Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1526238
5 INFECTION CONTROL 8 hospitals leading the way in antimicrobial stewardship By Ashleigh Hollowell e Infectious Diseases Society of America has recognized eight hospitals for excellence in antimicrobial stewardship. Only institutions that have developed a program advancing research in antimicrobial resistance are recognized with a center of excellence designation from the IDSA. e program within hospitals must also be led by infectious diseases- trained physicians and pharmacists and align with national guidance, according to the July 29 news release. "Solving the next public health emergency starts with addressing the threat of antimicrobial resistance at every level," Steven Schmitt, MD, president of IDSA said in the release. "ese eight institutions are working to counter the growing problem of resistance, one of the greatest threats facing our future." Recipient hospitals research must demonstrate best practices to "slow the emergence of resistance, optimize the treatment of infections, reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use and to address other challenging areas related to antimicrobial stewardship," according to the release. e following eight hospitals were selected for their work in this area by a panel of IDSA member and infectious diseases-trained physicians and pharmacists: 1. Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Fla. 2. Children's Hospital New Orleans (La.) 3. John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, Mich. 4. Keck Hospital of USC (University of Southern California) in Los Angeles 5. Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital in Somerset, Ky. 6. Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township, N.J. 7. University of Southern California (USC) Norris Cancer Hospital in Los Angeles 8. University of Toledo (Ohio) Medical Center n Is COVID-19 endemic? Experts are split By Mackenzie Bean T he CDC now considers COVID-19 to be endemic, though not all health experts agree with this classification, NPR reported Aug. 9. The agency defines a pandemic as "an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people." In contrast, an endemic is "the constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area." "At this point, COVID-19 can be described as endemic throughout the world," Aron Hall, deputy director for science at the CDC's coronavirus and other respiratory viruses division, told NPR. "It is still a very significant problem, but one that can now be managed against the backdrop of many public health threats and not as sort of a singular pandemic threat." The CDC has not changed any COVID-19 recommendations or guidelines in response to this categorization and emphasizes the importance of continued surveillance and vaccination, among other efforts. In contrast to the CDC's stance, some epidemiologists argue COVID-19 is still too unpredictable to be labeled as endemic. For example, this summer's virus surge started earlier than past years, with infections rising in early June, according to NBC News. The surge may also be poised to become the largest summer wave seen since COVID-19 emerged, with wastewater data showing virus levels are high across most of the U.S. and rising. "If you just talk about infections, this is probably going to end up becoming the largest summer wave we've had," Ashish Jha, MD, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and former White House COVID-19 response coordinator, told NBC News. "It's still not as big as the winter waves, but it is starting to get close." Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, a California-based epidemiologist, said she expects it to take at least a decade for the virus to fall into a more predictable pattern. Others, including Dr. Jha, argue that the virus is predictable enough to be considered endemic. Experts have also cautioned against letting the word "endemic" trick us into a false sense of complacency. Endemics can still be wide-reaching and deadly and do not necessarily mean a return to "normal," according to a 2022 op-ed published in Nature. "I think we have to be very careful in just writing this off and saying, 'Well, it's just a mild infection.' It's not," Michael Osterholm, PhD, an infectious disease expert and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, told NPR. "It is particularly a significant risk for those who are older and those who have underlying conditions. The good news is for most younger, otherwise healthier people this will be like having a flu-like infection." n