Coronavirus (COVID-19) Q&A

Interview with Churl-Su Kwon, MD, MPH, author of Association of New-Onset Seizures With SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Hosted by Cynthia E. Armand, MD. Related Content: Association of New-Onset Seizures With SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines

Benjamin D. Sommers, MD, PhD, of Harvard University, speaks with JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, about differences in Medicaid enrollment as measured in surveys and administrative data. These differences have implications for estimating coverage now that the federal policy of continuous Medicaid eligibility during the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. Related Content: Survey-Reported Coverage in 2019-2022 and Implications for Unwinding Medicaid Continuous Eligibility

Rural Maternity Care Is in Crisis—Here's What Could Help; Type and Severity of Immunodeficiency Affect Speed of SARS-CoV-2 Clearance, Study Finds Related Content: More Than Half of US Rural Hospitals No Longer Offer Birthing Services—Here's Why When It Comes to SARS-CoV-2 Clearance, People Who Are Immunocompromised Are Not All Alike

Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were recommended for children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years in the US, but were they effective? JAMA Associate Editor Tracy A. Lieu, MD, MPH, spoke with author Leora R. Feldstein, PhD, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about the effectiveness of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents. Related Content: Effectiveness of Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children and Adolescents Aged 5 to 17 Years

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions in ambulatory care. In this interview with JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, Rishi K. Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, of Harvard Medical School discusses how access to care and preventive services changed for different racial and ethnic groups in the US from 2019 to 2022. Related Content: Changes in Health Care Access and Preventive Health Screenings by Race and Ethnicity

Two recent studies find that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe for infants and effective for children aged 1-4 years. JAMA Pediatrics Editor in Chief Dimitri Christakis, MD, and JAMA Pediatrics Associate Editor Alison Galbraith, MD, discuss clinical and policy implications with Grace Lee, MD, MPH, professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California. Related Content: Newborn and Early Infant Outcomes Following Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy Effectiveness of Monovalent mRNA Vaccines Against Omicron XBB Infection in Singaporean Children Younger Than 5 Years

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of diabetes in childhood increased. JAMA Associate Editor Anne R. Cappola, MD, ScM, and Ezio Bonifacio, PhD, from the Center for Regenerative Therapies at the Dresden University of Technology, discuss SARS-CoV-2 infection and its association with islet autoimmunity in early childhood. Related Content: SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Development of Islet Autoimmunity in Early Childhood

Interview with Jay F. Piccirillo, MD, author of Efficacy of Gabapentin For Post–COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction: The GRACE Randomized Clinical Trial. Hosted by Paul C. Bryson, MD, MBA. Related Content: Efficacy of Gabapentin For Post–COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction

In this interview, JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, explore with Erin K. McCreary, PharmD, and Atheendar S. Venkataramani, MD, PhD, how a large regional health system used a weighted lottery and intensive outreach to provide high-risk individuals in disadvantaged communities more equitable access to scarce monoclonal antibodies for preventing COVID-19. Related Content: Weighted Lottery to Equitably Allocate Scarce Supply of COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Moving Beyond Intent and Realizing Health Equity

JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, discuss with Sandra B. Nelson, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston), her JAMA Health Forum study of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools in Massachusetts during 2 different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. She found transmission rates were very low but varied by district and the availability of vaccines. Related Content: Prevalence and Risk Factors for School-Associated Transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Interview with Rishi P. Singh, MD, author of Risk of New Retinal Vascular Occlusion After mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination Within Aggregated Electronic Health Record Data. Hosted by Neil Bressler, MD. Related Content: Risk of New Retinal Vascular Occlusion After mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination Within Aggregated Electronic Health Record Data

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health care in many domains, including mental health services. JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, discuss with Ryan K. McBain, PhD, MPH, of RAND Corporation how the use of mental health care—both in-person and telehealth visits—changed for commercially insured adults during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Interview with Matthew S. Durstenfeld, MD, MAS, and Priscilla Y. Hsue, MD, authors of Use of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing to Evaluate Long COVID-19 Symptoms in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Hosted by Angel N. Desai, MD, MPH. Related Content: Use of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing to Evaluate Long COVID-19 Symptoms in Adults

