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81. Kentucky lawmakers offer conspiracy theories, debunked
claims during COVID special session
Kavanagh noted few lawmakers are wearing masks during the current
legislative session even though public health guidelines recommend
them for indoor spaces. "This is a very dangerous message to send
during this surge," he said. Kavanagh said Tate's reliance on VAERS
is misplaced.
"Just in Kentucky, we've had almost 8,000 deaths from COVID-19," he
said. "I know of many people who have lost loved ones. I don't know
anybody who died from the vaccine." Courier Journal. Sept. 9, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-legislature/2021/09/09/kentucky-lawmakers-covid-special-session-spout-conspiracy-theories/5768699001/
80. COVID-19 Is a Disease of Unvaccinated: What Does That Mean
for Schools?
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, another member of ICT®’s EAB, recently asked if
the US should adopt an elimination strategy for COVID-19. “In
Beijing the total cases in an outbreak were reported to be less than
10. China used over 100 million tests to eradicate what would be
classified as a very small outbreak by US standards,” Kavanagh
wrote. He added that the US “may need to pivot as a nation to an
elimination strategy and break the cycle of repeated waves of deaths
and disabilities caused by emerging variants.”
An article written by Kavanagh posted to ICT®’s website yesterday
looks at the same MMWR study that Popescu looked at. Kavanagh notes
that the COVID-19 virus infected two of the four children in the row
at the very back of the classroom. The virus is aerosolized and that
stopping the spread would have required a social distancing of more
than 6 feet, never mind the 3 feet that schools now maintain between
students.
“There were also another 8 cases identified in parents and siblings
demonstrating that children at school can be significant vectors for
spreading COVID-19,” Kavanagh wrote. “The students also wore masks,
illustrating that masking as a sole intervention is inadequate.
Masks need to be upgraded to well-fitted medical grade, KN95 or N95
masks, along with testing of all students and staff twice weekly,
and better school ventilation. Even with these strategies the virus
may still be expected to cause outbreaks, necessitating the need for
smaller class sizes, podding, hybrid classes and teleschooling.”
Kavanagh circles back to elimination strategy.
“After the Delta surge subsides, another surge is expected, possibly
from the mu variant,” Kavanagh wrote. “If mu completely escapes
immunity from vaccines and past infections, we must resort to
stringent public health strategies. Eventually, the United States
may need to adopt an elimination strategy, sacrificing short-term
for long-term societal benefits. But whatever strategy is adopted,
all Americans must embrace public health measures, or we will not be
successful in viral mutations and the pandemic.” Infection Control
Today. Sept. 7, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/ovid-19-is-a-disease-of-unvaccinated-what-does-that-mean-for-schools-
79. Gain-of-Disfunction? Research Method Comes Under Fire
“Gain-of-function research on viral pathogens is one
of the most dangerous academic endeavors which can be undertaken by
mankind,” says Kavanagh. “Just the gain-of-function research on
avian influenza has the potential of wiping out large percentages of
the world’s population. It is hard to imagine a benefit which
justifies the risk, but when one is identified such research should
only be undertaken with an assumption that a lab accident may occur.
There must be a viable plan which has a very high probability of
success for containment of any escaped pathogen and the
identification and quarantining of exposed personnel, without a risk
of spreading to the general population.”
Such a “viable plan” that Kavanagh refers to seems to have been in
place when investigators with Osaka University in Japan recently
created the pseudo-virus Delta 4+ in making the case that future
mutations in the Delta variant could help it to evade antibodies in
COVID-19 vaccines. Kavanagh says that the Osaka University research
“is an example of gain-of-function research using a pseudo-virus
which is extremely beneficial.”
In this example, gain-of-function research may have helped sound the
alarm, Kavanagh adds. “The research reported that the Delta virus is
one mutation away from fully escaping the vaccine.” Infection
Control Today. Aug. 30, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/gain-of-disfunction-research-method-comes-under-fire
78. Can Kentucky medical professionals lose their licenses if
they spread disputed COVID claims?
"At a minimum, I feel that the medical licensure board
should make a public statement on standards they think physicians
should follow," said Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset
physician and author of a
Courier Journal opinion piece calling some of Paul's vaccine
claims "reprehensible." Courier Journal. Aug. 30, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/08/30/what-happens-kentucky-doctors-who-make-disputed-covid-19-claims/5572479001/
77. Future Delta Variant Mutations Seem to Elude Vaccine
Antibodies
Although the data are preliminary, Kevin Kavanagh, MD,
a member of Infection Control Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board,
says that the findings warrant attention. “This report is an example
of gain of function research using a pseudo-virus which is extremely
beneficial,” Kavanagh tells ICT®. “The research reported that the
Delta virus is one mutation away from fully escaping the vaccine. It
is possible that those infected with the Delta variant may have a
degree of immunity, but those vaccinated or who had COVID-19 with a
previous variant will be at high risk for a significant
reinfection.” Infection Control Today. Aug. 27, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/delta-variant-mutations-seem-to-elude-vaccine-antibodies
76. Vaccines Not as Effective Against Delta Variant, say CDC
Data
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®s (ICT®)’s Editorial Advisory Board, made the same argument on
July 27 in ICT® in a Q&A headlined “Everybody Needs to be Vaccinated
and Wear a Mask.” Kavanagh said that “I am convinced this virus is
about one or two iterations away from completely avoiding the
vaccine. And remember, we have the lambda variant and the kappa
variant which are sitting out there in the wings, waiting for
immunity to drop and possibly cause another wave.” Infection
Control Today. Aug. 25, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/vaccines-not-as-effective-against-delta-variant-says-cdc-data
75. Why Wait 8 Months for a COVID-19 Booster Shot?
As ICT® reported, Israel—which launched its booster
shot program in the beginning of August—is offering booster shots to
people 60 and older who’d had their second dose of vaccine 5 months
prior.
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of ICT®’s Editorial Advisory Board
analyzed and translated the data by the Ministry of Health Israel
and about 3 weeks before the US announced its booster shot plan
wrote that the US should begin a similar program immediately.
Kavanagh said in an email to ICT® that “with the Israel data email
ICT® published showing that individuals greater than 60 years old
and 5 months out from full vaccination plus the recent New York
Times data showing that between 12% to 25% of hospitalizations are
breakthrough infections, one must ask the question: Why wait 8
months for boosters? This underscores the importance of using the
vaccine as a layer of armor and not a panacea. Those vaccinated at
the same time need to wear N95 masks and avoid indoor settings.”
Infection Control Today. Aug. 20, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/why-wait-8-months-for-a-covid-19-booster-shot-
74. COVID-19 Boosters Shots for US Adults Coming in September
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of ICT®’s Editorial
Advisory Board writes in an email to ICT® that the move “comes as a
surprise to many since just a few weeks ago people were being
assured that breakthrough infections are ‘extremely rare’, less than
1% in all reporting states. Why the 180-degree pivot? The answer is
delta and data provided from the Ministry of Health Israel (MHI).
The MHI reported that there was only a 16% Pfizer vaccine
effectiveness in preventing symptomatic infections after 5 months
post vaccination. And in the group of patients who are over age 60
and more than 5 months since vaccination, a breakthrough infection
is associated with a 8.6% incidence of hospitalization and a 2%
incidence of death.” Infection Control Today. Aug.
18, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-19-boosters-shots-for-us-adults-in-the-works
73. COVID-19 Booster Shots Alone Might Not Stop Delta and
Other Variants
Booster shots alone won't turn away the pandemic. The
way back to our normal lives involves a multi-pronged approach to
infection prevention.
