COVID-19 nursing home deaths drop; booster skepticism a concern, industry experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 05, 2022
Resident deaths have dropped from a January peak, hitting what appears to be the lowest level since the summer of 2021. But experts fear that a lack of urgency could leave some facilities unprepared for...
Feds mull swift sanction of 2nd coronavirus booster
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 25, 2022
The Biden administration may authorize a second booster shot within weeks, a new report finds. Officials want to get ahead of an expected uptick in SARS-CoV-2 infections, sources say.
Program reduces missed workdays for COVID-exposed healthcare staff
Mar 24, 2022
Overall, 92% of workers successfully returned to work about 2 days early relative to a standard 10-day quarantine. This saved hundreds of work days over a six-month period, researchers reported.
CDC: Prepare for rebound in TB cases post-pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 21, 2022
A 20% decline in tuberculosis cases in 2020 may be followed by an uptick once the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, according to CDC investigators. Clinicians should be prepared to detect cases and control spread,...
Geriatrician survey: Swift telehealth adoption was ‘instrumental’ to pandemic patient care
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 18, 2022
Responses by Genesis HealthCare physicians offer insight into the dramatic shift in care delivery that took place as COVID-19 raged in 2020.
Evusheld doses go unused, despite demand in vulnerable patients
Mar 08, 2022
Fully 80% of the drug’s supply is languishing on shelves while physicians remain uninformed or uncertain about the drug and its guidance, a new report finds.
New COVID-19 test kits promised as LTC operators contend with shortages, slow PCR results
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 03, 2022
Five million Celltion brand rapid tests will be shipped over a five-week period to facilities as they contend with testing supply shortages and slow lab turnaround times.
U.S. gives green light to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 01, 2022
“Spikevax” is the second COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to receive full FDA approval, following Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty in September.
AARP calls on nursing homes to require COVID-19 boosters for residents, staff
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 21, 2022
COVID-19 infections are at an all-time high among residents and staff and resident death rates are rising. Now is the time to “get shots in arms,” AARP leaders urged operators.
Risk of COVID-19 death rare in vaccinated, even among at-risk seniors with comorbidities: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 10, 2022
Investigators drew on data from 1.2 million U.S. patients who completed a primary vaccination series by October 2021. Severe COVID-19 outcomes, including respiratory failure, ICU admission, or death, were...