Hospitals should stop mass testing for Covid, says influential panel of infectious disease experts
2 years ago

Hospitals should stop mass testing for Covid, says influential panel of infectious disease experts

Daily Mail  

An influential panel of infectious disease experts recommended hospitals stop testing all new admissions for Covid, which they argue is coming at too high a cost for patients and providers. An influential panel of experts, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, are now discouraging hospitals from burdensome testing which adds to hospital wait times and crowding as well as the financial burden of keeping up with the twindemic These experts also noted that a hospital policy of universal Covid testing creates a ripple effect of delays in emergency departments with patients. Pre-admission Covid screening adds burdensome delays in delivering the medical care that sick patients require, studies show A May 2022 study by the Cook County Department of Emergency Medicine in Illinois reported that routine asymptomatic Covid testing extended patients’ time in the emergency department waiting room by an average of about seven hours. Dr Thomas Talbot, an epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University and a member of the SHEA Board of Directors said: ‘The small benefits that could come from asymptomatic testing at this stage in the pandemic are over ridden by potential harms from delays in procedures, delays in patient transfers, and strains on laboratory capacity and personnel.’ The board did not, however, recommend a universal end to pre-admission screening, saying that patients who are at higher risk of developing severe Covid, such as organ transplant and cancer patients, should still be tested.

Patients Testing Hospitals Hospital Covid Screening Influential Panel  panel  hospitals  covid  experts  patients  asymptomatic  delays  stop  hospital  mass  disease  testing  emergency  screening  influential  infectious

History of this topic

UK health services under strain after record flu, Norovirus cases
1 month ago

UK health services under strain after record flu, Norovirus cases

Hindustan Times  

The number of people in hospital with flu has more than quadrupled compared to last year, new figures reveal, as NHS leaders warn of a mounting "quad-demic" crisis, driven by rising cases of flu, Covid-19, norovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. An average of 1,099 flu patients were hospitalized each day last week, including 39 in critical care, a sharp increase …

Too many patients are catching COVID in Australian hospitals, doctors say. So why are hospitals rolling back precautions?
10 months, 4 weeks ago

Too many patients are catching COVID in Australian hospitals, doctors say. So why are hospitals rolling back precautions?

ABC  

Steve Irons' older brother Jim was only supposed to be in hospital for a short while. But senior healthcare workers in several states say vulnerable people — including transplant and oncology patients and others with compromised immune systems — are contracting COVID because even basic precautions are not being taken: a consequence, they say, of hospitals' failure to address airborne …

Covid and norovirus hospital admissions soar as NHS leaders issue cold weather warning
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Covid and norovirus hospital admissions soar as NHS leaders issue cold weather warning

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. He said: “These figures show this continues to be …

Sick with COVID and the flu: Double infections hit California hard
1 year ago

Sick with COVID and the flu: Double infections hit California hard

LA Times  

California’s hospitals are getting busier with more COVID-19 and flu patients, some of whom are suffering from both viruses at the same time. L.A. County’s entry into the “medium” COVID-19 hospitalization category has prompted local public health officials to order hospitals, nursing homes and any other inpatient facility to require healthcare employees mask up while in patient-care areas. Multiple tests …

Ensure Covid Tools in Hospital: Min.
1 year ago

Ensure Covid Tools in Hospital: Min.

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: Health minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha on Saturday directed health authorities to inspect the functioning of ventilators in various hospitals and ordered the immediate utilisation of oxygen concentrators for treatment. During a comprehensive review of Covid-19 control measures in the backdrop of cases rising again, Rajanarasimha emphasised the swift restoration of PSA plants in hospitals that are facing oxygen shortage. …

Flu, Covid or RSV? Warning issued as respiratory illness cases soar across US
1 year ago

Flu, Covid or RSV? Warning issued as respiratory illness cases soar across US

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An infectious diseases expert has warned that the US could see …

Covid-19 not a concern for most US adults, who are split on the latest vaccine and other precautions, KFF survey finds
1 year, 1 month ago

Covid-19 not a concern for most US adults, who are split on the latest vaccine and other precautions, KFF survey finds

CNN  

CNN — Most adults in the United States are not worried about getting sick with Covid-19 or spreading it over the holidays, a new survey from KFF found. Concern about rising cases and hospitalizations is slightly higher, with nearly half of adults saying they are “very” or “somewhat” worried that Covid-19 hospitalizations will increase this winter – about the same …

Up to 167,000 people caught Covid in hospital in second wave of pandemic – study
1 year, 2 months ago