But that won’t be enough, Kavanagh argues in an article scheduled to
be printed in an upcoming issue of ICT®.
“SARS-CoV-2 has continued to evolve,” Kavanagh writes. “It has now
become evident that with each emerging variant, the virus has
appeared to progressively become more infective. Variants which
increase viral load may also increase transmissibility and the
opportunity to mutate, along with overwhelming a host’s immune
system and becoming more virulent.” And there seems to be wave after
wave of variants.
Kavanagh adds that “to make matters worse, SARS-CoV-2 is infecting a
number of animals, including cats, large cats, dogs and gorillas.
Most recently, concern has been raised that it may have found an
animal host in white tail deer, with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
identified in 40% of surveyed animals.”
Kavanagh has always said that COVID-19 vaccines alone are not a
panacea in stopping the pandemic. And although booster shots are
crucially important, one should also not rely on booster shots
alone, either.
There must be a multi-pronged approach to COVID-19 if we have any
hope of returning to our pre-COVID normal lives, Kavanagh writes in
his article. That includes:
1) Upgrade recommendations for mask usage and to use N95 or
KN95 masks whenever possible.
2) Everyone who can needs to become vaccinated. Similar to
Israel, we should fast track approval for mRNA boosters to those who
are at higher risk, including those who are immunosuppressed and
over the age of 60 and 5 months out from vaccination.
3) Upgrade building ventilation systems to increase air
exchanges and air sanitization.
4) Expand testing capabilities to be able to test frontline
workers and school children at least twice a week, and other workers
at least once a week.
5) Limiting sizes of gatherings, including podding in schools
and plans for permanent hybrid instruction to limit class sizes.
6) Businesses, including restaurants, need to offer online
ordering along with curbside pickup and when possible, home
delivery.
Everyone needs to be vaccinated. Mandatory vaccines should be
required in many settings, including health care. Vaccine passports
or green cards are being implemented in Israel and France and need
to be implemented in the United States. Infection Control
Today. Aug. 17, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-19-booster-shots-alone-might-not-stop-delta-and-other-variants
72. 2-Dose COVID-19 Vaccines Work Against Delta Variant, Says
Study
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board, notes that “the data from the
United Kingdom which reports that the Pfizer mRNA vaccine is 88%
effective against symptomatic infections appears to be in stark
contrast to the 41% effectiveness reported by the Ministry of Health
in Israel. The difference can be explained by waning of immunity
over time and the vaccine dosage schedule in the two countries.”
Israel was one of the first countries to administer vaccines to
their population and has a dosage schedule similar to the US. The
UK, on the other hand, spaced the 2 doses apart by up to 3 months,
says Kavanagh.
“Thus, most in Israel completed their vaccination schedule far ahead
of those in the United Kingdom,” says Kavanagh. “Israel is currently
administering boosters to those above the age of 60 and more than 5
months since vaccination. The United Kingdom is planning to start
booster shots in September.” Infection Control Today.
Aug. 12, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/-dose-covid-19-vaccines-work-against-delta-variant-says-study
71. Put COVID-19 to the Test
ICT® EAB member Kevin Kavanagh, MD, asserts that “as
we are learning more about the Delta variant and how it can evade
immunity, causing breakthrough infections, we realize that expanding
our testing activities is imperative. In Germany, everyone in
schools and industry are tested twice weekly.”
Kavanagh also points out that in the United Kingdom, people who live
where the Delta variant is spreading are encouraged to get tested
twice a week, and China tests every citizen in Wuhan.
“We need to do much more testing, and we also need to monitor the
accuracy of our tests on each of the new variants,” says Kavanagh.
Infection Control Today. Aug. 10, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/put-covid-19-to-the-test
70. CDC study of Kentuckians disputes Rand Paul, Thomas Massie
claims about COVID-19 immunity
"Paul, a Bowling Green physician, has been especially
outspoken on the subject. In a May opinion piece in The Courier
Journal, he blasted "petty tyrants in government" for pushing
vaccines and arguing there are no studies showing "any benefit at
all" to vaccination for those who have had COVID-19.
.... But retired Somerset physican Kevin Kavanagh, who sharply
criticized some of Paul's claims about the vaccine as
"reprehensible" in a Courier-Journal opinion article, said in an
email Monday that vaccines are even more essential amid the spread
of the delta variant. "With the emergence of new variants,
reinfections can and are occurring," said Kavanagh, chairman of the
patient advocacy group Health Watch USA. "No one wants to become
repeatedly infected with a deadly virus." " Courier Journal.
Aug. 9, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2021/08/09/cdc-study-disputes-rand-paul-thomas-massie-covid-immunity-claims/5536638001/
69. Some Experts See a Peak, Steep Decline of Delta Variant
Coming
As experts have been telling ICT® for months now, we control
our destiny. Kevin Kavanagh, MD, another member of ICT®’s EAB
member, puts it this way: “I am convinced this virus is about one or
two iterations away from completely avoiding the vaccine. And
remember, we have the lambda variant and the kappa variant which are
sitting out there in the wings, waiting for immunity to drop and
possibly cause another wave.” Other experts echo Kavanagh’s “we the
people” approach to getting back to some semblance of our
pre-pandemic lives. Infection Control Today. Aug. 6, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/some-experts-see-a-peak-steep-decline-of-delta-variant-coming
68. As US Reaches Vaccine Milestone, Question of COVID Booster
Shots Persist
Israel announced last week that it will be the first country to
offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to citizens 60 and older, and
that effort officially began last Sunday. As Infection Control
Today® (ICT®) reported Monday, booster shots for older Americans
might be something the United States will soon undertake.
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of ICT®’s Editorial Advisory Board,
said this morning that “Israel was one of the first countries to
vaccinate a majority of its citizens. They used a dosage schedule
similar to the United States. Recent data from the Ministry of
Health in Israel has shown that immunity is waning in those over 60
years of age who have received their second dose of the vaccine 5
months ago.”
Regarding booster shots, Kavanagh says that “in the United States
our most vulnerable, along with nursing home residents, were given
vaccinations early on in the pandemic. They are at risk of breakthrough
infections with significant morbidity and mortality. Similar to the
policy in other countries, I feel that the United States needs to
administer boosters to our most vulnerable, before we see a repeat
of last year's devastation in nursing homes caused by the Delta
variant.” Infection Control Today. Aug. 4, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/s-us-reaches-vaccine-milestone-question-of-covid-booster-shots-persist
67. CDC: 74% of COVID-19 Cases in Cluster Happened Among
Vaccinated
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control Today®’s
Editorial Advisory Board urged early this week in a Q&A with ICT®
that, as the headline to the article put it: “Everybody Needs to be
Vaccinated and Wear a Mask.”
About the MMWR study, Kavanagh said that “this outbreak makes the
Israeli data which we reported on Wednesday look overly optimistic.
In the Cape Cod outbreak, the vaccine appears to have had little
efficacy in the prevention of infections or symptomatic disease. The
data that we have today indicates the vaccines are highly effective
in preventing hospitalization, severe disease and death. But it
needs to be remembered that even those with mild infections can
develop long COVID. A small study out of Israel which studied health
care workers who had a vaccine breakthrough infection found 19% had
symptoms greater than 6 weeks.”
