There has been a lot of discussion regarding whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be spread through indirect contact on environmental surfaces. Although the debate continues, a recent study was published that indicates there may be more to this than some may think. Two Chinese students studying overseas returned to China on March 19 and March 20. On the day of …
Facility-wide, serial testing in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) can identify asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections among health care personnel (HCP) and residents to inform mitigation efforts. A recent report published on the CDC.gov website provided additional information on this topic when two Minnesota SNFs identified COVID-19 cases among 64% of residents and 33% of HCP. Genetic sequencing found facility-specific clustering of viral …
On September 23, 2020, the Senate Financial Committee released a Majority Staff Report titled, COVID-19 In Nursing Homes: What Went Wrong and Next Steps. The introduction summarizes the report as follows: “This report discusses the findings of the majority staff of the United States Senate Committee on Finance, following a review of nursing home performance during the first eight months …
The nursing home complaint process is a critical safeguard to protect vulnerable residents of nursing homes. CMS relies on the States’ respective survey agencies to serve as the front-line responders to address health and safety concerns raised by residents, their families and nursing home staff. State survey agencies must conduct onsite investigations within certain timeframes for the two most serious …
According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, pigs in China are increasingly becoming infected with an influenza virus dubbed G4. The virus is said to be a hybrid of strains found in European and Asian birds: the H1N1 strain that caused the 2009 pandemic, and a North American H1N1 strain that has genes from …
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent public health threat causing an estimated 2,868,700 infections and 35,900 deaths each year in the United States. Multi drug-resistant organisms (MDROs), including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and organisms related to antimicrobial drug use and resistance such as Clostridioides difficile, often are the causative agents in healthcare-associated infections. Studies show that these …
Sepsis is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality among nursing home residents. A study published in JAMDA used a sample of 31 nursing homes with characteristics similar to nursing homes nationally. The study identified several issues around documentation of active surveillance and medical oversight that may have hindered early detection of sepsis. Particularly noteworthy was the absence of documentation …
The results in a poll conducted by the Yahoo News/YouGov on July 28-30 show the lowest percentage of “yes” answers to the question “If and when a coronavirus vaccine becomes available, will you get vaccinated” since the poll started. In fact, the “yes” percentages went from: 55% in early May 50% in late May and 46% in early July. That …
As the number of people living with Dementia increases around the country, researchers are taking a deeper-dive into this dynamic, progressive disease. A recent study conducted in Ontario, Canada found that patients with a confirmed diagnosis in the early stages have approximately five years before they require a care home and/or succumb to the disease. Of course, a number of …
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) shared a study of remdesivir, a drug developed by Gilead Sciences Inc. and NIAID-supported investigators which involved six rhesus macaques. One group of monkeys received remdesivir and the other animals served as an untreated comparison group. Scientists infected both groups with SARS-CoV-2. Twelve hours later the treatment group received a dose …
