CDC issues new COVID infection prevention and control guidance for nursing homes
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 15, 2021
A CDC Project Firstline webinar will answer clinicians’ questions on the updates, which include alternative approaches to outbreak response;
expanded screening test recommendations for healthcare...
New CMS guidance allows focused COVID testing during outbreak investigations
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 13, 2021
Updated guidance released Friday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gives nursing homes more options for conducting a COVID-19 outbreak investigation after a positive test occurs.
Clinical briefs for Friday, Sept. 3
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 03, 2021
New COVID test shortages and delays evoke comparisons to earlier pandemic days … COVID long-haulers at risk for substantial kidney decline … Half of COVID survivors have at least 1 symptom a year later:...
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 Tuesday, Aug. 17
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 17, 2021
NIH: A single skills-based class relieves lower back pain … Still no mandate, but Pennsylvania wants 80% of SNF workers vaccinated by October … Federal scientists develop faster COVID-19 test … APIC...
Online tool helps take guesswork out of COVID-19 testing in long-term care facilities
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 23, 2021
The LTCF Simulation dashboard uses facility and community data — such as proposed test schedules, number of shift workers, vaccination rates and community case prevalence — to help LTC administrators...
Antigen tests just as effective as PCR in preventing COVID outbreaks, NIH study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 02, 2021
A “highly anticipated” study now shows that both testing approaches can give 98% sensitivity when used at least twice weekly in a screening program.
Reach for N95s when community COVID rates spike, Harvard scientists urge healthcare workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 16, 2021
The CDC has relaxed rules for wearing respirators in healthcare settings, but a team of Harvard doctors is encouraging workers to keep an eye on local COVID-19 rates. The superior fit and filtration of...
Safety means ‘seeing the virus’: Atria recounts rollout of 18,000 tests early in pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 09, 2021
Finding a way to conduct COVID-19 testing among 31,000 residents and staff members across multiple states helped the senior living giant to “seal out” outbreaks and show that its communities were safe...
Senior living community logs 21 breakthrough cases after being COVID-free for 15 months
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
May 25, 2021
Riverview Retirement Community in Spokane, WA, has a 98% COVID vaccination rate among residents, but an outbreak has occurred among the vaccinated. Despite varied symptoms, cases so far have not been severe,...