Five people were hospitalized, and 4 of them had been fully
vaccinated. Kavanagh pointed out that “the Delta variant is much
more infectious, producing 1000 times more virions than the wild
type of virus. And the viral load of individuals with breakthrough
infections was the same as those who are not vaccinated. This
outbreak occurred in a highly vaccinated area. We all need,
regardless of where you live, you need to wear medical grade masks
(preferably N95s) and become vaccinated.” Infection Control
Today. July 30. 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cdc-74-of-covid-19-cases-in-cluster-happened-among-vaccinated
66. Centers for Disease Control releases new mask guidance.
Here's what it means for Kentucky
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician and chairman
of Health Watch USA, a non-profit patient advocacy organization,
said the CDC should have acted sooner to try to mitigate the spread
of the Delta variant by recommending masks in most indoor settings.
"They're leading from behind," he said. "I think our state of
Kentucky needs to get its own policy. We need to do what is required
to protect our citizens."
Kavanagh said masks should be worn in indoor settings where people
are exposed to others outside their households. While vaccinated
individuals are less likely to experience symptoms or serious
illness, they could still spread it to others, he said.
And the longer the virus circulates, the more likely it is to mutate
into even more dangerous forms that could evade the vaccine.
"We're in grave danger," he said. "This virus is out to win."
Courier Journal. July 27, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/07/27/amid-covid-delta-variant-surge-cdc-issues-new-masking-advice/5386431001/
65. CDC Expected to Tighten Masking Rules for Fully Vaccinated
One of the experts who challenged the CDC’s guidelines is Kevin
Kavanagh, MD, a member of the ICT®’s Editorial Advisory Board who
just last week in an opinion piece implored the agency to take a
different approach to COVID-19.
“We need to have a paradigm shift in the way we view this virus,
planning and implementing strategies to allow us to live with an
endemic pathogen,” Kavanagh wrote. And in a Q&A posted to ICT®’s
website this morning with a headline—“Everybody Needs to be
Vaccinated and Wear a Mask”—that may prove to be prescient, Kavanagh
said that he’s “convinced this virus is about one or two iterations
away from completely avoiding the vaccine. And remember, we have the
lambda variant and the kappa variant which are sitting out there in
the wings, waiting for immunity to drop and possibly cause another
wave.”
But, as Kavanagh said, it’s the Delta variant that’s really changed
the nature of the battle against COVID-19. The CDC relaxed masking
guidelines for the fully vaccinated based on data taken from
previous iterations of the coronavirus. Kavanagh said that his
biggest concern is that “everybody’s in the mindset that this
pandemic is over with. We don’t need to do anything else. And if
you’re vaccinated, you have a get-out-of-jail card, and you can go
on with your life as if it was normal. And with this Delta variant,
nothing could be further from the truth. I feel it is imperative
that everyone, even those vaccinated, start wearing masks and start
following public health strategies, which were followed over the
surge of the winter holidays. I can’t stress that more.” Infectin
control Today. July 27, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cdc-expected-to-tighten-masking-rules-for-fully-vaccinated
55. Can Providers be Blamed for Losing Patience with
Vaccine Hesitant?
EAB member Kevin Kavanagh, MD, has written extensively for ICT®
about that dangers posed by COVID-19. Kavanagh points out that
compassion fatigue can always pounce because poor decisions made by
patients necessitates much of health care treatment.
“Vaccination rates are not only low with the public but also with
health care workers,” Kavanagh points out. “All need to realize that
the public looks up to health care workers for guidance and many
have cited the example of unvaccinated workers as influencing their
decision.”
Kavanagh adds that people need to keep in mind that many health care
workers are suffering from post-traumatic stress, as ICT® reported
in its May cover story.Kavanagh adds that people need to keep in
mind that many health care workers are suffering from post-traumatic
stress, as ICT® reported in its May cover story.
“Ideally, counseling and time off of work is desperately needed,”
says Kavanagh. “Unfortunately, this is not possible and we will be
soon facing a health care worker shortage. The solution is for
everyone who can, to become vaccinated and we all need to adopt
strict public health strategies. And for all to support, however
possible, our frontline workers.”
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/can-providers-be-blamed-for-losing-patience-with-vaccine-hesitant-
54 . Lambda Variant of COVID-19 Might Be Resistant
to Vaccines
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of ICT®’s Editorial
Advisory Board, argues that the emergence of the lambda variant
underscores the need to consider vaccines just 1 layer of protection
against COVID-19 infection, and that they should be combined with
masks and goggles.
“It needs to be remembered that a high-quality mask or respirator
can decrease viral exposure up to sixfold, making them an important
adjunct to vaccines with reduced efficacy,” Kavanagh tells ICT®.
“Our goal needs to be to prevent both death and long-term
disability.”
Slow the spread and the mutations of COVID-19, Kavanagh urges. And
though there may be very few cases of the lambda variant in the
U.S., it still “underscores
the need for travel restrictions, including quarantining of
returning [travelers], regardless of vaccination status,” says
Kavanagh. “We also need to pivot away from our current two-tiered
advisories regarding vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. With
the lambda and Delta variants we all should become vaccinated plus
follow public health advice.”
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/lambda-variant-of-covid-19-might-be-resistant-to-vaccines
53. COVID-19 Isn’t Done with Us Yet, Medical Experts
Warn
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®’s (ICT®) Editorial Advisory Board, worries that the
unvaccinated put others at risk, if not of death from COVID-19, but
from long COVID. Kavanagh worries that far from being a return to
pre-COVID normal, when the pandemic finally recedes it will leave a
destructive overload of disabilities behind.
“We need to have as much diligence in preventing chronic disability
in the young as we do in preventing deaths in the elderly,” Kavanagh
tells ICT®. Kavanagh’s concern dovetails with those of the author of
a study in Circulation in April with the ominous title: “Avoiding
the Coming Tsunami of Common, Chronic Disease: What the Lessons of
the COVID-19 Pandemic Can Teach Us.” Infection Control Today.
July 20, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-19-isn-t-done-with-us-yet-medical-experts-warn
52. COVID-19 Case Counts Surge in 46 States
Medical experts have been warning for weeks that this
could happen. Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®’s (ICT®) Editorial Advisory Board, pointed out just yesterday
that the stage has been set for another COVID-19 surge. “Beating
back infection is a numbers game: viruses against antibodies,”
Kavanagh wrote. “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.”
Kavanagh has also mentioned the dangers posed by long COVID-19, and
how the young are not immune to that problem. “One of the things
that’s really frustrated me with this epidemic and pandemic is that
people are totally focused on dying…. But in actuality, the
disabilities are much, much more concerning because that is even
affecting the young people.” Infection Control Today.
July 14, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-19-case-counts-surge-in-46-states
51. Infectious Disease Organizations: Health Care
Workers Must be Vaccinated
Back in April, Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of
Infection Control Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board, wrote in an
opinion piece in ICT® that health care workers who refuse to get the
COVID-19 vaccine put vulnerable patients at risk, an act Kavanagh
described as “reprehensible.” Kavanagh wrote that “if you work
in a health care facility, you need to be vaccinated against
SARS-CoV-2. If you choose not to become vaccinated, then you should
choose not to be working in a health care setting.” Infection
Control Today. July 13, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/infectious-disease-organizations-health-care-workers-must-be-vaccinated
50. It’s Not Over: As Delta Variant Preys on the
Unvaccinated, Long COVID Settles In
Then there’s the risk posed by long COVID. Kevin
Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control Today®’s Editorial
Advisory Board, told ICT® in a Q&A in January that “one of the
things that’s really frustrated me with this epidemic and pandemic
is that people are totally focused on dying…. But in actuality, the
disabilities are much, much more concerning because that is even
affecting the young people.” Other health care experts have begun to
echo Kavanagh’s concerns. Infection Control Today. June
25, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/it-s-not-over-as-delta-variant-preys-on-the-unvaccinated-long-covid-settles-in
49. Kentucky COVID-19 restrictions end Friday,
signaling hope and a return to normalcy for many
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician and
chairman of Health Watch USA, a non-profit patient advocacy
organization.
