Editor's Note The first batch of the Pfizer/BioNTech's newly authorized COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use reached 141 of 145 targeted locations on the first day of its national rollout, a Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman told Reuters. Four island territories—American Samoa, Guam, North Mariana Islands, and the US…

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Editor's Note In this study of COVID-19 patients in the nationwide Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, found that 27% of survivors of hospitalization were readmitted or died by 60 days after discharge. Of 2,179 index hospitalizations for COVID-19: 678 (31.1%) were…

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Editor's Note The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on December 11 that it would purchase 100 million additional doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine, which was developed by Moderna with scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is scheduled for a December…

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Now that facilities are returning to performing urology cases, what should staff be aware of regarding COVID-19 and urology in general? This was the question Lane Jacobs, an expert in global product solutions for Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Massachusetts, asked Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, president and chief executive officer, Ofstead &…

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A November 2020 survey from National Nurses United, the largest union of RNs in the US, rang some alarm bells about the preparedness of healthcare facilities bracing for influenza season along with COVID-19 case surges. Among the more than 15,000 nurses surveyed by the union, 30% named staffing shortages as…

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Editor's Note After the Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine on December 11, the company began shipping 2.9 million doses to 636 sites throughout the US. (https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-key-action-fight-against-covid-19-issuing-emergency-use-authorization-first-covid-19). On December 14, the first dose of the vaccine was administered at 9:23 am to an…

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Editor's Note Barrier devices used for intubation may reduce operator exposure to infectious droplets and aerosols, but there is wide variation in aerosol containment, this study finds. Fully enclosed barrier devices reduced vapor and aerosol content in the area of the operator. If no barrier device was used, aerosol content…

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Editor's Note This study reports the safety and efficacy findings of the phase 2 and phase 3 parts of the clinical trial of the BNT162b2 mRNA (Pfizere/BioNTech) vaccine in preventing COVID-19 in persons 16 years of age or older. These results are the basis for an application for emergency use…

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Editor's Note Gen Gustave Perna, who oversees logistics for Operation Warp Speed, announced December 8 that the government is prepared to distribute 2.9 million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine by the end of this week or immediately after the vaccine receives emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, finds that out-of-hospital (community and home) exposure to COVID-19 had the largest association with seropositive status of healthcare workers. Of 6,150 healthcare workers analyzed, nurses, medical assistants, and support services workers were at highest risk for…

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