Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, mistaking them for harmful invaders. This broad category encompasses numerous diseases, each with its own specific symptoms and signs, but there are commonalities in what people experience across different autoimmune diseases. Here’s a detailed list and outline of symptoms, what it feels like, and what it looks like.

Outline of Symptoms and Signs of Autoimmune Diseases
1. General Fatigue
Feels like: A deep, relentless tiredness not relieved by rest. You might feel drained of energy, making it hard to complete daily tasks.
Looks like: Difficulty getting out of bed, napping frequently, or showing a lack of energy and enthusiasm for activities you used to enjoy.

2. Joint Pain and Swelling
Feels like: Persistent soreness, stiffness, or swelling in joints. This can range from mildly annoying to severely debilitating.
Looks like: Noticeable swelling or deformity in joints; difficulty in movement or performing tasks requiring manual dexterity.

3. Skin Rashes or Itching
Feels like: Persistent itching or discomfort. The skin may feel like it’s burning or overly sensitive.
Looks like: Visible rashes, red patches, or scaly skin. Some autoimmune diseases like lupus can cause a butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose.

4. Digestive Issues
Feels like: Abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea. May feel like a persistent stomach upset or sensitivity to certain foods.
Looks like: Noticeable weight loss or gain, swelling of the abdomen, and overall discomfort during and after meals.

5. Recurrent Fever
Feels like: Sporadic episodes of fever that come and go without any apparent cause, indicating the immune system is at work.
Looks like: Flushed cheeks, sweating, and shivering even when others around you are comfortable.

6. Muscle Weakness
Feels like: A lack of strength in the muscles, making everyday tasks challenging. This can feel like your limbs are heavy or too weak to perform basic actions.
Looks like: Difficulty climbing stairs, lifting objects, or a noticeable decline in physical endurance.

7. Hair Loss
Feels like: May not feel like much but can be emotionally distressing.
Looks like: Noticeable thinning of hair on the head, bald patches, or loss of eyebrow, eyelash, or body hair.

8. Sensitivity to Sun
Feels like: Skin that becomes easily irritated or develops rashes upon exposure to sunlight.
Looks like: Red skin or rash appearing on sun-exposed areas shortly after being outdoors.

9. Numbness or Tingling in Hands and Feet
Feels like: A sensation of “pins and needles” or loss of sensation in extremities. This can be intermittent or constant.
Looks like: Might not have a visible sign but can affect grip strength, balance, and coordination.

10. Dry Eyes or Mouth
Feels like: Persistent dryness leading to discomfort or difficulty in swallowing or speaking. Eyes might feel gritty or sore.
Looks like: Redness in eyes, cracked lips, or noticeable difficulty eating dry foods.

Summary
Autoimmune diseases can affect virtually any part of the body, manifesting in a wide range of symptoms that can significantly impact daily life. These symptoms often feel like an unexplained, persistent illness that doesn’t go away with the usual rest and medications. Visually, they can range from visible skin conditions to subtle signs like difficulty in performing tasks that require strength or precision.

What’s challenging about autoimmune diseases is that many of these symptoms can overlap with other conditions, making diagnosis difficult. It’s like the body is mistakenly fighting an internal war, with the immune system targeting healthy tissues instead of protecting them.

Understanding these symptoms is crucial for early detection and management of autoimmune diseases. If you or someone you know is experiencing a combination of these symptoms, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment

CANCER! A broad term for a class of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth, can present with various signs and symptoms, depending on the type of cancer, its location, size, and how much it affects the surrounding tissues and organs. Here’s a detailed exploration of cancer symptoms and signs.

1. General Symptoms and Signs of Cancer
While specific symptoms can vary widely based on the cancer type, there are some general signs and symptoms that might suggest the presence of cancer. These include:

Unexplained weight loss: Significant weight loss without trying can be an early sign of cancer, particularly cancers of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus, or lung.

Fever: Frequent fevers or fevers that come and go might indicate a hidden cancer, especially if the cancer affects the immune system, like leukemia or lymphoma.

Fatigue: Feeling extremely tired that doesn’t get better with rest can be a sign of various cancers.

Pain: Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers like bone or testicular cancer. A headache that does not go away with treatment can be a symptom of a brain tumor. Back pain can be a symptom of cancer of the colon, rectum, or ovary.

Skin changes: Along with cancers of the skin, some other cancers can cause skin changes that can be seen. These changes could include darker looking skin (hyperpigmentation), yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice), reddened skin (erythema), itching (pruritus), or excessive hair growth.

2. Symptoms Based on Cancer Location
Breast cancer: A lump or mass in the breast, changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling on the breast, nipple discharge.

Lung cancer: Persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, and breathing difficulties.

Colorectal cancer: Changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, abdominal discomfort.

Skin cancer: A new growth or a sore that doesn’t heal on the skin, changes in existing moles.

Prostate cancer: Difficulty urinating, blood in urine, erectile dysfunction.

Leukemia: Frequent infections, fever, excessive sweating, fatigue.

3. What Does It Feel Like?
The experience of having cancer can vary greatly from one person to another, depending on the type of cancer and its stage. Some common feelings associated with cancer and its treatment include:

Physical discomfort: Pain and fatigue are common, as well as nausea or vomiting from treatments like chemotherapy.

Emotional distress: Feelings of anxiety, depression, fear, and frustration are common among people diagnosed with cancer.

Isolation: Individuals may feel alone or disconnected from others, even when surrounded by friends and family.

4. What Does It Look Like?
Visually, cancer can manifest in many ways, including but not limited to:

Physical changes: Weight loss, changes in skin color or texture, hair loss due to chemotherapy.

Visible lumps or growths: Especially in cancers like breast cancer or skin cancer, where tumors can often be seen or felt through the skin.

Changes in bodily functions: Such as changes in bowel or bladder habits can indicate colorectal or bladder cancer, respectively.

Summary
Cancer symptoms and signs can vary widely but paying attention to your body and noticing unusual changes can be crucial for early detection. If you or someone you know is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it is important to consult a healthcare provider. Early detection and treatment can significantly improve the outcome for many types of cancer. Remember, experiencing these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have cancer, as many other conditions can cause similar signs. Only a healthcare provider can make a diagnosis.

March 26, 2024 – The FDA has approved a new antibody treatment to help prevent COVID-19 in those who are most at risk from the virus.

In its announcement, the agency explained that the new treatment can be used preventively for immunocompromised people ages 12 and older who aren’t currently infected with the virus that causes COVID and haven’t recently been exposed.

Called Pemgarda, the monoclonal antibody helps prevent the virus from attaching to human cells and is given through an IV. It cannot be given within 2 weeks of a person receiving a COVID vaccine.

Pemgarda received an emergency use authorization from the FDA. In a letter to drugmaker Invivyd, the FDA requested more data from the ongoing phase III clinical trial studying the drug. Just 1% or fewer people in the study had COVID with symptoms within 90 days of getting Pemgarda, while 5% of people from a control group with healthier immune systems developed the illness, according to early results

The FDA authorization requires close monitoring after the antibody treatment, and Invivyd reported that four people in the clinical trial had anaphylaxis – a severe allergic reaction – either during the IV or afterward. Two incidents were considered life-threatening.

COVID disproportionately affects people who don’t have normal immune systems. A study published in the journal The Lancet in December found that people with compromised immune systems who got COVID accounted for about 1 in 4 COVID hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and deaths. The immunocompromised people were still at increased risk of poor outcomes due to COVID even if they had received three or more doses of COVID vaccines, the researchers found.

The study also showed that the highest risk for hospitalization, ICU admission, or death due to COVID was among people who had received solid organ transplants, have a disorder that weakens their immune system, have received stem cell treatments, or had blood cancer.

Pemgarda may be available within 2 weeks, The New York Times reported.

By Erika Edwards. Feb. 1, 2024

“Millions of Americans are born genetically predisposed to extremely high levels of a type of cholesterol that cause deadly heart attacks and strokes by middle age, yet they are almost always unaware of their risk.

The cholesterol is called lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). Like low-density lipoprotein — LDL, or the “bad” cholesterol — it leads to plaque buildup in arteries. But Lp(a) has a second nasty trick that makes it even more dangerous: it causes blood clots. And unlike LDL, it’s entirely genetic, which means diet and exercise have no effect on Lp(a) levels.

The result is a high likelihood of life-threatening heart disease that runs in families, killing parents, aunts, uncles and siblings in their 40s and 50s.

“Everybody in their family has had a heart attack or stroke or bypass surgery or stent in their 40s,” Dr. Steven Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic, said of his patients with high Lp(a). “They’re scared to death.”

As many as 64 million Americans have elevated Lp(a) levels. Anyone can have it, though it is most common among people of African and South Asian descent.

Pam Carr with her daughter Lori Welsh. (Courtesy Lori Welsh)
Pam Carr with her daughter Lori Welsh. (Courtesy Lori Welsh)
Routine blood cholesterol tests could look for Lp(a) but do not — largely because there is no effective treatment for it. Similar to other forms of high cholesterol, there are no symptoms with high Lp(a).

But with several promising drugs making their way through clinical trials, doctors say people should be aware of their risk.

Dr. Erin Michos said screening for Lp(a) is part of her preventive care for patients.

“To me, it doesn’t make any sense that I’m not going to measure it just because I can’t bring the number down,” said Michos, an associate professor of medicine and director of Women’s Cardiovascular Health Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. “I measure it in all my patients at least once to just find out who’s high because we can do things to lower their risk.”

Cardiologist Dr. Sahil Parikh believes there should be wider testing for Lp(a).

“The challenge has been, if you test for something and don’t have a treatment for it, are you doing the patient any favors?” said Parikh, director of endovascular services at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. “I used to not test for things that I couldn’t treat. But now I do, because I know on the horizon, we’re going to have good treatments. It gives patients hope.”

One of those experimental drugs is called pelacarsen, from drugmaker Novartis. Earlier studies showed it significantly drove down Lp(a) levels in 98% of people taking it. The question for researchers now is whether a lower Lp(a) actually reduces early and potentially deadly heart attacks and stroke. It’s already well established that medications such as statins can protect against heart disease by lowering LDL.

Lori Welsh, 51, of Dublin, Ohio, is betting on pelacarsen to work. High Lp(a) levels have run in her family for years, with devastating effects.

“If you go back five generations in my mom’s family, everybody died of a heart attack or stroke. Nobody made it past the age of 54,” Welsh said.

Welsh was only 47 when she had a heart attack.

“I was driving down a six-lane highway in Columbus, Ohio, and I felt pressure in my chest. My hands went numb.”

She had a 90% blockage in her heart’s biggest artery: the lower anterior descending artery. The condition is known as a “widow-maker.”

“You go from a perfectly healthy person on a Monday, have a heart attack on a Tuesday, and on Wednesday, you have a heart history that you didn’t have before,” Welsh said. “Then you find out that there’s no easy fix for this.”

Welsh is participating in a clinical trial of pelacarsen at the Ohio University Wexner Medical Center, one of hundreds of study sites nationwide. Neither she nor her doctors know whether she’s getting the real drug or a placebo. She said she has not felt any side effects since enrolling in the trial.

Four other drugs that target Lp(a) are in various stages of research. Early results for Eli Lilly’s drug, lepodisiran, show the drug can drive down Lp(a) by more than 94%. Amgen said its drug, olpasiran, has shown similar results. And Silence Therapeutics is studying a drug called zerlasiran. All of those, including pelacarsen, are given as an injection. Eli Lilly is also testing an oral drug called muvalaplin.

The first real-world results for pelacarsen are not expected until next year.

Until the drugs are proven to work, doctors can only treat patients’ other heart disease risk factors, such as blood pressure management and statins to bring down other forms of cholesterol.

Dr. Wesley Milks, a cardiologist and clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, said he sees patients “who are aware of their family history and are really trying to prevent a first heart attack or stroke.”

In those cases, he said that doctors might start patients on “statins earlier in life that we might otherwise.”

“The hope is that we can keep them safe until we can get one of these drugs on the market,” Nissen, who is an investigator for clinical trials of lepodisiran, said. He and other cardiologists are calling for widespread screening of Lp(a).

The test only needs to be given once during a person’s life because the level never changes.

“Why wait for those new drugs?” said Michos of Johns Hopkins. Measuring Lp(a) now “identifies a high-risk patient. We can be proactive about prevention. We can take action.”

That is, maintaining a normal weight, getting regular exercise, stopping smoking and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains are effective ways of managing heart risks overall, even for people with elevated Lp(a), Michos said.

Lori Welsh is convinced that knowing one’s own Lp(a) can be life-saving, even if drugs to treat it don’t yet exist. Welsh’s mother had the first of three heart attacks in her late 40s. Doctors tested her Lp(a) levels and explained how they greatly elevated her heart risks.

“I saw her be more intentional with her diet and with exercise,” Welsh said, adding that her mother paid close attention to any heart symptoms from then on. She ultimately lived well into her 70s, decades longer than her ancestors.

“The only difference between her and all five of those generations was the knowledge that she had lipoprotein(a),” Welsh said. “That made all the difference.”

Erika Edwards
Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and “TODAY

SOME OF – The Biggest Lies Told About Black People in History

1. Black People Have Inferior Intelligence

2. Black People Do Not Feel Pain

3. Black People Are Inclined to Criminality

4. Black People Are the Cursed Children of Ham

5. Black People Are Biologically Different From Whites

6. Black People Are Inferior in Education

7. Black People Are Prone to Violence

8. Black People Live Primitive or Underdeveloped Societies

9. Lack of Technological Advancements

10. Lack of Technological Advancements

What do these findings mean?

Dr. Russo says. “We’ve been struggling both to diagnose long COVID and to treat it. This study lends some support.”

Doctors say that the study’s findings are a big deal. “This is a really important study,” Dr. Russo says. “We’ve been struggling both to diagnose long COVID and to treat it. This study lends some support.”

How? It could help provide a basis for future diagnostic tests and even treatments, Dr. Adalja says.

Essentially, once scientists know what causes a condition like long COVID, they can go to work finding ways to heal people who have it.

Dr. Adalja also points out: “There are existing drugs that target [the] complement” system.

But while Dr. Russo says the findings are very likely to be helpful to many long COVID patients, he also says the complement system may not be involved in all long COVID patients.

“I have no doubt that, with long COVID, one size does not fit all,” he says. “But this has the potential to perhaps be part of a diagnostic test for at least some patients.”

ALERT
“Millions of people across the planet have long COVID or will develop it,” he says. “It’s going to be the next major phase of this pandemic. If we don’t learn to diagnose and manage this, we are going to have many people with complications that impact their lives for the long term.”

Application is free.

CLICK ON WEBSITE.

Application for a chance to receive a Seattle Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher opens January 17
New approach creates an ongoing application opportunity.

Application is available online through SHA’s website at seattlehousing.org.

On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 the Seattle Housing Authority will open application to families and individuals for a chance to receive a Housing Choice Voucher (formerly known as a Section 8 voucher), which provides rental assistance for people with low incomes to rent from landlords throughout the Seattle rental market.

Application will be available online through SHA’s website at seattlehousing.org. Application is free. If any website asks for money to complete an application, it is not the correct site. To avoid misleading websites applicants should type seattlehousing.org into an internet browser. Applicants will be required to establish an SHA Portal user account on SHA’s website to log in and apply to the voucher list

In this video, The author talks about 10 natural foods and their impact on BLOOD CLOTS It explore how these foods can help dissolve blood clots.

You will read about foods like garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, and omega-3-rich foods like fish that are known for their blood-thinning properties.

Remember, while these foods can contribute to better circulatory health, they are not a substitute for medical advice. If you suspect you have a blood clot, please seek immediate medical attention.” Health Post..

A new COVID variant, JN.1, is currently the most prevalent strain in the United States and U.K. More than 44% of the virus cases in the U.S. are of the new variant, with more expected as it expands across the world. Furthermore, the surge of the new COVID strain suggests it’s either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems than others.

“What We’ve Learned Treating 4,000 Patients With Long COVID-19”, Northwestern Medicine physicians identified this growing trend and established the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center, one of the first centers in the United States dedicated to treating patients with lingering impacts of the virus.

Time Change, Health Change: Preparing for the Daylight Savings Time Transition

Research has shown that the rates of heart problems like heart attacks can change around the time daylight savings time starts or ends. On the day after the springtime change, when people lose an hour of sleep, heart attacks show a noticeable increase.

One study from Michigan showed a 24% increase in daily heart attack counts on the day following the springtime change, while on the day following the fall time change, when people gain an hour of sleep, there was a 21% reduction in heart attacks [1].

Another study published in Open Heart showed a similar 25% jump in heart attacks the day after the springtime change [2]. Yet another study also supported these findings, showing a 24% increase in daily heart attack counts (acute myocardial infarction or AMI counts) on the day following springtime changes and a 21% reduction on the day following fall changes [3]. These changes are believed to be tied to the disruption in sleep and the body’s internal clock caused by the time change. In addition to heart attacks, a Michigan study reported an 8% rise in ischemic stroke during the first two days after the springtime change [4].

Similarly, a lack of sleep has been distinctly linked to increased insulin resistance [5], showcasing another avenue through which sleep disturbances can manifest in physical ailments. Remember that insulin is the hormone that helps your cells use glucose for energy. When your body becomes resistant to insulin, glucose accumulates in your bloodstream instead of being used by your cells.

