Social isolation also could be amplifying chronic underlying drinking problems for some individuals. Furthermore, the pandemic could be worsening binge drinking, particularly among people in their 30s and 40s, and doctors are seeing symptoms including yellow eyes, convulsions, and confusion. 

The World Health Organization has warned about alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, North America and Europe have designated places that sell alcohol an essential service, even making alcohol available for delivery.

"Why We Cannot Test Our Way Out of This"

Expanding COVID-19 testing throughout the United States may not be the "cure all" proposed by some to contain the pandemic, Anish Koka, MD, notes in a commentary for Medscape. 

Even with approximately six million Americans tested as of May 1, and public health and other experts calling for more testing, the performance of available assays could impede the ultimate goal of containing COVID-19, Koka, a cardiologist in private practice in Philadelphia, points out. 

Limited sensitivity, cross-reactivity with other viruses, and false-positives are among the challenges that remain before universal testing makes sense, Koka argues. Furthermore, many tests initially made available on the market did not undergo FDA validation because of an Emergency Use Authorization. 

Unlikely a Mutation Is Making COVID-19 More Transmissible

A preliminary report that a mutation in the novel coronavirus is making it more transmissible is getting a fair amount of attention, but experts remain unconvinced, according to a story in The New York Times. 

The preliminary report from researchers at Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico pointed to a new mutation emerging in Europe in February, gaining dominance as the virus spread to other countries. However, unlike the flu, no new strain of the novel coronavirus has emerged, virologists contend. And although mutations arise in all viruses over time, no strong evidence yet points to more robust transmission or a deadlier form of the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, they add.

"Anything but Normal": Doc Gives Birth During Pandemic

Leana Wen, MD, emergency physician, public health professor, and former health commissioner of Baltimore, relayed her first-hand experience with delivering her second child during the pandemic. She noticed PPE that was fraying from repeated use, learned that relinquishing control over the situation was required but uncomfortable, and felt the lack of usual support after being discharged home with a newborn. She shared these and other insights to help other women navigate the challenges of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic.