Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine generates immune response in older adults
Editor's Note Preliminary findings in Moderna’s (Cambridge, Massachusetts) COVID-19 trial show the vaccine elicits strong immune system responses in older adults similar to responses in younger recipients, and adverse events associated with the vaccine are mainly mild or moderate. In its expansion to include older adults, the trial enrolled 40…
Joint Commission revises EC standard for fluoroscopy services
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on September 30 announced a revision to its Environment of Care (EC) standard EC.02.04.03, element of performance (EP) 34, which will take effect January 1, 2021, for ambulatory care organizations, office based surgery practices, hospitals, and critical access hospitals. The Joint Commission has determined that…
New research project to determine COVID-19 postinfection immunity
Editor's Note A new study led by the University of Georgia (UGA) Center for Vaccines and Immunology will determine what protection the body develops after infection with COVID-19. The researchers also will examine immunological, demographic, and medical risk factors and the part they play in recovery and outcomes. Participants, which…
Survey: 31% of surgeons, OR nurses experience allergic skin reactions
Editor's Note A new global survey by SERMO for Mölnlycke of 550 surgeons and OR nurses finds that 31% have experienced a skin reaction on their hands, with 21% having to change sterile gloves during a surgical procedure because of an irritating or distracting reaction. Reactions include dry and itchy skin,…
Study: Viral load of COVID-19 patients, deaths declining
Editor's Note This study presented September 24 at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Conference on Coronavirus Disease finds that the initial SARS-CoV-2 viral load (VL) in nasopharyngeal samples has been decreasing as the pandemic progresses. The researchers from Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, also…
ASCs reduce Medicare costs $4 billion annually
Editor's Note A new analysis of Medicare payment data by KNG Health Consulting shows that ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) reduced Medicare costs by $28.7 billion from 2011 to 2018, a savings of more than $4 billion each year. The analysis also shows that, without policy changes, performing procedures on Medicare…
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…