COVID-19

Top news of the week from Pharmacy Times®.

Pharmacists are likely to encounter patients seeking counsel on the use of nonprescription drugs for the symptomatic relief of some of the common mild symptoms associated with COVID-19 that may be amenable to self-treatment.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) has urged governors and state executive teams to take actions to support vaccine access for patients from their local pharmacies.

Although a study suggests that patients may show a clinical improvement when receiving a 5-day course of remdesivir, investigators said this is of uncertain clinical significance.

The new studies found that for some patients, the use of steroid medications to reduce inflammation slighly increased the likelihood of needing hospital care for COVID-19.

Researchers at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa observed a statistically significant correlation between the occurrence of obesity and negative outcomes from COVID-19.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has issued a list of best practices to ensure an equitable distribution of the vaccine.

The US government will purchase 150 million of the new rapid COVID-19 tests in a $750 million deal with Abbott Laboratories, according to CNBC.

Following the issuance of several emergency use authorizations by the FDA that allow at-home sample collection, it is imperative for the pharmacy team to stay abreast of current testing recommendations and limitations.

In an analysis, participants ages 56 and older produced neutralizing antibodies higher than those seen among patients who have recovered from COVID-19.

A recent study found that masks are still an effective way to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although the material of the mask can help determine the limit of the spread.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in his state to increase the availability of Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived COVID-19 testing.

Although the development process for vaccines is always intricate and time-consuming, the process of developing a vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents a myriad of new challenges, as researchers race to complete it in record time.

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Google searches for anxiety have climbed 17%.

Study suggests improving nutrition and boosting the immune system can help achieve an effective disease response.

The Department of Defense awarded Adaptive Phage Therapeutics $9.8 million for the development of multiple high-priority, bacteriophage-based display vaccine candidates against COVID-19.

The increasing prevalence of oral oncolytics use, further accelerated by COVID-19, heightens the need for strong patient-pharmacist treatment coordination.

Although patients' reasons for using mail-order varied, pharmacy groups emphasized that patient-pharmacy choice is essential to maintain medication adherence.

More than 40 million unemployment claims have been filed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A combination of nasal and saliva samples collected by patients are just as effective as deep nasal swabs collected by health care professionals in testing for COVID-19.

The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for the use of convalescent plasma in the treatment of COVID-19.

Pharmacy Times spoke with NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, FASAE, CAE, IOM, about the vital role pharmacists have in the upcoming influenza season and how they will be involved in distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Although the study found that mitigation measures are working to slow down the COVID-19 pandemic, further research will be needed even after the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic serves as an important reminder of basic recommendations for ensuring health and wellness and protecting oneself against communicable disease transmission.

Pharmacy Times spoke with Suzanne Soliman, PharmD, BCMAS, about how pharmacists can prepare their patients for the back-to-school season amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming flu season.