Clinical

As of July 6, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that the Delta variant is now the most prevalent form of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States. Given that this variant has ravaged other countries, most notably India at this time, it’s more essential than ever that urgent care providers continue to educate patients on the importance of vaccination against the virus, and the potential for increased immunization rates to save lives and help …

If clinical trials and scientific data are not enough to convince every American to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, maybe a sobering new report from the Associated Press will do the trick. In short, after crunching data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the AP concluded that most new COVID-19 deaths occur in people who are not vaccinated. In May, only around 150 of the 18,000 Americans (0.8%) who died were fully vaccinated. Similarly, …

Even with caseloads remaining low in much of the U.S. and states continuing to relax protective restrictions, two realities remain inescapable as the COVID-19 pandemic continues: 1) The Delta variant is associated with approximately double the risk of hospitalization compared with the Alpha variant, per a research letter just published by The Lancet and 2) persistent refusal by residents of certain states puts us all at risk for the Delta variant to become the dominant …

One of the knocks on development of the COVID-19 vaccines, from the public’s perspective, is that the process went so fast that people are convinced corners were cut. Many are simply afraid the vaccines aren’t safe. However, an article just published by JAMA Network indicates that the more patients are counseled on the vaccines, the more trusting and less hesitant they become. Participants in the Understanding America Study (UAS) of U.S. adults, conducted between October …

The joy over reengaging with others and seeing local economies start to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic could be very short-lived if vaccination rates don’t increase—and soon, according to Scott Gottlieb, MD, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. In an appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation, Gottlieb predicted that transmission of the Delta variant of the virus, which JUCM News readers may recall has been shown in multiple studies to be more transmissible …

People have been separated not only from many loved ones over the past year and a half, but also from many cherished outdoor activities and adventures. Now that so many pandemic-related restrictions have been lifted, schools are out, and summer is officially here Americans are venturing out into nature again with a vengeance. The problem is, sometimes nature can be a high-risk environment. Whether they’re on or in the water, playing tennis, mountain climbing, or …

Some individuals who are opting out of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine say they’re counting on yet-to-be-realized herd immunity to protect them from long-term risk of being infected with the virus. One of the emerging ironies of the pandemic is that so many of those people reside together in states with low rates that herd immunity is unlikely to occur. This may be especially concerning in light of data from the ZOE COVID Study in the …

Masks are coming off, restaurants, stadiums, and theaters are welcoming patrons back, and summer vacation plans are coming to fruition. Claiming victory over the pandemic would be both premature and concerning, however, according to public health officials as quoted in an article just published by The Guardian. For one thing, the aforementioned relaxing of preventive measures will be a test of just how effective COVID-19 vaccines are in the real world as people dive back …

As reported in JUCM News previously, mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing through much of the COVID-19 pandemic not only saved lives with regard to that virus, but had the side benefit of protecting the public against influenza. Rates of flu infection, hospitalization, and death were lower than they’ve been in years during the 2020-21 season. The fear among public health officials and experts now is that flu rates could come back with a vengeance once …

As we’ve told you, the public’s enthusiasm for the COVID-19 vaccines was surprisingly muted once the initial excitement over their availability wore off. Doubt over their safety, especially regarding possible long-term effects, has kept too many people from getting the shot even though it’s the one definitive act that could help bring the pandemic to a close. An article just published by the Journal of the American Medical Association brings good news, however; as more …