1. COVID
Many people thought we would be getting a break from the covid pandemic. Then Omicron emerged, and cases continued to rise. Hospitalizations were up twenty% over the last two weeks. The death rates have declined to about 350 a day.
In a recent study by Lancet Respiratory Medicine, findings show that recovering from long-term covid symptoms can take longer than 2 years. The study showed that 650 of 1,190 patients (55%) from one hospital in Wuhan, China, felt long Covid symptoms that included fatigue, sleep difficulties, poorer quality of life, less ability to exercise, and more mental health issues.
2. Telehealth Updates
A large portion of remote care and telehealth services came from mental health services. The same held true in February despite lowering telehealth services. Mental health diagnoses increased to 64%, from 60% in January, while telehealth visits decreased from 5.4% to 4.9%. The decrease in telehealth services mimics the decline in new cases of covid-19.
3. Other Updates
Almost 25% of doctors report that they experience mistreatment from patients or visitors in the workplace. Women are more likely (31%) to report abuse than men (15%) and much more likely to experience sexual harassment and verbal abuse.
The CDC is investigating the unusual 109 hepatitis cases in children. There are currently over three hundred cases across twenty-four countries.