Up to 167,000 people caught Covid in hospital in second wave of pandemic – study

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The findings also point to ways we might be …

Continue COVID-19 testing to check emergence of new virus variants: WHO chief
1 year, 4 months ago

Continue COVID-19 testing to check emergence of new virus variants: WHO chief

The Hindu  

Warning that many countries aren’t testing enough and that new SARS-CoV-2 virus variants may emerge, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, on Wednesday said that testing and being vigilant is vital in continuing the fight against COVID-19. “While COVID is now behind us and India did its best during the time, we can expect new and more …

Govt Eases Covid Guidelines for International Travellers
1 year, 5 months ago

Govt Eases Covid Guidelines for International Travellers

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: As Covid-19 cases continue to decline in the country, the Union health ministry has eased the guidelines for international visitors on Wednesday. The earlier requirement of RT-PCR testing for a random two per cent subset of international travelers has been dropped. Under the revised guidelines, all international travellers are advised to be fully vaccinated as per the approved …

What you need to know to stay safe from COVID now that the public health emergency has ended
1 year, 7 months ago

What you need to know to stay safe from COVID now that the public health emergency has ended

LA Times  

Ready or not, it’s over. And roughly three-quarters of those surveyed by KFF that same month said they believe the public health emergency’s end will either have a “positive impact” or “no impact” on the country overall. But you are in diminishing company: That March Gallup Poll found that 3% of U.S. respondents remained “very concerned” about coming down with …

The CDC is changing the way it monitors COVID-19 in the U.S.
1 year, 8 months ago

The CDC is changing the way it monitors COVID-19 in the U.S.

LA Times  

Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director for the CDC, said the country will be able to maintain “good sight lines” into the state of COVID-19 in America. With the federal government’s three-year-old public health emergency set to expire next Thursday, the agency will begin to track COVID-19 cases alongside other respiratory illnesses, said Dr. Nirav D. Shah, the CDC’s principal …

Ramp up COVID-19 testing and vaccination, identify hotspots, drill hospital infrastructure, Centre tells States
1 year, 9 months ago

Ramp up COVID-19 testing and vaccination, identify hotspots, drill hospital infrastructure, Centre tells States

The Hindu  

At a time when COVID-19 cases in the country are seeing a sustained spike, 23 States and Union Territories have testing rates that are even lower than the current national average of 100 tests per million people, the Health Ministry said during a review meeting on Friday. Tracking variants Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also advised States to ramp up …

Centre Asks States to Stay Alert As Covid-19 Cases Cross 6000-mark, Conduct Mock Drills
1 year, 9 months ago

Centre Asks States to Stay Alert As Covid-19 Cases Cross 6000-mark, Conduct Mock Drills

News 18  

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the surge in Covid-19 cases in the country and advised states to remain vigilant and prepare for effective management of the virus. During a virtual meeting with state health ministers, principal, and additional chief secretaries, Mandaviya emphasised the need to identify emergency hotspots through the monitoring of …

Without other pandemic precautions, hospital mask rules didn’t stop COVID spread, study finds
1 year, 9 months ago

Without other pandemic precautions, hospital mask rules didn’t stop COVID spread, study finds

LA Times  

In a world moving on from the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and medical offices have been the last bastions of mandatory masking. But new research finds that in communities where pandemic precautions have been largely abandoned, mask mandates in healthcare settings do little to prevent coronavirus infections among patients. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to recommend indoor …

Ramp up Covid testing to stay alert: Centre to states
1 year, 9 months ago

Ramp up Covid testing to stay alert: Centre to states

Hindustan Times  

The Union government on Saturday directed states to increase testing for Covid-19 as per the World Health Organization’s guidelines to effectively check any increase in its spread, people familiar with the matter said. “In the past several weeks, in some states Covid-19 testing has declined and the current testing levels are insufficient as compared to the standards prescribed by WHO,” …

COVID-19 tests down, need to be scaled up, says government
1 year, 9 months ago

COVID-19 tests down, need to be scaled up, says government

The Hindu  

The Health Ministry on Saturday warned that at a time when the country was registering a sustained increase in the trajectory of COVID-19 cases in some States, COVID-19 testing had declined. In its advisory, the Ministry said that testing at the level of districts and blocks also varied, with some States heavily relying on the less sensitive rapid antigen tests. …

Rise in Viral Infection: Private Hospitals, Labs Offering Flu Testing Packages to Avoid Repeat Examination
1 year, 9 months ago

Rise in Viral Infection: Private Hospitals, Labs Offering Flu Testing Packages to Avoid Repeat Examination

