Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) News

A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the importance of good fit to maximize mask performance.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized administering the monoclonal antibodies bamlanivimab and etesevimab together to treat patients 12 and older with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for progressing to severe disease but not hospitalized or on oxygen therapy.

The Food and Drug Administration issued updated guidance on using ventilator splitters to support more than one patient when other options are unavailable.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual persons in the U.S. have higher self-reported prevalence of several underlying health conditions associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes, compared to heterosexual persons, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has brought us excruciatingly difficult times, I keep saying this is the finest hour for hospitals. Our field has risen to incredible challenges with expertise, commitment and compassion, and it’s inspiring to see.

The House and Senate passed a concurrent budget resolution giving Congress the option to use fast-track procedures to pass the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package with a simple majority in the Senate.

Between March 22 and Oct. 17, 2020, weekly COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates reported by 10 COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network sites declined by 5.5 percentage points for adults under age 65 after states began mandating the use of facemasks, according to a report released by the CDC.

President Biden and congressional Democrats are moving forward with the president’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal.

AHA is partnering with the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association to urge the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when their opportunity arises.

The AHA voiced support for the Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act (H.R. 526), legislation that would automatically trigger a special enrollment period so consumers can apply for Marketplace or employer-sponsored coverage during a public health emergency.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing to examine the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Testifying at the hearing were public health officials from Illinois, Michigan, West Virginia, Louisiana and Colorado.

President Biden announced details on several initiatives designed to combat COVID-19. The administration is expanding the supply of vaccines, upping the number of weekly allocated doses to 10.5 million.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced they have filed a joint budget resolution for fiscal year 2021 giving Congress an additional legislative tool to potentially pass COVID-19 relief legislation that enacts President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.

Not-for-profit organization the Ad Council is providing a trove of market research designed to understand and effectively message to Black, Hispanic, young adults and others who have expressed hesitancy with getting vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The Department of Defense awarded Ellume USA $231.8 million to ramp up domestic production of its COVID-19 diagnostic test, the first test users can perform fully at home without a prescription.

About 12. 9 million people received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines between Dec. 14 and Jan. 14, the first month of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Ten Republican senators released highlights from their $618 billion COVID-19 relief proposal, outlined Sunday in a letter to President Biden. The proposal includes $35 billion for the Provider Relief Fund, with 20% set aside for rural hospitals; $20 billion for vaccine efforts; and $50 billion for testing, among other provisions.

The Department of Health and Human Services amended its declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to permit physicians, registered nurses and practical nurses whose license or certification has expired in the past five years to prescribe, dispense and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any state or U.S. territory.

Johnson & Johnson provided a concrete look at its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, revealing that its efficacy is expected to be sufficient to pursue an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

Our country is ready, eager and hopeful this year for at least a partial return to the pre-COVID-19 world. Everyone has a role to play in getting there.