In 2019, nearly 81% of U.S. adults owned a smartphone capable of transmitting location data, and many U.S. prediction models are using, or plan to use, cell phone location data as a tool to help summarize human behavior as a means to understand disease spread and inform policy. However, evidence to support cell phone location data as a marker of …
Nursing homes provide care for a vulnerable population of frail older adults who are unable to live independently because of a combination of underlying chronic conditions, cognitive and physical impairments, and other age-related disabilities. Residents often face an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 illnesses owing to extrinsic factors such as a lack of adequate infection prevention and control …
In March 2020, the soaring number of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections resulted in an unprecedented shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for clinicians and essential health care workers. The shortage was most profound among N95 respirators, named for their ability to filter 95% or more of tiny 0.3 µm particles, and are considered the mainstay of …
A study on the effectiveness of facemasks that was published in JAMA on November 23, 2020, was a little disturbing. When comparing a surgical mask with head ties vs a procedure mask with ear loops, there was a large difference in fitted filtration efficiencies (FFEs) (71.5% vs 38.1% respectively). Even more concerning, there was also a similar trend of poor …
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), began to spread globally, it became apparent that the virus, unlike the closely related SARS-CoV in the 2003 outbreak, could not be contained by symptom-based screening alone. Asymptomatic and clinically mild infections were uncommon during the 2003 SARS-CoV outbreak and there were no …
A single state survey was conducted in the state of Indiana to determine the willingness of long-term care staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Staff characteristics including age, gender, race, ethnicity, role in the facility, experience in long-term care, and geographic location of the facility were self-reported along with prior infection and willingness to receive an approved vaccine as soon …
The immune system is complex and involves many genes, including those that encode cytokines known as interferons (IFNs). Individuals who lack specific IFNs can be more susceptible to infectious diseases. Additionally, the autoantibody system dampens IFNs response to prevent damage from pathogen-induced inflammation. Two recent studies now examine the likelihood that genetics affects the risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 …
Reopening America’s nursing homes to visitors is of critical importance as many residents continue to sustain severe and potentially irreversible consequences from lack of human contact, especially with family caregivers. The CDC nursing home guidelines published as of June 2020 are confusing and lack detail with respect to visitors and essential family caregivers. While the evidence concerning COVID-19 is still …
Results from a new Cleveland Clinic-led study suggest that melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is commonly used as an over-the-counter sleep aid, may be a viable treatment option for COVID-19. According to the findings published today in PLOS Biology, a novel artificial intelligence platform developed by Lerner Research Institute researchers to identify possible drugs for COVID-19 …
Wrong-patient order entry (WPOE) represents an important type of error. Although studies indicate that practitioners place more than 99.9% of all orders for the correct patient, the large number of orders placed by practitioners each day suggests that even an error rate of less than 1 in 1000 orders would still lead to approximately 600,000 orders placed for the wrong …