In simple terms, the sudden change in time messes with people’s sleep and body clocks, and this can lead to more health problems right after the springtime change.

We will lose an hour of sleep tonight due to daylight savings time ending. So, what can we do to minimize the impact and prioritize our health?

Here are some suggestions on what we can do:
• Go to bed earlier: Try to go to bed an hour earlier than usual to make up for the lost hour of sleep.
• Keep a regular sleep schedule: Try to keep your bedtime and wake-up time consistent, even on weekends. This can help your body’s internal clock adjust to the new time.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol: These substances can interfere with your sleep. It’s a good idea to avoid them in the evening.
• Relax before bed: Do something relaxing, like reading or a warm bath to help you wind down.
• Create a sleep-friendly environment: Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and a comfortable temperature for sleeping.
• Get some sunlight in the morning: Natural sunlight in the morning can help reset your body’s internal clock to the new time.
• Take short naps if needed: If you feel exhausted, short naps (20-30 minutes) can be refreshing. But avoid long naps as they can interfere with your nighttime sleep.
• Stay active: Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep.
• Manage stress: Practice relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing to manage any stress that interferes with sleep.
• Avoid screens before bed: The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, computers, and TVs can interfere with your sleep, so it’s a good idea to turn these off at least an hour before bed.

By following these tips, we can help our body adjust to the time change more easily and create healthy habits that prioritize our health long-term.
Dion West

OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES LIFE SPAN IS GETTING SHORTER AND SHORTER,

‘Live free and die?’ The sad state of U.S. life expectancy, March 25, 2023

Quotes;

Dr. EILEEN CRIMMINS, “The countries that are ahead of us?, Cuba, Lebanon, Barbados, Chile. I mean, it goes on and on and on”…, Professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California.

Dr. Steven Woolf, “We found higher child poverty rates, the highest levels of income inequality, systemic racism, social isolation. And I could go on. I don’t want to have too long an answer, but you get the point. Professor emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University.

From Keith’s Doctor:

Fwd.:
Advisory from the CDC

New Covid Health Advisory:
Everyone is advised to wear a mask because the new COVID-Omicron XBB variant coronavirus is different, deadly and not easily detected properly:- Symptoms of the XBB virus are as follows:
1. No cough.
2. No fever.

There will only be: 3. Joint pain. 4. Headache. 5. Neck pain. 6. Upper back pain. 7. Pneumonia. 8. General loss of appetite.

XBB is 5 times more toxic than Delta variant and has a higher mortality rate.

It takes a shorter time for the condition to reach extreme severity, and sometimes there are no obvious symptoms.

This strain of the virus is not found in the nasopharyngeal, (your nose), region, and it directly affects the lungs, the “windows,” for a relatively short period of time.

Nasal, (nose), swab tests are generally negative for COVID-Omicron XBB, and false-negative cases of nasopharyngeal tests are increasing.

This means the virus can spread in the community and directly infect lungs, leading to viral pneumonia, which in turn causes acute respiratory stress.

XBB has become highly contagious, highly virulent and lethal. Avoid crowded places, keep a distance of 1.5m even in open spaces, wear a double-layer mask, wear a suitable mask, wash hands frequently even when everyone is asymptomatic (no coughing or sneezing).

Don’t keep this information to yourself, share as much as possible with other relatives and friends, especially yours.

Note: Toxic meaning; “very harmful in a pervasive or insidious way”.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the growing “Long COVID” (a term used to describe a range of symptoms that continue for weeks, or months, or years, is having a profound impact on our African Heritage communities and members in King County. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the impacts, months and years after the acute phase of a COVID-19 infection have subsided):

Direct Services:
Healthcare Services:

Hospitals and Clinics: Overburdened with Covid -Long Covid impacted patients, leading to delayed treatments for ALL conditions. Note: very few Long COVID clinics have been established in few areas to address the ever increasing number of ongoing symptoms.

Ambulance Services: Increased demand due to Covid-Long- Covid ALL CAUSE emergencies, REAL delays.

Pharmacies: Increased demand for CRITICAL medications, supply shortages and health care consultations.

Mental Health Services: Surge in demand due to linked Covid-Long-Covid -induced Emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. stress, anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Specialized Clinics: Delays in appointments and treatments due to severe workforce shortages and resource allocation .

Public Safety:
Police and Fire Departments: Exposure risks, staffing shortages due to illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Emergency Response Teams: Increased demand, exposure risks, staffing shortages due to illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Disaster Preparedness: Lack of incorporating pandemic scenarios in future planning.
Water and Sanitation:

Clean Drinking Water and Sewage Treatment: Essential services maintained, but staffing challenges, due to exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Garbage and Recycling: delays due to increased waste volume and management, staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Food Safety and Inspection: Continued inspections with added safety protocols; delays due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Housing and Shelter: Increased demand for homeless shelters due to economic impacts; outbreaks in crowded shelters, with added safety protocols; delays due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Public Transportation: Reduced ridership; increased cleaning and safety challenges, delays due to equipment breakdown, staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Education: Shift BACK TO IN-PERSON learning; delayed academic progress; mental health challenges for STAFF and students, with NEED FOR added child and staff safety protocols, WITH SERVER INCREASES IN staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Animal Services: Increase in pet adoptions during lockdowns; REAL increase in abandonments post-lockdown.

Indirect Services:
Infrastructure Maintenance: delays due to budget reallocations, added safety protocols; staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Energy and Utilities: Generally maintained, but delays in service repairs due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Communication Services: Increased demand for internet services due to both RETURN TO OFFICE AND REMOTE work and delays in service repairs due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Recreation and Leisure: Long Term closures of public spaces; financial challenges for cultural institutions, staff safety, delays in service and repairs due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.). and

Economic Services: Economic downturns; increased demand for employment services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Environmental Services: INCREASE in pollution AND DELAYS in waste management services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Social Services: Increased demand due to economic and mental health challenges, delays in services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Urban Planning: UPKEEP AND MANAGEMENT OF public spaces, increased interest in outdoor spaces, delays in service due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Financial Services: Economic increase AND defaults on loans; increased demand for public assistance. delays in services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Legal and Judicial Services: Court delays; due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.). Increased demand for legal aid due to economic challenges.

In summary, Covid Long COVID IS stressing many sectors, leading to both challenges and innovations, and many sectors will need to adapt to a “new normal” LONG BEFORE the pandemic is TRULY OVER.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in Dental Assisting? Country Doctor Community Health Centers has an exciting opportunity for you! We are sponsoring an outstanding candidate by covering 100% of their tuition for a 30-day training program at Washington Academy General Dentistry in Sea-Tac, WA. This program is perfect for individuals who are dedicated to making Dental Assisting their career and want to a part of our amazing dental team!

If you’re interested in the Dental Assistant program, here are some questions and answers that might help:

– Is the program available online or done remotely? The program is 100% in-person, allowing for hands-on training in a state-of-the-art dental facility.

– Do I need to work for Country Doctor CHC to apply? Nope! Anyone from the community is welcome to apply, regardless of employment status with CDCHC.

– What if I have no experience in dental work? No problem! The program is designed to give you a solid foundation in Dental Assisting, and our experienced dentists and staff will provide ongoing training.

– How much will need to pay out of pocket? Great news – CDCHC will cover 100% of the tuition for selected candidates, and you’ll also receive a $500 stipend to use as you wish.

– Can I refer someone to the program, and if they are selected would I qualify to receive the referral bonus? If you’re a current CDCHC employee, you can receive a $500 referral bonus once the candidate completes their first 90 days.

– How do I apply? If you’re interested in applying, please emaildentalassistantprogram@cdchc.org. We’ll vet all candidates and selected candidates will move on to the interview process. Good luck!

This opportunity is open to all members of the community, so please share it with anyone you know who may be interested. If you’re ready to take the first step towards a rewarding career in Dental Assisting, email dentalassistantprogram@cdchc.org to express your interest. Our program leads will contact you with instructions for the next steps. We encourage you to act fast as we anticipate a high level of interest in this program. Please share the program flyer attached!

Please also take a moment to visit WA AGD website to learn more about their program! Link here, https://washingtonagd.org/.

General questions can also be directed to the dentalassistantprogram@cdchc.org email, and @Jonnathan J Mejia, Dental Director or @Eduardo “Wally” Aguilar, Recruiter will respond as soon as possible.

Located in the heart of the Central District, Carolyn Downs is the only one of 13 original Black Panther-founded health care clinics still operating today. The clinic is named after fallen Black Panther comrade Carolyn Downs – a young activist and mother who cared tirelessly for her community. We aim to honor her legacy by treating every patient equally, regardless of ability to pay.

At both Country Doctor and Carolyn Downs, we care for patients with compassion and understanding. You will have a family physician or family nurse practitioner in charge of your healthcare as part our patient-centered medical home. In addition, our staff will help you navigate your way through any tests, prescriptions, specialist referrals, behavioral health appointments, wellness or lifestyle suggestions, or anything else you might need to take charge of your health.

We also partner with Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine Residency to train family physicians, who are at the forefront of advances in primary care and community health.

Routine CareSpecialized CareBehavioral Health

July 28, 2023, 12:30 PM PDT / Updated July 28, 2023, 12:52 PM PDT
By Antonio Planas

For the third time in a week, a product at Trader Joe’s is being recalled — this time it’s the Fully Cooked Falafel because it “may contain rocks.”

Last Friday, the popular grocery store chain announced it was recalling TWO COOKIE PRODUCTS AFTER IT DISCOVERED THEY MIGHT ALSO CONTAIN ROCKS.

And on Thursday, it said its Unexpected BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP is being RECALLED in 7 states because the product “may contain INSECTS.”

The recall of the Fully Cooked Falafel affects the product in at least 33 STATES, the company announced Friday.

All the potentially affected product have been REMOVED from stores or DESTROYED, Trader Joe’s said.

Recalled Product
Trader Joes
“If you purchased or received any donations of Fully Cooked Falafel, please do not eat them. We urge you to discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund,” the announcement said.

The recall of broccoli cheddar soup affects the 20-ounce product in Florida, Illinois, California, Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, the FDA said. There are 10,889 affected cases in all, the FDA said.

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The cookie recall affects the Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies and its Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies.

In a statement Friday, Trader Joe’s said it is proactive in letting customers know about potential problems with its products.

“We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer. We err on the side of caution and are proactive in addressing issues. We take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality,” the statement said.

“We don’t wait for regulatory agencies to tell us what to do. We share news through in-store signs, on our website, and through email alerts as soon as we need to let our customers know there might be a concern with any of our products. We take these matters seriously — personally, even, as our families eat and drink TJ’s products, too.”

The number of people in hospitals with COVID-19 ROSE BY 10%.

The number of people testing positive rose in recent weeks.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), issued a new advisory today: Identification and Management of Mental Health Symptoms and Conditions Associated with Long COVID.

The mental health conditions associated with Long COVID include, but are not limited to,
depression, anxiety, psychosis, obsessive compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress
disorder; other symptoms of Long COVID include cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances,
and fatigue.

Social determinants of health can contribute to the negative impact of COVID-19 and Long
COVID for certain groups, including racial and ethnic minority populations.

Best practices for assessment and treatment of Long COVID continue to emerge. Primary
care providers can use evidence-based approaches developed to treat conditions with
similar symptoms and provide referrals and access to resources specific to Long COVID.

It may be difficult to determine if a person’s mental health challenges are due to Long
COVID, broader pandemic challenges, or a combination of the two, but treating symptoms is
vital to recovery.

Federal health officials have identified a number of mental health conditions associated with long COVID, prompting them to issue an advisory to help doctors treat patients suffering from the syndrome.

Conditions could include depression, anxiety, psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Other long COVID symptoms can include fatigue, trouble sleeping and cognitive impairment, according to the advisory from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration — a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

It can be challenging to determine whether mental health illness is the result of long COVID or other factors.

Whatever the reason, however, “treating symptoms is vital to recovery,” the advisory said.
“This long COVID epidemic is not over.

We’re absolutely in the midst of it,” said Dr. Will Pittman, associate director of the UCLA Health Long COVID Program. “Psychiatric symptoms are some of the most common symptoms that we see in long COVID.”

The advisory is partly an acknowledgment that many healthcare providers need more education on long COVID, which has been linked to numerous symptoms affecting virtually every part of the body. Even in the post-emergency phase of the pandemic, it can be hard for long-haul sufferers to get the care they need, experts say.

Although long COVID clinics do exist, their capacity is limited.

“We know that people living with long COVID need help today, and providers need help understanding what long COVID is and how to treat it,” Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement.

Because long COVID can be debilitating, the advisory suggests healthcare providers approach patients as having undergone trauma. Suggested interventions include individual and group psychotherapy, peer support groups, physical therapy, neuro-rehabilitation, medication to treat anxiety and depression, speech therapy for people whose language skills were affected and treatment for people suffering from substance abuse.

The advisory also urged healthcare providers to listen, and not dismiss, their patient’s stories, manage symptoms while sharing the uncertainty of prognosis and “provide hope while helping set realistic recovery goals.” Anyone with worsening anxiety or depression, or who has thoughts of self-harm, warrants immediate action and referral to a mental health specialist.

Pittman said he’s seen patients who have long COVID but feel as though their other doctors haven’t listened to them — “they don’t feel like they’ve been taken seriously.”

Other times, some primary care physicians are linking symptoms like anxiety or depression to a long COVID diagnosis but then referring the patient to a specialty clinic instead of treating those mental health challenges.

“Primary care really needs to take the reins of treating this. And they absolutely can, and I think they do have tools at their disposal to treat this and to make patients better,” Pittman said.

The advisory notes that healthcare providers who aren’t familiar with the wide range of long COVID symptoms may misdiagnose patients. This can be another barrier to care, as patients may feel ashamed or discouraged from seeking treatment if a healthcare provider suggests symptoms are exaggerated or simply “in their head.”

The precise prevalence of long COVID is difficult to determine. But some scientists estimate that 10% of people who had a coronavirus infection develop long COVID. Among those hospitalized on account of COVID-19, researchers estimate 50% to 70% develop long COVID.

According to a report published in January in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology, “Long COVID is associated with all ages and acute-phase disease severities, with the highest percentage of diagnoses between the ages of 36 and 50 years.”

Most long COVID cases, the report added, “are in non-hospitalized patients with a mild acute illness, as this population represents the majority of overall COVID-19 cases.” Being unvaccinated increases the risk of long COVID.

There’s likely a complicated relationship between a coronavirus infection and mental health conditions, the advisory said.

Those who already suffered from depression, anxiety, stress and loneliness before a coronavirus infection are at higher risk for long COVID, the advisory said. But it’s also true that people without prior mental health conditions “are at higher risk for developing an initial onset of mental illness following COVID-19 compared to people who were not infected.”

Irvine, CA – Courtney got sick with Covid in March 2020 and is now sick with long covid. She is a graphic artist and used to play in a couple bands but is on hold until she recovers at her home with her husband, Connor Mayer.

Courtney Gavin is experiencing long covid and the costs (emotionally, physically and financially) this disease has had on their lives. She currently is not working and has severe shortness of breath, needs help doing basic tasks in the home (pushed in a wheelchair, uses a chairlift) and is fatigued easily. Connor works as a professor at UC Irvine and is now her full-time caregiver. He noted he is struggling with balancing the responsibilities of being a caregiver over his career responsibilities (which has resulted in a loss of income).The couple has shared that they have spent over $60k in medical expenses (chair lift, wheelchair, supplements), Courtney plays music and is largely bedridden, but they seem to have a routine where Connor makes her food and sets up everything before he leaves for work to make it as easy as possible for her to eat and take care of herself. Courtney also applied for disability and was denied recently.

Long COVID takes heavy toll on health even as pandemic fades, study shows

Officials identified nine mental health conditions and other symptoms associated with long COVID in the advisory.

Authorities also detailed how often symptoms or conditions were reported:
Fatigue: Reported by 32% of COVID-19 survivors 12 or more weeks after diagnosis.
Brain fog/cognitive impairment: Reported by 22% of COVID-19 survivors 12 or more weeks after diagnosis. Even two years after infection, there’s an increased risk of cognitive impairment for people who had COVID-19 compared with those with another respiratory illness.
Anxiety: Symptoms reported in 35% of adults with long COVID six months after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
Depression: Reported in 41% of adults with long COVID six months after onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Symptoms reported by 20% of adults one month after a hospital stay for COVID-19 infection. By comparison, about 2% of adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with OCD over their lifetime.
Sleep disorders: Reported by 30% of adults with long COVID.
Post-traumatic stress disorder: Diagnosis is reported in about 14% of adults with long COVID three months or more after a COVID-19 infection.

Psychotic disorder: There’s evidence of a greater risk for a psychotic disorder six months after a COVID-19 diagnosis compared with people with another type of respiratory infection. “While risk of anxiety and mood disorders returned to baseline one to two months after a COVID-19 diagnosis, risk of psychotic disorders remained elevated two years after follow-up, suggesting a different pathogenesis for this condition,” the health advisory said.

Initial onset of substance-use disorder: Scientists say those who were infected, but not hospitalized, with COVID-19 are more likely to be diagnosed with their first substance-use disorder six months after their diagnosis compared with people who recover from the flu.