Kavanagh is particularly concerned about the spread of variants, or
mutations, of COVID-19, that tend to spread among unvaccinated
populations and are more contagious and possibly, more dangerous.
A variant from the explosion of cases in India, known as the Delta
variant, has surfaced in the United States in increasing numbers,
but because of limited testing and analysis, it's not clear how
widespread it is, he said.
"We don’t know where the Indian variant is or isn’t," he said. "We
are flying blind and if you're flying blind, I tend not to want to
get on the plane."
Kavanagh thinks officials should go more slowly in easing
requirements such as mask-wearing until a greater percentage of the
population is vaccinated.
"They are exceedingly safe vaccines that are highly effective," he
said. Courier journal. June 11, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/06/11/kentucky-mask-mandate-expected-to-end-signaling-hope/7604229002/
48. As Delta Variant Rises, Hospital Suspends 178
Employees for Not Getting Vaccinated Against COVID-19
Contacted this morning by ICT®, Kavanagh expressed
concern with how the CDC’s going about informing the public about
the COVID-19 variants. “The CDC's government webpage on variants
still lags behind the CDC/NIH funded Scripps research site of
outbreak.info,” Kavanagh said. “Even today the Delta Variant was not
included in the CDC Website Table Listing Variants of Concern and
state specific data on this variant is absent. The latest data which
you can obtain by a mouse over on the bar graph lists the prevalence
of the Delta Variant as 2.5%. This is much less than the data in the
NPR story of over 6% and less than the outbreak.info listing of 19%”
There’s little doubt as to which side of the Houston Methodist
Hospital debate Kavanagh comes down on. The headline for an article
published on the ICT® website on April 22 sums it up: “Viewpoint:
Health Care Professionals—Get Vaccinated or Get Out.” In it,
Kavanagh wrote that “if you work in a health care facility, you need
to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. If you choose not to become
vaccinated, then you should choose not to be working in a health
care setting.” Infection Control Today. June 9, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/as-delta-variant-rises-hospital-suspends-178-employees-for-not-getting-covid-vaccinated
47. Memorial Day Musings in the Shadow of COVID-19
As Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®’s (ICT®) Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) put it, we still
don’t know the actual number of health care workers who’ve died from
COVID-19 because “no one is truly counting. The reporting of their
deaths is voluntary.”
As Kavanagh has pointed out, surviving COVID-19 should not be the
sole benchmark. Of the health care workers who’ve gotten mild to
moderate COVID-19, between 10% and 30% can be expected to have
long-term symptoms. “In addition, the reported deaths would mainly
represent those who died in the acute phase of the illness,”
Kavanagh says. “It has recently been reported that 8 deaths per 1000
of non-hospitalized cases of COVID-19 can occur between 30 to 180
days after diagnosis. These cases died from detrimental effects on
multiple organs and may not have been counted as COVID-19 deaths.
All of these frontline workers have given their lives and livelihood
for our safety and need to be remembered during this Memorial Day.”
Infection Control Today. May 31, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/memorial-day-musings-in-the-shadow-of-covid-19
46. CDC Study Might Nudge Vaccine Hesitant Health
Care Workers
As Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of ICT®’s Editorial
Advisory Board (EAB) put it recently: “It’s hard to convince a
patient to become vaccinated when they were just escorted to the
room with a nurse who did not have the vaccine.” Infection
Control Today. May 18, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cdc-study-might-nudge-vaccine-hesitant-health-care-workers
45. Wuhan Lab Leak Called Viable Possibility for COVID-19
Pandemic
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control Today®’s
Editorial Advisory Board, says that “the assertion that the virus
was purposefully released is probably not valid since the epicenter
of the epidemic was in a highly populated portion of China and the
country did not have a workable vaccine.”
“There appears to be little doubt that, like the rest of the world,
the Wuhan lab was experimenting on coronaviruses,” says Kavanagh.
“On May 11 of this year
Senator Rand Paul questioned the White House
regarding 'gain of function' research, research which would be
expected to make the viruses more dangerous and more transmissible.
This research was also mentioned in a
Presidential Fact Sheet:
Activity at the Wuhan Institute of Virology from the Trump
Administration which apparently has not yet been refuted by the
Biden Administration.”
Kavanagh says that “this subject of research in the Wuhan Lab has
been almost taboo in the mainstream media. However, the construction
of man-made (pseudo) virus is presently an exact science, with
single amino acid substitutions possible. Similar to vaccine
production, you just need to be able to input the genetic code you
desire and a vaccine or pseudo-virus can be made.”
What Kavanagh refers to what he describes as a “chilling article” by
authors affiliated with China's National Institutes for Food and
Drug Control (NIFDC) and WHO Collaborating Center for
Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals. “This article
describes a plethora of single amino acid substitutions in the spike
protein from 106 pseudo-virus which resulted in ‘ten mutations such
as N234Q, L452R, A475V, and V483A was markedly resistant to some
mAbs’ and that ‘the dominant D614G itself and combined with other
mutations are more infectious.’” The D614G variant was the dominant
variant in the United States in 2020. Infection Control Today. May
18 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/lab-leak-called-viable-possibility-for-covid-19-pandemic
44. Seemingly Mixed Messages About Indian COVID-19
Variant Given br />
As Infection Control Today® has been reporting, the
CDC has been criticized for doling out information during the
COVID-19 pandemic that has often been contradictory, when it’s not
been out and out wrong. Last October in a Q&A, Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a
member of ICT®’s Editorial Advisory Board, said that “there have
been a number of statements from the CDC or at least with the CDC
label on it, which have been disturbing.” Infection Control Today.
May 12, 2021
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/seemingly-mixed-messages-about-indian-covid-19-variant-given
43. CDC Relaxes Mask-Wearing Guidelines for Fully Vaccinated
Individuals
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board, recently wrote that the wearing
of masks should continue until herd immunity is reached.
When contacted about the CDC announcement, Kavanagh told ICT® in an
email exchange that people should approach the changed guidance with
caution.
“We still have over half of our population not fully vaccinated and
one cannot tell who is and who is not vaccinated,” Kavanagh said.
“And because of aerosolization of the virus, how close you are to
someone will not gauge indoor safety. Airflow and sanitization is of
utmost importance.” Infection Control Today. May 13, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cdc-relaxing-mask-wearing-guidelines-ap-reports
42. Kentucky nursing home with deadly COVID-19
variant outbreak identified as Rowan facility
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician and
chairman of Health Watch USA, a non-profit patient advocacy
organization, said the impact of the virus could worsen for those
who are vaccinated as more variants of COVID-19 develop and spread.
Genome sequencing identified the strain as an "R.1" variant, or
mutation, of COVID-19 that bore some similarities to variants
identified in other countries but was not identical. The report said
the mutation had not been previously identified in Kentucky.
