Medical Director Report 5-2021

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5/10/21

Influenza Activity -- minimal.  

 

CDC Update:  Airborne COVID-19 transmission

n  How Coronavirus Spreads | CDC

n  Scientific Brief: SARS-CoV-2 Transmission | CDC

n  Although infections through inhalation at distances greater than six feet from an infectious source are less likely than at closer distances, the phenomenon has been repeatedly documented under certain preventable circumstances. These transmission events have involved the presence of an infectious person exhaling virus indoors for an extended time (more than 15 minutes and in some cases hours) leading to virus concentrations in the air space sufficient to transmit infections to people more than 6 feet away, and in some cases to people who have passed through that space soon after the infectious person left. Per published reports, factors that increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection under these circumstances include:

n  Enclosed spaces with inadequate ventilation or air handling within which the concentration of exhaled respiratory fluids, especially very fine droplets and aerosol particles, can build-up in the air space.

n  Increased exhalation of respiratory fluids if the infectious person is engaged in physical exertion or raises their voice (e.g., exercising, shouting, singing).

n  Prolonged exposure to these conditions, typically more than 15 minutes.

 

Doctors More Likely to Prescribe Opioids to Covid ‘Long Haulers,’ Raising Addiction Fears | Kaiser Health News (khn.org)

n  Increase in opioid and benzo prescriptions related to treatment of “Long COVID.”
n  Opioids still not appropriate for treatment of long term chronic pain, even in Long COVID.
n  However, we are still developing an understanding of Long COVID and are still working on the best treatments for symptoms of Long-COVID.

Relation between Vitamin D and COVID-19 in Aged People: A Systematic Review

n  This systematic review seems to support an association between vitamin D deficiency and the risk of COVID-19 in aged people. In addition, vitamin D deficiency appears to expose these subjects to a greater risk of adverse outcomes. Because of its simplicity of administration, and the rarity of side effects, including vitamin D in preventive strategies for certain viral diseases, it appears to be an attractive option.

Increase in Frailty in Nursing Home Survivors of Coronavirus Disease 2019: Comparison With Noninfected Residents

n   COVID-19 can accelerate the aging process of institutionalized older adults in terms of physical performance and frailty by around 20%. However, we found similar levels of decline in cognitive performance in both cases and controls, likely because of the burden of social isolation and containment measures on neuropsychological health.

Vaccine induced cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS, blood clots plus low blood platelets)

n  “The risk of CVST due to infection with COVID-19 is 8-10 times higher than the risk of CVST after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine,” lead author Karen L. Furie, MD, chair of the department of neurology at Brown University, Providence, R.I.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use in Adolescents in Another Important Action in Fight Against Pandemic | FDA

n  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age.