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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 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.<\/p>\n
FDA Needs More Safety Data on COVID-19 Vaccines, Experts Say<\/b><\/p>\n
FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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 Times<\/i>reported Thursday.<\/p>\n
Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n CDC Plans Cellphone COVID-19 Vaccine Tracking System<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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,CNN<\/i>reported Thursday.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Convalescent Plasma Has Limited Benefit for Moderate COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Survival From COVID-19 High in Patients With Psoriasis<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Findings Conflicted for Benefit of Tocilizumab in COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Oct. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n FDA Approves Remdesivir for Treatment of COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first treatment for COVID-19.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n CDC Broadens Definition of ‘Close Contact’ in Tracing COVID-19 Infections<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Enrolls 30,000<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The first company to start a phase 3 trial of a COVID-19 vaccine reached its target of enrolling 30,000 participants, CNN<\/i> reported Thursday.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n CDC: Number of COVID-19 Deaths May Be Underreported<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Tocilizumab Does Not Prevent Intubation, Death in COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Algorithm Predicts Death, Hospital Admission From COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Cytokines Not at ‘Storm’ Levels in Those With Severe COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n THURSDAY, Oct. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 may not cause a cytokine storm, according to a review published online Oct. 16 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Fauci ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ for COVID-19 Vaccine by Year’s End<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n New Wave of COVID-19 Infections Taking Hold in America<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Vertebral Fractures Marker of Poorer Prognosis in COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Vaccine Attributes Influence Readiness to Accept COVID-19 Shot<\/b><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n No COVID-19 Vaccines Allowed in California Without State Approval<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Scientists to Infect Volunteers With COVID-19 in Challenge Trial<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — British scientists are infecting healthy volunteers with COVID-19, in hopes of speeding up vaccine development, The Washington Post<\/i>reported Tuesday.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n CDC Recommends Face Masks in All Public Transportation Settings<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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 News<\/i>reported.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n COVID-19 Mitigation Measures Tied to Fewer Preterm Births<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Kidney Disease, Injury Linked to Higher Mortality With COVID-19<\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n No Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Expected Before Election<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Emergency Sick Leave Helped to Flatten the U.S. COVID-19 Curve<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Pandemic Taking Toll on the Mental Health of Health Care Staff<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n COVID-19-Linked Deaths Mainly in Seniors in May to August 2020<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Well Tolerated in Phase 1\/2 Trial<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Risk for Severe COVID-19 Low With Congenital Heart Disease<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/i>.<\/p>\n Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n Neurologic Complications Seen in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients<\/b><\/p>\n MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Neurologic disorders are not uncommon in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in Neurology<\/i>.<\/p>\n