Kavanagh said the vaccine should be mandatory for staff who work at
nursing homes. "No one has the right to inflict a devastating
disease on a frail, elderly person who has entrusted their life to
them," he said. Courier Journal. May. 4, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/05/04/kentucky-nursing-home-deadly-covid-19-variant-outbreak-morehead-site/4935105001/
41. Louisville health officials worried about
post-Kentucky Derby spike in COVID-19 cases
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician and
chairman of Health Watch USA, a non-profit patient advocacy
organization, said he is concerned about the potential for the Derby
and related events, such as parties or crowds at bars, to increase
the spread of COVID-19. He said he was particularly concerned about
images from the weekend of people crowded together both inside and
outdoors. “It’s just a set-up for a super-spreader event,” Kavanagh
said. “If you get close to someone with COVID-19, even outdoors, you
have a risk of getting infected.” Moreover, the continuing spread of
variants, or mutations of the virus — largely among unvaccinated
people — increases the risk of catching a new, more contagious and
possibly more dangerous form of COVID-19. “I know that’s doom and
gloom,” he said. “We’ll just have to wait a couple of weeks and see
what happens.” Courier Journal. May 4, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/05/04/louisville-health-officials-worry-over-possible-post-kentucky-derby-covid-19-spike/7003404002/
41. CDC cites COVID-19 outbreak at Kentucky
nursing home in urging more staff to be vaccinated
"Still, Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset
physician and and chairman of Health Watch USA, a non-profit patient
advocacy organization, said it may be a luxury society can't afford
as variants of COVID-19 spread that are considered more contagious
and may be more deadly. "You shouldn't be allowed to advocate for
your civil rights at the expense of elderly patients," he said. And
as variants spread among largely unvaccinated people, so does the
threat of another surge of COVID-19, he said. "I think we're going
to be in for a huge rebound of the virus if people don't get
vaccinated," he said." Courier Journal. Apr. 22, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/04/22/cdc-cites-kentucky-nursing-home-covid-19-outbreak-vaccination-push/7332528002/
40. Ky. pauses use of one-dose coronavirus vaccine
over rare side effects; Beshear worries federal advice will have
negative impact
"Dr. Kevin Kavanaugh, an infection-control activist
who leads the Somerset-based watchdog group Health Watch USA, said
we need "to be very careful that the enemy of the good is not
better."
Kavanaugh first noted that these severe episodes have occurred in
less than one in a million people and then said to his knowledge the
J&J vaccine was the only one so far that had been field tested in
people with the South African variant and found to be effective. "So
all things combined, personally I would still be willing to take the
Johnson and Johnson vaccine," he said." Kentucky Health News.
Apr. 13, 2021.
https://kyhealthnews.blogspot.com/2021/04/ky-pauses-use-of-one-dose-coronavirus.html
39. The Kentucky Derby 2021 and COVID-19: Is it
safe to attend? Health experts weigh in
"I think we should be focusing on following good
public health advice instead of opening up more," said Dr. Kevin
Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician and chairman of Health Watch
USA, a non-profit patient advocacy organization.
Kevin Kavanagh is a retired physician from Somerset, Kentucky, and
chairman of Health Watch USA.
"We're almost there, almost there to the end," Kavanagh said. "What
we don't want to have happen is to spread the virus and have a
mutation that can evade the vaccines totally. Then we're in big
trouble." Courier Jounral. Apr. 6, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/events/kentucky-derby/2021/04/01/kentucky-derby-2021-safety-amid-covid-19/7004531002/
38. 'No unknown soldiers': How Kentucky missed
over 600 deaths from COVID-19
"A disease like COVID affects every organ of the
body," said Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired physician from Somerset
and chairman of Health Watch USA. "A lot of COVID patients die from
heart attacks."
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/03/25/covid-19-deaths-audit-finds-662-more-kentucky-cases/6973083002/
37. Ungar L. For Spring Season, Young Athletes Get
Back in the Game Despite Covid Risk
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, an infection control expert in
Kentucky who runs the national patient safety group Health Watch
USA, said contact sports are “very problematic,” especially those
played indoors. He said heavy breathing during exertion could raise
the risk of covid even if students wear cloth masks. Ideally, he
said, indoor contact sports should not be played until after the
pandemic. “These are not professional athletes,”
Kavanagh said. “They’re children.” Ungar L. Kaiser Health News. Mar.
16, 2021.
https://khn.org/news/article/young-athletes-return-to-team-sports-despite-covid-risk-spring-season/
36. Diamond F. Possible New COVID Variant Causes
Outbreak in Highly Vaccinated Nursing Home.
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board, wrote in a viewpoint that CMS’
relaxing of the restrictions on visiting was a mistake. Kavangh
wrote that “this recommendation appears to assume that herd immunity
is reached at 70%. This figure appears to be even a low community
estimate for obtaining herd immunity. And certainly, will not be
true for spread which occurs in an indoor setting with poor
ventilation and high resident contact; let alone that which is
needed for to achieve herd immunity with the new variants.”
Infection Control Today. Mar. 16, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-variant-spreads-among-kentucky-nursing-home-residents
35. Medicare-Certified Long-Term Care Visitation
Update: New Guidance
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician who
heads Health Watch USA, which focuses on infection control, objected
to the new government guidelines.
He told Kentucky Health News that he had many concerns,
including rules that allow visitation to continue as soon as one
round of testing is completed and reveals no cases after a new case
is identified. "That doesn't work," he said. "You've got a long
incubation period and we saw that in the Rose Garden" event Sept. 26
for new Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, which led to
several Covid-19 cases.
Kavanagh also objected to the part of the federal
guidance that will allow visitation in certain units of a home that
have tested negative for the virus, while closing other units that
still have active cases. Because the virus is aerosolized, he said,
it can spread through the home's ventilation system to other units.
"That's kind of like smoking in the back of an
airplane," he said. "This thing's aerosolized. That doesn't work."
He added, "These are our highest risk individuals. . .
. This virus is relentless, it does not care. And we cannot set up
the elderly in an unsafe situation, especially when vaccines are
available. If people want to visit the elderly, they should get
vaccinated."
He expanded on his concerns in an op-ed for Infection
Control Today titled, "Nursing Home Guidance Endangers Elderly."
Kentucky Health News. Mar. 11, 2021.
https://kyhealthnews.blogspot.com/2021/03/medicare-certified-nursing-homes-will.html
34. People Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Can Mingle
Maskless Again
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, said: “Relaxation of adivsements
will come as a welcome relief. All are weary of living under public
health restrictions. Obtaining both doses for the Pfizer/BioNTech
and Moderna vaccines is essential, since this is what will give
protection to the variants. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is single
dosage and even with this, its clinical trials demonstrate excellent
protection against severe disease caused by the South African
variant. The duration of vaccine induced immunity is a concern,
especially for effectiveness against the South African and Brazilian
variants. Thus, even if you become fully vaccinated, a booster may
still be advised in the future.” Infection Control
Today. Mar. 8, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/people-vaccinated-against-covid-19-can-mingle-maskless-again
33. Montana health director nominee once faced
criticism over Kentucky's hepatitis A outbreak
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Kentucky physician who
runs the national watchdog group Health Watch USA, is among those
who said Meier and his team needed to do more early on to curb the
hepatitis outbreak as it made its way into Appalachia. Kavanagh said
Meier’s handling of the outbreak provides a window into how he might
handle the COVID crisis in Montana.
