Author: Frank Domino, MD in collaboration with Aylin Madore, MD

While reading the latest COVID-19 news, I have compiled a list of articles published the week of June 15th that are relevant to your primary care practice. Read the insights below in less than one minute.

  1. One – Clinical and Immunological Assessment of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections

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  3. Data suggests that asymptomatic individuals have a weaker immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. This may have an impact on immunity and serological surveys.
  4. Two – Genomewide Association Study of Severe Covid-19 with Respiratory Failure

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  6. A study comparing the genomes of people with severe COVID-19 found blood group A was associated with a 45% increased risk for COVID-19 respiratory failure, while blood group O was associated with a 35% lower risk.
  7. Three – SARS-CoV-2 Positivity Rate for Latinos in the Baltimore-Washington, DC Region

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    More than 40% of Latinos in the Baltimore-Washington, DC metropolitan region who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 were positive.

  8. Four – Low-cost Dexamethasone Reduces Death by up to One Third in Hospitalized Patients with Severe Respiratory Complications of COVID-19

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  10. A study yet to be published from the University of Oxford found that dexamethasone reduced deaths by one third in ventilated patients and by one fifth in other patients receiving oxygen. No benefit was noted in patients who did not require respiratory support.
  11. Five – Tocilizumab for Treatment of Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study

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  13. A small study found no significant difference between treatment with tocilizumab and improvement in oxygen support, discharge, or mortality; but the use of tocilizumab was associated with a shorter median duration of vasopressor support.
  14. Six – To Convert a Medical Mask to Higher Efficiency, This Engineer Devised a Simple Solution Using 3 Rubber Bands:

  15. Check out the video!

For more insights, view our collection of COVID-19 resources and CME courses. We recognize it is critical that you have access to timely, reliable information, so we are working hard to release new content in collaboration with our team of infectious disease experts, medical specialists, and primary care clinicians like Dr. Frank Domino.