Fatigue, cough and brain fog. For many in L.A. County, long COVID limited daily life

“The symptoms of long COVID are greatly varied, can go for an extended period of time and sometimes keep people from their day-to-day activities — all things that can contribute to mental health challenges,” the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement.

“Inadequate access to safe housing, healthy food, transportation and healthcare can increase chronic stress among individuals in racial and ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities and people identifying as LGBTQI+. This contributes to negative impacts on their mental health and poor COVID-19 outcomes,” the advisory said.

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?

I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.

At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could reach the nation’s ear, I would, today, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced

What is After-Pregnancy Coverage (APC)?

APC is comprehensive Apple Health (Medicaid) coverage for individuals to access health care services any time in the 12 months after their pregnancy ends.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for this program a person must:

Have been pregnant within the last 12 months.

Reside in Washington.

Have countable income equal to or below 193 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.**

Not be eligible for a different Apple Health program.

REMEMBER;

Immigration status does not affect eligibility.

TELL ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS THAT THE FDA/CDC SAID THAT OVER THE COUNTER EZRICARE ARTIFICIAL TEARS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO A BACTERIA INFECTION THAT IS CAUSING BLINDNESS, LOSS OF EYES AND EVEN DEATH.

Doctors say that they were actually seeing patients who were developing eye infections then
developing blindness, and some died.

Long COVID: Skeptics Are Wrong, Researchers Say

Yale University researcher Akiko Iwasaki, Ph.D., says immune profiling shows how Long COVID patients have distinct features not found in control groups. These patients, who also exhibit elevated levels of exhausted T-cells, cause her to express surprise at skeptics.

Iwasaki joins Fiona Lowenstein, editor of “The Long COVID Survival Guide,” to discuss patients who say they’re suffering from Long COVID for as much as two years after their acute phase of the disease.

Iwasaki also explains why her lab’s effort to move forward with a COVID nasal spray faces financial hurdles.

Listen in to this important conversation with hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter.

The Long COVID Survival Guide (Audio Book)
How to Take Care of Yourself and What Comes Next—Stories and Advice from Twenty Long-Haulers and Experts.

Fiona felt alone in their healing process. They wanted information, and to connect with others who shared their experience, so they started an online support group for people infected with COVID-19 and those experiencing long-term symptoms.

Reclaim your life with this empowering guide to surviving Long COVID and finding community and care
In March 2020, COVID-19 sent twenty-six-year-old Fiona Lowenstein to the hospital.

Otherwise completely healthy, they were told they would recover easily. But after their shortness of breath subsided and they were discharged from the hospital, they developed new symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal problems to rashes and hives to migraines–what would come to be known as Long COVID.

KEY POINTS

The omicron BQ coronavirus subvariants have risen to dominance in the U.S. as people gather and travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, putting people with compromised immune systems at increased risk.

BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are causing 57% of new infections in the U.S., according to CDC data.

The BQ subvariants are likely resistant to key antibody medications used by people with compromised immune systems, putting them at increased risk.

The more immune-evasive XBB subvariant is also circulating at a low level.

Not everyone who gets COVID-19 will suffer serious blood vessel inflammation, but the disease is still something of a roll of the dice — or, as physician Ziyad Al-Aly puts it, Russian roulette. That doesn’t mean people should despair or panic. Early treatment can save lives, which is why doctors urge people who’ve been infected not to ignore any warning sign, even if they weren’t previously at any known risk.

Al-Aly, who works at the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System, was one of the first doctors to jump into studying long COVID and, more generally, the aftermath of infection. “Something about SARS-CoV-2 increases propensity to damaging the lining of the blood vessels and increases the probability of blood clotting,” he said.

“What makes this such a dangerous disease is mainly that it attacks these vessels,” said Pascal Jabbour, a neurosurgeon at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. The disease can lead to inflammation in blood vessels all over the body, he said, including the gut, causing a condition called bowel ischemia. It’s also at the root of a circulatory problem known as COVID-19 toes.

REMEMBER FROM PART ONE?

The study also showed that those who got infected but were not sick enough to be hospitalized were still 10 times more likely to die of any cause during the study period than their uninfected counterparts. People who’d been hospitalized for COVID-19 were about 100 times more likely to die during the study period.

Another new study published in Neurosurgery focused on the period when people were actively infected, and concluded that COVID-19 infection was associated with strokes — and that strokes that occurred in infected people were likely to be more severe and harder to treat with surgery.

Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist at the Yale School of Medicine, says he worries about two kinds of long COVID-19.

There’s the obvious version where people suffer prolonged virus symptoms like fatigue, and a stealthier version in which people recover yet carry an added risk of blood clots and strokes.

He doesn’t want to panic people — most of us will probably be fine. But new studies confirm that some will develop an elevated risk of blood clots, strokes or heart attacks. Given that most people have had COVID-19 by now, everyone should be more vigilant about the early warning signs such as chest pain, unusual swelling, numbness, weakness or sudden changes in balance, speech or vision.

The study also showed that those who got infected but were not sick enough to be hospitalized were still 10 times more likely to die of any cause during the study period than their uninfected counterparts. People who’d been hospitalized for COVID-19 were about 100 times more likely to die during the study period.

Scary reports started to surface in the spring of 2020 of young people suffering deadly strokes during or right after a COVID-19 infection. Doctors were starting to suspect COVID-19 was not just a respiratory disease but a blood vessel disease. Larger studies now back up their suspicions and showed that COVID-19 infections elevated everyone’s risk. That explained why younger people who should have had almost no risk were showing up with strokes, but they were just the tip of the iceberg. Patients who already smoked or had high blood pressure or diabetes went from high risk to even higher.

One recent study, published in the journal Heart — associated with the British Medical Journal — tracked 54,000 people in the U.K. for four and a half months and concluded that those who’d been infected were 2.7 times more likely to develop venous thromboembolism — a dangerous type of blood clot — than those who had never been infected.

Another new study published in Neurosurgery focused on the period when people were actively infected, and concluded that COVID-19 infection was associated with strokes — and that strokes that occurred in infected people were likely to be more severe and harder to treat with surgery.

Bacon is delicious but you cannot eat it
0:03
for breakfast every day because it is
0:05
just fat and it’s bad so you get up you
0:07
have some raisin bran and fruit healthy
0:09
healthy start to a great day wrong
0:12
all of a sudden Raisin Bran does not
0:15
qualify as healthy the FDA with that
0:17
bombshell announcement just yesterday in
0:20
fact none of these cereals are
0:22
Raisin Bran Honey Nut Cheerios Corn
0:24
Flakes Honey Bunches of Oats honey
0:26
roasted Frosted Mini Wheats life Mikey
0:29
won’t eat it he hates everything and
0:31
Special K even Special K does not
0:34
qualify as healthy
0:36
for a healthy stamp from the FDA cereals
0:38
now have to contain three-quarter of an
0:40
ounce of whole grains and no more than
0:43
one gram of saturated fat 230 milligrams
0:45
of sodium and 2.5 grams of added sugars
0:49
tomorrow morning
0:51
cat food

With a one-two punch, the Biden administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have tossed tens of millions of Americans at high risk of death and disability from COVID into a sea of contagion without any clear guidance for infection prevention and control.

After President Biden’s thoughtless remark that “the pandemic is over,” the CDC announced days later a quiet undermining of COVID protections in hospitals and nursing homes: the end of universal masking recommendations for healthcare settings. Ordinary Americans who cannot afford to be ill — and that is truly tens of millions of us — now have to appeal directly to America’s working medical professionals:

Please make your medical offices safe for us to enter by using N95 masks and top-rated HEPA air filtration. Too many of us are at risk to become severely ill, develop chronic illness or die if we catch COVID, even if we are newly boosted. Just as importantly, many of us are the sole caretaker for someone else, people who depend on us for their everyday needs. We are desperate to avoid getting sick for their protection as well as our own. And the reality is that healthcare providers, run ragged after the last three years, can’t afford to get sick either.

Sept. 19, 2022

Crucially, we cannot let infectious air be so prevalent that people delay going to a hospital in an emergency because they fear catching COVID there. We should not expose caretaking relatives to COVID when they bring their loved ones in for care. When people need surgery or give birth, followed by days of hospital recovery, they deserve to be safe from infection.

I am speaking directly to our doctors, dentists, nurses, specialists of every kind, all our providers of routine and critical care: In the absence of any backup from government officials, we need your help now. We need to be able to come into your offices for the checkups you always nagged us to keep up with — and we want to get. As your patients, we need a professional commitment from you to practice good infection control.

If you cannot see your way to having everyone inside your office, staff and patients alike, to wear an N95 or equivalent mask all day, please at least create some hours every week when that is the rule for everyone — a required masking portion of the day. Offer this as an option when patients call to make an appointment.

Medical examining rooms and waiting rooms are often windowless. To support masking efforts, get HEPA filters, which are affordable for offices and effective at capturing COVID particles from the air.

And if you understand how much we value our health, if you are among the medical professionals who have been grieving over the nation’s pandemic failures, if you remain committed to preventing infections, please work with colleagues inside your prestigious professional associations to promote clear and effective infection control standards. Your patients can’t do this. The CDC made clear it no longer will. But we hope you can.

I know that too many of America’s healthcare professionals will not want to cooperate. There are some who believe COVID is over, or that it’s a “hoax” or worse, that the disabled and elderly should be willing to accept an accelerated death — this despite the oaths doctors took to do no harm.

But we need as many healthcare professionals on our side as possible. If we must “learn to live with COVID,” let’s do it intelligently. We can and must keep the air clean inside all medical settings to protect newborns and their mothers, the elderly, cancer and dialysis patients, the post-surgery teenager struggling with orthopedic implants after a motorcycle accident. Everyone at some point needs good care.

Please help us and our families safely access your professional care. We can’t let American medical standards drop so low that our hospitals and clinics become the places where we get sick rather than well.

Kathleen Quinn is a retired journalist.

The FDA WEBSITE provides information gathered from press releases and other public notices about certain recalls of FDA-regulated products.

Not all recalls have press releases or are posted. See Additional information about recalls for a more complete listing.

Millions of masks used with sleep apnea machines are currently being recalled due to safety concerns.

Device Description
The recalled masks are worn by a patient when using a BiPAP or CPAP machine and have magnetic headgear clips to hold them in place. The recalled masks are for single patient use in the home or multi-patient use in the hospital or other clinical environments. The recalled masks are for patients weighing more than 66lbs (30kg), except for the Wisp Youth Nasal Mask and Therapy Mask 3100 NC/SP which are for patients seven years of age and older weighing more than 40lbs (18kg).

Certain Philips Respironics Masks for BiPAP, CPAP Machines Recalled Due to Safety Issue with Magnets That May Affect Certain Medical Devices: FDA Safety Communication

The masks are for CPAP and BiPAP machines from Philips Respironics.

Figure 1: Amara View Full Face Mask
Figure 2: DreamWisp Nasal Mask
Figure 3: DreamWear Full Face Mask
Figure 4: Wisp and Wisp Youth Nasal Mask
Figure 5: Therapy Mask 3100 NC/SP

According to the Food & Drug Administration, the magnets in the mask can affect the function of the implanted metallic devices, such as brain stents, aneurysm clips and pacemakers.

Contraindication: Use of the mask is contraindicated for patients and their household members, caregivers and bed partners that may be in close vicinity to patients using the masks, that have implanted devices that may be affected by magnets, including but not limited to:

Pacemakers
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD)
Neurostimulators
Magnetic metallic implants/electrodes/valves placed in upper limbs, torso, or higher (i.e., neck and head)
Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) shunts (e.g., ventriculo peritoneal (VP) shunt)
Aneurysm clips
Embolic coils
Intracranial aneurysm intravascular flow disruption devices
Metallic cranial plates, screws, burr hole covers, and bone substitute devices
Metallic splinters in the eye
Ocular implants (e.g., glaucoma implants, retinal implants)
Certain contact lenses with metal
Implants to restore hearing or balance that have an implanted magnet (such as cochlear implants, implanted bone conduction hearing devices, and auditory brainstem implants)
Magnetic denture attachments
Metallic gastrointestinal clips
Metallic stents (e.g., aneurysm, coronary, tracheobronchial, biliary)
Implantable ports and pumps (e.g., insulin pumps)
Hypoglossal nerve stimulators
Devices labeled as MR (Magnetic Resonance) unsafe
Magnetic metallic implants not labeled for MR or not evaluated for safety in a magnetic field

KING COUNTY, Wash. — Between 15,000 to 20,000 gallons of raw sewage leaked into Lake Washington Wednesday morning, closing a beach.

The county said bacteria from untreated sewage in the water is dangerous, especially to people with immune conditions.

Germs from the sewage in the water can cause problems such as rashes, diarrhea, stomachaches, fever and more.

Officials said it is also possible to get an infection in the eyes, ears, nose, throat or skin.

The beach that closed was Chism Beach Park, which is where a sign was put up warning people not to swim or go in the water.

People were also warned not to swim at Burrows Landing, located at 9505 Southeast 15th Street, or the Lake Washington shoreline between the.

A few hours after the leak, the King County Council was told some of the power equipment, which is supposed to keep raw sewage from flowing into water, is from the 1950s and 60s and is prone to failure.

UW Medicine will begin providing the newly authorized COVID-19 booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna next week. The new boosters target both the original strain of the virus and the newer omicron subvariants, including BA.4 and BA.5.

Both boosters were authorized for use this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

The updated Pfizer booster is available to people ages 12 and older who have:
Completed their COVID-19 primary series vaccination at least two months ago; or
Received their last booster/additional dose at least two months ago.

The updated Moderna booster is available to people ages 18 and older meeting the same criteria.

Children ages 5 to 11 are not eligible at this time for either of the new boosters but may receive the original Pfizer booster if they also received the Pfizer vaccine as their primary series. No COVID-19 boosters are currently recommended by the CDC for children ages 6 months to 4 years.

Schedule your updated booster starting Wednesday, Sept. 7

Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 7, you may schedule your new booster by calling 844.520.8700 and joining our waitlist. You will receive a call or text message when it is your turn to book an appointment.

Please note updated booster supplies may be limited to start, and we cannot guarantee which of the vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna) will be available at your appointment. As a reminder, you can receive either vaccine regardless of the vaccine/booster you previously received. We will add more appointments as supplies increase.

Appointments will be available at our high-volume vaccination sites at UW Medical Center – Montlake, UW Medical Center – Northwest, and Harborview Medical Center.

Boosters are a safe and effective way of reducing the risk of serious COVID-19 illness, including hospitalization and death. With fall approaching and another potential surge, UW Medicine continues to follow CDC and FDA guidance in recommending boosters for all who are eligible. For more information, visit UW Medicine COVID-19 Updates & Information or contact your primary healthcare team.

Sincerely,

Timothy H. Dellit, MD
Interim CEO, UW Medicine
Interim Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and
Interim Dean of the School of Medicine,
University of Washington

Lisa Brandenburg
President, UW Medicine Hospitals & Clinics
Vice President for Medical Affairs
University of Washington

(CNN)
—
The federal government is ending its free at-home Covid-19 test program thisweek, citing a lack of funding and efforts to preserve supply ahead of an anticipated fallsurge in cases, a White House official told CNN on Sunday.

Both the White House and the website where people can claim their tests blamedCongress for failing to provide additional funding for the program, which provided up to 16free tests per household since the beginning of the year.

“Ordering through this program will be suspended on Friday, September 2 becauseCongress hasn’t provided additional funding to replenish the nation’s stockpile of tests,”the Covid.gov website reads.

Dr. Jeff Duchin & Dr. Janna Friedly of UW Medicine Post-COVID Clinic discuss long-COVID, including its impacts and resources needed to address the condition.

As of Wednesday, the CDC no longer recommends that people quarantine after they have a Covid exposure, unless they are in high-risk congregate settings, such as jails, nursing homes and homeless shelters.

The CDC now says students and school staff who remain asymptomatic should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days, and get tested on day five.

The CDC’s advice for people who test positive for Covid.

Isolate for at least five days. Isolation can end after day five as long as symptoms are improving and any fever is gone, however masking remains recommended through day 10.

For immediate release: July 28, 2022

New telehealth option launched to expand COVID-19 treatment access
OLYMPIA – To increase access to potentially life-saving medication to treat COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and its partners have launched a new telehealth option for patients. The new option expands the Federal government’s Test to Treat initiative and gives people at risk of severe disease another way to quickly access free treatment for COVID-19.

Until now, telehealth for COVID-19 has only been available to insured patients who receive care through a health care provider that offers telehealth visits. This new program makes telehealth consultations for COVID-19 available to everyone, regardless of insurance status, with no out-of-pocket costs.

“At DOH, we value equity and innovation, and have embraced those values throughout our COVID-19 response,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health. “Ensuring that we can equitably connect communities with therapeutics is pivotal so that we can continue our mission of reducing unnecessary death from this disease.”

DOH encourages people who test positive for COVID-19 to discuss treatment options with their primary health care provider. In situations where this might not be possible, free telehealth consultations are another option that can make it even easier to access treatments for COVID-19. People who test positive for COVID-19, including with a self-test, can consult with a health care provider using a smartphone or computer with a high-speed internet connection.

