Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Almost Every Coronavirus Patient Hospitalized In NYC Had An Underlying Medical Condition
A new study of thousands of hospitalized coronavirus patients in the New York City area, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, has found that nearly all of them had at least one major chronic health condition, and most — 88 percent — had at least two. Though earlier research has shown chronic conditions like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes are common risk factors for severe Covid-19, the ubiquity of serious medical conditions in these patients was striking: Only 6 percent of them had no underlying health conditions. (Rabin, 4/23)
Yesterday, a case series in JAMA of 5,700 COVID-19 patients in New York City hospitals revealed a 9.7% death rate overall—21% when excluding those still hospitalized—and an 88.1% death rate among those requiring mechanical ventilation. Also, a new study in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found high rates of COVID-19 infections in residents and staff members at homeless shelters in three cities after clusters were identified, suggesting that regular testing before clusters occur is warranted. (Van Beusekom, 4/23)
In times of stress, like living through a global pandemic, it’s natural to fall back on soothing habits — gardening, playing video games or, for some, lighting up a cigarette or taking a pull on a marijuana vape pen. But what are the risks, given that the novel coronavirus at the center of the current crisis attacks the lungs? (Seidman, 4/23)
A medical procedure doctors have used to treat novel diseases for a century has emerged as a focal point in the fight against Covid-19: convalescent plasma. Conva-what-now…? Convalescent plasma is the term used for plasma that is removed from the blood of a person who has recovered from a disease, then transfused into a patient still battling it. Yes, it sounds a little confusing. So allow us to break down everything you need to know about convalescent plasma — and why it matters right now. (Herrera, 4/24)
Results from two new South Korean studies shed light on whether antibodies will be a reliable form of protection against COVID-19 for those who have recovered from the disease. In one ongoing study, the Korean Center for Disease Control found that 100% of 25 randomly selected patients who were hospitalized with symptoms and who fully recovered, developed defensive antibodies against COVID-19. (Baldwin and Cho, 4/23)
Has wiping down your groceries and take-out food become part of your coronavirus survival kit? It might be time to reconsider, experts say, especially if that extra effort is adding to your daily stress. Even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is re-emphasizing there's no real risk of getting the virus that causes Covid-19 that way. (LaMotte, 4/23)
