IBD Treatment Blunts Vaccine Response

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

People who take a commonly prescribed drug for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) should not assume they are protected after a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, after a large-scale study found many had poor antibody responses. The research measured antibody responses after vaccination with the Pizer/BioNtech or the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in 865 people treated with infliximab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor …

Frailty and COVID-19 Recovery

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

Older adults account for almost one-half of hospitalizations due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Providing post-acute rehabilitation for frail older adults recovering from COVID-19 remains a significant challenge as nursing facilities, one of the most common settings for post-acute care, have become overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the post-acute period is an essential window of opportunity for recovery, having …

AHRQ Resources

Angie SzumlinskiFeatured

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has posted a list of resources for providers to use as we look forward or take steps back during the pandemic. Times are uncertain, change is a “norm” and your resilience has been amazing. That said, it might be time to look at the systems you have in place to be sure …

Is Single BNT162b2 Vaccine Effective

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

Recent studies have suggested that to reach immunity, immunocompetent SARS-CoV-2 seropositive adults may only require 1 dose rather than 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine, however, these studies did not include older adults. Older adults living in nursing homes are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, and the immune response to the vaccine may differ from that of younger, healthier …

Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

The World Health Organization China Joint Mission reported human-to-human transmission in China largely occurred within families, accounting for 78% to 85% of clusters in Guangdong and Sichuan provinces. Stay-at-home orders reduced human mobility by 35% to 63% in the United States, 63% in the United Kingdom, and 54% in Wuhan, relative to normal conditions. This decrease in mobility increased time …

Budesonide Corticosteroid – Shorten COVID Recovery

Angie SzumlinskiAnnouncements, Studies

Inhaled budesonide, a common corticosteroid used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, can shorten the time it takes for people not admitted to the hospital to recover from COVID-19 by three days, a trial in people over 50 at greater risk of COVID-19 and people aged over 65 has identified. Among patients who completed all 28 days of …

Fully Vaccinated Positive for COVID-19

Angie SzumlinskiAnnouncements, News

Health officials in the state of Michigan announced that 246 fully vaccinated Michiganders contracted coronavirus from January to March, and three have died. “These are individuals who have had a positive test 14 or more days after the last dose in the vaccine series”, said Lynn Sutfin, a spokesperson for the state health department. “These cases are undergoing further review …

Pandemic – Lessons Learned – FEMA

Angie SzumlinskiAnnouncements, Featured

The department of Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs conducted a full committee hearing on April 12, 2021. Member statements from Chairman Gary C. Peters, D (MI) and ranking member Rob Portman, R (OH) made statements. The hearings were conducted as a follow-up to the country’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic to identify lessons learned so that in the event of …

Anxiety-Depression-COVID-19

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

The percentage of adults who had symptoms of anxiety or a depressive disorder during the past 7 days and those with unmet mental health needs during the past 4 weeks increased significantly from August 2020 to February 2021, with the largest increases among those aged 18-29 years and those with less than high school education. During January 20, 2021-February 1 …