In July 2022, Nahid Bhadelia, MD, MALD, joined the White House COVID-19 Response Team as senior policy advisor for Global COVID Response. The infectious disease physician, who is on sabbatical from Boston University, spoke with JAMA Associate Managing News Editor Jennifer Abbasi about the pandemic's true burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries and ongoing COVID-19 vaccine inequity. Related Content: White House Advisor Nahid Bhadelia, MD, MALD, on COVID-19 in Resource-Limited Nations—Undercounted Deaths, Vaccine Inequity, and More Global COVID-19 Update (video)

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, most states approved temporary regulatory changes so out-of-state physicians could provide telemedicine services to residents. Ateev Mehrotra, MD, of Harvard Medical School, and Chad Ellimoottil, MD, MS, of the University of Michigan, speak with JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, about the features of telemedicine visits provided for Medicare beneficiaries across state borders during the first year of the pandemic and potential policy changes that would enable such visits to continue.   Related Content: Receipt of Out-of-State Telemedicine Visits Among Medicare Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic Takeaways From 2 Key Studies on Interstate Telehealth Use Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries

On August 3, 2022, the US Department of Health and Human Services released 2 major reports in response to a presidential memo calling for a whole-of-government response to the SARS-CoV-2 sequelae known as “Long COVID." JAMA Editor in Chief Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS, discusses these new reports and the research and support needed to address this pervasive health concern with HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine, MD. Recorded July 29, 2022. Related Content: Addressing the Long-term Effects of COVID-19 Association Between BNT162b2 Vaccination and Long COVID After Infections Not Requiring Hospitalization in Health Care Workers Long COVID: The US Federal Response (Video)

Interview with Elizabeth M. Harry, author of Childcare Stress, Burnout, and Intent to Reduce Hours or Leave the Job During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among US Health Care Workers.Hosted by Angel N. Desai, MD, MPH.

Interview with Paolo Boffetta, MD, author of Global Association of COVID-19 Pandemic Measures With Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Hosted by Jack West, MD.

What a Post–Roe v Wade US Might Look Like for Physicians; SARS-CoV-2 RNA Can Persist in Stool Months After Respiratory Tract Clears Virus Related Article(s): What a Post–Roe v Wade US Might Look Like for Physicians SARS-CoV-2 RNA Can Persist in Stool Months After Respiratory Tract Clears Virus

As the White House's COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, plays a critical role in the federal government's continued response to the pandemic. In this Q&A with JAMA Associate Editor Preeti Malani, MD, Jha details current thinking and federal planning around additional boosters, testing trends, and treatment for COVID-19. Related Content: New White House COVID-19 Leader on What's Next Q&A With White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha

Interview with Peter Watkinson, MD, and Julia Hippisley-Cox, MD, authors of Neuropsychiatric Ramifications of Severe COVID-19 and Other Severe Acute Respiratory Infections. Hosted by John Torous, MD, MBI.

Misinformation about COVID-19 (such as around vaccines, masks, and ineffective drugs) has circulated widely during the pandemic, and much of this misinformation is protected by the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment. Professor of Surgery and Perioperative Care and Professor of Law William M. Sage, MD, JD, from the University of Texas at Austin, is interviewed in this JAMA podcast. Related Content: Reducing “COVID-19 Misinformation” While Preserving Free Speech

Interview with Cheng-Ying Ho, MD, PhD, author of Postmortem Assessment of Olfactory Tissue Degeneration and Microvasculopathy in Patients With COVID-19. Hosted by Cynthia E. Armand, MD.

The health care workforce has yet to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is a concerning trend of increasing numbers of physicians leaving the workforce. JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, discuss with Bianca Frogner, PhD, of the University of Washington new findings that show how all segments of the health care workforce have struggled, with more pronounced effects among long-term care workers, aides, assistants, workers with young children, and workers of color. Related Content: Tracking Turnover Among Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic US Health Care Workforce Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Changes in Material Hardship During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Interview with Michael Springer, PhD, and Andrew Bo Liu, authors of Association of COVID-19 Quarantine Duration and Postquarantine Transmission Risk in 4 University Cohorts Hosted by Angel N. Desai, MD, MPH.

