Editor's Note: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 19 issued recommendations on how hospitals and healthcare systems can protect their staff and patients as they reopen for nonemergent care. The new recommendations update earlier guidance on limiting nonessential surgical and medical procedures and are specifically targeted…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 14 released a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on the characteristics of healthcare workers (HCW) with COVID-19 in the US. From February 12 to April 9, 2020, there were 9,282 cases of COVID-19 reported among HCWs. The median…

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Editor's Note Among the actions announced April 15 by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are: Issuance of two new emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for serology tests, to detect for presence of coronavirus antibodies, to Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc, and Chembio Diagnostic systems, Inc. Issuance…

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Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on April 16 provided an update on a potential treatment for COVID-19, called convalescent plasma, and encouraged those who have recovered from the coronavirus to donate this antibody-rich plasma to help others fight this disease. Patients who have fully recovered for at…

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Editor's Note Safe Flight Instrument Corporation (White Plains, New York), a company that develops aircraft safety and performance technology, has developed the Quad/Vent Splitter that allows four patients to use one ventilator simultaneously, the April 13 Aviation International News Online reports. Using 3-D printing, the device has four independent ports…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, in its April 8 online newsletter, announced the creation of a web portal with resources to assist healthcare workers create capacity for surge patients with COVID-19. Included are: Use of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) as Alternative Care Sites for Hospitals Emergency Management Healthcare Environment Checklist…

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Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on April 7 issued an update on actions the agency has taken in its ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The actions include: a guidance for remote ophthalmic assessment and monitoring devices to facilitate patient care while reducing patient and healthcare provider…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) announced April 3 that it is modifying existing surveillance systems to track COVID-19 and will be posting weekly reports each Friday. The report, “COVIDView,” summarizes and interprets key indicators, including information related to COVID-19 outpatient visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations,…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 31 issued a statement saying it supports letting healthcare staff bring their own standard face masks or respirators from home when their facilities cannot provide access to protective equipment that is equivalent to their exposure risk, during the COVID-19 pandemic. In taking this…

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Editor's Note The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on March 29 that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) had issued an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19. The FDA allowed for the drugs to be “donated to the Strategic National Stockpile…

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