Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) COVID-19 data tracker weekly review published April 8 shows that cases are rising again nationwide, for the first time since January, the April 8 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The 7-day case average as of April 6 was 26,596, which is…

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Editor's Note In this study, researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, find that turnover among nearly all segments of the healthcare workforce has not yet fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, with turnover rates among long-term care workers and physicians worsening over time. Of…

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Editor's Note Researchers at the University of Florida (UF) have helped develop a testing device that can detect COVID-19 infection within 30 seconds, with the sensitivity and accuracy of a PCR test. The hand-held device is powered by a 9-volt battery and uses test strips similar to those used in…

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Editor's Note In an April 5 Safety Communication, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides new information supporting the use of fully disposable duodenoscopes and those with disposable components plus new information on 522 postmarket surveillance studies. The FDA recommends that facilities transition to duodenoscope designs with disposable components, such…

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Editor's Note This retrospective study from Cooper University Health Care, Camden, New Jersey, finds that the median symptom duration for many COVID-19 outpatients is longer than recommended isolation periods. Of 294 patients analyzed, 178 had documented symptom resolution. The median symptom duration was 15 days. Factors linked to prolonged symptom…

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Editor's Note In a briefing room release titled Memorandum on Addressing the Long-Term Effects of COVID-⁠19 published on April 5, President Joe Biden tasked Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra “to coordinate the federal response to the long-term health effects of COVID-19,” the American Hospital Association April 6…

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Editor's Note Using a systems engineering approach to analyze a cluster of COVID-19 in healthcare workers (HCWs) without direct patient care, researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, found both modifiable and nonmodifiable elements of the work system contributed to the cluster. Between October 2 and November 24, 2020, eight…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 5 released a memorandum and guidance on complying with its interim final rule mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers (HCWs) in facilities that participate in CMS programs. The guidance in the memorandum specifically applies to Texas. On January…

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Editor's Note A study on the trend of general surgery residency application, matriculation, and graduation for Black trainees over a 13-year period, titled “Examination of Intersectionality and the Pipeline for Black Academic Surgeons” and published by JAMA Surgery on February 9, found that few Black individuals apply to surgery programs…

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Editor's Note On April 6, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in a news alert that it will pay for a second COVID-19 booster of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines without cost sharing for all eligible individuals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…

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