19 cases, deaths, hospitalizations continue to fall
Editor's Note The number of new COVID-19 cases in the US dropped 12%, deaths fell 18%, and hospitalizations declined 16% last week, the March 8 Reuters reports. At the same time, an average of 2.2 million COVID-19 vaccines were administered each day, up from 1.6 million the week before. Despite…
Effects of mask mandates, opening restaurants on COVID-19 cases, mortality
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 5 released a study showing mask mandates were responsible for a decrease in COVID-19 case growth rates by 0.5% after 20 days and by 1.8% after 100 days. Mask mandates also were associated with a 0.7% decrease in…
CDC loosens restrictions for fully vaccinated people
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 8 released interim recommendations saying that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely gather with fully vaccinated people from other households without wearing masks or physical distancing. They also can visit indoors with unvaccinated people from…
Japan supercomputer shows double-masking benefits are limited
Editor's Note A study by the Riken research institute and Kobe University using Fugaku, the worldโs fastest supercomputer, finds that wearing two masks offers little benefit in preventing the spread of COVID-19 compared to one well-fitted disposable mask, the March 4 Reuters reports. The researchers found that tightly-fitted surgical masks…
Healthcare employment down 19,900 jobs in February
Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US was down in February to a seasonally adjusted 15,914,500 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on March 5. Thatโs down 19,900 jobs since January and down 577,600 jobs compared to a year ago. The overall unemployment rate is 6.2%.