If appropriate, they can receive a free prescription for pick-up at the nearest pharmacy that has the oral antivirals or have their medication delivered. More than 1,000 sites are available across the state. This telehealth service is currently provided by DOH in collaboration with partners, including Birds Eye Medical and Color Health.

There are two options to set up a telehealth appointment – either by visiting DOH’s new telehealth webpage or by calling the DOH COVID-19 call center. Those interested in signing up virtually can complete a brief intake form on DOH’s new telehealth webpage. If the information provided indicates treatment may be appropriate, the patient will be connected virtually with a health care provider for a consultation. Telehealth providers are available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Those interested can arrange an appointment by phone by calling the DOH COVID-19 call center at 1–800–525–0127 and press #. The call center is available to arrange telehealth consultations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sundays and state holidays.

Telehealth appointments are currently available in 240 languages through translation services. People interested in receiving a telehealth appointment in a language other than English should arrange an appointment through the DOH COVID-19 call center.

One of the most effective COVID-19 treatments is Paxlovid, an oral antiviral drug that reduces the risk of hospitalization by approximately 90 percent. Oral antivirals like Paxlovid are only available by prescription and must be started within five days of first symptoms to prevent severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19.

“Our goal is for all eligible patients at high risk for severe disease to have equitable access to life-saving COVID-19 treatments,” said Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, MD, MPH, Chief Science Officer. “We’re excited to make this service free to everyone with no out of pocket costs so that even those without insurance will be able to access antiviral medications. And by offering telehealth consultations in multiple languages, the program increases access for non-English speakers as well.”

Oral antivirals are an important treatment for people who are at high risk of hospitalization. People at high risk include those 65 years old or older, obese, pregnant, have chronic medical conditions such as heart, lung, or kidney disease, or people who are taking immunosuppressant treatments. Children as young as 12 years old with certain chronic conditions and who weigh at least 88 pounds, may also be eligible for antiviral treatment. Learn more about what may place people at high risk for COVID-19.

Visit the Washington State Department of Health’s website for more information on COVID-19 treatments and information for health care providers.

Visit the DOH Newsroom for all news releases.
Subscribe to get news releases in Spanish. You will continue to receive the English version.
Washington State Department of Health is your source for a healthy dose of information.

In addition, Evusheld will be available through a subset of federal pharmacy partners, including Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Star Market, and Vons, CPESN, Hy-Vee, Amber Specialty Pharmacy, Managed Healthcare Associates and Thrifty White.

The government is also working with AstraZeneca, which makes Evusheld, to set up a toll-free number (1-833-EVUSHLD — 1-833-388-7453) to make it easier for health care providers to get information about the treatment, including how to order it.

COVID -19 REINFECTIONS MAY INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF NEW HEALTH PROBLEMS

CNN
—
“Repeatedly catching Covid-19 appears to increase the chances that a person will face new and sometimes lasting health problems after their infection, according to the first study on the health risks of reinfection.

The study, which is based on the health records of more than 5.6 million people treated in the VA Health System, found that, compared with those with just one Covid-19 infection, those with two or more documented infections had more than twice the risk of dying and three times the risk of being hospitalized within six months of their last infection.

They also had higher risks for lung and heart problems, fatigue, digestive and kidney disorders, diabetes and neurologic problems.

“There is this idea that if you had Covid before, your immune system is trained to recognize it and is more equipped to fight it, and if you’re getting it again, maybe it doesn’t affect you that much, but that’s not really true,” he said.

Al-Aly said that doesn’t mean there aren’t people who have had Covid and done just fine; there are lots of them. Rather, what his study shows is that each infection brings new risk, and that risk adds up over time, he said.

Even if a person has half the risk of developing lasting health problems during a second infection than they did during their first infection, he said, they still wind up with 50% more risk of problems than someone who didn’t get Covid-19 a second time….”

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/05/health/covid-reinfection-risk/index.html

The cases reported to the Department of Health likely represent less than 10% of infections in Washington, according to the department.

Washington State Department of Health officials said there is a slight uptick in hospitalizations but deaths remain stable. Hospitals are still very full and are reporting stress due to workforce shortages and difficulty discharging patients.

The CDC said anyone at risk for severe illness in those 15 counties should consider taking additional precautions besides simply wearing a mask, like staying 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and washing their hands often.

FAT AS FUEL

The team embarked on the study based on observations that people with a high body-mass index and conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes are more sensitive to the disease.

The virus that causes COVID-19 undertakes a massive takeover of the body’s fat-processing system, creating cellular storehouses of fat that empower the virus to hijack the body’s molecular machinery and cause disease.

The team found that SARS-CoV2 doesn’t simply boost the number of triglycerides in our cells. The virus also changes much of our fat-processing system, changing the body’s ability to use fat as fuel.

THE SCIENCE RESEARCH SHOWED WEIGH LOSS DRUGS CAN STOP THE MASSIVE TAKEOVER OF YOUR FAT CELL MAKING SYSTEM.

After scientists discovered the important role of fat for SARS-CoV-2, they used weight-loss drugs and other fat-targeting compounds to try to stop the virus in cell culture. Cut off from its fatty fuel, the virus stopped replicating within 48 hours.

An approved weight-loss medication, Orlistat, a lipase inhibitor, stopped viral replication. An experimental compound known as GSK2194069 also stopped the virus. These and other compounds worked against all the SARS-CoV2 variants tested: alpha, beta, gamma and delta.

The authors of the recent paper in Nature Communications caution that the results are in cell culture, not in people; much more research remains to see if such compounds hold promise for people diagnosed with COVID. But the scientists, from Oregon Health & Science University and the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, call the work a significant step toward understanding the virus.

“There are so many graduations in our community. This alerts is on safety since Covid is high and no one mentions it anymore. We have very fragile clients that are currently attending many graduation parties In order to make their families happy”. statement by concern community members.

“…. He gives us reason that we might Know good from bad wrong from right. This is the first to light our path, To gain His grace and shun his wrath. But gift of reason varies far, Some wise and others foolish are.” Moulana Mohammed Abdul-Aleem Siddiqui

PLEASE LOOK and LISTEN TO THE VIDEO

PLEASE SHARE THE VIDEO WITH ALL YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS.

Why Omicron Is About To Make Americans Act Immorally, Inappropriately
Robert Pearl, M.D.Contributor

…. Culture dictates how people behave. It influences their thoughts and actions. It alters their values and beliefs. The unique characteristics of Omicron will lead people to ignore the harm it inflicts. They won’t act with malicious intent. They’ll just be oblivious to the consequences of their actions. That’s how culture works.

…. health officials will continue to urge caution, just as they have for more than two years. But it won’t make a difference. Culture eats science for breakfast. Americans will increasingly follow the herd and stop heeding public-safety warnings.

…. A whopping 91% of Americans no longer consider Covid-19 a “serious crisis.” Social distancing has reached a low point as public-health restrictions continue to ease up.

…. Most Americans are eager to move on from the pandemic….

…. It’s not that people will suddenly become less empathetic or more callous. They’ll simply be adjusting to new social mores, brought about by a unique viral strain and an inevitable evolution in American culture.

Scientists now know that Omicron (and its many decimal-laden strains: BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, BA.5, etc.) is the most infectious, fastest-spreading respiratory virus in world history. The Mayo Clinic calls this Covid-19 variant “hyper-contagious.”

“A single case could give rise to six cases after four days, 36 cases after eight days, and 216 cases after 12 days,” according to a report in Scientific American. As a result, researchers predict that 100 million Americans will become infected with Omicron this year alone—via new infections, reinfections and vaccination breakthroughs.

In addition to Omicron’s high transmissibility, the virus is also season-less. Whereas influenza arrives each winter and exits in the spring, Americans will continue to experience high levels of Covid-19 infection year-round—at least for the foreseeable future.

With its 60-plus mutations, immense transmissibility and lack of seasonality, Omicron is an exceptional virus: one that will infect not only our respiratory systems but also our culture.

…. If 100 million Americans (one-third of the population) were to become infected with Omicron this year, we can expect that everyone will know someone with the disease. And when dozens of our friends or colleagues say they’ve had it, we will begin to see transmission as inevitable. And since, statistically, most Americans won’t die from Omicron, people will see infection as relatively harmless and they’ll be willing to drop their guard.

…. A year from now, assuming no major mutations cause the virus to become more lethal, we can expect all restrictions will be dropped.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the following consumer products were recalled in May 2022:

BIBS Baby Bottles from BIBS Denmark ApS

Heckler 9 Electric Bicycles from Santa Cruz Bicycles

GreenSpeed Magnum Recumbent Trikes from WizWheelz

Infant Clothes from Winter Water Factory

Children’s Robes from NewCosplay

Children’s Robes from Linum Home Textiles

Wolverine RMAX Off-Road Side-By-Side Vehicles from Yamaha

Hover-1 Superfly Hoverboards from DGL Group

Coffee Cups from Moderne Glass Company

Children’s Pajamas from Free Birdees

Wonder & Wise Activity Tables from Asweets

Children’s Sleepwear from Copper Pearl

If you believe you purchased a recalled product, stop using it and check its recall notice (linked above for all products). Follow the notice’s instructions, including where to return the product, how to get the product fixed, how to dispose of the product, how to receive a refund for the product, or what steps must be taken to receive a replacement product.

To view recalls issued prior to May, visit the Consumer Protection Safety Commission website.

We haven’t been yelling from the top of the streets, saying, ‘Look at this!’ loud enough,'” said Richard Fuller, the report’s lead author and the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Pure Earth, which focuses on addressing pollution in low- and middle-income countries.

That’s the takeaway of a report published Tuesday in The Lancet Planetary Health, which analyzed the combined health risks of air, water and toxic chemical pollution in 2019. The results show that pollution is responsible for around 9 million premature deaths each year, or one in six globally. That puts its toll on par with smoking.

Pollution-related deaths have stayed flat worldwide since 2015, according to Fuller’s research. A previous study of his showed that pollution was also responsible for 9 million premature deaths in 2015. But the dominant forms of pollution have changed over time.

LONG COVID

A difficult condition to define

So, just what is Long COVID?

Good question—researchers are still trying to figure it out. So, it depends on whom you talk to.

“For me, Long COVID is fatigue, chest discomfort, cognitive issues that can’t be explained by anything else,” he says.

But it can be more than that—much more, depending on the patient. Long COVID can involve a mysterious “grab bag” of symptoms that vary depending on what organ systems were affected by the virus, Galiasatos says.

“The brain controls mood, mental health, and cognition, and things like pain,” he says. “So one person, with one organ system affected can result in anxiety, depression, cognitive issues, and headaches.”

But another organ system, like the musculoskeletal system, can result in different symptoms like bone aches or burning, tightness in the chest, joint pain, and muscle spasms.

It seems like most any ailment—from ear numbness, a sensation of “brain on fire,” and hallucinations—could be symptoms of Long COVID, according to a landmark July study published in British medical journal The Lancet.

The symptoms can persist following the initial onset, or come and go over time, the organization says, adding that a diagnosis of Long COVID usually wouldn’t be made until three months after acute illness.

The World Health Organization defines Long COVID as a condition that occurs in someone who had COVID, with symptoms that cannot be explained by another diagnosis, that last for two months or more.

Lakeside Refrigerated Services Recalls Ground Beef Products Due to Possible E. coli O103 Contamination

(The Labels for the ground beef products can be found BY CLICKING ON VISIT WEBSITE)

FSIS Announcement
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2022 – Lakeside Refrigerated Services, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 120,872 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O103, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ground beef products were produced from February 1, 2022, through April 8, 2022. The complete list of products and product codes for the beef products that are subject to recall can be found here. Labels for the ground beef products can be found here.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 46841” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS testing of imported products. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

Many clinical laboratories do not test for non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) such as O103 because it is harder to identify than STEC O157:H7. People can become ill from STECs 2–8 days (average of 3–4 days) after consuming the organism.

Most people infected with STEC O103 develop diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by testing of a stool sample. Vigorous rehydration and other supportive care is the usual treatment; antibiotic treatment is generally not recommended. Most people recover within a week, but, rarely, some develop a more severe infection. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, is uncommon with STEC O103 infection. HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old, older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Lakeside Refrigerated Services at 800-493-9042 or customercare@lakesiderefrigerated.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

Excerpt …. Accupril is used to treat hypertension which means to lower blood pressure. It can also be used to manage heart failure as adjunctive therapy when added to conventional therapy including diuretics or digitalis.

Although long-term ingestion of Nnitroso-quinapril may be associated with potential increased cancer risk in humans, there is no immediate risk to patients taking the medication. Patients currently taking the products are encouraged to consult with their doctor or health care provider about alternative treatment options for them.

The recalled product lots were distributed nationwide to wholesalers and distributors in the United States and Puerto Rico from December 2019 to April 2022. The full description of the recalled lots is listed below.

NDC Lot Number Expiration Date Strength Configuration/Count
0071-0530-23 DR9639 2023 MAR 31 10 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0532-23 DX8682 2023 MAR 31 20 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0532-23 DG1188 2022 MAY 31 20 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0535-23 DX6031 2023 MAR 31 40 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0535-23 CK6260 2022 MAY 31 40 mg 1 x 90 count bottle

The FDA has requested that wholesalers and distributors stop distribution and quarantine the product immediately. Those who received the affected products should contact Sedgwick at 888-345-0481 for instructions on how to return their product and how to receive reimbursement.

https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/pitzer-recalls-tablets-due-to-increased-cancer-risk/amp/

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota is recalling about 460,000 vehicles in the U.S. to fix a software problem that can inadvertently disable the electronic stability control system.

The automaker says that when the vehicles are restarted, in rare cases the software may not automatically switch the system into the “on” mode. That can disable the system, which uses a computer to individually brake wheels to help drivers keep control.

The recall covers vehicles from the 2020 to 2022 model years including the Toyota brand’s

Venza,

Mirai,

RAV4 Hybrid,

RAV4 Prime,

Sienna Hybrid,

Highlander Hybrid,

LS500h,

LX600,

NX350h,

NX450h-plus from the Lexus luxury brand.

Dealers will update software on the skid control computer to fix the problem. Owners will be notified by mid-June.

The coronavirus pandemic had a devastating effect on people’s mental health throughout 2020 and 2021.

This led to a significant rise in the number of alcohol-related deaths, according to a March 2022 study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which found the number of deaths between 2019 and 2020 rose by a whopping 25.5%.

Additionally, the rate of alcohol-related deaths outpaced the rate of deaths from all causes, with no major disparities between males and females and different age groups.

“Deaths involving alcohol reflect hidden tolls of the pandemic,” the report stated. “Increased drinking to cope with pandemic-related stressors, shifting alcohol policies, and disrupted treatment access are all possible contributing factors.”

‘Unprecedented’ rise in deaths
In 2019, there were a total of 78,927 alcohol-related deaths. That number jumped to 99,017 in 2020. However, Aaron White, co-author of the report and senior scientific advisor to the director at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, estimates that the number is likely higher than reported.

“Each state differs in how good of a job they do of testing people’s blood for alcohol,” White told Yahoo Finance. “These aren’t absolute numbers. The actual number of deaths from alcohol in the U.S. is way higher than what we report because we base it just on death certificates and we know that death certificates capture only a percentage. What that means is at a state level, these numbers are going to vary depending on how good of a job a state does.”

Three states saw an increase in the number of deaths by more than 45%: Utah, South Dakota, and Mississippi.

“It’s unprecedented,” White said. “We know that any time there’s a major crisis, whether it’s national or regional, the U.S. and other countries see an uptick in mortality from alcohol. We know that’s a pattern that happens but to see such a large increase in one year, it was very stunning to us. It’s not directly related to the pandemic.”

White also said “there’s no reason that a virus sweeps through a population that you would necessarily have to see an increase in deaths from alcohol.”

“It’s clearly a secondary effect of the pandemic and it tells us there’s a lot … that happened that goes well beyond the virus itself,” he added.

As the report noted, some of the driving factors behind this increase involve how people coped with the pandemic through 2020, which saw people in isolation, schools and offices closed, and hundreds of thousands of lives lost. Additionally, for those who had been receiving treatment and counseling, their services were disrupted.

Data from the report seems to support this theory.

In the chart below, the number of alcohol-related deaths had ticked down slightly at the start of 2020 but shot upward between February and April 2020, when the pandemic officially made its way into the U.S. and led to a complete shutdown.

Alcohol-related deaths particularly increased during the early months of the pandemic. (Chart: JAMA)
Alcohol-related deaths particularly increased during the early months of the pandemic. (Chart: JAMA)
These numbers continued rising throughout the year and reached an all-time high at the end of December 2020, when the Delta variant led to a record number of COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

“When people are struggling, they look for things they can do to help reduce their discomfort,” White said. “Stress is incredibly uncomfortable. Uncertainty, worry, these are very uncomfortable emotional states. People are just trying to cope. We look at the increase in deaths from alcohol as an indicator that people were really under a lot of stress during the pandemic, and they were trying to cope.”

‘An enormous financial toll on the United States’
There’s no clear consensus on what could stop this troubling trend before it becomes even more problematic, but according to Gerry Schmidt, former president of the Association for Addiction Professionals, it starts with money.

“A lot of times it comes down to funding,” Schmidt told Yahoo Finance. “We’re at a time when the research shows that the longer you keep individuals engaged in active treatment, the chances for longer-term success are there. Right now we’re seeing a decrease in approved funding for longer-term treatment.”

