Editor's Note CEOs of Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals (UH), Cleveland, say they are concerned that COVID-19 vaccine mandates could lead to healthcare worker (HCW), shortages, endangering patient care, the August 26 cleveland.com reports. Strict COVID-19 measures were keeping patients safe before the vaccines and are still doing the job,…

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Editor's Note This study led by researchers at University Hospital Birmingham, UK, finds that COVID-19 is associated with a significantly increased risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE). This analysis of more than 128,000 patients at 1,630 hospitals in 115 countries found that the likelihood of postoperative VTE was 50% higher…

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Editor's Note On August 26, Nebraska Gov Pete Ricketts announced multiple initiatives to increase bed capacity and boost hospital staffing in his state amid the latest wave of COVID-19, including a health measure to limit elective surgical procedures. He directed hospitals to cancel elective inpatient surgical procedures “that can wait…

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Editor's Note This study of healthcare workers (HCWs) at the University of Kentucky Healthcare in Lexington finds a low and similar antibody positivity rate between HCWs and patients. Of 322 HCWs, 5 were antibody positive for an overall rate of 1.55%. The antibody positivity rate of COVID-19 infected patients at…

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Editors Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 23 identified the recall by Cardinal Health of its Monoject Saline Flush Prefilled Syringes as Class I, the most serious. Cardinal Health is recalling three models of the syringes because the syringe plunger may pull air into the syringe after…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, finds that household crowding amplifies the spread of COVID-19, potentially contributing to the disproportionate impact on communities of color. Researchers followed 100 COVID-19-positive patients and 208 additional household members from April to October,…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on August 25 that data collection for four new performance measures in the Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery (ACSS) program and one new performance measure in the Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement (THKR-5) program began on July 1. Programs are…

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Editor's Note This survey of young people aged 14-24 years by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, finds that most are interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. Of 1,074 respondents: 74.6% are interested in getting vaccinated to protect themselves and return to normal 41.8% are concerned about adverse…

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Editor's Note In this study, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researches find that COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in frontline workers diminished with the rise of the Delta variant. Effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines declined to 66% after the Delta variant became dominant, compared with 91% before its spread. The…

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Editor's Note Up to one quarter of US adults are willing to forgo potentially life-saving care in an emergency department (ED) to avoid exposure to COVID-19, a survey by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles,  finds. Of 933 adults surveyed nationwide: 158 (16.9%) said they would not seek ED care for…

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