Interview with Ilana Doweck, MD, author of Association Between the BNT162b2 Messenger RNA COVID-19 Vaccine and the Risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss, and Eric J. Formeister, MD, MS, author of Assessment of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss After COVID-19 Vaccination Hosted by Joseph P. Bradley, MD.

Pregnant and recently pregnant individuals who become infected with the COVID-19 virus are at high risk of requiring extra medical care. JAMA Associate Editor Linda Brubaker, MD, MS, from University of California San Diego discusses the rapidly evolving data around COVID-19 and vaccine effectiveness and safety as it relates to pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility with 3 experts in the field: Laura E. Riley, MD, from Weill Cornell Medicine, Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, from University of California San Diego School of Medicine-Pediatrics, and Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, from Emory University. Related Content: COVID-19 and Pregnancy COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy: Maternal Protection and Neonatal Immunity Widespread Misinformation About Infertility Continues to Create COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Chambers reported receiving research funding from Pfizer-BioNTech to study the safety of its COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy. Dr Jamieson reported no disclosures. Dr Riley reported receiving compensation from UpToDate for work on several infections disease cards, receiving royalties from Turner Publishing, and serving on an advisory board for Maven. Dr Riley also reported serving on a CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices workgroup on COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine safety and workgroups for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine of COVID-19 vaccination, without compensation.

For the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency, state Medicaid programs elected to maintain eligibility for Medicaid recipients in exchange for increased federal funding. In this podcast, Dr Laura Dague of the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University discusses her JAMA Health Forum article finding that this policy was associated with the higher Medicaid enrollment seen during the pandemic. JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin discuss the policy implications of this work with Dr Dague and other recent articles touching on Medicaid enrollment. Related Content: Trends in Medicaid Enrollment and Disenrollment Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic in Wisconsin Medicaid Disenrollment After the COVID-19 Pandemic Medicaid Coverage Disruptions Among Children Enrolled in North Carolina Medicaid, 2016-2018 Association of Medicaid Expansion in Arkansas With Postpartum Coverage, Outpatient Care, and Racial Disparities

Interview with Steven Woloshin, MD, MS, author of At-Home Self-Testing Kits for SARS-CoV-2: A Randomized Trial Assessing How Consumers Interpret and Act on Possible Test Results. Hosted by Deborah Grady, MD, MPH.

Interview with Walter S. Gilliam, PhD, and Thomas S. Murray, MD, PhD, authors of Association of Child Masking With COVID-19–Related Closures in US Childcare Programs. Hosted by Angel Desai, MD.

Three members of President Biden's former COVID-19 Advisory Board—Luciana Borio, MD, Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD, and Mike Osterholm, PhD—discuss their recent JAMA Viewpoints, providing their ideas on strategies for public health as COVID-19 transitions from pandemic to endemic. Hosted by JAMA Associate Editor Preeti Malani, MD. Related Content: A National Strategy for the “New Normal” of Life With COVID A National Strategy for COVID-19—Testing, Surveillance, and Mitigation Strategies A National Strategy for COVID-19 Medical Countermeasures Former Biden-Harris Transition Advisors Propose a New National Strategy for COVID-19 Public Health in an Era of Endemic COVID-19 (video)

Former CDC Executive Secretariat of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Amanda Cohn, MD, joins JAMA Associate Editor Preeti Malani, MD, for the latest on the need for vaccination and boosters, vaccine misinformation, and tackling the pandemic from a global perspective. Recorded January 6, 2022. Related Content: One Year of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Shot of Hope, a Dose of Reality COVID-19 Vaccines Have Been Available in the US for More Than a Year—What's Been Learned and What's Next? COVID-19 CDC Update – Early January 2022

