Hospital Employee Health
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COVID-19 Inflammatory Syndrome Emerging in Adults
Healthcare workers could be at risk of multisystem inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19, as the poorly understood condition first seen in children now is emerging in adults.
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15 Minutes of Infamy? CDC Warns of Cumulative Exposures
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised questions after the agency said clinically significant COVID-19 close-contact exposures could occur in intervals over time.
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With Political Change, OSHA Infectious Disease Standard Appears Back in Play
In acknowledged underestimates, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports tens of thousands of healthcare workers have acquired COVID-19 and hundreds have died. With CDC guidelines nonregulatory, politicized, and too often ignored during the pandemic, the question arises: Could an enforceable infectious disease standard by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have saved lives during the pandemic?
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Occupational COVID-19 Exposures to Colleagues
Healthcare workers may be vigilant with personal protective equipment around COVID-19 patients, but inadvertently expose themselves to colleagues when they take breaks, socialize, and eat. Part of the problem is healthcare workers are experiencing PPE fatigue and may be tempted to removed gear for brief respites when possible.
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High Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccines Buoys Hopes
Although questions and caveats remain, preliminary reports of two new COVID-19 vaccines in the 90% to 95% effectiveness range have bolstered hopes that healthcare workers may soon be protected and potentially large portions of the public immunized in 2021.
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Is It Time for a Mask Mandate?
With COVID-19 surging nationally, there are increasing calls for a national mask mandate for the public. There appears to be sufficient evidence to support such a measure as we enter a winter of considerable discontent.
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Flu Deaths in Children, Vaccination Hesitancy
Although COVID-19 certainly has caused some infections and deaths in children, they generally have fared well against the virus compared to other age groups. Influenza, on the other hand, can cause severe disease in children.
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Emergency Physicians Are Suffering as COVID-19 Resurges
A new survey by the American College of Emergency Physicians, conducted in October, revealed that 87% of emergency physicians say they are more stressed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, 72% report experiencing more professional burnout.
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The Age of Misinformation and Vaccine Hesitancy
Within this broader disinformation is specific distrust of the vaccines under development for COVID-19. In addition, the messaging of doing something potentially dangerous at “warp speed,” along with media descriptions of a “race to a vaccine,” have made people nervous.
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The Key Question About COVID-19 Vaccines: Are They Safe?
The sheer size of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials will enhance prelicensure safety and efficacy evaluation. Many post-market evaluations are in development to bolster existing surveillance for adverse events.