COVID-19: News & Updates from January 2021
As a response to the Coronavirus/Covid-19 outbreak, many medical associations and organizations have released statements specifically related to treatment for cardiovascular patients.
These resources provide credible and trustworthy information. Many if not most, speak to the need for more detailed research and data, to help guide us as we develop new standards of practice to ensure optimal care based on clinical practice rather than speculation.
- Wear a mask in public places
- Social distancing - stay at least 6 feet away from other people
- Wash your hands frequently - with warm soapy water for at least 30 seconds
- Avoid crowds, confined and poorly ventilated spaces.
How Can I Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?
February 01, 2021 - The Conversation
What You Need to Know & Which State Strategies Are Working
For many people, trying to get the COVID-19 vaccine has been a lesson in frustration. The vaccine supply is limited in many areas, creating confusion over who can get a first and sometimes second dose of vaccine. Even when given the green light because of their age or occupation, many Americans have no idea how to go about getting vaccinated.
Nationwide, 6 in 10 older adults reported in a recent survey that they didn’t have enough information to know when or where they could get the vaccine. Those that do locate appointment systems are often finding them hard to use, and some have faced cancellations.
Some states are doing better than others, and they can offer lessons for the rest. And another Biden administration proposal could also soon connect more people with the vaccine and improve communication: activating more pharmacies to help.
How to Know When & Where to Get Vaccinated
Unfortunately, there isn’t one satisfying answer to this question right now. The federal government recommended priorities based primarily on age, preexisting health conditions and jobs that create a greater risk of exposure, like medical personnel. But states are following through in different ways.
To find your state’s information, you can check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of state links. Or enter the name of your state and “COVID vaccine” in your favorite search engine to find out whether your state has a centralized process or whether each county or city maintains its own priority system.
States that centralize their COVID-19 vaccination procedures generally match registrants with available vaccine providers, as New Mexico and California do. If your state does not centralize vaccination procedures, you’ll need to look up the details for your county or city. Even within the same state, who is allowed to receive vaccinations and how to get one can vary widely...
Why Does It Take 2 Shots for mRNA Vaccines to Create Antibodies?
January 28, 2021 - The Conversation
With the U.S. facing vaccination delays because of worker shortages and distribution problems, federal health officials now say it’s OK to push back the second dose of the two-part vaccine by as much as six weeks.
Why You Need Two Doses 3-4 Weeks Apart
Two doses, separated by three to four weeks, is the tried-and-true approach to generate an effective immune response through vaccination, not just for COVID but for hepatitis A and B and other diseases as well.
The first dose primes the immune system and introduces the body to the germ of interest. This allows the immune system to prepare its defense. The second dose, or booster, provides the opportunity for the immune system to ramp up the quality and quantity of the antibodies used to fight the virus.
In the case of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, the second dose increases the protection afforded by the vaccine from 60% to approximately 95%...
Hundreds of COVID Patients: Here's What I've Learned - Charles P. Vega, MD
January 27, 2021 - Medscape
Dr. Vega shares via a short video (7 minutes with transcript) his experiences managing and treating hundreds of COVID-19 patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings, together with his review of outpatient management.
Also discussed:
- Importance of patient understanding and recognizing symptoms
- Isolation - when and how long to isolate for
- Importance of designating a primary caregiver
- Monoclonal Antibodies
- Medications
- Home vs Hospital
Patients Fend for Themselves to Access Highly Touted Covid Antibody Treatments
Janaury 20, 2021 - Kaiser Health News
Months after President Donald Trump credited monoclonal antibody therapy for his quick recovery from covid-19, only a trickle of the product has found its way into regular people. While hundreds of thousands of vials sit unused, sick patients who might benefit from early treatment have been left on their own to vie for access.
Federal officials have allocated more than 785,000 doses of two antibody treatments authorized for emergency use during the pandemic, and more than 550,000 doses have been delivered to sites across the nation. The federal government has contracted for nearly 2.5 million doses of the products from drugmakers Eli Lilly and Co. and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals at a cost of more than $4.4 billion.
So far, however, only about 30% of the available doses have been administered to patients, federal Department of Health and Human Services officials said.
Scores of high-risk covid patients who are eligible remain unaware or have not been offered the option. Research has shown the therapy is most effective if given early in the illness, within 10 days of a positive covid test. But many would-be recipients have missed this crucial window because of a patchwork system in the U.S. that can delay testing and diagnosis.
