Physician’s Briefing Weekly Coronavirus Roundup
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 Oct. 19 to 23, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
FDA Needs More Safety Data on COVID-19 Vaccines, Experts Say
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 — At a meeting of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisory board, some experts warned that the guidelines requiring two months of safety data after a volunteer has been vaccinated were not enough, TheNew York Timesreported Thursday.
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CDC Plans Cellphone COVID-19 Vaccine Tracking System
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 — When a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will monitor those taking the vaccine for any health problems via text messages and online surveys,CNNreported Thursday.
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Convalescent Plasma Has Limited Benefit for Moderate COVID-19
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 — For patients with moderate COVID-19, convalescent plasma does not reduce progression to severe COVID-19 or mortality, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in The BMJ.
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Survival From COVID-19 High in Patients With Psoriasis
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 — For patients with psoriasis, survival from COVID-19 is high, with increased hospitalization risk in association with nonbiologic systemic therapy versus biologic use, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
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Findings Conflicted for Benefit of Tocilizumab in COVID-19
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 — Tocilizumab may be beneficial for adults with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit, although other findings are conflicting, according to three studies and an editorial published online Oct. 20 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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FDA Approves Remdesivir for Treatment of COVID-19
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first treatment for COVID-19.
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CDC Broadens Definition of ‘Close Contact’ in Tracing COVID-19 Infections
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 — In a move that widens the pool of people considered at risk for COVID-19 infection, U.S. health officials released new guidance on Wednesday that redefines who is considered a “close contact” of an infected individual.
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U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Enrolls 30,000
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 — The first company to start a phase 3 trial of a COVID-19 vaccine reached its target of enrolling 30,000 participants, CNN reported Thursday.
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CDC: Number of COVID-19 Deaths May Be Underreported
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 — The number of COVID-19-related deaths may be underestimated, according to research published in the Oct. 20 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Tocilizumab Does Not Prevent Intubation, Death in COVID-19
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 — For moderately ill hospitalized patients with COVID-19, tocilizumab is not effective for preventing intubation or death, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Algorithm Predicts Death, Hospital Admission From COVID-19
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 — A population-based risk algorithm performs well for predicting death and hospital admission due to COVID-19 in adults, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in The BMJ.
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Cytokines Not at ‘Storm’ Levels in Those With Severe COVID-19
THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 — COVID-19 may not cause a cytokine storm, according to a review published online Oct. 16 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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Fauci ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ for COVID-19 Vaccine by Year’s End
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 — Anthony Fauci, M.D., the leading infectious disease expert in the United States, said on Wednesday he is “cautiously optimistic” that a COVID-19 vaccine will be ready by year’s end.
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New Wave of COVID-19 Infections Taking Hold in America
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 — A third surge of COVID-19 cases now has a firm grip on the United States, with an average of 59,000 new infections being reported across the country every day.
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Vertebral Fractures Marker of Poorer Prognosis in COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 — Vertebral fractures are a clinical marker of fragility and poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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Vaccine Attributes Influence Readiness to Accept COVID-19 Shot
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 — Vaccine-related attributes and political characteristics are associated with preference for choosing a hypothetical COVID-19 vaccine, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in JAMA Network Open.
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No COVID-19 Vaccines Allowed in California Without State Approval
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 — California is not going to allow the use of any COVID-19 vaccines until its own panel of experts approves them, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday.
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Scientists to Infect Volunteers With COVID-19 in Challenge Trial
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 — British scientists are infecting healthy volunteers with COVID-19, in hopes of speeding up vaccine development, The Washington Postreported Tuesday.
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CDC Recommends Face Masks in All Public Transportation Settings
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 — Seeking to slow the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended on Monday that face masks be worn by everyone in all public transportation settings. That includes both passengers and people working in stations, terminals, and airports across the country,CBS Newsreported.
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COVID-19 Mitigation Measures Tied to Fewer Preterm Births
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 — Initial implementation of national COVID-19 mitigation measures in the Netherlands was associated with a substantial reduction in the incidence of preterm births in the following months, according to a study published online Oct. 13 in The Lancet Public Health.
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Kidney Disease, Injury Linked to Higher Mortality With COVID-19
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 — Renal impairment in patients admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 is common and is associated with high mortality, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in Anaesthesia.
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No Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Expected Before Election
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 — Pfizer will not apply for emergency authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine before the third week in November, the company’s chief executive said in a statement posted to the Pfizer website on Friday.
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Emergency Sick Leave Helped to Flatten the U.S. COVID-19 Curve
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 — The U.S. emergency sick leave provision in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act was a highly effective policy tool to flatten the curve in the short run, according to a report published online Oct. 15 in Health Affairs.
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Pandemic Taking Toll on the Mental Health of Health Care Staff
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 — Mental health disorders are common in health care workers during and immediately following a pandemic, according to a review published online Oct. 15 in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology.
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COVID-19-Linked Deaths Mainly in Seniors in May to August 2020
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 — From May to August 2020, COVID-19-associated deaths occurred mainly among older adults and in certain racial and ethnic minorities, especially Hispanics, according to research published in the Oct. 16 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Well Tolerated in Phase 1/2 Trial
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 — An inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine seems safe and induces humoral responses, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
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Risk for Severe COVID-19 Low With Congenital Heart Disease
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 — Most patients with congenital heart disease are not at risk for severe COVID-19 infection, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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Neurologic Complications Seen in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 — Neurologic disorders are not uncommon in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in Neurology.
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