Editor's Note This study from Stanford University tests five methods for disinfecting N95 masks and finds that heating them preserves their filtration efficiency for 50 cycles of disinfection. In the study, instead of analyzing N95 masks, which were needed by healthcare workers, the researchers examined pieces of the fabric used…

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Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on May 6 issued a guidance to implement section 3121 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) as it relates to shortages and potential shortages of medical devices occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturers are required to notify…

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Editor's Note Cornell University researchers studying the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have found a unique feature that could explain why it is so transmissible between humans. The researchers identified a structural loop in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (ie, the area of the virus that facilitates entry into a cell)…

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Editor's Note This year, the American Nurses Association has extended the traditional National Nurses Week to a month of recognition, May 1-31. National Nurses Day, May 6, marks the beginning of National Nurses Week, which ends on May 12, the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday. This year’s theme is “Nurses…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 1 updated its weekly surveillance summary of COVID-19 activity in the US ending April 25. Among the updates: The percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 decreased at public health and commercial laboratories and remained similar at clinical labs.…

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Editor's Note In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial of remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19, remdesivir was not associated with statistically significant clinical benefits. For the analysis, 237 patients were randomly assigned to either a treatment group with remdesivir (158 patients) or placebo (79 patients). Remdesivir use was not…

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Editor's Note Abbott’s new COVID-19 antibody test that has 99% sensitivity and specificity has been given CE Mark approval for use across Europe, the April 29 Mass Device reports. The test is 99% accurate in identifying the IgG protein in patients infected by COVID-19, 14 days after symptoms develop. Abbott…

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Editor's Note In this proof-of-concept study, a new lateral flow immunoassay developed by researchers from China can quickly detect antibodies against SARS-COV-2, which appear as a bright orange line when placed on a fluorescence reader. The test, which is based on a technique similar to what is used in home…

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Editor's Note The spread of COVID-19 in the US could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in direct medical costs, according to this study partially funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Using AHRQ data and other sources, researchers developed computer models to simulate the financial…

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Editor's Note The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on April 24 issued interim guidance on the reuse and decontamination of N95 and other filtering-facepiece respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA notes that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has identified research that suggests the following methods…

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