Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on August 24 changed its recommendations on testing asymptomatic people for COVID-19. The CDC is no longer recommending asymptomatic testing. The new guidance includes the following: For those who have been in close contact (within 6 feet) of a person…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced August 19 that it is removing its position statement: "Preventing Nosocomial COVID-19 Infections as Organizations Resume Regular Care Delivery.” The guidance was written in May when COVID-19 cases in the US were declining, healthcare organizations were working to resume elective procedures and ambulatory care,…

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Editor's Note In a Scientific Statement, the American Heart Association (AHA) says marijuana use has no cardiovascular benefits and that it has been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Though a full understanding of how marijuana use affects the heart and blood vessels…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced July 1 that it has made two sets of standards changes for deemed-status hospitals and critical access hospitals. The first set of changes, which went into effect July 1, was made in response to hospital deeming renewal applications with the Centers for Medicare &…

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Editor's Note This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study of 382 young adult US Navy service members aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier during a COVID-19 outbreak found that: 59.70% had reactive antibodies 59.2% also had neutralizing antibodies, an indicator of at least short-term immunity 81.5% reported…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 9 released a guide for healthcare facilities to resume in-person, non-emergent, non-COVID-19 services in states and regions with no evidence of COVID-19 resurgence. Recommendations include: designating separate areas for COVID-19 care establishing non-COVID-19 care zones where patients can…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on May 20 posted two new resources to help states reopen. The first is a 60-page document that includes information on general and healthcare surveillance and continuing guidance on infection control, contact tracing, and testing. It also includes a standardized…

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Editor's Note: The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), American Hospital Association (AHA), and Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) on May 19 released a “Re-entry Guidance for Health Care Facilities and Medical Device Representatives.” The guidance, which builds on the April 17 joint statement by AORN, AHA, American College of…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 12 posted updated point-of-care (POC) testing biosafety guidelines for COVID-19. The update includes guidance for: use of instruments in a location associated with a current Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certificate site- and activity-specific risk assessment proper staff training adherence…

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Editor's Note On May 12, California's Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California pharmacists will be allowed to collect specimens and order COVID-19 tests. Specimens will be are processed at public health, university, or commercial labs. The move is an effort to increase the state’s testing capacity as it modifies its…

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