Editor's Note This study by researchers at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, identifies three themes centered on trust and addressing barriers to COVID-19 vaccine access in Black and Latinx communities in the US. The study involved 72 participants—56 women, 16 men, 36 Black, 28 Latinx, and 8…
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking comments on workplace and occupational safety and health interventions to prevent work-associated stress, support stress reduction, and foster positive mental health and well-being among healthcare workers. Examples of interventions include employee…
Editor's Note This survey of high-risk healthcare workers (HCWs) at Sharp HealthCare in San Diego County finds a relatively small proportion who were seropositive for COVID-19. Of 1,770 participants, 39 (2.2%) had a positive antibody test. Among 22 who reported a history of presumptive or confirmed COVID-19, 14 were antibody…
Editor's Note This study from the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and University of Washington finds that more physical activity and less screen time were associated with better mental health for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted from October 22 to November 2, 2020, of 547 parents of…
Editor's Note In this study, researchers from Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, find that more healthcare workers (HCWs) were exposed to COVID-19 by coworkers than patients, and lapses in infection prevention practices increased transmission risk. Between June and December 2020, 2,357 HCWs were involved in occupational…
Editor's Note This study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that adverse reactions after the third dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine were similar to those after the second dose. Of 12,591 participants who completed a survey after all three doses: 79.4% and 74.1% reported local…
Editor's Note This study by Israeli researchers finds that restrictions implemented during COVID-19 dramatically altered daily routines and limited time spent outdoors, which resulted in deteriorating personal wellbeing. The analysis of 7,517 adults from 40 countries who were surveyed during the 2020 COVID-19 restrictions found that social restrictions impaired all…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 22 amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine to allow for use of a single booster to be administered at least 6 months after completion of the primary series in those: 65 years of age and older…
Editor's Note This study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, finds that practice interruptions in the treatment of Medicare patients spiked in April 2020, and interruption-without-return rates were larger for older physicians. In this analysis of 547,849 physicians billing Medicare: Practice…
Editor's Note COVID-19 vaccination requirements have caused some organizations to fire healthcare workers (HCWs) for noncompliance, and HCWs have quit over the policies, the September 17 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. Healthcare systems announcing resignations and terminations include the following: Morehead, Kentucky-based St Claire HealthCare has fired 23 HCWs for noncompliance…