N95 respirators can be safely decontaminated up to 25 times, research shows

Physician-scientists reported in the American Journal of Infection Control that a common type of N95 respirator reprocessed with VHP maintained its function and effectiveness through 25 cycles of re-use. (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, January 6, 2022)

Video: Massachusetts doctor reacts to CDC’s update to recommended COVID-19 quarantine period

The CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for asymptomatic people with COVID-19 to from 10 days to 5 days. Robin Colgrove, MD, of Mount Auburn Hospital, discussed the CDC’s update to the isolation guidance. (WCVB, December 27, 2021)

Omicron may be on your next flight. Here’s how to protect yourself.

As the Omicron variant surges, holiday travel is still underway. Lin Chen, MD, of Mount Auburn Hospital, was among the experts sharing some of the steps airplane passengers can take to travel more responsibly, including what types of masks may be best. (Washington Post, December 22, 2021)

PCR or rapid antigen? Here’s how to use COVID tests to gather safely for the holidays

With a new surge of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, both molecular and antigen tests are useful tools to stay safe this holiday season. But when is the best time to use each test, and how can they help us gather safely with friends and family? Brian Hollenbeck, MD, of New England Baptist Hospital, said rapid tests can be helpful when you want an immediate answer, but they should be followed up with a PCR test for confirmation if you are symptomatic or may have been exposed to COVID-19. (Boston Globe, December 22, 2021)

Omicron is now dominant in Mass. We asked experts if the recent COVID surge has changed their holiday plans

For people hoping to spend their holiday with friends and family, infectious disease experts – including Robin Colgrove, MD, of Mount Auburn Hospital, and Brian Hollenbeck, MD, of New England Baptist Hospital – shared precautions they’re taking this season, whether the rise of Omicron has changed their plans, and what advice they have for holiday gatherings. (Boston Globe, December 22, 2021)

Video: How much do COVID-19 boosters protect against omicron variant?

Robert Duncan, MD, MPH, of Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, answered WCVB viewers’ questions about COVID-19 and vaccines, including boosters, and said the “bottom line” is that booster shots help. (WCVB, December 20, 2021)

414 days at work, zero days off: Dan Barouch and the race to develop the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

The Boston Globe profiles Dan Barouch, MD, PhD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and his work during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the development of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, and his research on the Provincetown outbreak and the emerging Omicron variant. (Boston Globe, December 15, 2021)