Administering CPR to PPE-protected healthcare workers during COVID-19
Editor's Note In this Letter to the Editor, physicians from the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, address the problem of treating a healthcare worker (HCW) who passes out in the OR during a surgical procedure on a COVID-19 patient. The…
AHA launches new webpage with COVID-19 vaccine resources
Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) announced September 26 that it has launched a new webpage that comprises AHA-developed tools and resources from the federal government and others related to COVID-19 vaccines. The AHA will update the webpage often as new developments occur to keep the healthcare field informed…
COVID-19 in healthcare workers
Editor's Note This meta-analysis by researchers in Switzerland and Columbia finds that healthcare workers (HCWs) exhibit a high prevalence of COVID-19 infection, with a significant proportion of them being asymptomatic carriers. This favors silent transmission in clinical and community settings. The meta-analysis comprised 97 studies published in 2020, and 230,398…
Joint Commission seeks feedback on proposed requirements for spine surgery certification
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on September 23 announced that it is seeking feedback on proposed requirements for its Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery. In collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Joint Commission developed the proposed spine surgery related requirements to include: program structure delivery of care…
CDC: Changing age distribution of COVID-19
Editor's Note Early in the pandemic, COVID-19 incidence was highest in older adults, but there has been a shift toward younger ages over the summer, this study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds. Nationwide, the median age of COVID-19 patients declined from 46 years in May,…
Joint Commission seeks comments on new requirements for office-based surgery
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on September 23 announced that it is seeking comments on newly developed medication order requirements for the Office-Based Surgery (OBS) Accreditation Program. The proposed requirements align with clinical guidelines to prevent medication errors. Comments will be accepted through October 26, 2020.
Susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 to UV irradiation
Editor's Note In this study from Germany, researchers found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is highly susceptible to irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light. High viral loads (5x106TCID50/mL) were inactivated in 9 minutes with UVC (254 nm) irradiation. The UVC dose required for complete inactivation was 1,048 mJ/cm2. Exposure to UVA (365…
ECRI: Nearly 70% of N95 masks from China donโt meet US filtration standards
Editor's Note ECRI on September 22 released an analysis showing that 60% to 70% of N95 masks from China do not meet US standards for filtration and effectiveness. ECRI tested nearly 200 masks, reflecting 15 different manufacturer models, which have been purchased by large US healthcare systems. ECRI recommends not…
Risk factors for COVID-19 transmission in HCWs
Editor's Note In this study from Turkey, researchers investigated the specific risk factors for COVID-19 transmission in healthcare workers (HCWs) in a tertiary care university hospital. Of 703 HCWs tested for COVID-19 during a 60-day period, 50 (7.1%) were positive. Positivity rates were 6.3% for physicians, 8.0% for nurses, 9.1%…
CDC deletes COVID-19 airborne transmission guidance
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 21 issued a correction to its website, noting that a draft of proposed changes on how COVID-19 spreads, including guidance on airborne transmission, was posted in error on September 18. The CDC is currently updating its recommendations on…