Clinical

Use of e-cigarettes and similar devices, a practice collectively known as vaping, was promoted early on as a “safer” alternative to traditional tobacco smoking or a way to help smokers wean themselves off the habit. Urgent care providers now know that’s far from the truth, as vaping has been blamed for a slew of serious health problems. The somewhat good news is that an upward trend in the number of U.S. adolescents who vape may …

It’s been presumed—but not confirmed or quantified—that there’s a window of protection from further infection after an individual recovers from COVID-19. This is especially important when it comes to the healthcare workers who provide care for patients, including the invaluable team members in your urgent care center. Now data published online by The New England Journal of Medicine offers a glimmer of good (and validated) news, however: Antibodies protect most healthcare workers from reinfection for …

Readers of mainstream media reports on availability of the COVID-19 vaccine are likely to be confused as to when they themselves will be eligible to get the shot. Where the Boston Herald just reported that the general population might be eligible for immunization “by February,” Forbes posted an article saying that a quarter of the world’s population won’t be able to get the vaccine until 2022. They’re both likely to be correct. The Herald’s source …

With coronavirus vaccinations now being administered to the first round of recipients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just issued a new advisory specifying groups who are deemed to be “safe” to receive the vaccine. Specifically, the CDC advises that adults with underlying health conditions and autoimmune conditions, as well as those with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome and Bell’s palsy can be immunized. Last week, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted …

We know that immunocompromised patients are at increased risk for all manner of infection, including COVID-19. We also know that patients with cancer fall under that broad umbrella. However, new research indicates that cancer patients, specifically, are at greater risk for infection and subsequent mortality due to the virus. This phenomenon seems to be especially prevalent in those recently diagnosed with leukemia, lung cancer, and non–Hodgkin lymphoma, according to a study just published in JAMA …

Some corners of the public seem to have fallen back into the notion that, while patients with comorbid conditions are at higher risk, a case of COVID-19 is not that different from a bad case of influenza—you feel bad for a week or two and then you’re back on your feet. New data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine should help you disavow them of that misconception, however. An article there indicates that up …

The United States is already grappling with a deadly resurgence of the COVID-19 virus, but news from the United Kingdom indicates we could see a dire situation turn even worse if we’re not careful. The government there, perhaps wary of repeating mistakes that allowed the virus to run rampant last spring, has already implemented a partial shutdown of nonessential businesses and services in order to discourage widespread contact among the public. This is not “just” …

A pair of new COVID-19 self-test kits received approval from the Food and Drug Administration this week. The biggest—and possibly most concerning—difference between the two is that one is available without a prescription. The first, BinaxNOW from Abbott, was already approved for, and being administered by, healthcare professionals. Now, however, patients who want to be tested can log on to an Abbott app with their smartphone to be connected to a healthcare provider at eMed. …

Media coverage of two British healthcare workers who experienced anaphylaxis after receiving the Pfizer/BioNT version of the COVID-19 vaccine last week led to widespread presumption that the vaccine should not be given to patients with a history of allergic reactions to vaccinations. In an effort to dispel that notion, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an announcement stating that the vaccine is believed to be safe for use in all patients, but that …

Obesity, hypertension, lung ailments, and any number of conditions have been linked to increased risk for complications in patients with COVID-19. While chronic kidney disease has not often gotten much attention, a new study published by PLOS ON indicates that CKD could actually be the leading risk factor for hospitalization in infected patients. The paper reflects analysis of the electronic health records of 12,971 individuals, 1,604 of whom had CKD; of those, 354 (22%) required …