DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ CDC updates Covid isolation guidelines for people who test positive
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Erika Edwards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

People who test positive for Covid no longer need to isolate for five days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Many doctors have been urging the CDC to lift isolation guidance for months, saying it did little to stop the spread of Covid. The experiences of California and Oregon, which previously lifted their Covid isolation guidelines, proved that to be true. "Recent data indicate that California and Oregon, where isolation guidance looks more like CDC's updated recommendations, are not experiencing higher Covid-19 emergency department visits or hospitalizations," Jackson said. Changing the Covid isolation to mirror what's recommended for flu and other respiratory illnesses makes sense to Dr. David Margolius, the public health director for the city of Cleveland.

Persons: you've, Mandy Cohen, Cohen, Covid, Dr, Brendan Jackson, Jackson, David Margolius, We've, Kristin Englund Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, National Center, CDC, Cleveland Clinic Locations: United States, California, Oregon, Cleveland

☆ CDC advisers recommend spring Covid boosters for older adults
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Erika Edwards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The panel's vote to recommend spring boosters for older adults is not final until CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen signs off on it. The additional dose should be given at least four months after a previous dose for healthy older adults, or at least three months after a Covid infection. Covid hospitalizations peaked at the beginning of January, with 35,000 hospitalizations a week. By Feb. 7, Covid hospitalizations had fallen to around 20,000 a week. The vast majority have been among older adults, 65 and older.

Persons: Covid —, there's, Megan Wallace, Mandy Cohen, Marvia Jones, Covid, Covid hospitalizations Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Kansas City Health Department Locations: agency's, Kansas, Missouri, United States

☆ What the plastic surgery industry can tell us about the path of the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Plastic surgery demand may be one signal. Anyone looking for more under-the-radar economic signals can add plastic surgery to the list. The plastic bubble popBut within the plastic surgery industry, the pullback in demand is undeniable, particularly considering how hot business was through 2021. "It's something that really took most of us by surprise," he said of the pandemic's plastic surgery boom. And media attention … that influences discretionary purchases and plastic surgery.

Persons: —, Dr, Steven Williams, tucks, Williams, Yaniv, Konchitchki, COVID hospitalizations, There's, it's Organizations: Service, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, UC Berkeley, Federal Reserve, Aesthetic Society, San Francisco Fed Locations: rhinoplasties, Europe, United States

☆ U.S. will again offer free at-home Covid tests starting Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration on Wednesday said it will resume offering free at-home Covid tests to American households Monday as the virus gains a stronger foothold nationwide. Americans will soon be able to use COVIDtests.gov to request four free tests, the administration said in a release. But the Biden administration noted that the at-home tests set to be delivered will detect currently circulating Covid variants. The end of that declaration also changed how public and private insurers cover at-home tests, potentially leaving some people unable to get those tests for free through their plans. But certain local health clinics and community sites still offer at-home tests to the public at no cost.

Persons: Biden, hospitalizations, Xavier Becerra Organizations: Human Services Locations: Manhattan, New York City

☆ New Covid boosters could reach Americans as soon as Thursday – here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Brian Cassella | Tribune News Service | Getty ImagesA new round of Covid vaccines is finally here in the U.S. Meanwhile, the FDA is still reviewing a third updated vaccine from Novavax for people ages 12 and up. Here's everything you need to know about the updated Covid vaccines, from where to find them, whether you can get them for free and when to get them. The agency's website outlines more specific guidelines for staying up to date on Covid vaccines, which differ depending on age group and risk level. Kroger Americans will soon be able to use the federal website vaccines.gov to find other locations offering the updated Covid shots, according to a CDC spokesperson.

Persons: Brian Cassella, Covid, Biden, Megan Wallace, they've, Brian Snyder, vaccines.gov, Evelyn Twentyman, Will, Moderna's, Twentyman, Taison Bell, Bell, CDC's Wallace, Wallace Organizations: Pfizer, Tribune, Service, U.S, The, Disease Control, Moderna, Food and Drug Administration, CDC, FDA, Walgreens, CNBC, WALGREENS, CVS Albertsons, Kroger, Manufacturers, CVS, University of Virginia Health, Younger Locations: Chatham , Illinois, U.S, Covid, Somerville , Massachusetts

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. remain on the rise, but the increase appears to be beginning to level off, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Coronavirus hospital admissions increased nearly 9% during the week ending in Sept. 2, according to the data. With over 18,800 new hospitalizations recorded that week, the latest COVID-19 wave is no doubt still rising. The vast majority of counties are currently seeing a “low” level of new COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to CDC data. Experts are eyeing a potential fall and winter COVID-19 wave as well.

