Editor's Note This study by researchers from Iceland finds that antibodies against COVID-19 remained stable 4 months after diagnosis. The researchers measured antibodies in serum samples from 30,576 people in Iceland, using six assays (including two pan-immunoglobulin (pan-Ig) assays). They then tested 2,102 samples collected from 1,237 people up to…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and 13 academic medical centers in 12 states found that 6% of healthcare workers had antibody evidence of COVID-19 infection, but 29% of them were asymptomatic and 69% had not received a diagnosis of COVID-19.…

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Editor's Note The World Health Organization (WHO) on August 21 recommended that children in the community setting under age 5 not wear face masks as a preventive measure against COVID-19. Other recommendations include: For those aged 6 to 11 years, there should be a risk-based approach that considers factors such…

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Editor's Note This study, led by economists from Washington University in St Louis, finds that the ideal COVID-19 vaccine policy should emphasize age more than work-exposure risk for vaccination priority. To provide a best-practice scenario to supplement a vaccine distribution strategy, the researchers tracked eight age groups in more than…

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Editor's Note In an interview with the Financial Times, Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, on August 30, said the FDA could fast-track approval of a COVID-19 vaccine before late-stage clinical trials are complete if regulators believe the benefits of doing so outweigh the risks. Dr Hahn…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at University of Oxford, UK, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, questions whether rigid safe distancing rules are oversimplified and outdated science based on experiences of past viruses. Instead of single, fixed physical distance rules, the researchers propose graded recommendations that better reflect…

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Editor's Note In this study of four Maine overnight camps with 1,022 attendees from 41 states and international locations, a multilayered prevention and mitigation strategy was successful in identifying and isolating three asymptomatic COVID-19 cases, quarantining their contacts, and preventing secondary transmission. The camps implemented several nonpharmaceutical interventions, including: pre-…

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Editor's Note In this study from Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine, New York City, researchers identify two markers of inflammation that reliably predict the severity of COVID-19 and likelihood of survival. A total of 1,484 patients were followed up to 41 days after admission, and the findings were…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on August 26 announced that nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The annual awards recognize major achievements by individuals and organizations to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. Submissions for the awards are encouraged for…

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Editor's Note In an August 21 letter, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warns that the use of passive protective barrier enclosures without negative pressure when treating patients (such as during intubation, extubation) who are known or suspected to have COVID-19 may pose increased health risk to patients and healthcare…

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