The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has spread worldwide progressively since it was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Although the transmission mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear, it is generally agreed that the airborne transmission route cannot be dismissed. In yet another study, the fluid flow and droplet dispersion from respiratory events, such as a cough, …
Tests on more than 365,000 people in England have shown that the antibody response to the virus that causes COVID-19 wanes over time. Led by Imperial College London, an analysis of finger-prick tests carried out at home between June 20th and September 28th found that the number of people testing positive dropped by 26.5% across the study period from almost …
Many older Americans will be alone this holiday season and are longing for a simpler way to connect with their families, according to a new online Harris Poll of Americans aged 70+. The survey, which reached 221 older adults, was commissioned by Aloe Care Health, the makers of the first voice-activated, comprehensive solution for elder communication and safety. “With the …
Coronaviruses typically cause common cold symptoms, but two beta coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), can cause pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death. The clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection ranges from asymptomatic infection to critical illness. Risk factors for complications of COVID-19 include older age, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and obesity. The new England Journal of …
Evidence suggests that potential health complications after COVID-19 illness might require ongoing clinical care. After discharge from an initial COVID-19 hospitalization, 9% of patients were readmitted to the same hospital within 2 months of discharge. Multiple readmissions occurred in 1.6% of patients. Understanding the frequency of and potential reasons for readmission after a COVID-19 hospitalization can inform clinical practice discharge …
Can you believe that 1 in 3 respondents age 65+ think they can just “snap out of it” when asked about their symptoms of depression? A new nationwide poll, the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor, shows that nearly two-thirds (61%) of Americans age 65 or older who have concerns about having depression will not seek treatment! “The ‘pull yourself up by …
Health Care Personnel (HCP) are at increased risk for COVID-19 from workplace exposures. A report published by the CDC revealed that among 21,406 Minnesota SARS-CoV-2 HCP exposures, 5,374 (25%) were higher-risk (within 6 feet ≥15 minutes, or during an aerosol-generating procedure); exposures involved patient care (66%) and non-patient contacts (34%). Compared with HCP working in acute care settings, those working …
COVID-19 can result in serious illness leading to hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and death. Clinical deterioration typically occurs during the second week of illness. Early studies of COVID-19 found that hospitalization most often occurs within 8 to 10 days of initially mild to moderate symptoms. Further evidence suggested that lung damage from COVID-19 was related to an excessive inflammatory …
Patients with COVID-19 who present with delirium, either as the main symptom or as one of the presenting symptoms or signs, have worse outcomes, including ICU stay and in-hospital death, than those without delirium. One recent study demonstrated that it is critical to recognize that older adults with COVID-19 may present with delirium as the primary or sole symptom. In …
A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published November 24 2020, shows that most of the U.S. population may still be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The study focuses on CDC’s collaboration with commercial laboratories to conduct and publish results from large-scale geographic seroprevalence surveys to estimate the percentage of people in …