Infectious disease experts Adam Lauring, MD, PhD, and Carlos del Rio, MD, join JAMA Associate Editor Preeti Malani, MD, MSJ, for a discussion of the newly emerged Omicron variant, the potential for a 2021-2022 "twindemic" with flu, and the latest COVID-19 clinical updates. Recorded December 1, 2021. Related content: Omicron Has Reached the US—Here's What Infectious Disease Experts Know About the Variant COVID-19 Update: Omicron Variant

Interview with Cédric Lemogne, MD, PhD, and Joane Matta, PhD, authors of Association of Self-reported COVID-19 Infection and SARS-CoV-2 Serology Test Results With Persistent Physical Symptoms Among French Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Hosted by Mitchell H. Katz, MD. Read Transcript

COVID-19 Crisis Advances Efforts to Reimagine Nursing Homes; Moving COVID-19 Testing Out of the Clinic and Into the Home; The Lingua Franca of Addiction—Stigmatizing Words That Wound Related Content: COVID-19 Crisis Advances Efforts to Reimagine Nursing Homes COVID-19 Testing Moves Out of the Clinic and Into the Home The Lingua Franca of Addiction—Stigmatizing Words That Wound

Interview with Alex C. Spyropoulos, author of Efficacy and Safety of Therapeutic-Dose Heparin vs Standard Prophylactic or Intermediate-Dose Heparins for Thromboprophylaxis in High-risk Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: The HEP-COVID Randomized Clinical Trial

The longstanding shortcomings of the US nursing home model became more visible during the COVID-19 crisis. Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, a geriatric nurse practitioner and president of the John A. Hartford Foundation in New York City, discusses the challenges skilled nursing facilities face and shares her vision for nursing homes that better serve residents and support the workforce. Related Content: COVID-19 Crisis Advances Efforts to Reimagine Nursing Homes Socially Assistive Robots Help Patients Make Behavioral Changes

Canadian law gives the country's individual provinces and territories primary responsibility for coronavirus containment and mitigation. JAMA Associate Editor Preeti Malani, MD, MSJ, from the University of Michigan and Allan S. Detsky, MD, PhD, from the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, discuss the national pandemic experience, including public health responses to infection and vaccine allocation, from fall 2020 through summer 2021. Related Content: COVID-19 in Canada: Experience and Response to Waves 2 and 3

Interview with Grayson W. Armstrong, MD, MPH, author of Association of Patient Characteristics With Delivery of Ophthalmic Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Fasika Ambachew Woreta, MD, MPH, author of Analysis of Sex Diversity Trends Among Ophthalmology Match Applicants, Residents, and Clinical Faculty

Many patients experience neurocognitive deficits, PTSD, and generalized weakness and disability following an intensive care unit (ICU) stay. JAMA Medical News Senior Writer Rita Rubin talks with E. Wesley Ely, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, about ICU aftereffects, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, and how the coronavirus pandemic, particularly hospitals' restrictions on visitors, impeded progress made since the 1990s in caring for the critically ill. Related Content: How COVID-19 Made It Even Tougher to Know ICU Patients as Individuals

We know that the pandemic caused millions of people to lose their jobs, and potentially their job-based insurance, and yet new survey data showed surprisingly small changes in uninsurance rates at the end of 2020. Kate Bundorf, PhD, from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and Jessica Banthin, PhD, of the Urban Institute talk to JAMA Health Forum Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin about these trends and the role played by Medicaid and exchange coverage. JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian and Melinda Buntin also discuss other recent work about health insurance coverage and the ACA that has appeared in JAMA Health Forum. Related Content: Trends in US Health Insurance Coverage During the COVID-19 Pandemic Fewer People May Have Become Uninsured in 2020 Than Feared Outcomes After Changes to US Health Insurance Marketplace Automatic Renewal Rules Income Eligibility for Medicaid vs Marketplace Coverage for Insurance Enrollment Among Low-Income Adults Making the Affordable Care Act Marketplace More Affordable

Interview with Alexander T. Hillel, M.D., author of Quantifying Viral Particle Aerosolization Risk During Tracheostomy Surgery and Tracheostomy Care