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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. 3 to 7, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.<\/p>\n
U.S. Cancels Blanket Warning for International Travel<\/b><\/p>\n
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — On Thursday, the Trump administration canceled its warnings against international travel because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Associated Press<\/i> reported.<\/p>\n
Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n 300,000 American Deaths Projected by December Without More Face Mask Use<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — As the U.S. COVID-19 case count neared 5 million on Thursday, a new model predicted that nearly 300,000 Americans could die of COVID-19 by December if more people do not wear masks or practice better social distancing.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Telestroke Consultations Down During COVID-19 Pandemic<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The median number of weekly consults seen through a telestroke network decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Black patients significantly less likely to present with strokes, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in Stroke<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Detected in 13.7 Percent of NYC HCPs<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Among health care providers in the New York City area, 13.7 percent have severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies, a rate similar to adults randomly tested in New York state, according to a research letter published online Aug. 6 in the Journal of the American Medical Association<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Moderna Charging Much More for COVID-19 Vaccine Than Others<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Moderna is charging $37 a dose for its experimental vaccine, which is far more than what other companies say they plan to charge for their vaccines, CBS News<\/i> reported Wednesday. Because two doses of the vaccine are needed to immunize people from COVID-19, total costs could be $74 per person.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n COVID-19 Tied to Higher Risk of Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 is associated with large vessel occlusion strokes, according to a study published online July 29 in the American Journal of Roentgenology<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Scientists Call for Broader Use of Faster COVID-19 Tests<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across America, scientists on Wednesday called for widespread adoption of simpler, less accurate tests, as long as they are given often and quickly.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Johnson & Johnson Makes $1 Billion Vaccine Deal<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. government will pay Johnson & Johnson $1 billion for 100 million doses of its vaccine if it is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Washington Post<\/i> reported Wednesday.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Early Use of IL-6 Inhibitors May Improve COVID-19 Outcomes<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients with severe COVID-19, administration of an interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor earlier in the disease course is associated with improved outcomes, according to a study published online July 25 in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n ED Visits Decreased in Five States From January Through April 2020<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — As the COVID-19 pandemic intensified, there was a decrease in emergency department visits in five states from January through April 2020, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in JAMA Internal Medicine<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Seven States Join Pact to Speed COVID-19 Testing<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — As the daily U.S. COVID-19 death toll averaged more than 1,000 for the ninth straight day on Tuesday, governors from seven states banded together to shorten turnaround time for COVID-19 test results.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Encouraging Results<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Maryland-based Novavax said Tuesday that preliminary trials of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine were promising.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate 29 Percent in Multiple Myeloma Patients<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients with multiple myeloma and COVID-19, the case fatality rate is 29 percent among hospitalized patients, with increased odds of adverse outcomes among racial\/ethnic minorities, according to a study published online July 30 in Blood Cancer Discovery<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Study Looks at Optimal Strategy for Reopening Schools in U.K.<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Population-wide testing and effective contact tracing are necessary to prevent an epidemic rebound following school reopening in the United Kingdom; and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission rates were low in an educational setting in Australia, according to two studies published online Aug. 3 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n President Says Medicare Should Expand Telehealth Services<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — President Donald Trump signed an order on Monday that will broaden the role of telehealth for Medicare patients, the Associated Press<\/i> reported.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Trump’s Plan Limits Free Nursing Home COVID-19 Tests<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The plan to give every nursing home a fast COVID-19 testing machine has a catch, the Associated Press<\/i> reported Tuesday. The catch is that under the Trump administration plan, the government will not give kits to check staff and residents more than a couple of times.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Number of Newly ID’d U.S. Patients With Cancer Dropped During COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — During the COVID-19 pandemic period, there was a significant decline in newly identified U.S. patients with six common types of cancer, according to a research letter published online Aug. 4 in JAMA Network Open<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Burnout High Among Nonphysician Frontline Health Care Workers<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — More than 40 percent of nurses on the front lines during the pandemic may be experiencing burnout, according to a research letter published online Aug. 4 in JAMA Network Open<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Risk for Positive COVID-19 Test Up for Health Care Workers<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Frontline health care workers have an increased risk for reporting a positive test for COVID-19, according to a study published online July 31 in The Lancet Public Health<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Obesity Ups Risk for Intubation, Death With COVID-19 in Adults <65 <\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Obesity is associated with an increased risk for intubation or death among hospitalized adults with COVID-19, with the association observed in adults younger than 65 years but not in older adults, according to a study published online July 29 in the Annals of Internal Medicine<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Risk for Acute Cerebrovascular Events Low in COVID-19 Patients<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the risk for acute cerebrovascular events is low, according to a study published online July 20 in Stroke<\/i>.<\/p>\n