Here is what the editors at Physician’s Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of Aug. 17 to 21, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
White House Blocks FDA’s Power to Regulate Lab Tests
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The Trump administration has blocked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from regulating a wide swath of laboratory tests, including ones for COVID-19.
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Public COVID-19 Information Written at Too High a Level
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Online information about the COVID-19 pandemic posted by the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health organizations worldwide may be too difficult for many people to understand, a new study suggests.
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Extract From Deadly Plant Touted as COVID-19 Cure
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Experts have slammed claims by a major Trump donor that an extract from a deadly plant is a cure for COVID-19.
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Adolescent Vaccinations Decreased During COVID-19 Pandemic
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The decrease in vaccination orders seen during the COVID-19 pandemic could offset increases in vaccinations for adolescents from 2018 to 2019, according to research published in the Aug. 21 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Older Adults With Depression Showing Resilience in Pandemic
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most older adults with preexisting major depressive disorder showed resilience in the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they express concerns about the future as the pandemic continues, according to a study published in the September issue of The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
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Incidence of COVID-19 Up for American Indians, Alaska Natives
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The overall incidence of COVID-19 is increased among American Indian and Alaska Native persons in the United States, according to research published in the Aug. 19 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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SARS-CoV-2 Nasopharyngeal Load Higher in Children Than Adults
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection have the highest nasopharyngeal viral load in the first two days of symptoms, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
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Disparities Seen in COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Racial/Ethnic Subgroups
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There are considerable disparities in the prevalence of COVID-19 across racial/ethnic subgroups in the United States, according to a research letter published online Aug. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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FDA Emergency Approval on Hold for Blood Plasma to Treat COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration emergency approval of blood plasma as a COVID-19 treatment was put on hold last week after senior federal health officials said data supporting the therapy were too weak.
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Poll: More Older Adults Using Telehealth During Pandemic
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — More older adults have used telehealth to consult with a health care provider during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with that seen in the previous year, according to a report published online Aug. 17 based on the results of the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.
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Disparities Seen in COVID-19 Hot Spots for Racial, Ethnic Minority Groups
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Disparities in COVID-19 cases are seen in one or more underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in almost all hot spots in the United States, according to research published in the Aug. 14 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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COVID-19 Cases Rebound Sharply in U.S. Nursing Homes
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 cases in U.S. nursing homes rose nearly 80 percent earlier this summer, and the vast majority of them occurred in Sunbelt states, a new study shows.
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FDA: COVID-19 Test Could Give Inaccurate Results
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A widely used COVID-19 test could produce inaccurate results due to issues with the equipment and software used to run the test, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Monday.
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COVID-19 Spread Among Students Prompts UNC to Return to Online Teaching
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a potential harbinger of what could unfold on college campuses across the United States this fall, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said Monday it will revert back to online teaching after testing showed a rapid spread of COVID-19 among students.
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In-Person Obstetric Visits Not Likely to Spread COVID-19
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There does not appear to be a significant association between the number of in-person health care visits and the rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among obstetrical patients, according to a research letter published online Aug. 14 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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COVID-19 Antibodies Detected in Maternity Care Workers in U.K.
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — One out of six maternity health care workers are seropositive for antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Anaesthesia.
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Neck Gaiters ‘Worse Than Nothing’ in Preventing COVID-19 Spread
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Thin, stretchy neck gaiters are “worse than nothing” when it comes to preventing the spread of COVID-19, according to researchers.
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COVID-19 Impact on Homeless People in U.S. Not as Bad as Feared
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on homeless people in the United States has not been as severe as feared, data show.
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CV Risk Factors, Comorbidity Tied to COVID-19 CV Complications
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients hospitalized with COVID-19, preexisting cardiovascular comorbidities or risk factors are associated with cardiovascular complications, which contribute to mortality, according to a meta-analysis published online Aug. 14 in PLOS ONE.
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Incidence, Severity of Intimate Partner Violence Up During Pandemic
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The incidence and severity of physical intimate partner violence have been higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the previous three years, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in Radiology.
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Hospital Visitation, Communication Policies Evolving Due to COVID-19
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patient visitation policies and clinician communication methods in hospitals have undergone a major overhaul, according to a letter to the editor published online July 20 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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