Feds wait for lowered vaccine efficacy to recommend COVID-19 booster shots
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 22, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will not be necessary until mRNA vaccines become less effective, federal health officials say. But immunocompromised Americans are potential near-term recipients, they told...
After acquiring NJ properties from Genesis, Complete Care gets hit with labor board complaints
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 21, 2021
A major union announced Tuesday it had filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Complete Care Management over concerns about how the company is spending supplemental Medicaid funding...
Immune system boost is reason not to skip second COVID-19 shot, study finds
By
Liza Berger
Jul 20, 2021
The second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine offers a serious boost to a part of the immune system that provides broad antiviral protection, according to a Stanford University School of Medicine study. This finding...
Clinical briefs for Tuesday, July 20
By
Liza Berger
Jul 20, 2021
COVID-19 breakthrough cases more often affect seniors, survey of health officials finds … COVID-19 antibodies still around nine months after infection … High blood pressure variability is associated...
Nonprofit tapped by Congress invests $11M to boost vaccination rates among long-term care workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 15, 2021
The studies will compare methods of encouraging vaccine uptake. One will recruit 6,000 workers at 30 long-term care facilities in Washington state and Georgia. The other, at Dartmouth College, will recruit...
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...
Nursing home residents targeted in $86M Medicare lab fraud scheme: DOJ
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 09, 2021
Nursing homes and their residents were targeted in an alleged $86 million Medicare fraud scheme orchestrated by the owner of a Tennessee-based lab, federal authorities say.
July 4 sees COVID-19 spike, ventilator shortage for Missouri hospitals
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 07, 2021
An area of Missouri with low COVID-19 immunization rates has seen a 27% spike in hospitalizations and a public call for respiratory therapists, a report finds.
J&J vaccine effective against COVID Delta variant, drugmaker says
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 06, 2021
Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine prompts a “strong neutralizing antibody response” that lasts at least eight months, the drugmaker has announced.