“But it could be a learning opportunity if failed strategies are
corrected,” Kavanagh said. “The biggest question is: What did he
learn in Kentucky?” Courier Journal. Feb. 27, 2012.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/27/montana-health-director-nominee-adam-meier-led-during-kentucky-hepatitis-outbreak/6850713002/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2021/03/01/looking-kentuckys-past-understand-montana-health-nominees-future/6873126002/
32. Leaked video more comical than incendiary, but
coach's conduct raises coronavirus concerns
“When you have two individuals indoors without cloth
masks, that is a set up for transmission, which can be a disaster
for the individuals in close contact,” said Dr. Kevin Kavanagh,
board chairman of Health Watch USA. “When they are public figures,
it sets a bad example and may encourage other Kentuckians to do the
same.” “I don’t know what that means,” Kavanagh said. “Testing
is not a for-sure guarantee that you won’t get transmission. Even
vaccination is not for sure, especially with the new variants.
“One needs to do both masking and social distancing and when you’re
indoors there’s a possibility neither will be effective because this
virus can aerosolize.” Americans grow increasingly susceptible
to COVID-19 fatigue, tempted to cut corners and resume life as we
once knew it. As vaccines are distributed and immunity increases,
Kavanagh says, “I’m very worried that as a society we’re declaring
victory and letting our guard down.” Courier Journal.
Feb. 21, 2021.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/
2021/02/21/sullivan-macks-conduct-after-
louisville-win-raises-covid-19-concerns/4533748001/
31. Legislators tell Beshear they’ll talk with him after votes
to override vetoes; he says ‘See you in court,’ warns of fourth
surge in cases
"In an opinion piece for the Courier Journal, Dr.
Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician and the chairman of
Health Watch USA, walks through the dangers of the coronavirus
variant that originated in the United Kingdom, noting that it may be
70% more infectious, 30% more lethal and more likely to infect
children. He adds that the Brazil and the South Africa variants “are
even more concerning.” That said, he said there is hope in President
Biden’s seven-point plan that aims to create a standardized pandemic
approach. He also writes that “For many, the virus is becoming a
litmus test for reliable news sources,” noting that “unreliable
sources rarely if ever correct reporting errors, which have led to
the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans.”" Kentucky
Health News. Feb. 2, 2021.
http://ci.uky.edu/kentuckyhealthnews/2021/02/02/
legislators-tell-beshear-theyll-talk-with-him-after-votes-to-override-vetoes-he-says-see-you-in-court-warns-of-fourth-surge-in-cases/
30. Goodbye to January 2021, COVID-19’s Worst
Month (So Far)
There’s a strain of COVID that emerged in South
Africa—E484K—that has experts even more concerned, because it seems
as if the vaccines are less effective against that strain. Modern
technology allows us to create a new vaccine or booster shot in a
matter of weeks, if that’s in fact what’s needed. We don’t have to
culture them anymore. But as Kevin Kavanagh, MD, and a member of
Infection Control Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board, tells ICT®, the
main goal at this point is to stop the spread of the new variants
because if they take hold there’s this problem: You have to, in
Kavanagh’s words, revaccinate the entire world. “And if we keep
having these variants coming about every six months, because we’re
spreading this virus like wildfire, it’s going to be very
problematic. Infection Control Today. Feb. 1,
2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/goodbye-to-january-2021-covid-19-s-worst-month-so-far-
29. B.1.1.7 Cornavirus Strain Now Said to Be More
Deadly and Contagious
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®'s Editorial Advisory Board said that "initial reports that
the UK Variant is not more lethal than our current strain and that
its increase in transmissibility was possibly due to an increase in
viral production by the patient did not make sense. Since, increased
viral load should produce a more severe disease in the patient. I
was thus hoping for another mechanism, but it now looks like this
strain may be more lethal after all and to make matters worse, it
may have an increased propensity to infect children and young adults."
Kavanagh argues that now is the time for the CDC to be proactive in
its outreach to other countries. "The new emerging coronavirus
strains underscore the necessity of not only having increased
vigilance on our shores and the need to expand our genomic
surveillance in the United States, but also to reactivate and expand
the CDC's foreign support services and personnel. Similar to Ebola
we need to stop these new biological threats in the countries they
emerge in, rather than let them spread around the globe and into the
United States." Infection Control Today. Jan. 22, 2021.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/p-1-1-7-now-said-to-be-more-deadly-and-contagious
28. Pfizer COVID Vaccine Days Away From Approval
"Kevin Kavanagh, MD, points out in an article on
ICT®’s website that “the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is in short supply.
The lion’s share of the doses are not expected to be delivered to
the United States until late June or July, 2021. Moderna appears to
have more available vaccines but the exact delivery dates are
unknown.” " Infection Control Today. Dec. 11, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/fda-panel-meets-today-on-covid-19-vaccine-approval
27. COVID Unleashes the ‘Lurking Scourge’ Candida
Auris
"Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control
Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board, says that drug resistant C. Auris
is a dangerous pathogen, it first came to attention back in 2015.
“Presently, it is known to be highly infectious and can cause
dangerous co-infections,” says Kavanagh.”C. Auris co-infections do
occur in COVID-19 patients and if present the case-fatality-rate is
60%"
Infection Control Today. Nov. 11, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-unleashes-the-lurking-scourge-candida-auris
26. Experts say COVID-19 vaccine will come with challenges and
cautions after distribution
"Even after a vaccine is approved for the novel
coronavirus and is widely distributed, it will still be important to
follow public-health recommendations to thwart the spread of the
virus, including basic hand hygiene, social distancing and wearing a
mask.
All that said, Kavanagh said if you are at high risk for COVID-19 or
a frontline worker, it may be in your best interests to get the
vaccine, after weighing the risks and benefits. As for the rest of
the population, the months-long wait for universal distribution will
give time for more research, he said: “By that time, there’ll be a
lot more safety data, and data on the vaccine’s effectiveness.”
" Ky Forward. Nov. 3, 2020.
https://www.kyforward.com/experts-say-covid-19-vaccine-will-come-with-challenges-and-cautions-after-distribution/
25. CDC Launches $180M Anti-infection Program for
Healthcare Workers
Kevin Kavanagh, MD, another member of ICT®’s Editorial
Advisory Board, says that “this efficient and highly accessible
training is desperately needed as many states are making final plans
for the opening of satellite hospitals and potentially assigning
desperately needed staff with minimal experience in infectious
disease. In addition, tracking and mandatory reporting of healthcare
worker acquisitions and infections with dangerous pathogens such as
COVID-19 is of utmost importance. Infection Control Today.
Oct. 28, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cdc-launches-180m-anti-infection-program-for-healthcare-workers
24. To 'celebrate' or not to celebrate Halloween;
that is the question
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician who
heads Health Watch USA, which focuses on infection control, reminded
Kentuckians on the Jack Pattie Show on Lexington's WVLK that just
because an activity is outdoors doesn't mean it's safe. He noted
that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared
traditional trick-or-treating, in which treats are handed to
children who go door to door, a high-risk activity.
Don't think that wearing a Halloween mask, is going to protect you
from the coronavirus, Kavanagh said. "If screaming will likely
occur, greater distancing is advised," he said. "The greater the
distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.”
The CDC also advises against wearing both a regular mask and a
costume mask: "Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because
it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe.
Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask."
Kentucky Health News. Oct. 26, 2020.
http://kyhealthnews.blogspot.com/2020/10/to-celebrate-or-not-to-celebrate.html
23. Healthcare-Acquired Infections Not Reported
Enough
"One of the problems with controlling HAIs has to do
with the growth of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Kevin
Kavanagh, MD, a member of the Infection Control Today®'s Editorial
Advisory Board, noted in an article that 500 people in the United
States die each day from antibiotic resistant organisms. As
mentioned, the data collected for the ID Week study are pre-COVID.