News 18  

Amid a spurt in COVID-19 cases, influenza and other respiratory infections in the national capital, private hospitals and laboratories are offering comprehensive packages to eliminate the need for repeated testing. “Taking into account the significant increase in viral infections in the city, we have launched a multiplex PCR-based comprehensive flu panel which comprises 17 pathogens, including all common viruses such …

At high-level review meet, PM Modi advises Covid appropriate behaviour, vigil
1 year, 9 months ago

At high-level review meet, PM Modi advises Covid appropriate behaviour, vigil

Hindustan Times  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the coronavirus disease and Influenza situation in the country where he stressed the need to follow Covid-appropriate behavior and maintain respiratory hygiene. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a high-level meeting to review the covid situation amid rise in cases in the country and to take stock of …

COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, warns PM Modi
1 year, 9 months ago

COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, warns PM Modi

The Hindu  

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned on Wednesday, emphasising the need to monitor the status of the disease across the country on a regular basis. At a high-level review meeting, Mr. Modi directed officials to increase whole genome sequencing of COVID positive samples, using the designated INSACOG laboratories, as this would support the tracking …

Government drops self testing and quarantine for coronavirus
1 year, 9 months ago

Government drops self testing and quarantine for coronavirus

Dutch News  

The cabinet on Friday agreed to scrap the last of the coronavirus measures currently in place, dropping the self-test requirement if people have complaints as well as the remaining quarantine measures. ‘By ending the last of the coronavirus measures, we are leaving behind an extraordinary period, and one which we will not forget quickly,’ Kuipers said. The public health institute …

Coronavirus test centres can close, self-testing can stop, advisors say
1 year, 10 months ago

Coronavirus test centres can close, self-testing can stop, advisors say

Dutch News  

The government’s coronavirus advisory team says mass testing at regional centres can be wound down and that the recommendation to use self tests if people have symptoms can be dropped. In its 146th set of recommendations since the pandemic began three years ago, the Outbreak Management Team says the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and its sub variants is now …

Coronavirus test centres can close, self-testing can stop, advisors say
1 year, 10 months ago

Coronavirus test centres can close, self-testing can stop, advisors say

Dutch News  

The government’s coronavirus advisory team says mass testing at regional centres can be wound down and that the recommendation to use self tests if people have symptoms can be dropped. In its 146th set of recommendations since the pandemic began three years ago, the Outbreak Management Team says the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and its sub variants is now …

Large-scale Covid testing no longer necessary; Pandemic now “endemic,” says outbreak team
1 year, 10 months ago

Large-scale Covid testing no longer necessary; Pandemic now “endemic,” says outbreak team

NL Times  

Large-scale testing for coronavirus is no longer necessary, said the Outbreak Management Team in its latest advice to the Cabinet. Measures against coronavirus should be equated as much as possible with "generic measures" that already apply to other respiratory infections, the OMT advised. "That is generally no longer necessary in the current epidemiological phase," said the OMT. The OMT said …

Flu hospital admissions drop sharply in fresh sign infections have peaked
1 year, 11 months ago

Flu hospital admissions drop sharply in fresh sign infections have peaked

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Admissions stood at 2.7 per …

Christmas Covid infections spiked to highest level since summer
2 years ago

Christmas Covid infections spiked to highest level since summer

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Just shy of 6,000 people entered English hospitals with coronavirus in the week to 2 …

Number of coronavirus patients in hospitals rises to more than 800
2 years ago

Number of coronavirus patients in hospitals rises to more than 800

NL Times  

After a period of relative calm, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals is increasing again. According to the patient coordination service LCPS, exactly one week ago, 632 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus. However, the LCPS figures do not distinguish between people admitted because of Covid-19 symptoms, and those admitted for other health issues who were later found to …

Focus on oxygen cylinders, ventilators: Centre's fresh Covid advisory to states
2 years ago

Focus on oxygen cylinders, ventilators: Centre's fresh Covid advisory to states

India Today  

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on Saturday, issued a fresh six-point Covid advisory to the states as coronavirus cases exploded in China with a record high of 37 million on a single day. The availability of Liquid Medical Oxygen in the health facilities and an uninterrupted supply chain for their refilling should be ensured, directed the health ministry …

Facing COVID surge, China expanding hospitals, ICUs
2 years ago

Facing COVID surge, China expanding hospitals, ICUs

Associated Press  

BEIJING — Facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, China is setting up more intensive care facilities and trying to strengthen hospitals as it rolls back anti-virus controls that confined millions of people to their homes, crushed economic growth and set off protests. A Cabinet meeting called Thursday for “full mobilization” of hospitals including adding staff to ensure their “combat effectiveness” …

