US House of Representatives moves to expand the use of telehealth beyond COVID-19
Editor's Note Leaders of the US House of Representatives telehealth caucus introduced legislation on July 16 to permanently open up access to telehealth services for Medicare patients, the July 16 Fierce Healthcare reports. The bipartisan bill will eliminate restrictions on use in Medicare patients, and it will provide a bridge…
COVID-19 ICU mortality has fallen by a third
Editor's Note This meta-analysis from the University of Bristol, UK, finds that overall COVID-19 intensive care mortality has fallen by a third since the start of the pandemic. Data from 24 studies, including 10,150 patients from centers in Asia, Europe, and North America, demonstrate an ICU mortality rate of 41.6%,…
COVID-19 data reporting moved to HHS
Editor's Note The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on July 15 announced that in a move to improve information gathering and resource allocation, hospitals will begin sending their COVID-19 related data directly through HHS Protect or TeleTracking rather than submitting it the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention…
Study identifies genetic factors that may influence COVID-19 susceptibility
Editor's Note This study by Cleveland Clinic researchers identifies genetic factors that may influence susceptibility to COVID-19, which could guide personalized treatment. The researchers investigated genetic susceptibility to COVID-19 by examining DNA polymorphisms (variations in DNA sequences) in the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genes that produce the enzymes that enable the…
NIH, Modernaโs COVID-19 vaccine headed to Phase III trial
Editor's Note Researchers testing a COVID-19 vaccine being developedย by Dr Anthony Fauciโs team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Moderna Inc, reported July 14 that the vaccine was able to produce neutralizing antibodies in the 45 trial participants inoculated in March. Moderna is scheduled to launch a late-stage…
Children rarely transmit COVID-19
Editor's Note A commentary published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, concludes that children rarely transmit COVID-19 to each other or to adults, and that schools can and should reopen in the fall, if safety guidelines are followed and community transmission is low. The commentary,…
Pfizer could have COVID-19 vaccine by October
Editor's Note Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Pfizerโs COVID-19 vaccine could happen in October, the July 12 Time reports. The company was granted FDA Fast Track designation for the vaccine. Pfizerโs vaccine, being developed with its German biotech partner BioNTech, uses a messenger-RNA, genetics-based approach. Pfizer CEO Albert…
COVID-19 pathophysiology, transmission, diagnosis, treatment
Editor's Note In this review article, researchers from the US, UK, Netherlands, and Australia discuss current evidence on the pathophysiology, transmission, diagnosis, and management of COVID-19. Among their findings: COVID-19 is spread primarily via respiratory droplets during close face-to-face contact. Infection can be spread by asymptomatic, presymptomatic and symptomatic carriers.…
CDC: Absenteeism increased in essential workers during March, April of COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on July 10 reported that health-related workplace absenteeism rates were significantly higher than expected in March and April for some occupational groups in essential critical infrastructure categories. The following significantly exceeded their epidemic thresholds: personal care and services, including childcare…
Drug that calms โcytokine stormโ in COVID-19 patients linked to 45% lower risk of dying
Editor's Note Critically ill COVID-19 patients who received a single IV dose of tocilizumab, a drug that calms an overreacting immune system, were 45% less likely to die and more likely to leave the hospital or be off ventilator within a month, finds this new study from the University of…