Making hospital transitions safer during the pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 29, 2020
Eldercare experts have published a comprehensive guideline on safe and effective hospital transfers for residents.
New COVID-19 tip-off may be loss of smell
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 23, 2020
Asymptomatic adults who suddenly lose their sense of smell may be coronavirus carriers and candidates for self-quarantine, say ENTs.
Losing smell and taste signals COVID-19 infection with high recovery likelihood: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 13, 2020
Patients with smell and taste loss are more than 10 times more likely to have a COVID-19 infection than another virus, report researchers.
FDA: Viral mutations unlikely to cause false negatives in COVID-19 tests
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 11, 2021
The agency has alerted healthcare providers that it is monitoring approved SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests to ensure that new viral mutations do not alter their accuracy.
Nursing facilities in ‘hot spots’ to receive first batch of COVID-19 test equipment
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 16, 2020
About 2,000 nursing homes in regions where COVID-19 case counts are high will be the first to receive on-site diagnostic testing equipment from the federal government.
Untracked COVID: Nursing home workers have died at twice the rate of hospital workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 09, 2021
Nursing home care providers have the sad distinction of accounting for a large proportion of healthcare workers’ COVID deaths, according to new 2020 data that was not tracked by the U.S. government....
Seniors are absent — but necessary — in COVID-19 vaccine trials, experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 29, 2020
With older adults frequently excluded in COVID-19 clinical trials, investigators are concerned that they will ultimately be denied treatments and vaccines due to safety concerns.
COVID vaccine protects elderly; delivery program has buy-in from nearly all U.S. nursing homes
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 19, 2020
Fully 99% of skilled nursing facilities nationwide have signed on with the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program vaccine delivery initiative, HHS says. The news arrived just as Pfizer...
COVID-19 roundup: Ventilator use questioned, staff immunity testing, meds shortages and more…
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 08, 2020
Ventilation may be harmful for certain COVID-19 patients, say some critical care doctors. Plus: immunity testing may help staff return to work.
Controversial drug use in nursing homes elicits senators’ call for investigation
By
Alicia Lasek
Danielle Brown
Aug 31, 2020
Democratic Senators from the Special Committee on Aging are requesting a probe into the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 nursing home patients.