Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource.
Here are the coronavirus stories Medscape’s editors around the globe believe you need to understand about today:
Statins and Death
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Treatment with statins was connected with a lowered risk for a severe or deadly course of COVID-19, a meta-analysis of four retrospective research studies suggests
The analysis consisted of almost 9000 COVID-19 patients, and discovered a 30%lowered threat for deadly or severe COVID-19 amongst clients who were users of statins compared with nonusers. The findings “rejected the recommendation of damages with making use of statins in COVID-19 patients,” the authors conclude.
While they warn that information from potential research studies is required to substantiate the results, they also propose that “moderate-to-high strength statin treatment is most likely to be useful” for COVID-19 clients.
The Value of Imperfect Tests
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When screening for SARS-CoV-2, various concerns and settings need different sorts of tests, Harvard epidemiologist William P. Hanage composes in Medscape To assist treatment in a healthcare setting, for example, clinicians need a very sensitive and specific test.
But when evaluating for the infection out in the neighborhood, a test that is extremely particular however not very delicate, is inexpensive and fast sufficient to be taken daily, would work. Such tests exist, but regulators see their lack of level of sensitivity as an issue due to the fact that some contaminated people will get false-negative outcomes. “This is undoubtedly not perfect,” Hanage writes, “however for screening functions it might not be such a hindrance.”
2 FDA PR Staff Members Removed
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The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has eliminated two senior public relations workers who advised the company against unchecked promotion of convalescent blood plasma as a treatment for individuals with COVID-19, several media outlets reported today.
Among the PR employees, Emily Miller, was on the job less than 2 weeks. The White Home named her FDA chief spokeswoman 11 days ago, however FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, eliminated her from that post today.
The Other Day, the US Department of Health and Human being Solutions terminated the agreement for Wayne L. Pines, a PR specialist to the FDA. Pines reportedly encouraged Hahn to excuse making misleading claims about the healing advantages of convalescent plasma treatment for COVID-19
At the Sunday White Home event revealing the FDA’s emergency situation usage authorization for treating COVID-19 clients with convalescent plasma, Hahn improperly stated that plasma had actually been found to save the lives of 35%of patients who were treated, obviously conflating absolute and relative threat reduction. After a firestorm of criticism, Hahn issued an apology earlier this week.
CDC Screening Standards
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Asymptomatic people who come into close contact with people presumed or confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 infection can look for screening, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield, MD, said in a statement Thursday in response to issues that just recently revised COVID-19 screening standards might result in a boost in disease transmission.
Preliminary policy changes made without excitement previously today suggested that screening must be booked for symptomatic people or susceptible, asymptomatic populations, unless otherwise directed by a physician or regional health authority. However, “testing might be thought about for all close contacts of confirmed or probable COVID-19 clients,” Redfield said in yesterday’s statement.
Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergic Reaction and Transmittable Diseases and an essential member of the White Home Coronavirus Task Force, has said that he was not in the August 20 job force conference that went over altering the CDC standards. “I was under basic anesthesia in the operating room [for surgery on his vocal cords] and was not part of any discussion or consideration concerning the new screening suggestions,” he told CNN.
Ladies Have Stronger Immune Action Than Guy
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Women’s bodies produce a stronger immune reaction to SARS-CoV-2 than males’s bodies do, a research study released Wednesday in the journal Nature discovered.
” Female patients mounted considerably more robust T cell activation than male patients throughout SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was sustained in aging,” the researchers compose. “Notably, we discovered that a poor T cell response adversely correlated with patients’ age and was associated with worse disease outcome in male patients, however not in female patients.”
More Cases in Kid, but Deaths Remain Low
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Children represented 9.3%of all US COVID-19 cases as of August 20, 2020– a boost from 9.1%the previous week– but just 0.06%of all US deaths were reported, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Kid’s Health center Association.
The cumulative number of pediatric cases reported approximately that date was 442,785, and 92 have actually died. Kid hospitalizations represent 1.7%(4062) of 234,810 overall admissions amongst any ages, based upon data from 21 states and New york city City.
In Memoriam
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As frontline health care employees look after clients with COVID-19, they devote themselves to hard, draining work and also put themselves at danger for infection. Thousands throughout the world have actually died.
Medscape has actually published a memorial list to celebrate them. We will continue updating this list as, unfortunately, needed. Please help us ensure this list is complete by sending names with an age, occupation or specialty, and location through this form
If you want to share any other experiences, stories, or issues connected to the pandemic, please join the conversation here
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