Kavanagh wrote that preliminary data revealed that "patients with
COVID-19 were more likely to contract healthcare-acquired infections
(HAIs), possibly due to longer hospital stays. The most common MDRO
infecting patients with COVID-19 was methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), followed closely by extended spectrum
beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing organisms. MRSA caused just under
half of the COVID-19 hospital-acquired antibiotic resistant
infections." " Infection Control Today. Oct. 23, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/healthcare-acquired-infections-not-reported-enough
22. Measuring Effects of Flu, COVID Co-Infections
"Kevin Kavanagh, MD, another member of ICT®'s
Editorial Advisory Board, said in a Q&A back in August that those
methods used against COVID seem to be particularly effective against
the flu. The rates of flu in the Southern Hemisphere and in even
back in March in the United States "just plummeted."
"It's a very steep slope,” Kavanagh said in August. “And so one
would ask, ‘Why did that happen?’ Well, it happened because of the
use of masks, hand hygiene, and social distancing. These same public
health initiatives and strategies which are very effective on
COVID-19 are even more effective with the flu." " Infection
Control Today. Oct. 21, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/measuring-effects-of-flu-covid-co-infections
21. AHRQ Process Cuts Down on Antibiotic Overprescribing
"In the November issue of Infection Control Today®, Kevin
Kavanagh, MD, writes about how COVID-19 has complicated the tracking
of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Patients afflicted with COVID-19
have an increased susceptibility to antibiotic resistant infections
both from prolonged hospitalizations and the use of
immunocompromising agents such as dexamethasone,” writes Kavanagh,
who is a member of ICT®'s Editorial Advisory Board. Kavanagh points
out that patients with COVID-19 have longer hospital stays than
patients with flu-like symptoms who have not been infected by the
coronavirus. He also writes that COVID patients are much more likely
to be hit by a healthcare-acquired infection, than non-COVID
patients.
Kavanagh writes that preliminary data by the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention "found that during the pandemic, total
hospitalizations in the United States decreased by approximately
25%. However, inpatient antibiotic usage did not markedly change.
The most common types of antibiotics prescribed were ceftriaxone for
presumptive community acquired pneumonia, which increased by 22% in
April and then fell during the summer, and azithromycin, possibly
used in conjunction with hydroxychloroquine, the rate of which
increased by 55% in April and then also fell. It was evident to me
that in both cases the usage pattern represents changes in both
diagnostic ability and treatment recommendations." " Infection
Control Today. Oct. 21, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/ahrq-process-cuts-down-on-antibiotic-overprescribing
20. Experts Forcefully Push Back on Barrington Declaration
"Kavanagh, MD, a member of Infection Control Today®'s
Editorial Advisory Board in his rebuttal to the Declaration.
Kavanagh wrote that “for infection preventionists and frontline
healthcare workers, the Great Barrington Declaration places their
lives and livelihood at risk." " Infection Control Today. Oct. 20,
2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/experts-forcefully-push-back-on-barrington-declaration
19. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: How COVID Spreads
Indoors
"While reiterating that SARS-CoV-2 most commonly
spreads through close contact (less than 6 feet, and for about 15
minutes) with a symptomatic or asymptomatic carrier, the CDC now
suggests that the coronavirus is even more contagious than
previously thought."
Well, yesterday the CDC again put the guidance on its website,
acknowledging that aerosolized particles of the coronavirus can
spread further than six feet and linger for a long time,
particularly in poorly ventilated areas.
This might not come as a surprise to many experts who’ve been
closely monitoring COVID-19. Certainly not to Kevin Kavanagh, MD, a
member of Infection Control Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board and a
frequent contributor to ICT®. Kavanagh recently pointed out that the
CDC in fact has already acknowledged that the coronavirus can be
aerosolized when it released recommendations on how people should
approach the upcoming holidays. Infection Control Today.
Oct. 6, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/smoke-gets-in-your-eyes-how-covid-spreads-indoors
18. President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump Test
Positive for COVID
"Kevin Kavanagh, MD, is a member of Infection Control
Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board. Kavanagh tells ICT®: “This is a
testament to how easily this virus can spread. President Trump was
in a testing bubble and relied at his rallies on social distancing.
However, these rallies would be defined as a high-risk activity,
since even outdoors—and not all were—loud vocalizations can
aerosolized the virus. In an aerosolized form, the virus can travel
much farther than 6 feet, live for up to 16 hours and defeat the
protections afforded by a cotton mask. If one does not wear a mask,
then the activity is at an even higher risk.” Infection Control
Today. Oct. 3, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/president-trump-first-lady-melania-trump-have-covid-19
17. Somerset-area legislators decry Beshear's
restrictions at Chamber meeting with little use of masks or social
distancing
The lawmakers from the Somerset area spoke to "a
packed house" that included "a whole host of the community’s
business and political leaders," reported Chris Harris of the
Somerset Commonwealth Journal. The newspaper's editor, Jeff Neal,
told Kentucky Health News that "There wasn’t a whole lot of social
distancing, and since they were eating, there were not a lot of
masks being used."
The event concerned Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician
who heads Health Watch USA, which focuses on infection control in
health care.
"Events like this are very problematic," Kavanagh told Kentucky
Health News. "They usually have many cases or none. With the number
of individuals present and the prevalence of the virus in Pulaski
County, the odds are nothing will happen, but if the virus was
present at the event it can be catastrophic. . . . "
http://kyhealthnews.blogspot.com/2020/08/somerset-area-legislators-decry.html
16. Kentucky Derby 2020: Why health experts say
they agree with Churchill Down's decision
“Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired Somerset physician who
also had warned against allowing fans at the event, praised Friday's
decision.
"It sends a very strong message to the community and Kentucky about
how serious this pandemic really is," said Kavanagh, chairman of the
patient advocacy group Health Watch USA.
Kavanagh said earlier this week that holding the event largely
outdoors would have helped. But it still wouldn't account for people
entering the racetrack through the building, passing through
hallways, placing bets, buying food and drink, using restrooms or
otherwise moving about, Kavanagh said.
And any cheering or shouting tends to "aerosolize" the virus and
increase chances of spread, he said.
Though most people who contract the virus don't experience the
severe and sometimes fatal symptoms associated with it, that doesn't
mean it's not a risk to mingle in a crowd, he said. Even people who
appear to have recovered from a less serious case of COVID-19 may be
at risk for lasting heart, lung or kidney damage.
“This is one dangerous virus that we don’t know much about,"
Kavanagh said. "This lackadaisical attitude that you can go out and
get infected and everything will be fine if you’re at low risk is
just plain magical thinking.”” Yetter D. Courier Jounal.
Aug. 22, 2020.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/08/21/health-experts-say-cancelling-fans-good-call-for-kentucky-derby/3400329001/
15. Beshear says Kentucky Derby can safely host
fans despite COVID-19. Not everyone agrees
"Any large gathering of people carries risks," said
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired physician from Somerset, Kentucky, and
chairman of the patient advocacy group Health Watch USA. "That risk
is lessened outdoors with social distancing and by the wearing
masks."
However, Kavanagh said in an email that shouting, which often
happens during the Derby, can cause the virus to "aerosolize" and
"defeat the safety of a cloth mask" while causing droplets to
"travel much further than 6 feet." "In addition, getting into and
out of the stands and use of restrooms is problematic," Kavanagh
said. Yetter D. Courier Jounal. Aug. 12,
2020.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/events/kentucky-derby/2020/08/12/kentucky-derby-2020-beshear-says-race-safe-amid-covid-19/3353837001/
14. As COVID-19 spread, the feds relaxed rules,
and hospitals tried to contain the outbreak. Other infections may
have risen
"Patients need to be repositioned every two hours to
prevent ulcers on the skin, said physician Kevin
Kavanagh, founder of patient advocacy group Health
Watch USA. Doing so will show staff when patients have soiled their
beds, he said.
