Articles related to COVID-19

Explore how metformin, a widely accessible diabetes drug, might play a critical role in preventing long COVID when given during the acute phase of COVID-19.

Understanding COVID-19’s Cognitive Effects on College Students As physicians, understanding the cognitive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our younger population is crucial. This summary distills key findings from a recent study conducted by The Ohio State University.

Dive into the implications of the FDA’s approval of nirmatrelvir+ritonavir, the first oral antiviral pill for COVID-19. The FDA’s recent approval of nirmatrelvir+ritonavir (Paxlovid, Pfizer) marks a significant advancement in COVID-19 treatment. This oral antiviral, the first of its kind, targets mild to moderate cases in high-risk adults. It’s the fourth drug, but the first pill, to gain FDA approval for treating adult COVID-19 patients. Nirmatrelvir+ritonavir will remain available under emergency use authorization, ensuring continued access for adults and for eligible 12-18 year olds. However, it’s not approved for pre- or post-exposure COVID-19 prevention. Patrizia Cavazzoni, MD, the director for the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, applauded the drug’s approval. She stressed the agency’s commitment to advancing new prevention and treatment options. The efficacy of nirmatrelvir+ritonavir comes primarily from the EPIC-HR clinical trial. This trial studied nonhospitalized symptomatic adults diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the study, nirmatrelvir+ritonavir reduced COVID-19–related hospitalizations or deaths by 86% compared to placebo when used within five days of symptom onset. Almost equal numbers of patients received nirmatrelvir+ritonavir and a placebo. Only 0.9% of the combo pill group were hospitalized or died within 28 days of follow-up, compared to 6.5% in the placebo group. […]

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has just disclosed an enlightening study titled, “Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burnout & Stress Among U.S. Nurses.” The study provides a stark look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the U.S. nursing workforce, leading to stress, burnout, and a disturbing decline in their numbers. The groundbreaking research has unveiled that approximately 100,000 registered nurses (RNs) exited the workforce during the pandemic, primarily due to stress, burnout, and retirements. A staggering 610,388 RNs reported plans to leave by 2027 for similar reasons. Particularly alarming is the high proportion of younger nurses, under 40 years of age, who share these intentions. In total, about one-fifth of RNs across the nation are predicted to depart the health care workforce. Moreover, the study revealed that 62% of nurses had to shoulder a heavier workload during the pandemic. A significant portion reported feeling emotionally drained, burned out, and even at the end of their tether. These feelings were notably more pronounced among nurses with 10 or fewer years of experience, leading to an overall 3.3% drop in the U.S. nursing workforce within the last two years. Licensed practical/vocational nurses, who […]

COVID-19, as we know, is a global health crisis that has had a significant impact on the mental health of nurses. Until now, no studies were available on factors affecting the psychological well-being of nurses in Turkey during the pandemic. These insights are crucial because any impairments to nurses’ psychological well-being can negatively affect both the quality of care they provide and their overall performance. In an effort to fill this knowledge gap, the study used a descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional design. By adhering to the STROBE reporting guideline checklist, the researchers meticulously compiled their findings. A sample of 295 nurses from a Health Application and Research Center in Turkey, who voluntarily participated through social media tools, formed the study group. Data collection occurred between June and August 2020 using Google forms. Instruments employed included a Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S), the Work-Life Balance (WLB) Scale, and the Psychological Well-Being (PWB) Scale. The team employed stepwise multiple linear regression analysis to pinpoint factors affecting psychological well-being. Unsurprisingly, the study found that both the work-life balance and psychological well-being of nurses were negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most nurses exhibited mild-to-moderate levels of COVID-19 phobia. Among the […]

Let’s delve into the complexity of mask effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 in diverse settings. Debate rages on about optimal mask use for COVID-19 prevention. This trial takes a fresh look at the issue. It evaluates N95, surgical, and cloth masks in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections. The team sourced data from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and medRxiv. They also scanned relevant reference lists. They selected randomized trials and observational studies. These studies increased mask use and controlled for confounding factors in assessing SARS-CoV-2 infection risk. Two investigators carried out the data extraction process. They carefully abstracted data from each study and evaluated its quality. Their efforts resulted in the inclusion of three randomized trials and 21 observational studies. Evidence from two trials and seven studies points to a possible reduction in SARS-CoV-2 infection risk through mask use in community settings. Despite this, observational studies failed to provide sufficient evidence for other mask comparisons due to methodological inconsistencies. In routine patient care settings, one new trial and four studies indicated comparable infection risk between surgical masks and N95 respirators. However, the study couldn’t disregard the potential beneficial effects of N95 respirators. Yet, several limitations cloud these findings. These include a limited number of randomized trials, methodological […]