There has been a lot of debate over which vaccine is most effective, has fewer side effects, if you can mix the two different two-dose brands, etc. But more recently there has been active debate on whether a single dose of a two-dose vaccine is as effective as the full two doses. In the Washington Post newspaper, Dr. Fauci is …
Current shortages in COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution have led some experts to suggest untested regimens. Persons who have had COVID-19 are thought to have protective immunity and memory responses for at least 6 months; however, neither recall responses nor ideal vaccine dosing regimens have been studied in those previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. A recent study on whether health care …
Mask mandates were associated with statistically decreases in county-level daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates within 20 days of implementation. Allowing on-premises restaurant dining was associated with increases in county-level case and death growth rates within 41-80 days after reopening. State mask mandates and prohibiting on-premises dining at restaurants help limit potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2, reducing community transmission of …
Sepsis is defined as a severe condition derived from a primary infection site. In patients with sepsis, as a rule, a primary infected focus should be investigated, and treatment must be performed in accordance with the site of infection and condition. As the most important point, physicians must consider the start of antimicrobial chemotherapy for sepsis, fatal organ failure, in …
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) have borne enormous burdens from COVID-19, accounting for 40% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States. SNFs have faced tremendous operational, clinical, and financial hurdles during the pandemic as well. Despite broad recognition of such problems, there is little systematic evidence about the experience of SNFs from the perspective of SNF leadership. In a study conducted …
Cardiac injury is a common condition among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and it is associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality. To explore the association between cardiac injury and mortality in patients with COVID-19 a study was conducted from January 20, 2020 to February 10, 2020 in Wuhan China. The study concluded that although the exact mechanism of cardiac …
The outbreak of coronavirus pandemic appears to coincide with the tree pollen season in the northern hemisphere as it occurred in the spring of 2020. In a study conducted by an international team headed by researchers at the Technical University of Much (TUM) and the Helmholtz Zentrum München, it was determined that members of high-risk groups can protect themselves by …
Antibiotic stewardship programs (Aps) are being established across the U.S. in response to the negative consequences associated with antibiotic overuse. Although ASPs have been successful in reducing antibiotic use within institutions, their ability to train clinicians to self-steward their antibiotic use on an ongoing basis has been less of a focus. Antibiotic stewardship programs are limited in their resources to …
In a recent study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH), they compared low-fat, plant-based diets with low-carb, animal-based diets. We have all talked about these diets at one time or another, Keto, Adkins, Mediterranean, Vegan, etc., so it was interesting that a “real” study was done. What they found was that people on a low-fat, plant-based diet ate …
All major indicators of COVID-19 transmission in the United States continue to fall rapidly. Weekly new cases have fallen from 1.7 million at the national peak in early January to fewer than 600,000 the week of February 18, 2021, and cases have declined in every state. As we’ve seen at many points in the pandemic, case numbers are changing most …
