COVID (date: 5/9/2020 - Rank: 1)

The first COVID-19 test using saliva samples that patients collect at home has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Just days after South Korea loosened its social distancing guidelines, a new COVID-19 cluster of infections has sprung up in the capital city of Seoul tied to several nightclubs.

Military Entrance Processing Stations won't process individuals who have had COVID-19 for military service, even if they've fully recovered from the virus, the Pentagon confirmed this week.

The coronavirus pandemic dramatically reshaped how human mobility is managed just as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration was beginning to move from paper to implementation. As governments face pressing public-health, economic, and other concerns in responding to COVID-19, this MPI Europe commentary explores whether the first comprehensive global agreement on migration can adjust to a changed reality.

The ADA is partnering with the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention in providing a free on-demand webinar on Friday, March 20, with content for the program based on questions the ADA has received from members looking for guidance while navigating the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The ADA is releasing a guide intended to help dental offices navigate issues related to coding and billing for virtual check-ins in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Health Resources and Services Administration says it is working to keep health centers and health center program partners updated on the latest information regarding COVID-19.

The American Dental Association is urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide immediate guidance on the best way to protect dental patients and staff from the transmission of COVID-19 during emergency and urgent care situations.

During these uncertain times, there is a lot of anxiety and understandably some of that comes in the form of financial worries. ADA Member Advantage-endorsed companies that provide financial services have offered information for their customers and ADA members.

The ADA Health Policy Institute launched an ongoing biweekly poll the week of March 23 that shows 76% of dentists surveyed had closed their offices to all but emergency patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 19% indicated their offices are closed completely.

The American Dental Association has released interim guidance for dentists on how to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission before, during and after treating dental emergencies.

The Commission on Dental Accreditation announced April 3 that it directed all CODA-accredited dental programs to submit a report by May 15 on their use of distance learning, enhanced activities and other educational modalities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commission on Dental Accreditation announced April 3 that it will reschedule all postponed and remaining site visits this year, including regular/reaccreditation and special focused site visits, to 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A panel of ADA experts answered members’ questions in a video released April 8 regarding the Association’s interim guidance for minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission while performing emergency and urgent dental care.

The ADA Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs’ ethics subcommittee authored an online essay as part of its Ethical Moment series in the May issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association, affirming that the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct is just as important as ever when making the difficult decisions they encounter on a daily basis.

Dr. Leo M. Sreebny, Ph.D., who had a long and distinguished career in academia as a professor of dentistry and researcher, particularly in issues related to saliva and dry mouth, died April 5 from complications of COVID-19 at age 98.

The second round of results from the ADA Health Policy Institute poll on the impact of COVID-19 on dental practices showed significant financial impact, with collections for the vast majority of dentists less than 5% of what is typical in their practice.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an alert April 8 warning that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to target individuals, small and medium businesses and large organizations.

American Dental Association President Chad P. Gehani has assembled an advisory task force to oversee the ADA’s development of tools for dentists as they bounce back from the effects of practice restrictions and closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ADA sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services April 17 asking the agency to “issue federal recognition that licensed dentists may administer point of service tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ADA is urging dentists to be cautious about using novel coronavirus diagnostic tests before they have been properly evaluated and made available for dentists.

Wisconsin dentists have answered the call for personal protective equipment by organizing drives and donating their surplus supplies to hospitals and urgent care facilities treating patients with COVID-19.

The Organized Dentistry Coalition is asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to “extend federal authorization for licensed dentists to conduct Food and Drug Administration-authorized, point-of-care testing” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Congress works on the next coronavirus-related relief package, the ADA and 37 other health care organizations are asking lawmakers to support nonprofit groups in those efforts.

The third round of results from the ADA Health Policy Institute poll on the impact of COVID-19 on dental practices was released April 27, with 79% of dentists reporting their practices are closed except for emergencies and 17% are closed completely.

The ADA is asking the Federal Communications Commission to extend the agency’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program to include dental practices regardless of the practice’s size, location or for-profit status.

Two additional Delta Dental member companies announced details April 27-28 of programs that will provide economic assistance and post-COVID-19 pandemic relief for members of its independent provider networks across 16 states and the District of Columbia.

Dentists can find regulations, recommendations and mandates regarding the practice of dentistry in their state during the COVID-19 pandemic on the ADA Center for Professional Success.

As Congress works on the next COVID-19 relief package, the ADA is asking lawmakers to include a number of provisions to assist the dental profession in recovery efforts.

Check this page daily for the latest COVID-19 data available from the CDC, WHO and Johns Hopkins University.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced May 5 the agency has created a new Frequently Asked Questions page to aid state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program agencies in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ADA Health Policy Institute held a webinar April 29 with leading experts from across the dental industry to discuss how COVID-19 has affected the dental economy and what they think the future will bring.

Blood clots, skin rashes and other lesions might be among the symptoms some people experience with COVID-19, according to new research released Thursday.

Nearly 5,000 workers in 115 meat processing workers across 19 states have been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday granted emergency use authorization to the antiviral remdesivir to treat COVID-19.

Leaders across the United States should plan for a worst-case scenario, second wave to the COVID-19 pandemic, including no vaccine availability or herd immunity, say experts at the University of Minnesota.

Interferon beta, a drug originally developed to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is being explored as a possible cure for the severe lung infections caused by COVID-19, media reports confirmed Monday

Certain high blood pressure medications may be linked with more serious illness from COVID-19, but they don't increase a person's risk for getting the disease, a new study published Tuesday by JAMA Cardiology reports.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a path of destruction in urban centers throughout the northeastern United States, but the next outbreak hotspots could have even deadlier effects in rural areas.

Communities across the U.S. still need to expand hospital capacity to manage new COVID-19 cases, even as some states loosen social distancing restrictions, a study published Wednesday by JAMA Network Open says.

Anakinra, a drug developed to treat rheumatoid arthritis might help patients who have developed acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by COVID-19, a small study published by The Lancet Rheumatology has found.

Johns Hopkins University will start two clinical trials of convalescent blood plasma for treatment of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.