Editor's Note This study by researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School finds that treatment for COVID-19 should be based on clinical judgment and not just testing. Between April and October 2020, the researchers looked at four groups: 40 patients who were RT-PCR confirmed positive 20 patients who repeatedly tested…

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Editor's Note This pilot project, by epidemiologist Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and colleagues finds that routine reprocessing activities generate substantial splashing and droplet dispersal, and that currently recommended items of personal protective equipment (PPE) do not adequately protect personnel from exposure. The researchers found that: Droplets were generated during every…

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Editor's Note As of February 14, The Joint Commission began surveying to the COVID-19 vaccination requirements in the 24 states that were not previously subject to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) “Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination” interim final rule. Healthcare organizations in these 24 states must…

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Editor's Note In this study, published by the British Medical Journal, 32% of individuals, 65 years and older, who were infected with COVID-19 developed at least one new medical condition in the months after the initial infection, the February 11 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. This 32% was 11% higher than…

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  Editor's Note A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) national survey analysis found that a recommendation from a healthcare provider may help increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, according to a February 8 report in JAMA. The survey, analyzed in the December 17, 2021, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, titled…

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Editor's Note Amazon announced on February 8 that it is expanding its telehealth service, Amazon Care, nationwide. Previously, it was available only to employees and their families in and around its Seattle headquarters. Amazon also is expanding its in-person care services to more than 20 new cities this year. When…

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Editor's Note According to the February 10 Healthcare Purchasing News, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced a new American Rescue Plan funding of $66.5 million to help expand outreach efforts to boost COVID-19 vaccine rates. The funding will…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at Umea University in Sweden finds a progressive waning in vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 of any severity during the first 9 months after the second vaccination, with the rate of waning differing by vaccine type Analyzing the total population of Sweden, vaccine effectiveness was…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 28 identified the recall by Empowered Diagnostics (Pompano Beach, Florida) of its CovClear COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and ImmunoPass COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Rapid Test as Class I, the most serious. Empowered Diagnostics distributed these tests with labeling indicating they were…

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Editor's Note In January, 5,757 workers lost their employment because they refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as ordered by a federal mandate and various local mandates covering private businesses. Out of those workers, 4,934 were healthcare providers, the February 4 Becker’s Hospital Review reports from data gathered by executive…

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