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Why state mask stockpiling orders are hurting nursing homes, small providers

Nursing homes, small physician offices and rural clinics are being left behind in the rush for N95 masks and other protective gear, exposing some of the country's most vulnerable populations and their caregivers to COVID-19 while larger, wealthier health care facilities build equipment stockpiles.

30 Oct 2020

Despite COVID concerns, teams venture into nursing homes to get out the vote

Each time Beverly Tucker visited a nursing home or long-term care facility this fall, she brought along a rolling tote bag packed with supplies from the Durham County Board of Elections.

29 Oct 2020

Researchers test effectiveness of different fabric masks at filtering particles

A team of researchers have tested everything from t-shirts and socks to jeans and vacuum bags to determine what type of mask material is most effective at trapping the ultrafine particles which may contain viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19.

29 Oct 2020

Autonomous robot uses UV light to kill COVID-19

Ultraviolet light is a form of radiation that can be used for sterilization and disinfection. With schools and offices beginning to meet in-person again despite little change in the rate of COVID-19 infections, easy, low-cost sterilization strategies are necessary to curb the spread of the pandemic.

28 Oct 2020

Fear and isolation drives PTSD among health/social workers in COVID-19

A new study, published on the preprint server medRxiv* in October 2020, identifies the factors that predict distress in HSCW and emphasizes the importance of adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE).

27 Oct 2020

Graphene-enhanced PPE for COVID-19

To tackle this need, nanotechnology researchers from Italy have suggested using bidimensional graphene to improve existing PPE kits. Their research is published on the preprint server medRxiv.

25 Oct 2020

Nigeria safely relaunches accelerated yellow fever vaccination campaigns

While combatting multiple public health challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Nigeria, with support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance will safely relaunch an accelerated series of mass preventive vaccination campaigns to protect Nigerians against yellow fever (YF).

23 Oct 2020

New project to use plasma jets to decontaminate vital medical equipment exposed to Covid-19 virus

A NEW project developed by Lancaster University's Health Innovation Campus and Material Science Institute will see pioneering technology used to decontaminate vital medical equipment exposed to the Covid-19 virus, via a partnership with University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

19 Oct 2020

Adhesive plastic film inactivates novel coronavirus on contact

An adhesive plastic film designed to protect surfaces such as doorknobs, handrails, elevator buttons, and touch screens inactivates the novel coronavirus on contact.

16 Oct 2020

New video campaign highlights how anesthetists are ‘always ready’ on the medical frontline

More than 50 anesthetists across Australia have participated in a new video campaign that highlights how they are ‘always ready’ on the medical frontline.

16 Oct 2020

Study reveals a list of medical procedures that pose COVID-19 risk to health-care providers

Autopsy, airway suctioning and cardiopulmonary resuscitation are among the list of medical procedures that pose a risk of spreading COVID-19 from a patient to their health-care provider by creating aerosols.

14 Oct 2020

PPE may account for low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthcare workers

A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 shows that among healthcare workers, and especially among first responders, less than 1% and just over 5%, respectively, had antibodies to the virus.

13 Oct 2020

New study details how Michigan nursing homes limited the spread of coronavirus

Seven months ago, the nation first heard of a surge of COVID-19 deaths in a Washington nursing home – an early warning sign of how the coronavirus could rip through such facilities.

13 Oct 2020

Study shows SARS-CoV-2 can remain infectious on surfaces for long periods of time

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can survive for up to 28 days on common surfaces including banknotes, glass - such as that found on mobile phone screens - and stainless steel.

12 Oct 2020

Investment in PPE for health care workers saves lives, provides substantial economic return

Providing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for all health care workers around the world requires an initial investment of billions of dollars, but the returns on that investment could be close to 8000% in productivity gains, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Nicholas Risko of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and colleagues.

9 Oct 2020

Young doctor succumbs to COVID, one of the south’s many health workers lost

It took Carrie Wanamaker several days to connect the face she saw on GoFundMe with the young woman she had met a few years before.

8 Oct 2020

Warwick researcher to explore the use of robots and artificial intelligence in hospital settings

Hospitals all over the world must increase their efficiency and productivity and boost quality and safety, while containing and reducing costs.

8 Oct 2020

Researchers quantify aerosols generated during anesthetic procedures

Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been much debate about the danger to hospital staff from anaesthetic procedures. Concerns include that placing a tube in the patient's airway (intubation) before surgery or removing it at the end (extubation) may produce a fine mist of small particles (called aerosols) and spread the COVID-19 virus to nearby staff.

7 Oct 2020

New project aims to improve quality of life for dementia patients in care homes

£1.2 million in government funding will help researchers develop an innovative online program to improve and personalise care for people with dementia in care homes, which were hard-hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

7 Oct 2020

Study: Brazil's community health workers could play a key role in combating COVID-19

Brazil has more than 286,000 community health workers integrated into the national primary healthcare program. These professionals form a broad network serving 75% of the population, especially low-income families who lack medical insurance and are the most adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

6 Oct 2020