“For us,” he continued, “any investments we make in helping people live healthier lives in general is an investment. Any investment we make in just helping people live healthier lives in general — we think some of the problems with alcohol will fall to the wayside.”

Additionally, Schmidt mentioned “people don’t develop problems with alcohol because they want to.” He said in most cases, it happens because “they’re just trying to find a way to get through life.”

“So the more we can do to help people get through life in healthy ways, we think we’ll see a reduction in harms associated with alcohol,” he added.

By David Shepardson and Rajesh Kumar Singh

WASHINGTON/Chicago, April 18 (Reuters) – The Biden administration will no longer enforce a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation, after a federal judge in Florida on Monday ruled that the 14-month-old directive was unlawful, overturning a key White House effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Soon after the announcement, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines relaxed the restrictions effective immediately on all domestic flights.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, an appointee of President Donald Trump, came in a lawsuit filed last year in Tampa, Florida, by a group called the Health Freedom Defense Fund.

Judge Mizelle said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had exceeded its authority with the mandate, had not sought public comment and did not adequately explain its decisions.

A U.S. administration official said while the agencies were assessing potential next steps, the court’s decision meant CDC’s public transportation masking order was no longer in effect. The administration could still opt to appeal the order or seek an emergency delay in the order’s enforcement.

“Therefore, TSA will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs at this time,” the official said in a statement.

“CDC recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings.”

The ruling comes as COVID-19 infections rise again in the United States, with 36,251 new infections reported on average each day, and 460 daily deaths, based on a seven-day average – the highest number of reported total COVID-19 deaths in the world.

The White House called the ruling “disappointing.”

Last week, U.S. health officials extended by 15 days the mandate requiring travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs, saying they needed time to assess the impact of a recent rise in COVID-19 cases.

Industry groups and Republican lawmakers had wanted the administration to end the 14-month-old mask mandate last week.

United Airlines said Monday masks are no longer required on domestic flights and select international ones, or at U.S. airports. Alaska Airlines said face masks are now optional on its planes.

The TSA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) declined to comment. The CDC declined to comment.

The CDC first issued a public health order requiring masks in interstate transportation in February 2021. The TSA issued a security directive to enforce the CDC order.

Since January 2021, there have been a record 7,060 unruly passenger incidents reported, 70% involving masking rules, according to the FAA.

After the ruling, Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, urged “calm and consistency in the airports and on planes. The last thing we need for workers on the frontlines or passengers traveling today is confusion and chaos.”

Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. passenger airlines, said after the announcement they are “strong advocates for eliminating pandemic-era policies and are encouraged by the lifting of the federal transportation mask mandate.”

The U.S. Senate voted 57-40 last month to overturn the public health order requiring masks on airplanes and other forms of public transportation, drawing a veto threat from President Joe Biden.

Statement from the Washington State Department of Health
OLYMPIA – Today, the Washington State Board of Health (SBOH) voted not to include COVID-19 in the state’s immunization requirements for school entry at this time.

As stated in today’s SBOH meeting, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) supports the recommendation of the SBOH’s technical advisory group (TAG) and thanks the TAG for its thorough and methodical and transparent review of this matter over several months.

DOH continues to remind community members to help protect our schools, educators, and students by urging everyone to continue to do their part by getting vaccinated and boosted, if eligible. DOH reminds people to wear a mask if needed, stay home and get tested if they feel sick, and follow isolation recommendations if they test positive.

COVID-19 is increasing in some communities, and we must still actively work to prevent its spread.

This statement was originally attributed to the Secretary of Health, and it should be attributed to the Washington State Department of Health instead.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Confronting the pandemic’s lasting shadow, President Joe Biden has ordered a new national research push on long COVID, while also directing federal agencies to support patients dealing with the mysterious and debilitating condition.

Biden assigned the Department of Health and Human Services Tuesday to coordinate an urgent new initiative across federal agencies, building on research already under way at the National Institutes of Health.

He also directed federal agencies to support patients and doctors by providing science-based best practices for treating long COVID, maintaining access to insurance coverage, and protecting the rights of workers coping with the uncertainties of the malaise. Of particular concern are effects on mental health.

Long COVID is the catch-all term for a hydra-headed condition whose symptoms can include brain fog, recurring shortness of breath, pain and fatigue. Rough estimates are that it affects as many as 1 in 3 people who recover from COVID-19, although the severity and duration of symptoms vary. Despite intense investigation, the causes of long COVID are not well understood and treatment largely focuses on helping patients cope with their symptoms as they try to rebalance daily routines.

The White House also acknowledged that long COVID appears to be a disability, meaning that patients could be entitled to the protection of federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on health conditions and call for accommodations to allow people to lead productive lives.

“The administration recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in new members of the disability community and has had a tremendous impact on people with disabilities,” said a White House overview.

Some independent experts praised the administration for its comprehensive plan but noted the lack of a timeline for results.

“This is a very important move on the part of the Biden administration to acknowledge that long COVID is real, that it is a significant threat, and that much more needs to be done,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a former Baltimore health commissioner and commentator on the pandemic. “The emphasis on treatment for long COVID, and recognizing that this could be a source of ongoing disability, are long overdue.”

A prominent advocate for COVID patients sensed a breakthrough.

“This is the first effort that truly comports with the needs of people who are suffering,’’ said Diana Berrent, founder of Survivor Corps, a support group that connects patients with government and private researchers.

Advocates have been clamoring “for the government to create a command center for long COVID,” she added. “Up until now, that hasn’t existed.’’

“I see this as a global, comprehensive approach to an extremely thorny issue that has previously received a scattershot approach,” Berrent said.

Medical research thus far has led to theories about what causes long COVID, but no single root. One theory revolves around lingering infection or virus remnants that may trigger inflammation in the body. Another possibility involves autoimmune system responses that mistakenly attack normal cells. Researchers are also investigating the role of tiny clots.

The White House said Biden’s order will expand and build on a $1 billion research study already underway at NIH, called the RECOVER Initiative. One goal is to speed signing up 40,000 people with and without long COVID into the study. Around that effort, Health and Human Services will coordinate a government-wide research plan on long COVID.

HHS will also deliver a report to the nation on long COVID later this year. “Millions of Americans may be struggling with lingering health effects,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “COVID is having effects long after the actual virus has escaped us.”

Biden’s order puts a major focus on treatment. An HHS unit called the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality will investigate best practices and get useful guidance to doctors, hospitals and patients. The Department of Veterans Affairs, which already has 18 facilities running long COVID programs, will serve as an incubator of ideas and strategies. The administration is seeking $20 million from Congress for “centers of excellence” to develop templates for care.

Dr. Fernando Carnavali of Mount Sinai’s Center for Post-COVID Care in New York, said he understands complaints that the government hasn’t made enough progress on long COVID.

“For our culture today, which needs answers yesterday, it’s just hard,’’ Carnavali said. “In chronic disease, in general it’s not how it works. We have other examples, from HIV, answers did not come right away.”

Finally, the administration said its plan will provide direct support for patients by safeguarding access to insurance coverage and extending the umbrella of civil rights protections to people with long COVID. In keeping with Biden’s focus on reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care, part of the emphasis will be on minority communities that have borne a high toll from COVID-19.

Federal health programs, which can serve as a model for private insurance, will look for ways to make sure that treatments for long COVID are covered and paid for. “The administration is working to make long COVID care as accessible as possible,” said a White House overview of Biden’s plan.

Associated Press
RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR AND ZEKE MILLER
April 6, 2022, 5:28 AM
___
AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner contributed to this report

Skippy Foods has recalled 60,000 jars (totaling 161,692 pounds) of its Reduced Fat Peanut Butter and its Creamy Peanut Butter Blend With Protein. The jars may contain fragments of stainless steel.

Skippy issued the recall “after a repair to a piece of equipment where a small piece of it may have fallen into a jar,” a company spokesperson told Consumer Reports. “We haven’t received any complaints and don’t expect consumers to have an issue.”

Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread (40-ounce jars) with the UPC code 37600-10520 and “best by” dates of May0423 and May0523 (located on the lid).

Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread Club Pack (two 40-ounce jars) with the UPC code 37600-10667 and a “best by” date of May0523 (located on the lids).

Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread (16.3-ounce jars) with the UPC code 37600-10499 and “best by” dates of May0623 and May0723 (located on the lid).

Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter Blended with Plant Protein (14-ounce jars) with the UPC code 37600-88095 and a “best by” date of May1023 (located on the lid).

The peanut butters were shipped to stores in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin.

“Foreign objects can be hard to spot in foods, and if you bit down on a piece of metal, you might injure your teeth or mouth,” says James E Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing at Consumer Reports.

If you have one of these products, return it to the store where you purchased it for a refund, or call Skippy Foods Consumer Engagement at 866-475-4779, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

“Our QC [quality control] team has conducted a full investigation and will continue to go through all of the quality control steps that are in place to ensure food safety,” the Skippy spokesperson said.

Trisha Calvo

10 unusual COVID-19 symptoms to remember

COVID-19 cases are climbing again. So which symptoms should you remember?

The BA.2 variant — a subvariant of the omicron variant — has continued to spread throughout the United States in recent weeks, becoming the dominant COVID-19 strain in the country.

Why it matters: Many people across the country may start experiencing COVID-19 symptoms again — since the BA.2 variant has the potential to reinfect people — or infect them for the first time.

Some COVID-19 symptoms are unusual and might not align with what you thought were COVID symptoms before.

Symptoms from the BA.2 variant aren’t clear-cut, doctors say
WHO reveals the brutal reason why the BA.2 variant has hit Europe
Who should be concerned about the BA.2? Here’s what a COVID expert says
What to know: Dr. Joseph Khabbaza, a pulmonary and critical care physician at the Cleveland Clinic, said in February that COVID-19 can come with a number of unusual symptoms — which are different than the traditional symptoms (cough, fever and more) that you’d expect.

What he said: “Really, nothing is off the table when it comes to COVID. I always get texts from people asking if something they’re experiencing is normal. Well, there’s nothing that’s truly abnormal when it comes to COVID — literally almost anything goes and we don’t exactly know why,” said Khabbaza.

Symptoms: Khabbaza said there are at least 10 unusual symptoms you might want to look out for:

Brain fog.
Confusion.
Hallucinations.
Delirium.
Elevated heart rate.
Elevated temperature.
Skin irritation.
Vocal cord neuropathy.
Loss of taste.
Loss of smell.

What to do: You should contact your health care provider if you experience any of these unusual symptoms, he said.

The bigger picture: The coronavirus continues to creep closer to everyone in their daily lives as restrictions fall and the world fully opens up again.

The BA.2 variant specifically now represents about 54% of COVID-19 cases across the country. The Northeast region of the United States is getting hit hard by the subvariant, per CNN.

The Food and Drug Administration Tuesday authorized a second COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for older Americans and people with immunocompromised conditions.

COVID-19: BA.2 is now the dominant variant in the U.S. — here’s what you need to know

It’s hard to ignore the growing buzz surrounding the latest COVID-causing variant known as BA.2, which has now become the dominant coronavirus strain in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization, which tracks variants, called it “a variant of concern.” But what is it and how concerned should you really be?

After the Omicron surge last winter, it’s understandable to feel a bit worried — and weary — about yet another variant (or in this case, subvariant), just as things seem to be opening back up across the country. Here’s what experts have to say.

What exactly is BA.2?
The Omicron variant has “multiple lineages” associated with it, such as BA.1 and now BA.2, Dr. Mahdee Sobhanie, an infectious disease physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life.

So BA.2 is a subvariant, or sublineage, of Omicron that is now “replacing the BA.1 variant, which was responsible for the surge of cases this winter,” explains Sobhanie.

Although it’s now become the dominant strain in the U.S., Dr. Steven Gordon, chair of infectious disease at Cleveland Clinic, tells Yahoo Life: “This is not a surprise, as we have learned that this subvariant is more transmissible than the original Omicron variant — which was several times more transmissible than Delta.”

How is it different from other variants?
When it comes to symptoms, it’s similar to other variants. Dr. Prathit Kulkarni, assistant professor of medicine in infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life that “the preliminary knowledge at this point is that the symptoms of BA.2 are not substantially different from the original Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2.”

Sobhanie agrees, saying the symptoms of BA.2 tend to be similar to ones of other variants and respiratory viral illnesses in general — namely, “runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever,” he says, noting: “It is important to still have home tests at hand if you develop symptoms.”

However, BA.2 does appear to be highly contagious. Sobhanie describes the strain as a “more fit version of BA.1,” which means that “it can spread much more aggressively than previous variants and the BA.1 lineage.”

But more contagious doesn’t necessarily mean it’s deadlier than other variants. So far, that seems to be the case with BA.2.

“The preliminary knowledge at this point is that the severity of BA.2 is not higher than the severity of the original Omicron strain,” says Kulkarni. “This might prove to be different going forward — potentially more or less severe. However, at the current time, it appears to be similar in terms of severity.”

Gordon agrees, saying: “We don’t think that BA.2 causes more serious disease. It seems to be similar in severity to the original Omicron.”

Travelers wear masks as they sit in a subway station.
The Omicron subvariant BA.2 has now become the dominant strain in the U.S. (Getty)
Could BA.2 trigger another surge?

It’s possible. “Based on what we have seen in Europe, there is a potential to see another surge,” says Sobhanie. “It’s possible we will not see as great a surge as seen in Europe due to mitigation factors, such as warmer weather leading to more outdoor activity than indoor activity in the spring and summertime.”

He adds: “COVID has taught us that whatever happens locally will eventually happen globally — and we are watching what is going on with Europe very closely.”

Gordon echoes that sentiment, saying: “We are closely monitoring for signs of another surge, as well as watching what is happening in other countries. We know other places, such as in Europe, are seeing increasing cases and hospitalizations. We do expect to see some increase in infections. However, in the United States, we were hit particularly hard by the original Omicron wave, and that, along with vaccination, may help stave off a large surge.”

So how concerned should people be in general, especially if they’re already vaccinated?
Experts say that if you don’t have a weakened immune system and are “up to date on your vaccine status, you are in a better position than those who are not vaccinated or up to date on their vaccine status in [terms of] developing severe disease, which can lead to hospitalization,” says Sobhanie.

For those who are eligible, having a booster is also important. “We know that the booster makes a significant difference in reducing severe illness, hospitalization and deaths from COVID-19,” says Gordon. “These are the outcomes that can be most prevented by vaccination. We encourage all those who are eligible and have not yet gotten their booster to do so. Those who are particularly vulnerable — aged 50-plus or immunocompromised — are also now eligible for a second booster.”

For those who are immunocompromised, there is also a preventive monoclonal antibody drug called Evusheld, which is an FDA-authorized drug “for patients who cannot produce an adequate antibody response with vaccination alone,” Sobhanie explains. “This monoclonal antibody is given before a patient gets COVID, so that they have antibodies circulating in their immune system and prevents them from getting COVID. It is not considered a treatment, and is intended to prevent people from getting sick.”

Sobhanie adds: “We do have other potential therapies for people who do get COVID, such as Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, and you may be eligible for either of these treatments if you get COVID.”

Even if you’ve already had Omicron, Gordon points out that you can still get infected with BA.2. However, “in general, previous infection with Omicron does provide protection against this new variant,” he says.

Should some consider being more vigilant about wearing masks in public, particularly indoors?
That depends, say experts. “It is going to depend on what the case counts are in their area,” says Sobhanie. “If there is a high circulation of COVID in your area, bringing the mask back is a good idea.”

Because the pandemic is “continually evolving and is different in different geographical areas of the country,” Kulkarni says, “one of the ways to keep up with the changing numbers at the local and state levels is to access CDC’s geographical data tracker.” The tracker lets you look up whether COVID levels are high, medium or low in your county. “It’s a convenient way to monitor trends in different areas,” he says.

In general, Gordon recommends both being mindful of your “own risk level,” such as underlying health issues, and paying attention to the level of COVID-19 spread in your community. “Certainly, those who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or who are immunocompromised should be more careful,” he says.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Ford Motor Co is recalling 737,000 vehicles in the United States over a part that could develop an oil leak and a software error that could hinder braking, it said on Friday.

The automaker is recalling 345,451 of its 2020-2022 Ford Escape and,

2021-2022 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles with 1.5L engines because the engine oil separator housing could crack and develop an oil leak that might cause an engine fire.

Ford said it had reports of at least eight fires that may be related to the issue but no related injuries or crashes.

Dealers will inspect the oil separator for damage or oil leaks, and replace the oil separator and seals, as necessary.

Ford is also recalling 391,836 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Ford Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln avigator, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles because a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system might not brake.

Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software.

Ford has 67 reports of improper function potentially related to the issue but no reports of crashes or injuries related to the recall.

Health officials, including those at the World Health Organization, are watching these hybrid variants closely.

Because they demonstrate how the virus can take its most successful parts and combine them quickly into a supervirus.

This process is called recombination, and it’s how dangerous strains of flu are made, the NPR article also said.

THE WEBSITE IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS –

WEBSITE TITLE – FIND COVID-19 GUIDANCE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

Masks Section
Wear a mask to protect yourself and others when you go indoors in public.

Free N95 masks are available at many local pharmacies and healthcare providers. Check with stores in your area to see where you can find free masks.

