Result for
Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice
April 1, 2020
COVID-19 Related School Closings and Risk of Weight Gain among Children.
Rundle et al. call attention to the pandemic’s longer-term effect on children’s health following school closures. They report this may exacerbate the epidemic of childhood obesity and increase disparities in obesity risk. The authors recommend innovative approaches to address food insecurity and increase physical activity within the constraints of social distancing or full stay at…
Unprecedented Solutions for Extraordinary Times: Helping Long-Term Care Settings Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In the presence of unprecedented morbidity and mortality in long term care (LTC) facilities for the elders in Washington State, Gaur et al. highlight staffing and resource challenges, and discuss why LTC settings have the most notable burden of COVID-19 cases among all segments of the healthcare system. They provide a series of recommendations for…
March 30, 2020
Spotlight on Jails: COVID-19 Mitigation Policies Needed Now
Jails in US pose unique challenge to COVID-19 prevention, detection, and mitigation that deserve immediate attention. Most common measures of prevention for the general public, are not feasible in the US jails because of overcrowding, institutional restrictions and lack of funding. Jails contain a high proportion of people with underlying health conditions, increasing risk of…
March 27, 2020
SARS-CoV-2 infection in 86 healthcare workers in two Dutch hospitals in March 2020: a cross-sectional study with short-term follow-up.
The authors describe the clinical presentation and early outcomes of COVID-19 in 86 of the 1,353 Dutch HCWs who tested positive in this cross-sectional study and suggest adjusting the currently used case-definition for suspected COVID-19 in HCWs by considering fever as one of the possible symptoms and not as a required symptom. This could improve…
Absence of contamination of personal protective equipment (PPE) by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
To evaluate the safety of extended PPE use by HCWs treating COVID-19 patients, Ong et al perform a one-day sampling study on used PPE to ascertain the per contact episode risk of PPE contamination. All 90 samples from 30 HCWs were negative. This provides assurance that extended use of N95 and goggles with strict adherence…
Asymptomatic and Presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Residents of a Long-Term Care Skilled Nursing Facility — King County, Washington, March 2020.
Symptom-based screening in Skilled Nursing Facilities, which often treat elderly and high-risk patients, could fail to identify approximately half of residents with COVID-19. The authors indicate that these and other long-term care facilities should take proactive steps to prevent introduction of SARS-CoV-2, and also provide recommendations for response after a facility has confirmed a COVID-19…
March 26, 2020
Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Geriatrics and Long-term Care: The ABCDs of COVID-19
This report provides detailed information on the “ABCD’s” of the COVID-19 pandemic for geriatrics healthcare providers: Awareness of potential key clinical differences of COVID-19 in this population; quickly initiating appropriate behaviors to clinically manage the infection in LTCFs; implementing containment strategies to disrupt further spread of the virus; and being knowledgeable about the decisions being…
Critical Supply Shortages — The Need for Ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Ranney et al share several reasons that may have led to the critical shortage of PPE and ventilator supply in the US, and emphasize that a multipronged strategy requiring a concerted approach from local, state and national governments, private sectors and healthcare providers is necessary. Ranney et al. (Mar 25, 2020). Critical Supply Shortages —…
March 25, 2020
Characterizing occupations that cannot work from home: a means to identify susceptible worker groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not all workers are employed in occupations which can be done from home, putting these individuals at increased risk of both SARS-CoV-2 exposure and job displacement. Identifying these at-risk individuals may inform public health risk management and prioritize occupation sectors where additional protections are necessary. Baker (March 24, 2020). Characterizing occupations that cannot work from…
Chronology of COVID-19 cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship and ethical considerations: a report from Japan.
This article summarizes the timeline of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, quarantine practices, and passenger release on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. The authors discuss critiques of specific government actions, ethical implications of barring ships with known outbreaks from docking, and the need for international collaboration. Nakazawa et al. (March 24, 2020). Chronology of COVID-19…
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