Clinical

So many patients have lingering symptoms after the SARS-CoV-2 virus has actually resolved that distinctive names have emerged: long-haul COVID-19, or post-COVID condition. Complaints can include those associated directly with the virus—eg, shortness of breath, body aches, fatigue—or an entirely new set that could include twitching muscles, racing heart, and various gastrointestinal problems. Be prepared to administer COVID-19 tests or antibody tests to rule out true infection. In addition, according to the Centers for Disease …

Despite great strides in urgent care, overprescribing of antibiotics and related resistance to potentially lifesaving medications continues to be a concern across multiple practice settings. Sometimes it’s easier to write that prescription than it is to resist the urge to please patients and rack up high satisfaction scores. What if we found out that prescribers are equally swayed by the opinion of a respected colleague? That could be the case, it turns out, according to …

While people continue to celebrate a return to “normal” and what they see as the demise of the COVID-19 pandemic, an unfortunate truth is that 46 states are reporting at least a 10% increase in the number of confirmed cases. Thirty-six of those states say new cases have gone up at least 50%, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. While largely vaccine-hesitant states like Arkansas and Louisiana are seeing their numbers …

With just 55% of the U.S. population at least partially vaccinated and 48% fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus as of July 13, we have a ways to go before achieving adequate protection as a nation. Too many people are already skittish about receiving the vaccine. So it’s alarming any time there’s news of bad reactions among people who’ve gotten a shot. Such is the case today, as the Food and Drug Administration is expected …

It’s become something of a good-natured joke that the COVID-19 pandemic normalized day drinking and virtual happy hours among coworkers and “mommy groups.” The consequences of increased alcohol consumption during lockdowns are just becoming known, however, and they’re no laughing matter. Authors of an article just published by JAMA Network collected data from more than a dozen studies, arriving at the conclusion that between 20% and 40% of individuals acknowledged consuming more alcohol during the …

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 …