Study: Masking policies significantly reduce hospital-acquired viral respiratory infections
Editor's Note A cohort study conducted across 10 hospitals in the Mass General Brigham system found that stopping universal masking and SARS-CoV-2 testing significantly increased hospital-onset respiratory viral infections, while reinstating masking for healthcare workers reduced those rates. As detailed in a November 27 research letter in Jama Network Open,…
$350 million invested in medical gowns for Strategic National Stockpile
Editor's Note Six US companies will manufacture approximately 250 million medical gowns as part of a government effort to shore up supplies that were subject to shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Associated Press (AP) reported October 3. Led by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the initiative…
WHO: Virus transmission airborne, not limited to droplets
Editor's Note In a move one expert calls “a complete U-turn,” the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that viruses transmit through primarily the air via inhalation of tiny suspended particles of saliva and mucus, KFF Health News reported on May 1. Until now, health authorities have relied on the…
CDC, California OSHA at odds over N95 rules
Editor's Note Guidelines for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) about when healthcare workers should wear N95 masks are less stringent than those from California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), Medical Xpress reported on December 21. Specifically, the CDC’s advisory committee has suggested that health workers wear surgical…
Effect of N95 face masks on cardiopulmonary stress
Editor's Note This Chinese study finds that wearing N95 face masks for 14 hours significantly affects physiological, biochemical, and perception parameters. The effect was primarily caused by increased respiratory resistance and subsequent decreased blood oxygen and pH. This randomized clinical trial included 30 healthy participants between March 7 and August…
FDA updates Safety Communication on Halyard surgical N95 respirators
Editor's Note In response to questions, on April 21, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided an update to its Safety Communication that enables the use of existing inventory of the O&M Halyard FLUIDSHIELD Surgical N95 Respirator Masks, Orange (Regular), Level 3, (Model 46727). The FDA recommends that, if necessary,…
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