Persons: hospitalizations, I’m, ” Anthony Fauci, Fauci, ” Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Health Locations: U.S

☆ Covid hospitalizations spike with new variant as school returns, U.S. readies vaccines
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The late summer Covid spike comes after a quiet year in which hospitalizations and deaths declined week after week since January. "We're living in a bit of a fantasy world where we're pretending Covid is not relevant," Birx told ABC in a podcast interview last week. Birx said those vaccines should have been released weeks ago to combat the predictable summer wave, adding the U.S. should already be developing new shots for January to target the emerging BA.2.86 variant. The updated shots should be effective at reducing severe disease and hospitalization from the variant, according to the agency. The first lady last caught Covid in August 2022 and the president tested positive in July of last year.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Reuters Covid, Deborah Birx, Trump, Covid, Birx, we're, Novavax, Moderna, Karine Jean, Pierre, Biden, Anthony Fauci, Fauci, It's, Still, Jill Biden, Joe Biden Organizations: Intensive Care Unit, Western Reserve Hospital, Reuters, hospitalizations, Centers for Disease Control, White, ABC, Pfizer, Moderna, CDC, U.S, BBC, National Institute of Allergy, White House Locations: Cuyahoga Falls , Ohio, U.S, ., Arkansas , Colorado , Indiana , Kansas , Minnesota , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Utah, Wyoming, China, Kentucky, Texas, India

☆ Moderna says updated Covid vaccine was effective against highly mutated BA.2.86 variant in trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Moderna 's new Covid vaccine produced a strong immune response against BA.2.86, a highly mutated omicron variant that health officials are watching closely, according to clinical trial data the biotech company released Wednesday. The updated shot produced an 8.7-fold increase in protective antibodies against BA.2.86, which has been detected in small numbers nationwide. Moderna is the first out of the companies producing updated Covid jabs to release data on how its shot fares against BA.2.86. Last month, Moderna also released clinical trial data suggesting that its new shot provides protection against the now-dominant EG.5, or "Eris," variant and another rapidly spreading strain called FL.1.5.1. New vaccines are set to arrive as Eris and other Covid variants fuel a rise in cases and hospitalizations across the country.

Persons: Stephen Hoge, Covid hospitalizations Organizations: Disease Control, Moderna, Pfizer, Novavax, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, EG, CDC Locations: U.S

☆ Covid: How to check if expired tests still work as cases rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

As Covid cases surge again in the U.S., Americans are digging out unused at-home tests that they stashed earlier on in the pandemic. If the date has not changed, the FDA advises against using expired tests. Public health experts say testing remains a critical tool for protection as Covid metrics climb. However, certain local health clinics and community sites still offer at-home tests to the public at no cost. Before buying new at-home tests, it wouldn't hurt to check if any expired ones sitting in your medicine cabinet are still safe to use.

Persons: Abbott's, Andrew Pekosz, Covid hospitalizations Organizations: Drug Administration, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, CNBC, FDA, Centers for Disease Control Locations: Orlando, U.S

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden turned up in a mask for the first time in months on Tuesday, a day after his wife tested positive for COVID-19. People who are exposed to the coronavirus should wear a mask and monitor for symptoms for 10 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would be following CDC protocols and would mask indoors unless he was far enough away from someone. The Bidens had COVID-19 last summer, which is about the last time the president wore a mask in public. Officials already are expecting updated COVID-19 vaccines that contain one version of the omicron strain, called XBB.1.5.