Facing COVID surge, China expanding hospitals, ICUs
2 years ago

Facing COVID surge, China expanding hospitals, ICUs

The Hindu  

Facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, China is setting up more intensive care facilities and trying to strengthen hospitals as Beijing rolls back anti-virus controls that confined millions of people to their homes, crushed economic growth and set off protests. A Cabinet meeting called Thursday for “full mobilisation” of hospitals including adding staff to ensure their “combat effectiveness” and increasing …

Facing COVID-19 surge, China expands hospitals, ICUs as Beijing rolls back anti-virus controls
2 years ago

Facing COVID-19 surge, China expands hospitals, ICUs as Beijing rolls back anti-virus controls

Firstpost  

President Xi Jinping’s government is officially committed to stopping virus transmission, the last major country to try. But the latest moves suggest the Communist Party will tolerate more cases without quarantines or shutting down travel or businesses as it winds down its ‘zero-COVID’ strategy Beijing: Facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, China is setting up more intensive care facilities and …

Facing COVID surge, China expanding hospitals, ICUs
2 years ago

Facing COVID surge, China expanding hospitals, ICUs

LA Times  

Facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, China is setting up more intensive care facilities and trying to strengthen hospitals as it rolls back anti-virus controls that confined millions of people to their homes, crushed economic growth and set off protests. A Cabinet meeting called Thursday for “full mobilization” of hospitals including adding staff to ensure their “combat effectiveness” and increasing …

‘A huge burden’: L.A. hospitals strained by COVID surge, very bad flu season
2 years, 1 month ago

‘A huge burden’: L.A. hospitals strained by COVID surge, very bad flu season

LA Times  

Registered nurse Carolyn Tan checks on a COVID-19 patient at White Memorial Hospital in Boyle Heights in 2021. A “tripledemic” of COVID-19, the flu and RSV is hitting Southern California hard, sending patients to the emergency room in droves and presenting a steep new challenge for a healthcare system already worn thin by nearly three years of the pandemic. Huntington …

Repeat covid vaccinations opened to all as postive tests mount
2 years, 2 months ago

Repeat covid vaccinations opened to all as postive tests mount

Dutch News  

Everyone over the age of 12 is now being invited to sign up for another coronavirus vaccination, the health ministry has confirmed. With covid infections once again on the rise, health officials say getting the top-up jabs will help slow the spread of the virus. People aged 40 to 60 can make an appointment via website planjeprik.nl next week, while …

Repeat covid vaccinations opened to all as postive tests mount
2 years, 2 months ago

Repeat covid vaccinations opened to all as postive tests mount

Dutch News  

Everyone over the age of 12 is now being invited to sign up for another coronavirus vaccination, the health ministry has confirmed. With covid infections once again on the rise, health officials say getting the top-up jabs will help slow the spread of the virus. People aged 40 to 60 can make an appointment via website planjeprik.nl next week, while …

Nursing home residents at risk as Covid infections rise 23%
2 years, 2 months ago

Nursing home residents at risk as Covid infections rise 23%

Dutch News  

The number of nursing home residents testing positive for coronavirus rose by 23% over the past week and hospital admissions are also rising, public health institute RIVM said in its Tuesday update. ‘Coronavirus can spread quickly in an open society without far reaching measures,’ the RIVM said. The number of coronavirus particles in waste water shot up 75% over the …

Nursing home residents at risk as Covid infections rise 23%
2 years, 2 months ago

Nursing home residents at risk as Covid infections rise 23%

Dutch News  

The number of nursing home residents testing positive for coronavirus rose by 23% over the past week and hospital admissions are also rising, public health institute RIVM said in its Tuesday update. ‘Coronavirus can spread quickly in an open society without far reaching measures,’ the RIVM said. The number of coronavirus particles in waste water shot up 75% over the …

Fight to end virus pandemic takes place on UN’s sidelines
2 years, 3 months ago

Fight to end virus pandemic takes place on UN’s sidelines

Associated Press  

UNITED NATIONS — In four days of fiery speeches over war, climate change and the threat of nuclear weapons, one issue felt like an afterthought during this year’s U.N. General Assembly: the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gathered with World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and others to discuss equitable access …

