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…

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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,…

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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.

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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…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 18 revised its COVID-19 testing guidelines that said testing was optional for asymptomatic people regardless of contact with infected individuals. The revised guidelines say that because of the significance of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission, testing is recommended for…

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Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) on September 16 released two documents outlining a detailed strategy for delivering safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses to the American people as quickly and reliably as possible. The documents, which were developed in…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 15 reported that 121 of nearly 392,000 children and young adults who contracted COVID-19 in the US have died. Three-quarters of the deaths involved at least one comorbidity and 45% had two or more, with the most common…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced September 16 that it has been selected to provide Laboratory Accreditation Program services for the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These services will be provided at VA Medical Centers and community-based outpatient clinics. Laboratories are accredited every 2 years by the Joint Commission.

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Editor's Note This study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that adults with positive COVID-19 test results were almost twice as likely to have dined in a restaurant (including indoor, patio, and outdoor seating) within 2 weeks of developing symptoms. The study included 615 potential case…

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Editor's Note This survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the extent to which adults are delaying and avoiding medical care because of concerns about COVID-19. By June 30, an estimated 40.9% of those surveyed (4,978 US adults) had delayed or avoided medical care including urgent…

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