Clinical

After an outright cure for or a vaccine to prevent COVID-19, the Holy Grail of the pandemic is a reliable method of testing patients who may have been infected. A new study out of the University of Insubria, Varese, Italy shows that testing saliva could be as reliable as anything else. Researchers got positive tests from their first salivary swab in all 25 patients who took part. Interestingly, two of those patients had negative pharyngeal …

We’ve all been operating under the guidance that 6 feet could be considered relatively “safe” distancing between individuals in order to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, new data from Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China indicate that the transmission distance might be twice that or more—at least 4 meters, or 13.1 feet-plus according to a study of air samples there. The researchers based their findings on swab samples from the intensive care unit …

The Urgent Care Association has teamed up with the College of Urgent Care Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians to issue a one-page risk stratification guide that suggests best practices when dealing with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases. The complete guide, which separates patients into Risk Category I (consider discharge and home monitoring) or Risk Category II (consider transfer to ED) is available here.

Studies of COVID-19 from around the world are just starting to bear fruit. One, just published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, reveals that the salivary viral load of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highest in the first week after symptom onset. While viral RNA was detected 25 days after symptoms onset in one patient, serum samples from 16 patients were negative at 14 days. Serial viral load was ascertained through reverse transcriptase …

Some urgent care operators are employing telemedicine to help identify patients who need to be tested or who need treatment for COVID-19 vs those who don’t—the idea being to keep people at home and out of healthcare facilities for as long as possible, if they need to go anywhere at all. ZOOM+Care is going one step further toward that goal by piloting a saliva-based, self-sample test that patients can do for themselves at home. The …

Whether due to longer shifts and potentially sicker patients, concern over their own and their families’ health, or angst over how best to help at a time of such great need, urgent care providers are experiencing more stress than ever. Recognizing this, Medical Economics posted a list of seven ways healthcare providers can practice mental health self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mental Health Survival Guide During COVID-19 starts by reminding the clinician that feeling …

One thing that has become painfully clear as the COVID-19 pandemic continues is the fact that healthcare facilities are understocked on personal protective equipment. Of especially critical importance are reports that there are not enough N95 filtering facepiece respirators—the only type currently rated to protect the wearer from coronavirus—to meet current and growing needs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an advisory on maximizing the life of each unit. Among the tips …

In contrast to premature (and sometimes downright erroneous) mainstream media reports about quick fixes for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have both released reliable information about progress toward corralling the outbreak. First, the FDA has issued an emergency-use authorization for a point-of-care test for emergency use in patients suspected of having COVID-19. The Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test (Cepheid) is intended for use in high- …

With advice on COVID-19 seemingly changing several times a day, it’s essential to not let the volume of information overwhelm your ability to take care of your patients. Recognizing that, JUCM convened a webinar to highlight the utility of chest x-rays, among other methods, to help distinguish patients who have COVID-19 from those who merely have similar symptoms. Speakers Ana Echenique, MD, DABR and Michael Weinstock, MD led a discussion on red flags for the …

Patients (as well as relatives, neighbors, and acquaintances) have endless questions for urgent care providers about transmission of COVID-19. As the number of cases mounts many are likely to retrace their steps, mentally, to think about whom they’ve been in contact with, and how long ago they may have been around a large group of people. This begs the question, How long do I need to be concerned?, especially if they know someone who has …