Treatment Section
Treatments for COVID-19 are now widely available. If you test positive for COVID-19, talk to a doctor as soon as possible about treatment options.

The Test-to-Treat program is one easy way to get treatment. Test-to-Treat locations will give you a test and treatment.

Testing Section
COVID tests can help you know if you have COVID-19 when you have symptoms, have been exposed, or are about to meet up with others.

Vaccines Section
Being fully vaccinated and boosted is the best way to protect against severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19.

Pfizer Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Lots of ACCURETIC™ (quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide), quinapril and hydrochlorothiazide Tablets, and quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide Tablets Due to N-Nitroso- Quinapril Content

Pfizer Inc. is recalling a blood pressure drug because of elevated levels of a potential cancer-causing impurity.

The product lots were distributed nationwide to wholesalers and Distributors in the United States and Puerto Rico from November 2019 to March 2022.

The company warned consumers on Monday of several tainted lots of Accuretic and two other versions of the drug — quinapril and hydrochlorothiazide tablets – because of the presence of a nitrosamine above the Acceptable Daily Intake level.

“Nitrosamines are common in water and foods, including cured and grilled meats, dairy products and vegetables. Everyone is exposed to some level of nitrosamines,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

It adds: “These impurities may increase the risk of cancer if people are exposed to them above acceptable levels over long periods of time.”

The medications are prescribed for the treatment of hypertension to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions

Accuretic™ (quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide) tablets, 10/12.5 mg
Accuretic™ (quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide) tablets, 20/12.5 mg
Accuretic™ (quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide) tablets, 20/25 mg
NDC Lot Number Expiration Date Strength Configuration/Count
0071-3112-23 FG5379 08/2024 10/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0222-23 EA6686 04/2022 10/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-5212-23 FG5381 08/2024 20/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0220-23 EA6665 04/2022 20/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0220-23 CN0640 04/2022 20/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
0071-0223-23 ET6974 02/2023 20/25 mg 1 x 90 count bottle

quinapril and hydrochlorothiazide tablets, 20/25 mg
quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide tablets, 20/12.5 mg
quinapril HCl/hydrochlorothiazide tablets, 20/25 mg
NDC Lot Number Expiration Date Strength Configuration/Count
59762-5225-9 FE3714 02/2023 20/25 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
59762-0220-1 DN6931 03/2023 20/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
59762-0220-1 ED3904 03/2023 20/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
59762-0220-1 ED3905 03/2023 20/12.5 mg 1 x 90 count bottle
59762-0223-1 DP3414 02/2023 20/25 mg 1 x 90 count bottle

REMEMBER THE CORONAVIRUS IS AIRBORN (Sisters In Common,03/22/2022)

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Not a single country managed to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality standard in 2021, a survey of pollution data in 6,475 cities showed on Tuesday, and smog even rebounded in some regions after a COVID-related dip.

The WHO recommends that average annual readings of small and hazardous airborne particles known as PM2.5 should be no more than 5 micrograms per cubic metre after changing its guidelines last year, saying that even low concentrations caused significant health risks.

But only 3.4% of the surveyed cities met the standard in 2021, according to data complied by IQAir, a Swiss pollution technology company that monitors air quality. As many as 93 cities saw PM2.5 levels at 10 times the recommended level.

“There are a lot of countries that are making big strides in reduction,” said Christi Schroeder, air quality science manager with IQAir. “China started with some very big numbers and they are continuing to decrease over time. But there are also places in the world where it is getting significantly worse.”

India’s overall pollution levels worsened in 2021 and New Delhi remained the world’s most polluted capital, the data showed. Bangladesh was the most polluted country, also unchanged from the previous year, while Chad ranked second after the African country’s data was included for the first time.

China, which has been waging war on pollution since 2014, fell to 22nd in the PM2.5 rankings in 2021, down from 14th place a year earlier, with average readings improving slightly over the year to 32.6 micrograms, IQAir said.

Hotan in the northwestern region of Xinjiang was China’s worst performing city, with average PM2.5 readings of more than 100 micrograms, largely caused by sandstorms.

It fell to third on the list of the world’s most polluted cities after being overtaken by Bhiwadi and Ghaziabad, both in India.

(Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

Kao USA Inc. out of Cincinnati is asking customers to check their bottles of Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer. Those with 3 oz. and 10 oz. sizes could qualify as part of the recall.

The company said that bottles manufactured between Oct. 1, 2021 and Oct. 18, 2021 have the potential to contain a bacterium known as Pluralibacter gergoviae, which can pose a risk for infection in those with weakened immune systems.

“We are working with our partners on improved cleaning and sanitization practices so that similar issues can be prevented in the future,” the company said in a statement.

The products are also being pulled from shelves and warehouses, the company said.

“We are working with our partners on improved cleaning and sanitization practices so that similar issues can be prevented in the future,” the company said in a statement.

The products are also being pulled from shelves and warehouses, the company said.

Those who have questions or who are interested in a refund can call 1-800-742-8798. Find out more about the recall right here.

Importance Short-term and long-term persistent postacute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) have not been systematically evaluated.

The incidence and evolution of PASC are dependent on time from infection, organ systems and tissue affected, vaccination status, variant of the virus, and geographic region.

Objective To estimate organ system–specific frequency and evolution of PASC.

Conclusions and Relevance In this systematic review, more than half of COVID-19 survivors experienced PASC 6 months after recovery.

The most common PASC involved functional mobility impairments, pulmonary abnormalities, and mental health disorders.

These long-term PASC effects occur on a scale that could overwhelm existing health care capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

PEOPLE WITH EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION CAUSED BY COVID, LIKE
THOSE WITH BPD, SHOW UP IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH:
HIGH SENSITIVITY
1. HYPERVIGILANCE
2. OVERGENERALIZATION ( TROUBLE SEEING THAT EVERYTHING IS NOT A CRISIS, and EVERYONE IS
NOT AGAINST YOU and THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE WAY TO HANDLE THEIR PROBLEMS)
3. EASILY THROWN OFF KILTER (STAYING ON TRACK WITH YOUR THOUGHTS AND THINKING AND
HEALTHY BEHAVIORS)
4. NO “EMOTIONAL SKIN” (LACK THE ABILITY TO REGULATE THEIR EMOTIONS, BEHVIORS AND
THOUGHTS. )

PEOPLE WITH EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION CAUSED BY COVID, LIKE
THOSE WITH BPD, SHOW UP IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH:
HIGH REACTIVITY
1. FIGHT or FLIGHT

PEOPLE WITH EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION CAUSED BY COVID, LIKE
THOSE WITH BPD, SHOW UP IN RELATIONSHIPS AS:
1. SLOW DE-ESCALATION ( QUICK TO ANGER – SLOW TO CALM – LET GO OR LET GOD)

King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin is discussing the lifting mask mandate and the status of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some researchers have found that the COVID-19 virus gets into the penis, prostate, and testicles of some men, and can cause long-term problems with their sexual health and fertility.

This tracks with how some other viruses, including SARS-CoV-1, Ebola, and mumps also infect the male genitals — and mumps have long been known to cause infertility.

Researchers say they expected mostly to find the virus present in the upper nose and brain area — which would be the reason that COVID patients often lose their sense of taste or smell.

But they found it also present in 10 to 20 percent of male subjects’ genitals — specifically in the prostate, the vasculature of testicles, the penis and the testicles.

They confirm other clinical studies that have found last effects from COVID in human male patients, including testicular pain, erectile dysfunction, and reduced sperm count.

Thomas Hope, professor of cell and developmental biology at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and the lead investigator in the study, says his team was surprised by the findings.

“Even if this is only a small percentage of the infected, it represents millions of men who may suffer from a negative impact on their sexual health and fertility,” Hope said in a release

This is just one of the many strange, unsettling, and late-breaking complications from COVID that scientists have been warning about for the past two years, as the new virus continues to be studied.

Hope’s lab at Northwestern will continue to investigate the effects of COVID on men’s genitals at later timepoints, and look in to potential therapies for the ailments mentioned above. Also, they plan to look into whether similar impacts from the virus are occurring in women’s reproductive systems.

Note:
The study results still need to be peer-reviewed and published, and are considered preliminary.

OLYMPIA – Abbott Nutrition has expanded its voluntary recall of certain powdered infant formulas produced at the company’s manufacturing facility in Sturgis, Michigan, because of possible Cronobacter contamination. Parents and caregivers should not feed their babies recalled Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered formulas.

In Washington, at least 18,000 families who receive formula through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program may be involved in the recall. A similar number of families not on WIC may also be using recalled formula. Washington WIC is working hard to provide formula alternatives for families but cannot guarantee alternatives will be available in every store, so please call the store ahead of time to ensure the formula you need is available. WIC families can also reach out to WIC clinics and check the WIC shopping app for updates. Additionally, if you are feeding your baby both breastmilk and formula and want to do more breastfeeding, WIC has trained staff available to help. If you are not on WIC, please reach out to your health care provider for support.

Recalled powdered infant formulas include Similac PM 60/40 with lot code 27032K80 (can) / 27032K800 (case), in addition to Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered formula products that have all three of these conditions:

First two digits of the code are 22 through 37, and
The container contains “K8,” “SH,” or “Z2,” and
The use-by date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

Product lot codes can be found on the bottom of the package.

To confirm if a product is included in the recall, customers can enter their product lot code on Abbott Nutrition’s website or call 1-800-986-8540.

If a formula you own is included in the recall, immediately stop feeding it to your baby and return it for a refund at the store where you bought it.

You can also return it to Abbott Nutrition.

If you cannot find the code on the powdered formula package, do not use it. If the formula you use is not included in the recall, it is still safe to use and does not need to be thrown out or returned.

The first symptom of Cronobacter infection in infants is usually a fever accompanied by poor feeding, excessive crying, or very low energy. Some infants may have seizures. Contact your child’s health care provider if your baby is experiencing these symptoms or if they consumed the recalled formula.

Parents and caregivers should never dilute powdered infant formula and should not make or feed homemade formula to infants. Additional information on formula preparation and storage can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

The recall remains under investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At this time, no known cases have been reported in Washington.

The DOH website is your source for a healthy dose of information. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Sign up for the DOH blog, Public Health Connection.

Slavery by Another Name

Slavery by Another Name “resets” our national clock with a singular astonishing fact: Slavery in America didn’t end 150 years ago, with Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. Based on Douglas A. Blackmon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, the film illuminates how in the years following the Civil War, insidious new forms of forced labor emerged in the American South, persisting until the onset of World War II.

“It is rare to have the opportunity to bring to television a story that, outside of academic circles, is virtually unknown,” says tpt National Productions’ Catherine Allan, executive producer of the 90 minute documentary for PBS.

“In telling the story of what happened to African Americans over the 80 year period of “neo-slavery”, we hope to add a significant new facet to America’s ongoing discussion about race.”

https://www.pbs.org/video/slavery-another-name-slavery-another-name-75-second-promo/

Three popular baby formulas made by Abbot Nutrition have been recalled after four babies became sick with bacterial infections.

WIC participants should return any of the affected formula to the store or WIC clinic where they received the product.

People are advised not to use Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered infant formulas if

WIC participants should return any of the affected formula to the store or WIC clinic where they received the product.

People are advised not to use Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered infant formulas if

Cronobacter can cause life-threatening infections or meningitis. Symptoms include poor feeding, irritability, temperatures changes, jaundice, grunting breaths and abnormal movements. Salmonella can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever, as well as diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Parents are advised to contact their child’s healthcare provider if they’ve noticed any of these symptoms.

REMEMBER Ordering begins January 19th, 2022

Every home in the U.S. can soon order FOUR (4) free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests.

The tests will be completely free—there are no shipping costs and you don’t need to enter a credit card number.

Summary
Company Announcement Date:
January 07, 2022
FDA Publish Date:
January 07, 2022
Product Type:
Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:
Due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name:
Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc.
Brand Name:
Dole
Product Description:
Salads
Company Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –Monterey, CA–January 7, 2022–Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling from the market all Dole-branded and private label packaged salads described below processed at its Springfield, OH and Soledad, CA production facilities containing iceberg lettuce, due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Products subject to the voluntary recall from Springfield, OH are identified by a product lot code beginning with the letter “W” and a “Best if Used By” date between December 22, 2021 and January 9, 2022. Products subject to the voluntary recall from Soledad, CA are identified by a product lot code beginning with the letter “B” and a “Best if Used By” date between December 23, 2021 and January 8, 2022. The product lot codes are located in the upper-right-hand corner of the package (see example below). Consumers who still have any of these products in their refrigerators are urged not to consume the product and to discard it immediately. No illnesses have been reported with the products being recalled to date.

This voluntary recall notification is being issued after harvest equipment used in the harvesting of the raw iceberg lettuce material used in these finished products was tested by Dole and found to contain Listeria monocytogenes.

Listing of products subject to each of these recalls is set forth below.

Recalled salad items from the Springfield facility were distributed in the states of AL, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA and WI. Additionally, these salads were distributed in the following Canadian provinces: New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec. Recalled salad items from the Soledad facility were distributed in the states of AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MD, ND, NE, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, TX, UT, VA, WA and WI. Additionally, these salads were distributed in the following Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

No other Dole products, including fresh fruit and field-packed fresh vegetables, are part of these voluntary recalls and are safe to consume.

Dole retailers have been advised to check store shelves and warehouse inventories to confirm that no recalled product is available for purchase by consumers.

Retailer and consumer questions about the voluntary recalls should be directed to the Dole Consumer Response Center at 800-356-3111, Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 3:00pm Pacific Time.

Dole Fresh Vegetables is coordinating closely with regulatory officials.

Product Listing on the following pages

LISTING OF PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO SOLEDAD RECALL

Product Description UPC Code
Dole 10oz Very Veggie 0-71430-01008-2
Dole 11oz Greener Selection 0-71430-00965-9
Dole 12oz American 0-71430-00933-8
Dole 12oz Garden Salad / Salade Du Jardin 0-71430-01135-5
Dole 13.25oz Country Ranch Kit 0-71430-01730-2
Dole 13oz Southwest Kit 0-71430-01701-2
Dole 16oz Value Size Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-84616-2
Dole 24oz Value Size Garden Salad 0-71430-01136-2
Dole 3lb Garden Salad 0-71430-01138-6
Dole 5.8 oz Chicken Club BLT Salad Bowl 0-71430-00123-3
Dole 6.05 oz Avocado Ranch Salad with Chicken Bowl 0-71430-00125-7
Dole 6.25 oz Backyard BBQ Salad with Chicken Bowl 0-71430-00124-0
Dole 6.25 oz Santa Fe Style Salad Bowl 0-71430-00118-9
Dole 7.25 oz Turkey & Bacon Country Cobb Salad Bowl 0-71430-00120-2
Dole 7.65oz Café Chef Salad Bowl 0-71430-00115-8
Dole 8oz Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-01065-5
Dole 9.1oz Peppercorn Ranch Chopped Kit 0-71430-00093-9
Dole 9.8oz Chopped Teriyaki Pineapple Kit 0-71430-00100-4
HEB 12oz American Salad 0-41220-35500-6
HEB 8oz Shredded Lettuce 0-41220-35521-1
HEB 9.5oz Premium Ranch Kit 0-41220791569-0
Marketside 7.45 oz Premium Avocado Ranch Bowl 6-81131-37735-5
Marketside 11.75 oz Multi-Serve Southwestern Style Salad Bowl 6-81131-42361-8
Marketside 12oz Classic Salad 6-81131-32894-4
Marketside 12oz Crisp Greens 6-81131-35503-2
Marketside 1lb Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-53209-9
Marketside 24oz Classic Salad 6-81131-32895-1
Marketside 6.35 oz Santa Fe Style Bowl 6-81131-42363-2
Marketside 6.81 oz BLT Salad Bowl 6-81131-37736-2
Marketside 7.25 oz Chef Salad Bowl 6-81131-35506-3
Marketside 7.25 oz Cobb Salad Bowl 6-81131-35507-0
Marketside 8oz Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-32896-8
Presidents Choice 12.25oz Ranch Kit / Le Choix du President Ranch Kit de Salade 0-60383-00493-4
President’s Choice 12oz Garden Salad / Le Choix du President Salade Jardiniere 0-60383-22268-0
President’s Choice 13oz Sesame Ginger Kit / Le Choix du President Sesame et Gingembre 0-60383-02320-1
President’s Choice 13oz Southwest Salad Kit / Le Choix du President Sud-Ouest 0-60383-02319-5
LISTING OF PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO SPRINGFIELD RECALL

Product Description UPC Code
Dole 10 oz Very Veggie / Ranache de Legumes 0-71430-01008-2
Dole 11 oz Greener Selection / Selection de Verdure 0-71430-00965-9
Dole 12 oz American / Melange Americain 0-71430-00933-8
Dole 12 oz Garden Salad / Salade du Jardin 0-71430-01135-5
Dole 13 oz Asian Island Crunch / Croustillante Des Iles Asiatiques 0-71430-01721-0
Dole 13 oz Southwest Salad Kit 0-71430-01701-2
Dole 13 oz Southwest Salad Kit / Salade du Sud-ouest 0-71430-01711-1
Dole 13.25 Country Ranch Kit 0-71430-01730-2
Dole 16 oz Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-84616-2
Dole 2 lb Garden Salad 0-71430-01137-9
Dole 24 oz Value Size Garden Salad 0-71430-01136-2
Dole 8 oz Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-01065-5
Dole 9.1 oz Peppercorn Ranch / Ranch et Poivre 0-71430-00098-4
Dole 9.1 oz Peppercorn Ranch Chopped Kit 0-71430-00093-9
Dole 9.8 oz Chopped Teriyaki Pineapple Kit 0-71430-00100-4
Dole 9.8 oz Chopped Teriyaki Pineapple Kit / Teriyaki A L’ananas 0-71430-00182-0
Kroger 12 oz American Blend 0-11110-91041-7
Kroger 12 oz Classic Garden 0-11110-91036-3
Kroger 12 oz Veggie Blend 0-11110-91048-6
Kroger 24 oz Classic Garden 0-11110-91037-0
Kroger 8oz. Shredded Iceberg Lettuce 0-11110-91613-6
Little Salad Bar 10 oz Caesar Salad Kit 4099100 087000
Little Salad Bar 10.65 oz. Chopped Caesar Kit 4099100263923
Little Salad Bar 12 oz Garden Salad 4099100082982
Little Salad Bar 8 oz Shredded Lettuce 4099100087963
Little Salad Bar 9 oz Italian Salad 4099100083194
Marketside 12 oz Classic Iceberg Salad 6-81131-32894-4
Marketside 12 oz Crisp Greens 6-81131-35503-2
Marketside 16 oz Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-53209-9
Marketside 24 oz Classic Iceberg Salad 6-81131-32895-1
Marketside 8 oz Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-32896-8
Presidents Choice 12 oz Garden Salad / Le Choix du President Salade Jardiniere 0-60383-22268-0
Presidents Choice 12 oz Mixed Greens / Le Choix du President Melange de Legumes- Feuilles 0-60383-00188-9
Presidents Choice 12.25 oz Ranch Kit / Le Choix du President Ranch Kit de Salade 0-60383-00493-4
Presidents Choice 13 oz. Sesame Ginger Kit / Le Choix du President Sesame et Gingembre 0-60383-02320-1

More than 28,000 pounds of ground beef, including packages sold at some Walmart stores, are being recalled for possible E. coli contamination.

