Weekly Rounds with Infection Control Today®: Vaccine Mandates, FDA Pushed, Delta Surge

Here are 5 highlights from ICT®’s wide-ranging coverage of the infection prevention and control world. Everything from interviews with known opinion leaders, to the news that infection preventionists and other health care professionals can use on their jobs.

Calls Mount for Full FDA Approval of COVID-19 Vaccines

That the COVID-19 vaccines operate under emergency use authorization has been cited as the main reason for the vaccine hesitancy that could lead to a Delta variant surge in the United States.

Stage May be Set for Next COVID-19 Surge

Beating back infection is a numbers game: viruses against antibodies. If the virus changes its armor so the antibodies cannot attach, it develops an advantage. However, it can also produce viruses which are more efficient at attaching to and invading cells, or simply just produce a lot more viruses, overwhelming the system.

COVID-19 Case Counts Surge in 46 States

New COVID-19 cases in the country are at least 10% higher this week than they were last week. They’ve risen in 46 states, and in 31 states, new cases of SARS-CoV-2 are at least 50% higher.

Young Female Health Care Workers Dubbed Most Likely to be Vaccine Hesitant

Female health care workers under 30 years old are the most likely group to hesitate about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, a study concludes.

Infectious Disease Organizations: Health Care Workers Must be Vaccinated

Seven leading organizations representing health care professionals who routinely battle infections issued a joint statement today saying that COVID-19 vaccinations for health care workers should be mandatory.