CDC: Impact of COVID-19 stress on children’s mental health
Editor's Note The number of children’s mental health emergency department (ED) visits decreased sharply from mid-March through early April 2020, coincident with the implementation of community mitigation measures enacted to prevent COVID-19 transmission, and then visits increased steadily through October, this study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
Moderna announces 94.5% efficacy for COVID-19 vaccine
Editor's Note Moderna Inc (Cambridge, Massachusetts) on November 16 announced that its vaccine is 94.5% effective at preventing COVID-19. Their analysis of a 30,000-person trial (half received the vaccine and half received a placebo) finds that 90 of the 95 COVID-19 documented cases are in the placebo group. The Moderna announcement…
Survey: Two in five Americans likely to attend large holiday gatherings despite COVID-19
Editor's Note A new national survey released November 12 by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, finds that a majority of Americans plan to take precautions at holiday gatherings, but many also will put themselves at risk. Nearly two in five surveyed say they will likely…
Joint Commission modifies Environment of Care survey process
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced November 11 that it has modified its Environment of Care (EC) survey process for ambulatory surgery centers (those deemed and/or assigned life safety code surveyors), critical access hospitals, and hospitals, effective January 1, 2021. The change eliminates the 1-hour, sit-down discussion with members of…
Medicare to cover monoclonal antibody COVID-19 treatments
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 10 announced that Medicare will cover out-of-pocket costs for monoclonal antibody drugs for COVID-19 during the public health emergency. The agency’s coverage includes Eli Lilly’s bamlanivimab, which recently received an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug…
Increase in firearm injuries after COVID-19 stay-at-home orders
Editor's Note This study from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, finds that the social isolation brought on by stay-at-home orders (SAHO) issued during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in intentional penetrating injuries, especially from firearms, and the injuries remain at high levels today. As of October 19, Philadelphia…
ECRI: More than half of disposable gowns tested don’t meet protection standards
Editor's Note A new analysis by ECRI shows that 52% of the disposable isolation gowns it tested failed to meet standard levels of protection, putting healthcare workers at risk of exposure to bloodborne or other pathogens as well as COVID-19. ECRI announced November 10 that it has issued a high-priority…
AI tool detects COVID-19 by listening to patients’ coughs
Editor's Note Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can detect COVID-19 by listening to patients’ coughs, regardless if they are symptomatic or not. To build the tool, the researchers solicited audio recordings of patients coughing and accompanying information about their…
FDA issues EUA for first test to detect neutralizing antibodies after COVID-19
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 6 issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first serology test (GenScript USA Inc) to identify patients with neutralizing antibodies after a COVID-19 infection. Neutralizing antibodies have reduced the infection of cells in the laboratory, but their effects in…
Perioperative Nurse Week is November 8 to 14
Editor's Note Every year, AORN chooses a week to focus attention on the work of more than 160,000 nurses who advocate for surgical patients. This year the week is celebrated November 8 to 14. During the week, perioperative nurses are honored by colleagues and communities to highlight the ways nurses…
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