Personal Protective Equipment

A quality improvement study looking at comparative fitted filtration efficiencies for various mask styles found N95 makes had efficiencies of 98.%; surgical mask with ties was 71.5%; procedure mask with ear loops was 38.1%. Used and/or expired N95s are still more effective than alternative mask options.

In a survey of pediatric tertiary care hospital physicians, residents, nurses, respiratory therapists and others: Only 50% knew the correct donning order and 35% knew the correct doffing order. Healthcare institutions should have ongoing trainings for healthcare works that focus on appropriate personal protective equipment and discussions around modes of transmission of COVID-19.

Vaccines

A phase 1/2 study of COVID-19 RNA vaccine BNT16261 in adults had acceptable levels of adverse reactions upon administration of one of the two planned doses. Vaccine had good immunological response.

Within an interim analysis of 2 randomized placebo-controlled trials (Phases 1/2) of an inactivated whole-virus COVID-19 vaccine in China, they found it had low rates of adverse reactions and demonstrated immunogenicity.

Treatment

In a case-control study, icatibant (a bradykinin 2 receptor antagonist) treatment was associated with improved oxygenation in patients w/ severe COVID-19 pulmonary disease.