“The bottleneck here in the funnel is administration, not the availability of the product,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, a veteran FDA official in charge of therapeutics for the federal Operation Warp Speed effort...
What We Know — and Don’t Know — About the Coronavirus Variants
January 19, 2021 - STAT
By now, you have likely heard about different variants that first raised trouble in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, and now maybe California — though the jury is very much out on whether that last one is cause for concern.
To make a messy alphabet soup even more jumbled, these variants have unwieldy names, and they each contain mutations with unwieldy names of their own. The result is that people are left trying to differentiate between B.1.1.7 and N501Y and E484K and C-3PO.
Wait, sorry, that last one is from “Star Wars.”
The point is that all of this is difficult to keep track of, and it will only grow more confusing with more variants likely to turn up. “It’s becoming a mutation-of-the-week game,” said Stephen Goldstein, a coronavirologist at the University of Utah...
Uniting Infectious Disease and Physical Science Principles on the Importance of Face Masks for COVID-19
January 15, 2021 - CellPress - Med Commentary
This commentary will summarize the evidence on face masks for COVID-19 from both the infectious diseases and physical science viewpoints; standardize recommendations on types of masks that afford the best protection to the public, and provide guidelines on messaging for this important non-pharmaceutical intervention as we await widespread vaccine distribution.
- Epidemiologic Evidence for the Importance of Masking during COVID-19
- Laboratory Evidence on How Surgical and Cloth Masks Protect the Wearer and Others from COVID-19
- Epidemiologic and Observational Studies Showing the Effectiveness of Masks in Reducing COVID-19 Transmission
- Ways to Effectively Provide Public Health Messaging on the Importance of Facial Masks during COVID-19
Downloadable PDF Report
Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Investigational Drugs and Other Therapies
January 14th, 2021 - Medscape
Overview:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as an illness caused by a novel coronavirus now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; formerly called 2019-nCoV), which was first identified amid an outbreak of respiratory illness cases in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. [1] It was initially reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019. On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global health emergency. [2, 3] On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, its first such designation since declaring H1N1 influenza a pandemic in 2009. [4]
Information, including allocation, for COVID-19 therapies granted emergency use authorization is located at the United States Public Health Emergency webpage.
Numerous other antiviral agents, immunotherapies, and vaccines continue to be investigated and developed as potential therapies. Searching for effective therapies for COVID-19 infection is a complex process. Guidelines and reviews of pharmacotherapy for COVID-19 have been published. [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17] The Milken Institute maintains a detailed COVID-19 Treatment and Vaccine Tracker of research and development progress.
Information, including allocation, for COVID-19 therapies granted emergency use authorization is located at the United States Public Health Emergency [link https://www.phe.gov/emergency/events/COVID19/investigation-MCM/Pages/default.aspx] webpage...
One Mask Is Good. Would Two Be Better?
January 12, 2021 - NY Times
Health experts double down on their advice for slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
As cases of the coronavirus continue to surge on a global scale, some of the nation’s most prominent people have begun to double up on masks — a move that researchers say is increasingly being backed up by data.
Double-masking isn’t necessary for everyone. But for people with thin or flimsy face coverings, “if you combine multiple layers, you start achieving pretty high efficiencies” of blocking viruses from exiting and entering the airway, said Linsey Marr, an expert in virus transmission at Virginia Tech and an author on a recent commentary laying out the science behind mask-wearing.
CDC Expands Negative COVID-19 Test Requirement to All Air Passengers Entering the United States
Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.
CDC Updates Contraindications to COVID-19 Vaccination
- People with allergy histories involving these substances should be considered for allergist/immunologist referral to determine if they can receive the vaccine
- Distinguishing allergic reactions from other symptoms
- Risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and other concerns
- Recommended observation times following vaccination for those with a known history of anaphylaxis
Op-Ed: Why I Refuse to Get the COVID Vaccine Right Now
January 04, 2021 -
DMS Covid-19 News is a curated collection of interesting articles, posts & studies related to general & interventional cardiology, cardiovascular & heart health that may be of help or interest to others. All articles are sourced from reliable and respected sources cited with links to read the original full article.
DISCLAIMER: Dr. Dalawari shares interesting and relevant medical news and articles in the press. He has no professional or personal relationship to sources other than in some cases as a member of the organization.
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