Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 15 identified the recall of Smiths Medical Normoflo irrigation fluid warmers and warming sets as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the potential for aluminum ions leaching into warmed fluids, potentially exposing patients to high…

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Editor's Note This study led by researchers at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research and the Brooke Army Medical Center JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas, finds that a Texas state-level mask mandate issued July 3, 2020, followed by a Bexar County-level mandate issued July 15, 2020, did not reduce…

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Editor's Note A total of 95.19% of US counties are reporting high COVID-19 transmission rates, with at least 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the past 7 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The surge in COVID-19 cases is being driven largely by the Delta…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on September 8 announced that it has returned to the original volume eligibility requirement for its advanced Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) and Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) certification programs, effective September 1. Volume eligibility requirements were lowered in 2020 and into 2021 because of the COVID-19…

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Editor's Note A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that more than 83% of Americans had COVID-19 antibodies before the surge of the Delta variant began. Researchers examined data from 1,443,519 blood donation specimens obtained before the Delta variant. Overall infection-induced COVID-19 antibodies increased…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on September 1 announced that it is seeking comments on new and revised emergency management (EM) requirements for its hospital and critical access hospital accreditation programs. The aim of the proposed standards is to help healthcare organizations develop and improve their actions and responses to…

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Editor's Note An Axios-Ipsos poll published August 31 finds that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may be waning. Among the findings: 20% are not likely at all or not very likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, down from 23% 2 weeks ago and 34% in March 68% with K-12 children have either…

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Editor's Note This survey study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, finds that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is high among healthcare workers (HCWs), and there are substantial differences in vaccine hesitancy by race and ethnicity. Of 10,871 surveyed—compared with White HCWs—vaccine hesitancy was increased: nearly five-fold among Black HCWs…

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Editor's Note CEOs of Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals (UH), Cleveland, say they are concerned that COVID-19 vaccine mandates could lead to healthcare worker (HCW), shortages, endangering patient care, the August 26 cleveland.com reports. Strict COVID-19 measures were keeping patients safe before the vaccines and are still doing the job,…

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Editor's Note On August 26, Nebraska Gov Pete Ricketts announced multiple initiatives to increase bed capacity and boost hospital staffing in his state amid the latest wave of COVID-19, including a health measure to limit elective surgical procedures. He directed hospitals to cancel elective inpatient surgical procedures “that can wait…

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