Tag: pandemics
The Plague Cycle: The Unending War Between Humanity and Infectious Disease
For four thousand years, the size and vitality of cities, economies, and empires were heavily determined by infection. Striking humanity in waves, the cycle of plagues set the tempo of civilizational growth and decline, since... read more
The Rules of Contagion: Why Things Spread – And Why They Stop
From ideas and infections to financial crises and fake news, an "utterly timely" look at why the science of outbreaks is the science of modern life These days, whenever anything spreads, whether it's a YouTube fad or a... read more
Let’s stop the blame game over the ICU beds shortage for COVID-19 patients
The situation in UK intensive care units (ICUs) is grave. Across the UK, units are under immense pressure and are as busy or busier than they were in the first wave. All plans enacted over the summer to provide support for... read more
RAPID UPDATE: Clinical Guide for the Management of Critical Care for Adults with COVID-19
This RAPID UPDATE to the FICM/ICS "Clinical guide for the management of critical care for adults with COVID-19 during the Coronavirus pandemic" highlights five clinically urgent issues for practising clinicians caring for... read more
ECMO for COVID-19 patients in Europe and Israel
As of October 17th the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) caused a pandemic disease (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) 40 million people worldwide, with almost one million deaths. Although most patients have an uncomplicated... read more
FDA Warns Against Cutting the COVID-19 Vaccine Dosing in Half
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning health care workers that any changes to the authorized dosing schedules of COVID-19 vaccines currently being administered would significantly place public health at risk and... read more
Ten reasons why corticosteroid therapy reduces mortality in severe COVID-19
Primary outcome in the RECOVERY trial and in the WHO REACT meta-analysis was 28-day mortality. Assessing 28-day mortality may not be the optimal outcome in a trial. Since patients with severe COVID-19 often require prolonged... read more
COVID-19 – In The Eye Of The Storm
We're back in the eye of the storm, said NHS Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens. Yes we are. He made no admission of how we got into this storm, nor explained how we’re going to get out of it. His Five Year Plan for the... read more
The COVID-19 Vaccine: An Expert’s Medical Guide for All
Vaccine expert Zeil Rosenberg, M.D. shares his medical knowledge, backed by scientific data, about the development, safety and effectiveness of the new COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Rosenberg M.D. is a Board-Certified Preventive... read more
Support and Follow-up Needs of Patients Discharged from ICU After Severe COVID-19
After discharge from an intensive care unit(ICU), over 50% of patients face significant physical, mental and cognitive problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a large cohort of these patients who will need follow-up... read more
From the Exposome to the Socioexposome in COVID-19 Research
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to expose how access to health care and delivery of care are important concerns, second only to the primary concern regarding exposure to the severe acute respiratory... read more
Patient Characteristics Associated With Telemedicine Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this cohort study of patients scheduled for primary care and medical specialty ambulatory telemedicine visits at a large academic health system during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, older patients, Asian patients,... read more
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for COVID-19
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed extraordinary strain on global healthcare systems. Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for patients with severe respiratory or cardiac failure attributed... read more
Adapting to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Thrust into a pandemic unlike any other, health professionals today must continually adapt to an ever-changing environment. Protocols change at dizzying rates, while the physical and mental demands of our jobs increase... read more
America Is Running Out of Nurses
In normal times, there are some 50,000 travelling nurses in the United States. Most are full-time gig workers who move from job to job, usually staying in one place for thirteen weeks. (That length is a holdover from old... read more
The Emerging Evidence for a Genetic Susceptibility to Severe COVID-19
A defining feature of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the wide spectrum of clinical presentations, ranging from asymptomatic viremia to life-threatening illness. Factors such as advancing age and co-morbid status have been... read more
Dr. Atul Gawande on why COVID-19 vaccinations will test American society
The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in America will test a deeply divided society, and not just because of mistrust in vaccinations, Atul Gawande, MD, told New Yorker Editor David Remnick. Dr. Gawande, longtime contributor... read more