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 Dec. 21 to 23, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
First COVID-19 Cases Reported in Antarctica
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A COVID-19 outbreak in Antarctica means that the new coronavirus is now spreading on every continent.
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COVID-19 Mortality Rates Dropped Over First Months of Pandemic
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 mortality rates decreased in U.S. hospitals during the first months of the pandemic, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Public Health Videos Cut COVID-19 Knowledge Gap for Minorities
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For Black and Latinx participants, watching public health video messages recorded by a diverse set of physicians reduces COVID-19 knowledge gaps, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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No Evidence Found of Placental Infection, Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There is no evidence of placental infection or vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in JAMA Network Open.
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Majority Do Not Support COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Adults
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The public does not support COVID-19 vaccine mandates for U.S. adults, according to a research letter published online Dec. 18 in JAMA Network Open.
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Poll: Pandemic-Related Concerns Top of Mind for Parents
TUESDAY, Dec. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Parents’ biggest concerns are not with COVID-19 itself, but rather with the impacts of the pandemic, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
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Care Rationing Being Considered by California Hospitals
TUESDAY, Dec. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Plans for rationing lifesaving care are being considered by some hospitals in California as the state struggles with overwhelming numbers of COVID-19 patients.
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European Union Approves Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
TUESDAY, Dec. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the European Union on Monday and should soon be available in all 27 member nations.
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Buprenorphine Rx Fills for OUD Plateau During Pandemic
TUESDAY, Dec. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The number of individuals filling buprenorphine prescriptions for opioid use disorder has plateaued but not decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a research letter published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Most Pregnant Women With SARS-CoV-2 Infection Are Asymptomatic
TUESDAY, Dec. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection are asymptomatic, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in PLOS ONE.
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Risk for Severe COVID-19 Not Increased for Children With Cancer
TUESDAY, Dec. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Children with cancer with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 do not seem to be at increased risk for severe infection, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the British Journal of Cancer.
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U.S. Army Researchers Analyze New Coronavirus Variant
MONDAY, Dec. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The new coronavirus variant in the United Kingdom that appears to spread faster is being studied by U.S. military scientists to determine if it might be resistant to vaccines.
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Low U.S. Flu Rates Seen as Pandemic Rages
MONDAY, Dec. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Higher flu vaccination rates are one reason why flu cases are way down in the United States, experts say.
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FDA Issues EUA for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
MONDAY, Dec. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A second COVID-19 vaccine is poised to be administered in the coming weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.
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Antibody Cocktail Enhances Clearance of SARS-CoV-2 Virus
MONDAY, Dec. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — An interim analysis of data from an ongoing phase 1 to 3 trial shows that an antibody cocktail enhances clearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Risk for Death, Complications Higher With COVID-19 Versus Flu
MONDAY, Dec. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk for extrapulmonary organ dysfunction and death and increased health care resource use compared with seasonal influenza, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in The BMJ.
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Gatherings Contribute to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children
MONDAY, Dec. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Close contacts with individuals with COVID-19 and gatherings contribute to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among children, according to research published in the Dec. 18 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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