Accidentally Trashed, Thawed, or Expired: Reports of COVID Vaccine Spoilage
The incidents range from 335 discarded doses in Lee County, North Carolina, that were damaged in shipping, to nearly 5,000 doses that went to waste in Tennessee in February, prompting additional federal oversight.
Coronavirus: How RWJBarnabas Health is Administering Monoclonal Antibodies
On November 9, bamlanivimab became the first monoclonal antibody to receive an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The EUA for bamlanivimab marked a milestone in the coronavirus pandemic because the monoclonal antibody became the first medication that could be administered to COVID-19 patients on an outpatient basis.
Artificial Intelligence: 5 Considerations for Health Systems
According to a recent report by Optum, 83% of healthcare organizations reported having an AI strategy in place during 2020, and another 15% are planning on creating one, with many accelerating their AI deployment timelines in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus: 35% of Survey Respondents Say They Are Unlikely to Get Vaccinated
Vaccination is widely viewed as an end-game stage in the coronavirus pandemic. One of the primary goals of vaccination is to achieve herd immunity—a point at which enough of the country’s population will have immunity to the coronavirus that community spread is unlikely.
How to Treat Coronavirus Patients in Post-ICU Care Clinics
Since June 2020, the ICU Survivor Center at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis has treated about 100 COVID-19 patients who survived ICU-level care. The patients are experiencing a range of symptoms, according to Sikandar Khan, DO, medical director at the ICU Survivor Center and a research scientist at the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 23 – The Challenges of COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
On episode 23 of PSQH: The Podcast, Dr. Kent Locklear, chief medical officer of Lightbeam Health Solutions, talks about the ins and outs of COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Experts Urge More Action, Emergency OSHA Standard on COVID-19
Signers of the letter to the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials included David Michaels, former OSHA administrator under President Barack Obama. The letter’s signers contend that current CDC and OSHA guidance does not adequately address the risk of transmission through inhalation of small airborne particles. Much of the federal guidance still refers to exposure to “respiratory droplets.”
Handheld Ultrasound Boosts Doctors’ Pandemic Toolkit
A new generation of handheld ultrasound devices, including the Butterfly iQ, allows faster assessment of pulmonary symptoms of the disease, while minimizing the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the need to move patients and equipment during the treatment process.
More and More Hospital Surveys May Be Onsite, Depending on Conditions
In a memo initially issued January 20 to CMS’ state survey agencies (SA) and revised on February 18, the federal overseer of Medicare said it was directing accreditation organizations (AO) to also limit hospital surveys based on certain criteria. However, in many cases hospitals still may be subject to their regular onsite, triennial reaccreditation survey. And they will be unannounced, as usual.
OSHA HazCom Updates Include Labeling, SDS Requirements
The proposal could lead to changes in labels and SDSs employers would receive. For example, the agency is proposing a new provision for small container labels for containers with a capacity less than or equal to 100 milliliters (ml). Such labels would be required to include, at a minimum, a product identifier; a pictogram(s); a signal word; the chemical manufacturer’s name and phone number; and a statement that the full label information for the hazardous chemical is provided on the immediate outer package.