Editor's Note UroViu Corporation, Bellevue, Washington, announced May 24 that it has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its portable, flexible single-use cystoscope. The Uro-G has a fully deflectable tip that enables physicians to perform interventional and diagnostic urologic procedures in various settings, without reprocessing.

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Editor's Note Of 101 million Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 as of April 30, 2021, more than 10,200 had breakthrough infections 14 days or more after receipt of all vaccine doses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among these cases: 63% occurred in women 27% were asymptomatic…

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Editor's Note The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, in Washington, DC, released a report on May 25 that summarizes findings from a national survey of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of 1,200 HCWs from all 50 states and the District of…

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Editor's Note In this Canadian experimental study, SARS-CoV-2 was not detectable in aerosolized electrocautery plume generated from any of the conditions investigated. The researchers mimicked surgery by applying electrocautery at 25 W using three different methods (monopolar cut, monopolar coagulate, and bipolar electrocautery) for 1 minute on raw chicken breast.…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine be given to everyone 12 years of age and older. Previously, COVID-19 vaccines had been authorized only for those aged 16 and older. Pfizer is the first vaccine manufacturer to gain emergency use…

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Editor's Note Duloxetine was found to be better than placebo for reducing opioid use and was of equal efficacy to placebo for reducing pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in this study presented at the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine annual meeting, May 13, in Orlando, Florida.…

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Editor's Note The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) issued guidance on May 14 saying that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) mask recommendations for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do not apply in healthcare settings. Healthcare facilities should continue to follow COVID-19 infection prevention…

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Editor's Note This study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Nashville, Tennessee, demonstrates how detailed healthcare workers’ (HCWs’) personal or religious convictions are behind their vaccine avoidance. VUMC requires that all faculty and staff receive the influenza vaccine annually or receive an approved vaccine exemption. All personal and religious exemption…

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Editor's Note The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), on May 18, released a new perioperative medication safety self assessment to help hospitals, ASCs, and other surgery settings evaluate their medication practices and identify challenges and opportunities for improvement. The tool also offers providers a way to document compliance with…

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Editor's Note This survey study of US adults found that many were averse to their information being used on digital platforms to mitigate COVID-19 transmission. Of 6,284 adults surveyed, 3,547 responded, for a completion rate of 56%. Approval was generally low (28% to 43%) for use of consumer digital data…

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