COVID-19 can involve multiple organs including the nervous system. In a recent study published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, 509 consecutive patients admitted with confirmed COVID-19 in a hospital network in Chicago, Illinois were examined for neurologic manifestations. The severity of COVID-19 and outcomes in patients with and without neurologic manifestations were compared. Neurologic manifestations were present …
A skilled nursing center in Dayton, Ohio recently achieved an inspiring feat: a 100% vaccination rate against Covid-19 for residents and staff. Even more incredible is the fact that the facility, Grafton Oaks, had zero call-outs from staff due to side effects, and the residents were even less affected than the staff. However, this wasn’t as easy of a task …
Seeking to understand why COVID-19 is able to suppress the body’s immune response, new research from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology suggests that mitochondria are one of the first lines of defense against COVID-19 and identifies key differences in how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 affects mitochondrial genes when compared to other viruses. Pinchas Cohen, professor of …
In a recent article published in AARP, FAMILY CAREGIVING Medical, the “experts” identified 10- steps to reform and improve nursing homes. Some of the key points of the article were not “new” to those of us in the trenches however it is interesting how it was presented. Here are a few things that the organization and experts think we need …
In a study conducted in 11 nursing homes in Maryland, universal testing was initiated after the centers had previously conducted symptom-based testing. 354 positive cases (39.6% of those tested) were identified through universal testing despite initial targeted, symptom-based testing. According to data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the overall case-fatality among residents of long-term care facilities is …
As scientists are trying to track the spread of a new, more infectious coronavirus variant, it has been identified that the mutation identified in South Africa and Brazil, changes a part of the virus that your immune system’s antibodies get trained to recognize after you’ve been infected or vaccinated. What the lab studies have shown is that the antibodies we …
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an import alert for alcohol-based hand sanitizers from Mexico. Largely due to the increase in the use of hand sanitizers in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the FDA is issuing this warning to protect the safe supply of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and prevent products with dangerous ingredients from entering the country. In …
As we continue our pandemic journey, it is important to remember our overall health and that of our healthcare heroes. We are working long hours and at the end of the day are too tired to prepare a healthy meal or even pack a lunch for the next day! It is much easier to rely on prepared foods, fast foods, …
In May and June of 2020, front-line nursing home staff described working under complex, challenging, and evolving conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted more than 3 months after a nursing home in Washington became the initial U.S. epicenter of COVID-19 and at a time when there were already more than 50,000 cases and 10,000 deaths among nursing …
The nasal lining serves an important role in the innate immune system, providing a primary defense against inhaled viruses, bacteria, and other particulates. This lining, consisting of a superficial mucus layer atop an aqueous base, traps inhaled particulates that are then propelled by underlying cilia into the nasopharynx. Topical rinses take advantage of this secretory lining in multiple ways. Nasal …