CDC drops quarantine, distancing recommendations for COVID
2 years, 4 months ago

CDC drops quarantine, distancing recommendations for COVID

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The nation’s top public health agency relaxed its COVID-19 guidelines Thursday, dropping the recommendation that Americans quarantine themselves if they come into close contact with an infected person. The CDC also dropped a “test-to-stay” recommendation, which said students exposed to COVID-19 could regularly test — instead of quarantining at home — to keep attending school. “After two …

Covid-related hospital admissions down 33% in a week
2 years, 5 months ago

Covid-related hospital admissions down 33% in a week

NL Times  

After the number of positive coronavirus tests, the number of hospital admissions due to the coronavirus is now also falling faster. In the past week, 431 people’s complaints got so bad that they needed hospital treatment, compared to 647 the week before. The people who were admitted earlier in the summer wave are now starting to leave the hospital, and …

Hospitals bring back Covid restrictions on patients and visitors
2 years, 5 months ago

Hospitals bring back Covid restrictions on patients and visitors

Daily Mail  

Hospitals in New South Wales are already implementing their own Covid mandates despite no official orders from government. Dr Ashford said the current situation is 'more serious now than ever' and urged the government to move quickly on implementing new measures There is also widespread outrage over the federal government's decision to scrap pandemic leave payments and free RAT tests …

In the new COVID-19 era, politicians are advising the experts — and in some cases, ignoring advice they don't want to hear
2 years, 5 months ago

In the new COVID-19 era, politicians are advising the experts — and in some cases, ignoring advice they don't want to hear

ABC  

It's less than a year since the "hi-vis" protests brought Melbourne's CBD to an almost daily standstill. It's less than six months since the "Convoy to Canberra" saw huge crowds converge on the national capital for a two-week "freedom" festival. This week, Victoria's Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas rejected advice from the state's acting Chief Health Officer to mandate mask-wearing in …

Covid hospital patients in England up by 37 per cent
2 years, 6 months ago

Covid hospital patients in England up by 37 per cent

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hospital beds taken up by Covid patients have surged by 37 …

Flying to the US? Soon you won’t need a COVID test
2 years, 6 months ago

Flying to the US? Soon you won’t need a COVID test

Al Jazeera  

The US had required travelers to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test if they were flying into the country. US President Joe Biden’s administration is lifting its requirement that international air travelers to the US take a COVID-19 test within a day before boarding their flights, easing one of the last remaining government mandates meant to contain …

U.S. to lift COVID-19 test requirement for international air arrivals
2 years, 6 months ago

U.S. to lift COVID-19 test requirement for international air arrivals

LA Times  

The lifting of the COVID-19 test requirement for international air travel ends one of the last government mandates meant to contain the coronavirus. The Biden administration is lifting its requirement that international air travelers to the U.S. take a COVID-19 test within a day before boarding their flights, easing one of the last remaining government mandates meant to contain the …

Patients testing positive during pre-surgery routine screening, say private hospitals
2 years, 7 months ago

Patients testing positive during pre-surgery routine screening, say private hospitals

Hindustan Times  

Mumbai With the city recording a surge in Covid cases over the past week, private hospitals are seeing incidental Covid hospitalisations, that is patients who are primarily admitted for surgery or other ailments testing positive as part of routine screening. They are Dr Pratit Samdani, internal physician and intensivist, Bhatia and Breach Candy Hospitals said, “Most of the Covid patients …

US making COVID antiviral drug more available at test sites
2 years, 7 months ago

US making COVID antiviral drug more available at test sites

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday announced more steps to make the antiviral treatment Paxlovid more accessible across the U.S. as it projects COVID-19 infections will continue to spread over the summer travel season. “COVID is no longer the killer that it was even a year ago.” Jha said that given the wider use of at-home rapid tests, whose …

Fewer than 500 people are now hospitalised with coronavirus
2 years, 7 months ago

Fewer than 500 people are now hospitalised with coronavirus

Dutch News  

The number of coronavirus patients being treated in Dutch hospitals fell below 500 on Thursday, for the first time since October 2021. The number of people testing positive for coronavirus fell to 10,000 last week but the figure is no longer an accurate representation of the spread of the virus, given that people are no longer been recommended to have …

Fewer than 500 people are now hospitalised with coronavirus
2 years, 7 months ago

Fewer than 500 people are now hospitalised with coronavirus

Dutch News  

The number of coronavirus patients being treated in Dutch hospitals fell below 500 on Thursday, for the first time since October 2021. The number of people testing positive for coronavirus fell to 10,000 last week but the figure is no longer an accurate representation of the spread of the virus, given that people are no longer been recommended to have …

Discover Related