December 1, 2020, Vol 324, No. 21, Pages 2131-2222

In this Viewpoint, Fauci and NIAID colleagues review leading candidates for treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to prevent disease progression and longer-term complications, including emerging antiviral drugs, immune-modulating agents, and antibody-based therapies, and the challenges of developing randomized trials to rapidly evaluate the safety and efficacy of each.

This Viewpoint discusses questions about clinical indication, supply, distribution, and cost and coverage that will need to be resolved if monoclonal antibodies are be granted Emergency Use Authorization or licensure and become available as treatment for COVID-19.

This Viewpoint proposes criteria for more effective COVID-19 testing strategies to manage population transmission, including use of rapid antigen tests and self-administered nasal and salivary tests, emphasizing that more effective testing alone cannot control the pandemic without continued public health interventions, such as mask wearing, physical distancing, and avoidance of large gatherings.

This Viewpoint reviews the rare incidence of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection and discusses ways it can be minimized, including use of surgical masks, proper ventilation, physical distancing, eye protection, regular testing, and the availability of sick leave for health care workers.

This Viewpoint looks at the range of medical and public health issues that could be adversely affected by appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Court, including weakening or elimination of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid work requirements that could reduce eligibility, and reduced reproductive rights and governmental public health emergency powers.