Articles: coronavirus.
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Sep 2020
An Otolaryngologist Redeployed to a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit: Lessons Learned.
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant personnel burden on intensive care units across the globe. Physicians from various specialties, including otolaryngology, have heeded the call and been redeployed to provide support, serving in a capacity outside their usual scope of practice. The author shares personal experience from redeployment and provides a framework for otolaryngologists to maximize their impact while providing high-quality patient care and preserving their personal safety.
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J Ment Health Policy Econ · Sep 2020
Psychological Distress and Coronavirus Fears During the Initial Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant health and economic crisis around the world. The U.S. saw a rapid escalation in laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and related deaths in March, 2020. The financial consequences of a virtual economic shutdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus are widespread and debilitating, with over 30 million Americans (about 20% of the labor force) filing for unemployment benefits since mid-March. During these unprecedented times, it is important to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological distress and overall fear associated with the virus. ⋯ The relatively high mean score (21.12) for psychological distress during early stages of the pandemic suggests government officials, policy-makers, and public health advocates should act quickly to address emerging mental health problems.
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The Journal of infection · Sep 2020
SARS-CoV-2 infection, clinical features and outcome of COVID-19 in United Kingdom nursing homes.
To understand SARS-Co-V-2 infection and transmission in UK nursing homes in order to develop preventive strategies for protecting the frail elderly residents. ⋯ The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in four UK nursing homes was associated with very high infection and mortality rates. Many residents developed either atypical or had no discernible symptoms. A number of asymptomatic staff members also tested positive, suggesting a role for regular screening of both residents and staff in mitigating future outbreaks.
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Clin. Microbiol. Infect. · Sep 2020
Observational StudyNew-onset anosmia and ageusia in adult patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
We investigated the prevalence of anosmia and ageusia in adult patients with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of infection with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). ⋯ Over half of the positive patients reported anosmia and ageusia, suggesting that these should be added to the case definition and used to guide self-isolation protocols. This adaptation may be integral to case findings in the absence of population-level testing. Until we have successful population-level vaccination coverage, these steps remain critical in the current and future waves of this pandemic.