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 March 16 to 20, 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Statement Addresses Concerns About Heart Meds and COVID-19
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Patients already prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) should continue taking their medications, according to a joint statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), and the American College of Cardiology (ACC), issued in response to a research letter published online March 11 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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Californians Ordered to Stay Home Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. State Department warned Americans to avoid international travel and residents of the country's most populous state, California, were ordered to stay at home indefinitely, as national COVID-19 cases climbed past 13,000.
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Lopinavir-Ritonavir No Benefit in Adults With Severe COVID-19
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Lopinavir-ritonavir treatment offers no significant benefit over standard care for hospitalized adult patients with severe coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection, according to a study published online March 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Incidence of Subclinical CT Changes High in COVID-19 Cases
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of subclinical computed tomography (CT) changes in coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) cases is high, with milder severity seen on CT for asymptomatic versus symptomatic cases, according to a study published online March 17 in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging.
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Serial Interval of COVID-19 Estimated at 3.96 Days
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The serial interval of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), defined as the time between a primary case and secondary case developing symptoms, is 3.96 days, according to a study published online March 19 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Supply Shortages Hinder COVID-19 Testing in the United States
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Shortages of face masks for health care workers, swabs, and other supplies are hampering efforts to increase COVID-19 testing in the United States.
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U.S. Colleges Preparing Empty Dorms to House Coronavirus Patients
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Some U.S. colleges are converting empty dorms into temporary housing for COVID-19 patients.
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U.S. Seniors at Higher Risk for Severe Illness, Death With COVID-19
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, the risk for serious illness and death from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is higher among older adults, according to research published in the March 18 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Digestive Symptoms Reported for About Half of COVID-19 Patients
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) frequently have digestive symptoms, and those with digestive symptoms have a worse clinical outcome, according to a study published online March 17 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
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Trump Signs Massive COVID-19 Relief Package Into Law
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- President Donald Trump signed an $850 billion coronavirus relief package into law late Wednesday. The package will provide sick leave, unemployment benefits, and free COVID-19 testing.
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Transmission of COVID-19 Among Crew on Cruise Ship Investigated
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Transmission of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on a cruise ship indicates the need for quarantine for close contacts of confirmed cases, according to research published in the March 17 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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COVID-19 Preparedness for Radiology Departments Outlined
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Radiology departments have been implementing policies to ensure preparedness for the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to a report published online March 16 in Radiology.
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Chinese Researchers Say Flu Drug Effective Against COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The flu drug favipiravir is "clearly effective" in treating patients with the novel coronavirus, Chinese researchers say.
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U.S. May Not Have Enough Ventilators for COVID-19 Patients
WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- There may not be enough ventilators in the United States to cope with the number of novel coronavirus patients who will require them due to pneumonia and other serious respiratory problems, experts say.
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41 Percent of U.S. Adults at Risk for Serious Illness With COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Forty-one percent of adults ages 18 years and older in the United States have an elevated risk for developing serious illness if infected with the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), according to a brief issued by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
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COVID-19 Epidemic in Iran Likely to Be Substantial
WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Based on countries with identified cases of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) originating in Iran, the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran is likely to be of a substantial size, according to a research letter published online March 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Medicare Expands Telemedicine Coverage During COVID-19 Pandemic
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Medicare is expanding coverage for telemedicine nationwide so that millions of American seniors can get health care at home and avoid the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday.
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Children Susceptible to COVID-19 but Less Severely Affected
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Children of all ages seem to be susceptible to novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection, and most cases are asymptomatic, mild, or moderate, according to a study published online March 16 in Pediatrics.
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New Coronavirus Guidelines Discourage Gatherings of More Than 10
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The Trump Administration on Monday ramped up its coronavirus "social distancing" advisory to now discourage gatherings of more than 10 people.
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Climate Similar in Cities With Biggest Outbreaks of COVID-19
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Cities that have experienced significant outbreaks of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) have similar winter climates, according to a study published online March 9 on the open-data site SSRN.
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Common Features on Chest CT May Aid Diagnosis of COVID-19
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Chest computed tomography (CT) has a low rate of misdiagnosis of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a study published online March 4 in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
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N.Y. and Colorado Ask Former Health Care Workers to Return to Workforce
MONDAY, March 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Former health care workers in New York State and Colorado are being asked to return to the workforce to help health systems under pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Americans Detail Behavior Changes Amid COVID-19 Threat
MONDAY, March 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Many people are changing their behaviors in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a new survey conducted by researchers at the Center for Economic and Social Research at the University of Southern California (USC) Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics.
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Amid Increased COVID-19 Fears, U.S. Extends Ban on Foreign Travel
MONDAY, March 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In the latest on the coronavirus crisis, the Trump administration on Saturday expanded a 30-day ban on travel from Europe to include residents from the United Kingdom and Ireland, beginning late Monday.
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Case Series Indicates COVID-19 Not Transmitted In Utero
MONDAY, March 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Four infants born to pregnant women who tested positive for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) were healthy at birth and had no serious clinical symptoms, according to a case series study published online March 16 in Frontiers in Pediatrics.
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