Daily bathing is necessary to prevent hospital infections, given
"the dangerous pathogens and compromised patients," Kavanagh said,
but bathing takes so many workers that short-staffed facilities too
often don't do it."
Odonell J. USA
Today. Aug. 5, 2020.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/08/05/some-hospital-infections-up-feds-waived-safety-oversight-reporting/5537817002/
13. Once seemingly insulated, Kentucky's
Appalachian counties scramble to stop COVID-19 outbreak
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a retired physician and
infectious-control advocate in Somerset who runs a patient-safety
group called Health Watch USA, said tracing remains a crucial
measure, though it gets less effective as cases grow and lab results
in some areas take more than a week. Courier Journal.
July 31, 2020.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/07/31/covid-19-appalachia-tiny-health-departments-struggle-outbreak/5526869002/
12. Hospitals must treat infection control as a
priority, not a profit center.
"We have gone far too long with not making the proper
investments,” warned Kevin Kavanagh, the physician founder of Health
Watch USA, in a recent commentary in Infection Control Today. “I
fear that, as a society, we may well have to pay the price for this
neglect." STAT. July 1, 2020.
https://www.statnews.com/2020/07/01/hospitals-must-treat-infection-control-as-a-priority-not-a-profit-center/
11. 26,000 COVID-19 Deaths in Nursing Homes Might
Spur Federal-State Blame Game
“Infection control in nursing homes has been
almost non-existent for years along with effective regulations to
serve as guidance,” Kavanagh said. “We are also concerned with a
reactionary program of inspections based on non-specific
regulations.” Kavanagh would like to see a sustained program
of oversight using detailed metrics designed to drive a high-quality
outcome. Infection Control Today.
June 2, 2020.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/covid-19/26000-covid-19-deaths-nursing-homes-might-spur-federal-state-blame-game
10. As obesity's link to COVID-19 grows, one
family that lost 24-year-old daughter diets together
"Along with making mechanical ventilation harder,
being severely overweight can make it harder to breath, reducing the
patient's own ventilation, said Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, a Kentucky
physician and founder of the patient advocacy group Health Watch
USA." USA Today. May 23, 2020.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/
2020/05/23/obesity-makes-covid-19-risk-larger-hospitals-challenges-much-harder/5221600002/
9. Mask or no mask? Why Kentucky's new requirement
to battle COVID-19 is causing such a fuss
Getting people to wear them is "absolutely key," in
part because modeling suggests that getting most of the public to
wear masks is what makes them effective, said Dr. Kevin Kavanagh,
head of the patient safety group Health Watch USA.
It's also critical to making consumers, especially older
Kentuckians, feel safe to return to stores and help revive the
economy, he said. Courier Journal. May 15, 2020.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/05/15/coronavirus-masks-how-kentuckys-first-week-went-requiring-masks/5192238002/
8. Rich hospitals, poor safety plans leading up to
coronavirus: Should rules change for them now?
"As many hospitals cut staff and more than 9,200
health care workers have been diagnosed with COVID-19, Dr. Kevin
Kavanagh, founder of the patient safety group Health Watch USA, said
the government shouldn't bail them out after they “put us all at
risk.” He calls it "a step in the right direction" that rural
hospitals and those with the most COVID-19 patients were getting
money Friday, but said "non-profit facilities with net assets in the
billions should have to first leverage these assets before receiving
public funds." " USA TOday. May 10, 2020.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health
/2020/05/10/coronavirus-should-rich-hospitals-bankroll-better-pandemic-plans/3048437001/
7. Nelson D. Blood-pressure drugs are in the crosshairs
of COVID-19 research. Reuters News Service. April 23,
2020.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-conoravirus-blood-pressure-ins-idUKKCN2251GQ
New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/04/23/us
/23reuters-health-conoravirus-blood-pressure-insight.html
"Dr Kevin Kavanagh, founder of Health Watch USA, a patient advocacy
organization, questioned whether scientists who are funded by the
drug industry should be advising clinicians, given the high stakes.
"You need to consider stepping back, and let others without a
conflict of interest try to make a call," Kavanagh said." His
organization recommends that doctors temporarily avoid putting new
patients on the drugs and warn those currently on them to take
extreme precautions to avoid virus exposure.
6. Morgan-Besecker T. Patient advocate: State needs more
aggressive action to confront COVID-19 deaths. The Citizens'
Voice. April 22, 2020.
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/patient-advocate-state-needs-more-aggressive-action-to-confront-covid-19-deaths-1.2620809
"Kevin Kavanagh, director of Health Watch USA, a patient advocacy
group, said efforts to halt the virus from entering facilities fell
short with catastrophic outcomes. "You try to wall off
the home from the outside. Once COVID-19 gets into the nursing home
environment ... it tends to ravage residents and it does not stop,"
Kavanagh said. Many homes tried to halt the spread by
isolating residents to a specific floor. Kavanagh said the
government must consider taking it a step further and designate one
facility to house infected patients."
5. Sullivan T: Louisville area preacher defies ban on mass
gatherings, plans to hold Sunday service. Courier Journal.
April 4, 2020.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/04/04/preaching-gospel-defying-government/2943503001/
"Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, the Somerset-based
founder of Health Watch USA, argues that church services pose
specific and inordinate dangers during a pandemic. "One of
the cruelest characteristics of the coronavirus epidemic is that it
strikes fear in the hearts and minds of many causing them to ask for
comfort and protection from the God they believe in," Kavanagh wrote
in an essay published Friday in
Infection Control Today.“And at the
same time this virus has made a church service one of the most
deadliest places to be in. The combination of singing in close
quarters and decreased ventilation is nothing short of a petri dish
(or cell plate) for viral growth.""
4. Jacobes A. Fink S. How Prepared Is the U.S. for a Coronavirus
Outbreak? New York Times. Feb. 29, 2020.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/health/coronavirus-preparation-united-states.html
"Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, who has studied infection control practices in
health care settings, said such facilities might eventually have to
limit visitors, or even keep residents under quarantine as a
preventive measure. "Nursing homes will be extremely vulnerable to
this epidemic, and it will be difficult to implement hygiene
practices to prevent the spread," he said."
3. Kenning C. Why the coronavirus couldn't have come at a
worse time for reeling Appalachian Kentucky. Courier Journal. March
21. 2020.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/03/21/coronavirus-comes-terrible-time-reeling-appalachian-kentucky/2878214001/
2. Terrie Morgan-Besecker. NEPA grocery store begins taking
customers' temps. The Citizens' Voice. Mar. 24, 2020.
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/nepa-grocery-store-begins-taking-customers-temps-1.2610547
1. Healy J, Richtel M, Baker M. Nursing Homes Becoming Islands of
Isolation Amid 'Shocking' Mortality Rate. New York Times. March 10,
2020.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/us/coronavirus-nursing-homes-washington-seattle.html
"Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, an expert in infection control who has
been critical of lax practices at nursing homes, lauded the new
guidance that restricts social visits. This extreme level of
quarantine is sometimes known as "reverse isolation” and was used to
effect during the Spanish Flu epidemic, Dr. Kavanagh said. 'As
evidenced by the Life Care Center in Kirkland, once the virus starts
to spread in the facility it ravages its residents,” he said. He
said that “the importance is in delay.""
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