COVID-19 hospitalization rates 30 times higher in the unvaccinated, CDC finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 26, 2021
Despite the known effectiveness of U.S.-sanctioned COVID-19 vaccines, some fully vaccinated individuals will still become infected. But their unvaccinated peers have five times the risk of infection and...
LTC clinicians cheer pandemic milestone: Federal approval of first COVID-19 vaccine
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 24, 2021
Long-term care clinicians are embracing the FDA’s first full approval of a COVID-19 vaccine, saying the decision will support their efforts to increase vaccination coverage and reduce infections and...
Pandemic persists in nursing homes with low vax rates; case counts rising, NIC analyst says
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 23, 2021
Half of the U.S. skilled nursing facilities with newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in early August had staff vaccination rates 12% below the national average, new data show. At the same time, overall per-resident...
Clinical briefs for Monday, Aug. 23
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 23, 2021
FDA pushing to fully approve Pfizer COVID vaccine this week … Accessible strength training nearly equals effect of drugs in lowering blood pressure, experts find … Need for yearly COVID shot may not...
Third COVID shots ready for LTC by Sept. 20; vaccine efficacy declines in nursing homes
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 19, 2021
The U.S. government is prepared to offer COVID-19 booster shots to vaccinated Americans beginning on Sept. 20, including direct delivery to long-term care facility residents, officials announced Wednesday.
National survey tells story of COVID in assisted living
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 19, 2021
New industry data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics details how COVID-19 affected assisted living communities across the country during the height of the pandemic.
Memory loss may linger eight months after mild coronavirus infection, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 17, 2021
The results suggest that COVID-19 may not really be a mild disease, no matter its course, investigators say. They also raise the question of whether current home-treatment strategies are optimal for long-term...
Boosters on the way: LTC residents, healthcare workers may top fed’s list after CDC approves 3rd shot
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 16, 2021
The Biden administration has secured 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses as part of a strategy to provide additional shots to already vaccinated priority groups this fall, investigators have been told....
No lasting lung damage found in surgical study of recovered COVID-19 patients
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 16, 2021
Tissue sample analysis from recovered COVID-19 patients who had unrelated lung surgeries showed that the telltale signs of COVID-19 lung damage were undetectable at three months.
Consider 6-month falls risk in senior heart attack survivors, investigators say
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 16, 2021
Fully 22% of study participants reported a fall and about 6% had a medically serious fall within six months of hospitalization for a heart attack. Falls in these patients were linked to readily identified...