Covid-19 reinfections still seem rare, but the U.S. lacks good data
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Reinfections from Covid-19 continue to seem rare, and are not responsible for the current, stubbornly high case counts in the United States, according to scientists and the latest findings.
At least, that’s what researchers are left to conclude. Experts say the country and individual states don’t have strong systems to determine how frequently people are getting reinfected another consequence of the nation’s limited surveillance network. They’re calling for better data collection and analysis around second cases of Covid-19.
The main factors driving coronavirus transmission in the United States are a mix of the old easing restrictions, people coming into close contact with others and the new, like the more transmissible variants, experts say. And Caitlin Rivers, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said she thought that rein
For those now fully immunized against COVID-19, the rules haven’t changed - yet
Janet Hanson hasn’t had anyone inside her home outside of maintenance workers for almost a year.
Because of the pandemic, the 86-year-old who lives in the Friendship Village senior citizen complex in Kalamazoo can’t travel to see her daughter in Arizona. Hanson saw her son only in outdoor venues until it got too cold, and now they’re limited to phone calls. Her social life these days are limited to outdoor walks with several neighbors, all fully masked.
But on Friday, Hanson got her second dose of the Moderna vaccine. In two weeks, she will be considered 95% protected against COVID-19.
Editor s note: This article was originally published by the HCPro
Set up clear communication with your hospital staff and remain open to feedback as you receive and administer the COVID-19 vaccines.
Work with supervisors and other leadership to schedule staff vaccinations and, if possible, work around shifts so that workers who do experience symptoms don’t have to cope with them while working.
Scheduling and communication may be two of the most important keys to having a success vaccination program, says
Anurag Malani, MD, Medical Director, Infection Prevention & Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs, for St. Joseph Mercy Health System, which includes seven facilities in southeast Michigan.
Listen to the story.
Wearing masks, social distancing, and limiting class sizes are among the top safety measures Saint Joseph Mercy Health System in Ann Arbor recommends that districts enforce if they want to offer in-person instruction. At Ann Arbor Public Schools, more and more parents are asking the district for in-person learning options. Dr. Anurag Malani is the medical director of infection prevention and control at St. Joe’s and explains the current situation when it comes to COVID-19 and schools in general.
Dr. Anurag Malani: When we talk about transmission in schools, it’s really happening outside of schools. So, either extra-curricular activities, locker rooms, parties, that seems to be where most of the transmission is.