Prioritize ventilation over masking, ‘realistic’ epidemiologist advises long-term care providers
By
Kimberly Marselas
Nov 23, 2022
Staying away from groups when sick and improved ventilation — but not masking — are the way forward at this point in the pandemic, a noted epidemiologist and COVID-19 advisor told a nursing home group...
Some providers dubious as return to pre-COVID ‘normal’ gets official OK
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 07, 2022
Providers are still clamoring for answers about how to best comply with a series of new rules and recommendations issued by federal regulators over the last two weeks, officials acknowledged during a nursing...
Providers urged to remember COVID-19 tactics as dangerous flu season looms
By
Joe Bush
Oct 06, 2022
Influenza, once the respiratory scourge that nursing home residents and professionals feared the most each year before COVID-19 hit, should be back on providers’ radar in a big way, experts warn.
Messages from the temperature police
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 04, 2022
They were curious about nursing homes no longer needing to use staff or an automated screening tool to monitor visitors or staff.
APIC expert urges mask-wearing in LTC, despite guidance switch
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 04, 2022
Despite a recent shift in CDC guidance, now is not the right time for long-term care providers to relax masking and other source control use, says infection preventionist Deb Burdsall of APIC.
CDC says universal masking can be dropped in some nursing homes, hospitals
Sep 26, 2022
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has eased its universal masking recommendation for nursing homes and hospitals, unless those healthcare institutions are in areas seeing high levels...
With new CDC guidance, providers duck ‘up-to-date’ vaccination concerns
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 27, 2022
While masking and screening of nursing home workers and visitors may no longer be required in areas with lower COVID-19 transmission rates, vaccination and testing efforts will be crucial if providers...
Healthcare workers have 40 percent lower odds of COVID with respirators vs. surgical masks
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 17, 2022
Despite cumulative exposure, healthcare workers in 2020 and 2021 were 40% less likely to contract COVID-19 when they wore respirators rather than surgical masks, investigators say.
Clinical briefs for Friday, Feb. 11
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 11, 2022
CDC considers updating mask guidance as states drop mandates … Clot-busting stroke drug safe to use in patients taking blood thinners … New questionnaire helps assess elders’ exercise motivation...
Hospital’s coronavirus containment success a model for other facilities, researchers say
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 09, 2022
A testing and mask protocol that rapidly stopped the spread of COVID-19 in two hospital units during the omicron surge may be a useful model for other facilities to emulate, researchers say.