Interstate Meat Dist. Inc., of Clackamas, Oregon, is recalling products produced on Dec. 20 because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, according to a recall notice posted on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service website Thursday.

The products were sold at select Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons and WinCo Foods stores under store brand labels.

According to the recall notice, the products were shipped to retail locations in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

►Recalls you need to know about: Check out USA TODAY’s curated database of consumer product recalls for the latest information

►Lettuce recall 2022:Dole recalls salad sold at Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, H-E-B for listeria risk

When you call, it will take about 20 minutes to apply, and you can ask questions and receive the help you need with the application process.

Once you have applied for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance and received your FEMA application number, you may submit required documentation to FEMA in several ways:

Upload documents to your DisasterAssistance.gov account
Fax to: 855-261-3452
Mail to: P.O. BOX 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782
July 20, 2021
Who can apply for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance?
You may qualify if:

You are a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses on or after Jan. 20, 2020, and

The funeral expenses were for an individual whose death in the United States, including the U.S. territories or the District of Columbia, may have been caused by, or was likely the result of, COVID-19.
Who cannot apply for funeral assistance?

States, tribes, territories, businesses, organizations, and other entities are not eligible for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance.

A minor child applying on behalf of an adult who is not a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien cannot apply for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance.

However, a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien, can apply if they directly incurred funeral expenses for a COVID-19-related death and the documentation supports that assertion.

There are several categories of aliens who are not eligible for FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program, including COVID-19 Funeral Assistance. These individuals include, but are not limited to:

Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands
Temporary tourist visa holders
Foreign students
Temporary work visa holders
I was responsible for funeral expenses for more than one person whose death was attributed to COVID-19. Can I apply for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance for more than one death? Is there a limit?

If you incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses for more than one individual, you may receive at a maximum of $9,000 per deceased individual and a maximum of $35,500 per application, if you incurred funeral expenses for multiple deceased individuals per state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.

Can a funeral home apply on my behalf?

Funeral homes are not eligible to apply on your behalf or to be a co-applicant on your COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application. The person applying must be an individual, not a business or other entity, who incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses.

What funeral expenses are covered?

Eligible COVID-19 Funeral Assistance expenses typically include, but are not limited to:

Funeral services
Cremation
Interment
Transportation for up to two individuals to identify the deceased individual
Transfer of remains
Casket or urn
Burial plot or cremation niche
Marker or headstone
Clergy or officiant services
Arrangement of the funeral ceremony
Use of funeral home equipment or staff

Costs associated with producing and certifying multiple death certificates
Additional expenses mandated by any applicable local or state government laws or ordinances
What can I do to avoid delays in processing my COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application?

You are encouraged to provide documentation verifying the death was attributed to COVID-19, along with proof of funeral expenses and proof of other funeral assistance received, as soon as possible.

Once FEMA receives all your documentation, we will verify and validate it as part of the application review process.

DCYF Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Stabilization Grant

Apply Now

As a result of the Federal American Rescue Plan Act, funds are to be used to stabilize, support, and grow the diverse early learning workforce in a way that rebuilds a stronger child care system and expands access to affordable high-quality care.

Funds will be available to child care providers in the form of:

Licensed Child Care Stabilization Grant

OR

Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Stabilization Grant

Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

License-exempt FFN providers who have served at least one child on subsidy in four of the last six months

OR

two of the last three months and claim for subsidy through the Social Service Payment System (SSPS) at time of application.

More information about eligibility criteria and prioritization can be found in the DCYF FFN Stabilization Grant Frequently Asked Questions.

FAQs are in English | Spanish | Somali (CALL THE PHONE NUMBER ABOVE)

What is the amount of this grant?

The FFN Stabilization Grant consists of:

Program Amount + Add-Ons

Program Amount
FFN Providers will receive a program amount of $750.

Verifiable Add-Ons
Providers who meet certain verifiable criteria may be eligible to receive an additional “add-on” amount on top of their program amount.

These verifiable add-on amounts are stackable, and each add $250 to the total grant amount.

Operating in Child Care Deserts

Serving or located in Communities of Color

Serving or located in marginalized, low-income communities

Supporting racial equity

Located in area with high COVID impact

How does a provider apply for a grant?

CLICK ABOVE ON “VISIT WEBSITE”

GENEVA, Dec 20 (Reuters) – The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

“There is now consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing for Geneva-based journalists, held at its new headquarters building.

“And it is more likely people vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 could be infected or re-infected,” Tedros said.

Infections caused by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus do not appear to be less severe than infections from Delta, according to early data from the UK.

Researchers at Imperial College London compared 11,329 people with confirmed or likely Omicron infections with nearly 200,000 people infected with other variants.

So far, according to a report issued ahead of peer review and updated on Monday, they see “no evidence of Omicron having lower severity than Delta, judged by either the proportion of people testing positive who report symptoms, or by the proportion of cases seeking hospital care after infection.”

WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said that the variant was successfully evading some immune responses, meaning that the booster programmes being rolled out in many countries ought to be targeted towards people with weaker immune systems.

NOTE:
TAP ON VIDEO, AND CLICK HERE TO OPEN RELATED DOCUMENT FOR MORE IFORMATION.

The Minute Maid recall
The Minute Maid recall involves products that might contain metal pieces, Food Safety Network reported. Coca-Cola issued a recall for various Minute Maid drinks that might be impacted. The following Minute Maid flavors are part of the recall:

Berry Punch – Date codes Jan0422 NP and Jan0522 NP, Batch 0010323455 and 0010259344 (recall F-0276-2022)
Strawberry Lemonade – Date code: Jan0322 NP, Batch: 0010259346 (recall F-0277-2022)
Fruit Punch – Date Code: JAN0522 NP Batch: 0010323454 (recall F-0278-2022)

The Coca-Cola and Sprite recall
The Minute Maid recall is the most recent Coca-Cola recall, but the company issued a similar recall in late November. Per Commissary, the Coca-Cola recall involved Coca-Cola and Sprite soda cans containing an undisclosed foreign matter. That’s according to a Department of Defense All Food and Drug Activity message issued on November 24th.

Other recalls you should be aware of
It’s not often we see so many juices and sodas recalled from a huge company like Coca-Cola. Of course, the Minute Maid recall and Coke/Sprite recall aren’t the only recalls you need to be aware of right now.

There are several other recent recalls that our readers need to know about. You’ll find a few more below from our earlier coverage. Be sure to check your refrigerators, pantries, and medicine cabinets for these dangerous recalled products:

Urgent supplement recall caused by exploding bottles – read this now
Serious recall issued for 19 delicious desserts – throw them out now
Urgent meat recall: 234,000 pounds were sold so check your fridge now
New frozen veggie recall issued because people are breaking their teeth – see if you have any
Critical recall: Top COVID-19 drug recalled for the first time, read this now

CLICK ON THE WORD WEBSITE ABOVE FOR DETAILS

Scientists have long said getting a good night’s sleep is important to your health.

The U.S. National Institute of Health says lack of sleep may even increase the risk of impaired brain activity, or cognitive decline, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Now, an American team of scientists reports that too much sleep might be similarly linked to such conditions.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, did the sleep study.

Their findings were published in the September issue of the scientific publication Brain.

Dr. Brendan Lucey is director of the Washington University Sleep Medicine Center and led the research. He said, “Our study suggests that there is a middle range, or ‘sweet spot,’ for total sleep time” for best cognitive performance.

“Short and long sleep times were associated with worse cognitive performance, perhaps due to insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality, ” Lucey added.

Words in This Story
cognitive decline – n. experience of worsening or more frequent confusion or memory loss

impairment – n. a condition in which a part of your body is damaged

sweet spot – n. an ideal or most favorable factor for particular activity or purpose

associate – v. to think of one thing when you think of another

recommend – v. to suggest that someone do something

metabolic – adj. related to a chemical process that grows and heals

key – n. something that is necessary in order to achieve something

(TAP ABOVE ON VISIT WEBSITE TO HEAR AND READ FULL REPORT ON THE SLEEP STUDY)

Company Announcement

November 10th, 2021, Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt of Federal Way, WA is recalling Mango Greek Yogurt 16 oz. cups because it may contain undeclared egg.

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to egg run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

Mango Greek Yogurt 16 oz. cups were distributed in Oregon and Washington through select retail stores.

The Mango Greek Yogurt 16 oz cup has the UPC 8 57290 00612 6 and has the affected BEST BEFORE date of 11/28/2021 printed on a blue foil seal.

This is a refrigerated item and packaged in a clear plastic container with a blue foil seal and can be identified by the blue lettering on front panel display.

No other Ellenos brand yogurt products of any other size or similarity were affected.

“We didn’t have vaccines that block transmission,” said Gates, contradicting previous interviews in which he claimed the vaccines significantly block transmission.

In an exclusive interview that didn’t get a lot of media attention here in the United States, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told the UK think thank that the current vaccines aren’t blocking covid transmission.

“We got vaccines that help you with your health, but they only slightly reduce the transmission,” Gates told Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP during a Policy Exchange interview.

The goal of this fourth dose would be different: to combat waning immunity. It would serve the same purpose as a booster dose given to people without immune deficiencies six months after they were initially vaccinated.

An estimated 2.7% (5.5 million), of adults in the United States are immunocompromised, according to the CDC. That includes organ transplant recipients, certain cancer patients, and people with HIV.

Seattle Relief Fund

SEATTLE ONLY

The Seattle Relief Fund is $16 million of funding for direct cash assistance to Seattle’s most vulnerable low-income residents and their households who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

Application and payment timeline
Awards will be $1,000 – $3,000 depending on household size. You should only submit one application per household.

1. Application Opens
Application will be open for 3 weeks, from Monday, October 25, 2021, to Monday, November 15, 2021 at 11:59 pm.

2. Application Review
Applications will be reviewed for 2 weeks, from November 16, 2021 to November 29, 2021.

3. Decision and Payments
Decisions will be made from November 29, 2021 to December 6, 2021 and payments will be sent after December 9, 2021.

The new findings, published in the Lancet Psychiatry journal, analysed
health records of 236,379 COVID-19 patients, mostly from the United
States, and found 34% had been diagnosed with neurological or
psychiatric illnesses within six months.

Researchers who conducted the analysis said it was not clear how the
virus was linked to psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and
depression, but that these were the most common diagnoses among the
14 disorders they looked at.

Post-COVID cases of stroke, dementia and other neurological disorders
were rarer, the researchers said, but were still significant, especially in
those who had severe COVID-19.

“Although the individual risks for most disorders are small, the effect
across the whole population may be substantial,” said Paul Harrison, a
professor of psychiatry at Oxford University who co-led the work.

Max Taquet, also an Oxford psychiatrist who worked with Harrison,
noted that the study was not able to examine the biological or
psychological mechanisms involved, but said urgent research is needed
to identify these “with a view to preventing or treating them”.

Health experts are increasingly concerned by evidence of higher risks of
brain and mental health disorders among COVID-19 survivors.

A previous study by the same researchers found last year that 20% of
COVID-19 survivors were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within
three months.

The disorders were significantly more common in COVID-19 patients
than in comparison groups of people who recovered from flu or other
respiratory infections over the same time period, the scientists said,
suggesting COVID-19 had a specific impact.

Anxiety, at 17%, and mood disorders, at 14%, were the most common,
and did not appear to be related to how mild or severe the patient’s
COVID-19 infection had been.

Among those who had been admitted to intensive care with severe
COVID-19 however, 7% had a stroke within six months, and almost 2%
were diagnosed with dementia.

Independent experts said the findings were worrying.

“This is a very important paper. It confirms beyond any reasonable
doubt that COVID-19 affects both brain and mind in equal measure,”
said Simon Wessely, chair of psychiatry at King’s College London.

“The impact COVID-19 is having on individuals’ mental health can be
severe,” said Lea Milligan, chief executive of the MQ Mental Health
research charity.

“This is contributing to the already rising levels of
mental illness and requires further, urgent research.”

Reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is asking Americans to check their onions after a salmonella outbreak sickened more than 650 people across the country.

According to the CDC, cases tied to the contaminated onions started appearing on Sept. 1.

The CDC said fresh, whole red, white and yellow onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico are impacted.

They were distributed by ProSource Inc. to both grocery stores and restaurants throughout the United States .

The company last imported the impacted onions on Aug. 27, but the onions can last for up to three months in storage and might still be in homes and businesses, the CDC said.

In total, there are 652 reported cases tied to the outbreak in 37 states. Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia, Maryland and Illinois had the highest number of cases reported. California, Oregon, South and North Dakota, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York also all had reported cases.

There have been 129 hospitalizations as a result of the outbreak but so far no deaths have been reported. The CDC said investigators are working to figure out if other onions and suppliers are linked to the outbreak.

The CDC also advised businesses to check storage coolers for the impacted onions.

“If you can’t tell where they are from, throw them away,” the CDC website reads.

“Wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with these onions.”

Most people infected with salmonella develop symptoms, including diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, within six hours to six days of being exposed to the bacteria. The illness typically lasts between four and seven days, and most people recover without treatment. Children younger than five, adults 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have a severe reaction.

Ly-ing
1. To make an untrue statement with intent to deceive.

AND/OR

2. To create a false or misleading impression.

Lying is NOT a medical or mental diagnosis.

When a person tells a lie with the goal of staying in relationship – social with other people.

Reason Number 1. To avoid feeling UPSET, the lie matters, at least to the person telling the lie.

OR

Reason Number 2. Afraid telling the truth will STOP them from doing what they INTEND to do.

OR

Reason Number 3. They do not want to UPSET other people by NOT meeting their EXPECTATIONS.

OR

Reason Number 4. It is not a lie. IF IT IS FOR their PROTECTION and/or the protection of other people and things they care about.

OR

Reason Number 5. It is not a lie to the person telling the lie IF the person telling the lie THINK THAT IT IS TRUE.

IMPORTANT UPDATE!
Financial Assistance for Extended Family and Friends Caring for Young Children in King County

There was an error with the household income amounts in the application for the one-time financial assistance for King County family, friend, and neighbor caregivers. The household income amounts in the application were too low.

Some caregivers who tried to apply may have been incorrectly disqualified from completing the application.

We’ve fixed the error and the application is now correct.

If you or someone you know was unable to complete the application because of this error, we encourage you to try applying again

Thank you to the people who let us know about the error and apologies to all for the inconvenience this may have caused.

Summary

Company Announcement Date:
October 14, 2021
FDA Publish Date:
October 14, 2021
Product Type:
Drugs

Reason for Announcement:
API batches above the specification limit for the impurity, a probable human carcinogen, (a substance that could cause cancer).

Company Name:
Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Brand Name:
Lupin

Product Description:
Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets USP, 150mg/12.5 mg and 300mg/12.5 mg, which is a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer).

Risk Statement: N-nitrosoirbesartan impurity is a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer) based on results from laboratory tests.

From October 8, 2018 (the earliest date of shipment from the manufacturing site of any of the affected batches), to September 30, 2021, Lupin received 4 reports of illness from Irbesartan and 0 reports from Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide.