Persons: Joe Biden, octogenarians, Biden, Larry Taylor, Jill Biden, COVID, hospitalizations, Karine Jean, Pierre, “, ”, —, Jake Sullivan, we’ve, ” Sullivan, Mike Stobbe Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, Centers for Disease Control, Labor, House, Group, CDC, White House Press, India Locations: Vietnam, Florida, Delaware, Philadelphia, Rehoboth, Virginia, India, Alaska, New York

☆ When to wear masks as Covid cases rise, new variants emerge in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An uptick in Covid cases and hospitalizations in the U.S., and the emergence of new variants of the virus, are prompting questions about whether Americans should start masking up again. One thing's for sure: People infected with Covid should wear masks around others to prevent the spread of the virus. That includes your personal risk level, Covid rates in your region and who you might make contact with, public health experts said. Newer Covid variants like the now-dominant EG.5, or "Eris," and a handful of XBB strains have fueled the rise. New Covid shots from Pfizer , Moderna and Novavax are slated to roll out in mid-September, and will likely provide robust protection against those variants.

Persons: Michael Nason, Donna Nason, Andrew Pekosz, Francesca Torriani, Pavitra, Axios Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, CNBC, CDC, U.S, Pfizer, Moderna, University of California, University of Washington School of Medicine Locations: Bakersfield, Los Angeles , CA, California, U.S, Covid, San Diego

☆ How to Think About Rising Covid Cases in California
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Soumya Karlamangla | More About Soumya Karlamangla | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It’s been several months since I last wrote about it in this newsletter, and almost as long since I gave it serious consideration. The rate of spread has been relatively low this year, and Covid hospitalizations in California were lower last month than at any time since the pandemic took hold. New Covid cases have been rising this month in California and across the country. While experts say the trend isn’t a cause for alarm, they do agree it’s something to monitor if you’re hoping to avoid infection. “I’m sure many of you are anecdotally both hearing about friends and family and colleagues, as well as seeing more or hearing more about some more circulating Covid.”

Persons: It’s, Covid, Erica Pan, “, ” Locations: California

☆ FDA withdraws Covid antibody treatment Evusheld because it's not effective against 93% of subvariants
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The FDA pulled Evusheld from the market because it is not effective against more than 90% of the Covid subvariants that are currently circulating in the U.S. People with compromised immune systems, such as cancer chemotherapy and organ-transplant patients, are some of the groups most vulnerable to severe disease from Covid. More than 7 million adults in the U.S. have a compromised immune system. He said lawmakers' failure to pass additional Covid funding means there isn't money to invest in new antibodies. President Joe Biden told people with compromised immune systems to consult with a doctor.

The subvariant of omicron, named XBB.1.5, has raised concerns about another potential wave of Covid cases following the busy holiday travel season. The CDC projected Friday that about 40% of confirmed U.S. Covid cases are caused by the XBB.1.5 strain, up from 20% a week ago. There’s no indication it causes more severe illness than any other omicron virus, Dr. Barbara Mahon, director of CDC’s Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, told NBC News. The XBB.1.5 is a relative of the omicron XBB variant, which is a recombinant of the omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants. Yet, only 37.5% of that age group has received the most recent omicron booster, according to the most recent CDC data.

Covid hospitalizations are rising in the United States, even as hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus and the flu continue to fall. For the week ending Dec. 24, around 18,800 people were hospitalized with flu, down from around 20,700 hospitalizations the week prior. RSV hospitalization rates have fallen significantly since their peak in mid-November of 5.1 hospitalizations per 100,000 people. The seven-day average of daily Covid hospitalizations reached 42,140 on Friday, an increase of 4.2% from two weeks ago, according to an NBC News tally. The CDC recommends up-to-date Covid vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older, as well as annual flu shots.

But the sheer number of nurses working travel jobs, and the difference between what they thought was promised and what they pocketed, has led to a substantial legal pushback by travel nurses around the country on the issue. Courtesy Jordyn BashfordThis summer, Stueve Siegel Hanson, a Kansas City, Missouri, law firm, filed class-action lawsuits against four travel nurse agencies: Aya, Maxim, NuWest and Cross Country. Advertisements touted an hourly rate of $8 to $11, but many nurses wound up making less than $6, according to Pan Travelers, a professional association of travel nurses. But by February, after her first 13-week contract, Covid hospitalizations had waned and the demand for travel nurses had fallen. Mark Humphrey / APTwo travel nurses walk the hallways during their shift at a hospital in Rhode Island.

