Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) News

As part of AHA’s Joining Hands for Greater Impact series, we talk to Atrium Health, American Airlines and Charlotte Douglas International Airport representatives about how they came together to “get shots in arms” in Charlotte, N.C. 

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued an emergency use authorization for a next generation sequencing test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory specimens from individuals suspected of COVID-19 by their health care provider.

In this episode of Leadership Rounds, I talk with Alvin Hoover, CEO of King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven, Miss., who is serving on the front lines of rural health care.   

The Senate voted 92-7 to pass and send to the president legislation (H.R. 1799) to extend the Paycheck Protection Program through June 30. The president is expected to sign the bill, which will allow applications through May 31. Without the extension, the program would expire March 31.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing on improving COVID-19 health equity and outcomes by addressing health disparities.

The White House announced a $10 billion investment in promoting public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, particularly among the hardest-hit and highest-risk communities. 

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General reported findings from a random survey of hospital leaders last month on their most difficult current challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, greatest concerns going forward and how the government could best help. 

Given the sustained increase in variants resistant to bamlanivimab alone, and availability of alternative authorized monoclonal antibodies, the U.S. government, in coordination with Eli Lilly, will stop the distribution of bamlanivimab alone starting today, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response announced.

A new analysis prepared by Kaufman, Hall & Associates LLC and released by the AHA shows that even under the most optimistic scenario, including a smooth vaccine roll-out and reduced COVID-19 hospitalizations, 39% of hospitals would operate in the red in 2021, a marked increase over pre-pandemic baselines.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized for emergency use an armband device that screens people without COVID-19 symptoms for certain potential SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers, such as excessive blood clotting. 

AstraZeneca said its AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine candidate is safe and effective, based on data culled from a phase 3 clinical trial of 32,449 U.S. patients. 

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday updated the health care provider fact sheets for all three monoclonal antibody therapies authorized for emergency use to include information on whether SARS-CoV-2 variants may show resistance to that therapy.

AHA urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to extend the five-year window for building medical residency programs to account for the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The incredible job that hospitals and caregivers have done over the past year saving lives, treating very sick patients and protecting their communities has been acknowledged and enabled by Congress through relief aid several times since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration authorized marketing a SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test beyond the public health emergency based on additional data. FDA previously authorized the BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1 test for emergency use to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens in individuals with suspected COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a federal classification scheme for SARS-CoV-2 variants and posted information on their prevalence in the United States.

On this AHA Advancing Health podcast, Esther Corpuz, CEO of Alivio Medical Center in Chicago, talks about combating the COVID-19 pandemic through testing, vaccinations and education within the community.

The Food and Drug Administration launched a dashboard that will provide weekly updates on adverse events submitted to its adverse event reporting system for COVID-19 drugs and biological products authorized for emergency use.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allocated $10 billion to states and territories from the American Rescue Plan Act to support testing to screen teachers, staff and students for COVID-19 to help reopen schools.

President Biden directed states, tribes and territories to make all adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccination by May 1.