Require COVID-19 vaccination of all healthcare workers, seven clinical groups say
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 14, 2021
Their evidence-based verdict: healthcare institutions and facilities — including long-term care facilities — should require that their personnel be vaccinated as a condition of employment.
Can we now close the book on COVID?
By
T.J. Griffin
Jul 13, 2021
The Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program that was forged through a joint agreement with our Defense and Health and Human Services departments was a successful national effort that presided over...
Stay on guard: Vaccinated residents remain susceptible to outbreaks, French nursing home studies reveal
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 13, 2021
Vaccinations and infection control measures may not entirely protect nursing homes from COVID-19 outbreaks — especially when staff members are unvaccinated, according to two new studies from France.
CDC says COVID-19 vaccine boosters not yet necessary, while Pfizer seeks approval for third dose
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 12, 2021
Fully vaccinated Americans do not need a COVID-19 booster shot at this time, according to federal health officials. But Pfizer has asked to offer a third dose of its current vaccine and is developing an...
After the train
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 08, 2021
There’s a hopeful phrase we started hearing a lot from long-term care leaders, residents and staff when the vaccines first arrived—“a light at the end of the tunnel.” Invariably some wise-guy or...
Music on the Move: San Diego music center hosts concerts for isolated seniors
By
Emma Baumgartel
Jun 30, 2021
Sorrento Valley-based Villa Musica is starting to bring music to isolated seniors across San Diego county with their ‘Music on the Move’ program as COVID-19 restrictions lift and seniors in long-term...
Older women recount more pandemic stress struggles than older men
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 29, 2021
Although feelings of optimism prevailed overall, older female survey respondents were more likely than their male peers to say that they were struggling in 2021 — from finances to mental health.
Wearers of medical masks and respirators have same infection rates in healthcare settings: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 24, 2021
The risk of receiving a positive COVID-19 test result was the same among healthcare workers who wore either type of mask, investigators say. In contrast, their non-mask-wearing colleagues had significantly...
New workplace COVID safety rules add protection and reporting requirements
By
Kimberly Marselas
Diane Eastabrook
Jun 11, 2021
Fifteen months after the start of the pandemic, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday issued an emergency temporary standard designed to protect healthcare workers — specifically...
Large VA study reveals ease of COVID-19 transmission among unvaccinated healthcare staff
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 07, 2021
Investigators found nearly 20 times the rate of COVID-19 infection in unvaccinated healthcare staff, plus signs that transmission clusters were linked to those workers.