Search results for

Updated on May 1, 2020 at 12pm Athersys, a biotechnology company in Cleveland, has been developing a possible therapy for serious medical conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) – one of the more concerning complications caused by COVID-19. The company announced in a press release on Friday May 1, 2020, that University Hospitals is starting a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of this treatment on patients with COVID-19 induced ARDS.

A new study from respiratory researchers finds cloth masks are beneficial in preventing the spread of COVID-19. “This is based on existing research — just to share with everybody that there is a potential scientific basis for using [cloth masks],” said the chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s Respiratory Institute Dr. Raed Dweik, who contributed to the study.

Cleveland Clinic providers are using several video chat options in addition to its own internal system to combat technical problems in telehealth visits. As thousands of doctors’ appointments have been converted to virtual visits due to social distancing measures, clinic patients and providers reported experiencing technical problems and system crashes.

Federal pandemic aid will help the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority cushion the blow dealt to its bottom line by coronavirus shutdowns. RTA expects to receive about $111 million from the CARES Act, CEO India Birdsong told board members Tuesday. That could help defray an expected cratering in revenue this year.

The Paycheck Protection Program, which opened on April 3, has been plagued with delays and technical difficulties. Republicans and Democrats agree on adding more funding, but they disagree on how.

The company managing cleveland.com has announced furloughs, pay cuts and additional changes for employees in an effort to save money during the pandemic, according to Advance Local. Workers making more than $35,000 annually will receive pay cuts ranging from 2 percent to 20 percent depending on income level, CEO Caroline Harrison wrote in a memo to employees. The reductions will be in effect through December, Harrison said, though there will be a re-evaluation of the situation in September.

The three finalists for CEO of state-controlled Lorain City Schools will have an opportunity to differentiate themselves from the other candidates Tuesday night. They will convene for a public forum over Zoom and answer pre-written questions from a committee of community members.

Cleveland Clinic researchers have developed a new tool that can help predict a patient’s likelihood of testing positive for the coronavirus and becoming seriously ill from it. They said the prediction model, or nomogram, is the first of its kind. The prediction is based on multiple factors, such as a patient’s age and race, as well as their medications and vaccine history.

Health officials are alarmed by a new illness that targets children and may be related to the coronavirus. University Hospitals confirmed its first case of multisystem inflammatory disease at UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital earlier this month, said Dr. Amy Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease specialist. “Children are coming in with a lot of inflammation, and it does appear to affect multiple systems,” Edwards said.

The increasing use of telehealth appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic has some worried about the loss of the doctor-patient relationship. A new study suggests ways telehealth can actually strengthen that bond and build trust. Case Western Reserve University researcher Dr. Kurt Stange contributed to the study, and said the pandemic has presented unique ways for providers to better get to know their patients.