☆ U.S. records 100 million Covid cases, but more than 200 million Americans have probably had it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The U.S. officially recorded more than 100 million cases as of Tuesday, just under one-third of the total population, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Covid-19 has easily infected more than 200 million in the U.S. alone since the beginning of the pandemic — some people more than once. "There are have been at least 200 million infections in the U.S., so this is a small portion of them," Frieden said. The estimate was based on a survey of commercial lab data that found about 58% of Americans had antibodies as a result of a Covid infection. The more than 21 million additional confirmed cases on top of the CDC's February estimate of about 187 million total infections gives a low-end estimate of more than 208 million infections since the pandemic began.

Three years into the Covid pandemic, hundreds of people are still dying of the disease every day. NBC News is tracking the latest Covid death totals with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and county governments. Covid deaths have leveled out below 500 deaths a day since the omicron wave subsided in early 2022. However, the tally of deaths has yet to approach the July 2021 low, when an average of fewer than 200 deaths a day were recorded. See the latest data on Covid hospitalizations and vaccinations, and follow all of NBC News’ Covid coverage.

Measuring stress levels at hospital intensive care units can help hospitals plan and manage their surge capacity. The stress level is based on the share of ICU hospital beds used by Covid patients. Low-stress hospitals have less than 10% of critical care beds occupied by Covid patients, while high-stress hospitals have from 30% to 59%.

SummarySummary Companies COVID infections may peak next week- Chinese health officialChina reports no new COVID deaths for 3rd dayOverstretched health system braces for more severe casesBEIJING/SHANGHAI, Dec 23 (Reuters) - China is expecting a peak in COVID-19 infections within a week, a health official said, with authorities predicting extra strain on the country's health system even as they downplay the disease's severity and continue to report no new deaths. China reported less than 4,000 new symptomatic local COVID cases nationwide for Dec. 22, and no new COVID deaths for a third consecutive day. Authorities have narrowed the criteria for COVID deaths, prompting criticism from many disease experts. Experts say China could face more than a million COVID deaths next year. NO DATAThe World Health Organization has received no data from China on new COVID hospitalizations since Beijing lifted its zero-COVID policy.

The updated Covid booster shot is proving to be effective at keeping people — especially older adults — out of the hospital, according to two new studies published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Full coverage of the Covid-19 pandemicBoth studies looked at the impact the updated Covid booster shot has had since it was first recommended by the CDC on Sept. 1. Those who had received the updated booster were 84% less likely to be hospitalized with Covid, compared with people who had never had the Covid vaccine. The effectiveness was nearly identical — 83% — for people who had their last Covid shot more than a year ago. "There are 28 million people over the age of 65 that are eligible for this updated booster shot but haven’t gotten it," Link-Gelles said.

Covid-19 hospitalizations are declining again after a surge in December and January, followed by a smaller summer uptick. Track hospitalizations in states with this NBC News analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Covid hospitalizations data. This article will be updated daily.

In fact, Covid-related deaths and hospitalizations have fallen in recent months, despite the emergence of new omicron subvariants that evade immunity from previous infections and vaccination. Full coverage of the Covid-19 pandemicAccording to NBC News data, Covid deaths have fallen consistently since Aug. 31, when the seven-day average of daily Covid deaths was at 571. The average number of Covid hospitalizations per day has decreased by 27.9% since Aug. 28, according to NBC News data. While Covid-related hospitalizations are not currently increasing, Gupta warns that they could during the winter as immunity, especially from previous infection, diminishes. Now, he said, "Covid deaths don't all look the same."

☆ Telehealth is soaring. Here's how telecommunications companies are racing to help patients through 5G technology.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Nicholas Fearn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

During the difficult months of lockdown, many healthcare professionals conducted nonemergency appointments remotely to protect their patients and prevent COVID from spreading even further. Sanjiv Gossain, the group vice president and head of EMEA at Verizon Business, said that 5G technology will help the healthcare industry solve some of its biggest challenges. 5G use is increasing in health servicesMore companies are joining the effort to make healthcare more accessible through 5G technology. Joe Drygas, the vice president of healthcare solutions at AT&T, said that 5G will allow even more people to access healthcare globally. While cost and infrastructural challenges remain, 5G technology has already begun to transform healthtech and patient care.

Search resuls for: "COVID hospitalizations"

24 mentions found