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 April 13 to 17, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Asthma Not Common in COVID-19 Patients Who Have Died
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Asthma is not among the top 10 chronic health problems in people who have died from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in New York state, even though many health experts have warned that people with asthma are at increased risk for severe illness if they get COVID-19.
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Insomnia Common Among Medical Staff During COVID-19 in China
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — More than one-third of medical staff members in hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in China reported insomnia symptoms, according to a study published online April 14 in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
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Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Stable in Iceland
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In Iceland, the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection was stable through 20 days of screening, according to a study published online April 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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CDC Looks at Transmission of COVID-19 to Health Care Workers
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 to health care personnel is explored in two studies published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Chest X-Ray Findings Normal for Many Confirmed COVID-19 Cases
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most patients presenting to urgent care centers with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 have normal or mildly abnormal findings on chest X-rays, according to a study published online April 14 in the Journal of Urgent Care Medicine.
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IDSA Issues Rapid Guidelines for Treatment of COVID-19
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In rapid guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, recommendations are presented for the treatment and management of coronavirus disease 2019.
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Risk for Severe COVID-19 May Be Up in People With COPD, Smokers
FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Active cigarette smokers and individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have up-regulation of angiotensin converting enzyme II expression in the lower airways, which could explain the increased risk for severe COVID-19 in these subpopulations, according to a study published online April 8 in the European Respiratory Journal.
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CRISPR-Based Test Can Diagnose COVID-19 in Under 60 Minutes
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Researchers say they have developed a low-cost swab test that can diagnose coronavirus disease 2019 infections in about 45 minutes.
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FDA Urges COVID-19 Survivors to Donate Plasma
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking Americans who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 to donate their blood plasma to help fight the pandemic.
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Scientists Design Protective Respirator for Health Care Workers
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — With protective gear in short supply, Duke University researchers say they have designed a much-needed respirator for health care workers battling coronavirus disease 2019.
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Sharp Drop in Demand Seen for COVID-19 Tests at Private Labs
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There has been such a drop in demand for coronavirus disease 2019 tests at private labs in the United States that they have “considerable” unused capacity and can test more patients with less severe symptoms, the American Clinical Laboratory Association says.
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Recurrent Winter Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 Projected
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Recurrent winter outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 are projected to occur after the initial pandemic wave, according to a study published online April 14 in Science.
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Surgery Department Outlines Rapid Response to COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a comprehensive rapid response plan, published online April 9 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, surgeons from the University of California San Francisco present a strategy to triage surgeries to help manage health care resources during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
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Guidance Issued for Breast Cancer Care During COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In guidance issued by the COVID-19 Pandemic Breast Cancer Consortium, recently accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, recommendations are presented for prioritizing care for breast cancer patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
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Guidance Developed for Treating Cardiac Arrest During COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a document entitled “Interim Guidance for Basic and Advanced Life Support in Adults, Children, and Neonates With Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19,” published online April 9 in Circulation, recommendations are presented for treating victims of cardiac arrest during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
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Telehealth Usage Was Growing Among Internists Prior to COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There is wide variation in the use of telehealth among internal medicine physicians and subspecialists, according the “2020 American College of Physicians Member Survey About Telehealth Implementation.”
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Obesity Is Risk Factor for COVID-19 Hospital Admission in <60s
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Obesity is associated with admission to the hospital for coronavirus disease 2019 patients, according to a study published online April 9 in Clinical Infectious Diseases and a study not yet peer reviewed and posted on medRxiv.org.
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Survey Shows Lack of COVID-19 Concern Even Among Those at Risk
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Many individuals at greater risk for coronavirus disease 2019 complications did not believe the virus would affect them at the beginning of Chicago’s outbreak, according to a study published online April 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Compliance With Self-Isolation Influenced by Compensation
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In the era of coronavirus disease 2019, compliance with self-isolation is influenced by compensation, with very high compliance seen when compensation for lost wages is assured, according to a report published online April 9 in Health Affairs.
