High local COVID-19 rates put nursing homes at risk, Genesis study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 21, 2020
Investigators tracked outbreaks in Genesis skilled nursing facilities across 25 states and alongside more than 3,000 other facility operators.
Nearly half of nursing home residents with COVID-19 show no symptoms, national study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 21, 2020
A multi-state study in Genesis HealthCare facilities found that more than 40% of nursing home residents with COVID-19 are asymptomatic. Facility-wide testing was more successful in detecting these lurking...
Early vaccination sped up decline in COVID infections, study in Genesis facilities finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 20, 2021
Nursing homes that administered shots early in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout experienced a lower rate of new infections compared to later-vaccinating sites. The results underscore the efficacy of the drugs...
WHO: Nearly all surveyed healthcare facilities lack plans for improving environmental hygiene
May 26, 2022
A new global study finds “widespread challenges” in hygiene practices among healthcare facilities across income levels and geographic locations.
Clinical Briefs for Friday, April 3
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 02, 2020
Phone-based therapy beneficial for depression in Parkinson’s disease … Sending COVID-19-positive residents to hospital may be wrong ‘knee-jerk’ reaction … CDC releases COVID-19 infection...
Clinical briefs for Monday, Feb. 22
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 22, 2021
Pfizer vaccine’s deep-freeze storage and second shot may be unnecessary … For-profit nursing homes are ‘worst performers’ in COVID infection control analysis … Researchers pinpoint too-low diastolic...
FDA: Viral mutations unlikely to cause false negatives in COVID-19 tests
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 11, 2021
The agency has alerted healthcare providers that it is monitoring approved SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests to ensure that new viral mutations do not alter their accuracy.
Coronavirus reinfections in Kentucky nursing home worse second time around, officials say
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 26, 2021
Five residents of a skilled nursing facility tested positive twice for SARS-CoV-2 in separate outbreaks three months apart, before vaccines were available. The disease course was more severe in the second...
Geriatric hospital study reveals workers’ role in COVID outbreaks
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jul 20, 2022
A new study highlights how gaps in infection control practices may help spread COVID-19 between healthcare workers and patients.
COVID vaccines lost some effectiveness in delta surge, ongoing CDC study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 25, 2021
The three federally sanctioned COVID vaccines have lost a “moderate” amount of effectiveness against SARS-CoV-19 ever since the delta gene variant became the predominant U.S. strain, the agency reports.