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SARS-CoV-2 Contamination of Air, Surfaces Examined in ICU, Wards
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Considerable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 contamination of air and object surfaces is reported in intensive care units and general coronavirus disease 2019 wards, according to a study published online April 10 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Public Health Interventions Improved COVID-19 Control in Wuhan
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Multifaceted public health interventions improved control of the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in Wuhan, China, according to a study published online April 10 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Common Coronaviruses Are Highly Seasonal
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Common coronaviruses circulate seasonally, according to a study published online April 4 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
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Intubation Initiated in One in Five Who Died of COVID-19 in China
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Many patients who died from coronavirus disease 2019 in China may have had delayed intubation, according to a research letter published online April 10 in JAMA Network Open.
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First Saliva Test for COVID-19 Approved by FDA
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The first saliva test for coronavirus 2019 was approved Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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U.S. Government Says COVID-19 Antibody Tests Must Be Free
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Health insurers and Medicaid must provide free coverage for tests to detect coronavirus 2019 antibodies in people who have been infected, the federal government says.
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CDC: Public Policy Measures Important for Social Distancing
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Community mobility in four metropolitan areas decreased with the introduction of public policy measures supporting social distancing, which could help slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019, according to research published in the April 13 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Smell, Taste Impairment Linked to COVID-19 Positivity
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Smell and taste impairment are strongly associated with coronavirus disease 2019 positivity, according to a study published online April 12 in the International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology.
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Review: Quarantine Effective for Reducing Infection, Death
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Quarantine is effective for reducing the number of people infected and deaths from coronavirus disease 2019, according to a review published online April 8 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
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Medical Masks May Be Sufficient During COVID-19 Routine Care
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Use of medical masks, such as surgical or procedural masks, does not increase the risk for viral infection or respiratory illness, and their use may serve as a protective measure in instances of N95 respirator shortages, according to the results of a meta-analysis published online April 4 in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
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First Wave of COVID-19 Abated With Control Measures in China
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Interventions implemented in China interrupted coronavirus disease 2019 transmission in all areas outside of Hubei, and low transmissibility can be maintained by monitoring the instantaneous effective reproduction number, according to a study published online April 8 in The Lancet.
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COVID-19 RNA Detectable in Patient Fecal Matter
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA is detectable in the feces of COVID-19 patients and remains even after negative conversion in pharyngeal swabs, according to a study published online April 3 in the Journal of Medical Virology.
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Model Forecasts When COVID-19 Demand Will Exceed Capacity
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 Hospital Impact Model, a publicly available tool, can help hospitals predict the timing of saturated capacity, according to a report published online April 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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COVID-19 Antibody Tests Underway in California
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Large-scale studies of tests to check for antibodies to coronavirus 2019 are underway in California. The findings from this research could help the United States develop strategies to get people back to work and restart the economy.
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Chloroquine COVID-19 Trial Stopped After Patient Deaths
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A study of chloroquine in coronavirus 2019 patients was halted due to potentially deadly side effects.
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Survey IDs Those Most Affected by One-Month COVID-19 Lockdown
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Adults who stopped working during coronavirus 2019-related lockdowns in China report worse mental and physical health, according to a study published online April 4 in Psychiatry Research.
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Physicians Report Expanding Use of Off-Label COVID-19 Treatments
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Hydroxychloroquine usage is expanding globally to treat coronavirus 2019, although plasma from recovered patients is perceived as more effective than hydroxychloroquine, according to a report released by Sermo.
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Remdesivir May Improve Oxygen-Support Class in Severe COVID-19
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Improvement in oxygen support status was observed in 68 percent of patients hospitalized with severe coronavirus disease 2019 who received compassionate use of remdesivir, according to a study published online April 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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CDC Report Details Geographic Variation in U.S. COVID-19 Cases, Deaths
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There is variation in the cumulative incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 across jurisdictions in the United States, according to research published in the April 10 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Recommendations Issued for Use of Imaging in Adults With COVID-19
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a multinational consensus statement from the Fleischner Society, published online April 7 in Radiology, recommendations are presented for use of imaging in patients with coronavirus disease 2019.
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Mechanical Ventilation Needed by Most COVID-19 Patients in ICU
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most patients with coronavirus disease 2019 requiring treatment in an intensive care unit require mechanical ventilation, according to a study published online April 6 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Guidance Issued for Infants Born to Mothers With COVID-19
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In an initial guidance document issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommendations are presented for the management of infants born to mothers with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019.
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