Irbesartan tablet USP is an angiotensin II receptor blocker indicated for treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure, diabetic nephropathy in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes, an elevated serum creatinine, and proteinuria. Irbesartan Tablets USP 75mg, 150mg and 300mg is packaged in 30 and 90 count bottles and was distributed nationwide in the US to wholesalers, drug chains, mail order pharmacies and supermarkets. Lupin discontinued the marketing of Irbesartan Tablets on Jan 7, 2021.

Summary
Company Announcement Date:
October 08, 2021
FDA Publish Date:
October 08, 2021
Product Type:
Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:
Tested above the guidance for naturally occurring inorganic arsenic.
Company Name:
Maple Island Inc.
Brand Name:
Parent’s Choice
Product Description:
Rice Baby Cereal

Company Announcement
Maple Island Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of three lots of its Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal that it manufactures for Walmart. This recall is a result of a routine sampling program by the FDA which found that a sample from three production lots of Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal tested above the guidance for naturally occurring inorganic arsenic.

Maple Island Inc. is voluntarily recalling this product with the knowledge of the FDA, This product was distributed nationally through Walmart’s stores and online. Walmart was advised and has pulled the product from its store shelves and put a register block on the product at its stores and online to prevent any further sales.

The specific Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal 8 oz lots being recalled were sold after April 5, 2021, and include:

Lot 21083 with UPC Code #00681131082907 with a best if used by date of JUN 24 2022.
Lot 21084 with UPC Code #00681131082907 with a best if used by date of JUN 25 2022
Lot 21242 with UPC Code #00681131082907 with a best if used by date of NOV 30 2022
The best if used by date and product numbers can be found in the bottom left corner on the back of the Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal packaging.

Customers who may have purchased Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal at Walmart with Lot Number 21083/UPC Code #00681131082907 and best if used by date of JUN 24 2022, Lot Number 21084/UPC Code #00681131082907 and best if used by date of JUN 25 2022, or Lot 21242 with UPC Code #00681131082907 with a best if used by date of NOV 30 2022 should discard the product or return it to Walmart for a full refund. Customers seeking additional information may call Maple Island Inc., Monday through Friday 8am – 4pm Central time at 1-800-369-1022 or contact the company by email at info@maple-island.com.

This virtual (ONLINE) series will done in English with live interpretation in Spanish and Somali.

This training is open to anyone within the early childhood education community in WA state, (INCLUDING ALL FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS HELPING TO CARE FOR EACH OTHERS CHILDREN). So feel free to share the training opportunity widely!

The goal of this training series is to introduce and teach PROVIDERS, ECE admin, and consultants alike how to promote healthy development in children ages 0-5 with autism spectrum disorders.

All 3 trainings will be recorded so that folks unable to attend live sessions will be able to access it in mid-to-late November 2021.

Training: Promoting Social-Emotional Development
Tue, October 12tt, 2021
Time: from 1pm – 3pm

Training: Managing Challenging Behaviors
Tue, November 9th, 2021
Time: 1pm – 3pm

Here is the Zoom link for the trainings.

The same link and passcode will work for all 3 trainings.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://washington.zoom.us/j/95610220536?pwd=RjU5aGIwdzhvTGRKcENEV2RLcFl4dz09

Meeting ID: 956 1022 0536
Passcode: 035602

One tap mobile
+12063379723,,95610220536#,,,,*035602# US (Seattle)

+12532158782,,95610220536#,,,,*035602# US (Tacoma)

HALAL MEAT !!, Free Food Boxes,

Date;
October 9th, 2021

Time;
12pm – 3pm

WHERE;
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE PARKING LOT
6400 Sylvan Way SW
Seattle WA, 98126

One-Time $1,500 Financial Assistance for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers Living in King County, Washington.

With funding from King County, Child Care Resources is offering one-time $1,500 financial assistance to 250 Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers who live in King County, Washington.

Financial assistance will be made to caregivers with low incomes who are currently taking care of at least one child ages birth – 12 years for 10 or more hours a week.

The application deadline is October 25, 2021.

Tap on VISIT WEBSITE to apply online.

For more information tap on CLICK HERE TO OPEN RELATED DOCUMENT.

Flyers available in the following languages below:

English | ኣማርኛ | Español | 普通话 | العربية | Tiếng Việt | 한국인 | دری | |Kajin Majol | ትግርኛ | Somali

He is charged with six counts of wire fraud, nine counts of bribery, one count of extortion by a public official and four counts of aggravated identity theft.

ESD also declined to share details about how or when the agency detected the alleged fraud.

“Even as ESD faced the challenges of processing the high volume of legitimate claims, he chose to take advantage of his position to worsen the unprecedented fraud on unemployment benefits,” Gorman said in a statement.

De La Cruz is the third suspect to be charged in Washington’s unemployment $650 million scam last year. But his case differs substantially from two earlier cases, which involved Nigerian citizens using stolen identities to file fraudulent unemployment claims, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy Chang, who is leading the government’s prosecution.

ESD said, in total, approximately 120,000 fraudulent claims were filed in Washington with more than $600 million in payouts. More than half of that money was recovered by investigators tracking fraud rings in the U.S. and abroad

URGENT NOTICE!

People living with serious mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than people in the general population, largely due to cardiovascular diseases like strokes and heart attacks.

In recent years, behavioral health agencies have taken on responsibility to monitor and support the health status of their clients.

Case managers in behavioral health agencies form the backbone of efforts to improve the medical outcomes of people living with serious mental illness.

To support this vital work, HealthierHere partnered with the University of Washington AIMS Center to develop this online course.

Sisters In common is a HealthierHere Level 1 Community Practice Partner.

This course is designed to prepare case managers for this work.

This free online course reviews the reality of increased premature mortality in people living with serious mental illness, explores the medical and social causes of this increased mortality as well as approaches to reducing it and introduces some practical tools and approaches to improving health in the populations case managers serve.

OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, a case manager will be able to:

Recognize the reality of premature mortality of people living with serious mental illness.

Describe the medical conditions related to premature mortality.

Describe the significance of the case manager role in addressing premature mortality.

Use effective techniques to support client health behaviors.

Engage with behavioral health colleagues to support client outcomes.

Use tools to help clients improve interactions with the primary care system.

CHECK OUT COMMUNITY ALERT DATED JUNE 15th, 2021 – CBS NEWS LIVE – REPORT PSYCHOSES IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECT OF COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) INFECTIONS!

Which group of children at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19?
…., children with obesity, diabetes, asthma or chronic lung disease, sickle cell disease, or immunosuppression can also be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Reasonable accommodations are modifications or adjustments to the tasks, (AND/OR), environment or to the way things are usually done that enable individuals with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to participate in an academic program or a job (U.S. Department of Education, 2007).

Broad categories of accommodations include changes to the application process to ensure an equal opportunity to apply for program enrollment, changes that enable a student with a disability to perform the essential functions of the academic program, and changes that enable a student with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of the program (e.g., access to training).

Examples of accommodations by disability type and Accommodation Examples.

CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION

Notetakers
Flexible attendance requirements
Extra exam time and allowances for breaks
Assignments made available in electronic format
Use of email to facilitate communication

LOW VISION

Seating near front of the classLarge print exams, handouts, signs, equipment/material labelsContrast-enhanced printed materialsImage-enlarging technology (e.g., TV monitor, magnifier)Electronic format for syllabi, assignments, readings, resourcesGlare guardsSupplementary light source.

BLINDNESS

Audio-recorded, brailled or electronic-formatted lecture notes, handouts, and textsVerbal or audio descriptions of visuals and videos
Raised-line drawings and tactile models of graphic materials
Braille lab signs and equipment labels; auditory lab warning signals
Adaptive lab equipment (e.g., talking calculators, tactile timers)
Computer with optical character reader, speech output, Braille screen display and Braille printer output

HEARING LOSS

Sign language interpreter
Seating near the instructor/speaker with an unobstructed view of the speaker’s face • Real-time captioning
FM system
Note taker
Alternate location for testing that has reduced auditory and visual distraction
Visual aids and written supplements to spoken instructions
Written assignments, lab instructions, summaries, notes
Use of email for class and private discussions

LEARNING DISABILITY

Note taker
Audio recorded lectures
Captioned films
Extended time on exams and assignments
Alternative testing arrangements/locations
Instructions provided in multiple formats, including visual, aural and tactile
Computer with voice output, spellchecker and grammar checker
Concise oral instructions, clear written instructions and well organized visual aids

MOBILITY/ MOTOR IMPAIRMENT

Notetaker, scribes, lab partners
Classrooms, labs and field trips in accessible locations, using accessible transportation
Computer with speech input, voice output and alternative keyboard
Wheelchair-friendly furniture and room arrangement (e.g., adjustable tables, space for a wheelchair, lab equipment located within reach)
Use of ramps and raised platforms for student’s accessClass materials available in electronic formatExtended time for completion of activities

SPEECH IMPAIRMENT

Alternative assignments for oral presentations (e.g., written assignments, one-to-one presentation)
Course substitutions
Flexibility with in-class discussions (e.g., consider online discussion boards)

Which group of children at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19?
…., children with obesity, diabetes, asthma or chronic lung disease, sickle cell disease, or immunosuppression can also be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Reasonable accommodations are modifications or adjustments to the tasks, (AND/OR), environment or to the way things are usually done that enable individuals with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to participate in an academic program or a job (U.S. Department of Education, 2007).

Broad categories of accommodations include changes to the application process to ensure an equal opportunity to apply for program enrollment, changes that enable a student with a disability to perform the essential functions of the academic program, and changes that enable a student with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of the program (e.g., access to training).

Examples of accommodations by disability type and Accommodation Examples.

CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION

Notetakers
Flexible attendance requirements
Extra exam time and allowances for breaks
Assignments made available in electronic format
Use of email to facilitate communication

LOW VISION

Seating near front of the classLarge print exams, handouts, signs, equipment/material labelsContrast-enhanced printed materialsImage-enlarging technology (e.g., TV monitor, magnifier)Electronic format for syllabi, assignments, readings, resourcesGlare guardsSupplementary light source.

BLINDNESS

Audio-recorded, brailled or electronic-formatted lecture notes, handouts, and textsVerbal or audio descriptions of visuals and videos
Raised-line drawings and tactile models of graphic materials
Braille lab signs and equipment labels; auditory lab warning signals
Adaptive lab equipment (e.g., talking calculators, tactile timers)
Computer with optical character reader, speech output, Braille screen display and Braille printer output

HEARING LOSS

Sign language interpreter
Seating near the instructor/speaker with an unobstructed view of the speaker’s face • Real-time captioning
FM system
Note taker
Alternate location for testing that has reduced auditory and visual distraction
Visual aids and written supplements to spoken instructions
Written assignments, lab instructions, summaries, notes
Use of email for class and private discussions

LEARNING DISABILITY

Note taker
Audio recorded lectures
Captioned films
Extended time on exams and assignments
Alternative testing arrangements/locations
Instructions provided in multiple formats, including visual, aural and tactile
Computer with voice output, spellchecker and grammar checker
Concise oral instructions, clear written instructions and well organized visual aids

MOBILITY/ MOTOR IMPAIRMENT

Notetaker, scribes, lab partners
Classrooms, labs and field trips in accessible locations, using accessible transportation
Computer with speech input, voice output and alternative keyboard
Wheelchair-friendly furniture and room arrangement (e.g., adjustable tables, space for a wheelchair, lab equipment located within reach)
Use of ramps and raised platforms for student’s accessClass materials available in electronic formatExtended time for completion of activities

SPEECH IMPAIRMENT

Alternative assignments for oral presentations (e.g., written assignments, one-to-one presentation)
Course substitutions
Flexibility with in-class discussions (e.g., consider online discussion boards)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2021 – Willow Tree Poultry Farm, an Attleboro, Mass. establishment, is recalling approximately 52,022 pounds of various chicken salads and dip products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically hard white plastic the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ready-to-eat (RTE) various chicken salads and dip items were produced on August 10, 2021 through August 13, 2021. The following products are subject to recall:

5-lb container of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Caesar Chicken Dip” with sell by dates of 09/03/2021 and 09/06/2021.
5-lb and 12-oz containers of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Buffalo Chicken Dip” with sell by dates of 09/03/2021 and 09/05/2021.
5-lb container of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Buffalo Chicken Salad” with a sell by date of 09/07/2021.
15-oz container of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Buffalo Chicken Salad” with sell by dates of 09/07/2021 and 09/09/2021.
15-oz container of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad” with a sell by date of 09/08/2021.
15-oz container of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Classic Chicken Salad” with sell by dates of 09/07/2021, 09/08/2021, 09/09/2021, 09/10/2021.
7.5-oz container of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Classic Chicken Salad” with sell by dates of 09/07/2021 and 09/09/2021.
10-lb container of “Willow Tree Premium White Meat Classic Chicken Salad” with a sell by date of 09/08/2021.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. P-8827” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items have been shipped to wholesale and retail locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The problem was discovered after the company received a consumer complaint and notified FSIS.

Deli meats linked to multi-state salmonella sicknesses
By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

Updated: Thu, 26 Aug 2021 01:03:22 GMT

Source: CNN

“Until we identify which Italian-style meats are making people sick, heat all Italian-style meats to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating if you are at higher risk,” the CDC advised.

A dozen people have been hospitalized with salmonella and two dozen sickened as of August 24 in multistate outbreaks of two different strains of salmonella, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.

People who became sick reported eating salami, prosciutto and other deli meats that can be found in antipasto or charcuterie assortments before their illness.

The states involved in the Typhimurium outbreak are: Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.

“Investigators are working to identify specific contaminated products and determine if the two outbreaks are linked to the same food source,” the CDC said.

“Until we identify which Italian-style meats are making people sick, heat all Italian-style meats to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating if you are at higher risk,” the CDC advised.

You are at higher risk from a severe salmonella sickness if you are 65 years or older, have a chronic health or immune-compromising condition, or take any medications that lower your immunity and your body’s ability to fight germs.

“Children younger than 5 years are also more likely to get very sick from Salmonella,” the CDC said.

The case count of infections of both outbreaks is likely much larger, the CDC said, as it can take weeks for reports of illness to be alerted, counted and investigated. In addition, the CDC said, many people could have mild illnesses that are not reported.

A strain of salmonella called Typhimurium infected a group of 23 people from 14 states between the end of May and July 27, the CDC said. Laboratory testing found that 20 of these cases were resistant to common antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline.

Nine people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

A different strain

Another 13 people were infected between early May and the end of June with a strain called Salmonella Infantis, which typically strikes children under 2. Those sickened ranged in age from 1 to 74 years; of those, three have reportedly been hospitalized.

No deaths have been reported, and laboratory testing found no antibiotic resistance.

The states involved in the Infantis strain outbreak include Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota and New York.

Symptoms of salmonella

Symptoms of salmonella usually begin within 12 to 72 hours of consuming contaminated food. These can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever that lasts between four and seven days, the CDC said.

Most people recover on their own, but those who experience persistent diarrhea may need to be hospitalized. In rare cases, the infection can enter the bloodstream and cause severe illness

GM has announced that it is recalling every Chevrolet Bolt made to date, including new electric utility vehicle models, over concerns that a manufacturing defect in the cars’ LG-made batteries could cause a fire.

We are continuing to take action to protect everyone at risk from this cyberattack, including those additional persons we recently identified. We have sent communications to millions of customers and other affected individuals and are providing support in various ways.

This includes:
 Offering two years of free identity protection services with McAfee’s ID Theft Protection Service to any person who believes they may be affected
 Recommending that all eligible T-Mobile customers sign up for free scam-blocking protection through Scam Shield
 Supporting customers with additional best practices and practical security steps like resetting PINs and passwords
 Publishing a customer support webpage that includes information and access to these tools at https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/data-breach-2021

What you can do ??? CLICK ABOVE ON “VISIT WED SITE”

News Release
For immediate release: August 13, 2021 (21-187)

Media contact: DOH Communications

Public inquiries: State COVID-19 Assistance Hotline, 1-800-525-0127

Delta variant drives dramatic spike in cases, further exhausting hospital capacity across the state
OLYMPIA – COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are accelerating across the state of Washington, demonstrating the delta variant’s potential to unravel our hard-fought progress toward recovery.

Unvaccinated people are being hit hardest, and public health officials continue to urge everyone who has not gotten fully vaccinated to do so immediately.

Now is also the time to redouble efforts around the key behaviors that keep the virus from spreading. All people should:

Wear a mask, watch distance, wash hands often, carry hand sanitizer, and enable WA Notify on phones
Keep gatherings small and outside whenever possible, and avoid any large outdoor gatherings like concerts, fairs or festivals.

Stay home if sick or exposed to COVID-19, and get tested if they have symptoms.

“We are extremely concerned by this increased spike in cases, driven by the delta variant, spreading like wildfire amongst men, women, and children,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health.

“Vaccination the best tool we have in this pandemic, but we also recommend that individuals mask indoors, and avoid large, crowded settings vaccinated or not. We need to use all the tools we have to reduce the ongoing spread of this virus in our community and to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

Case rates are rising across all age groups because of widespread disease transmission. Within the last 30 days, the majority of counties have seen substantial increases:

Only eight counties (Kittitas, Okanogan, Ferry, Klickitat, Walla Walla, Jefferson, Garfield, Grays Harbor) have seen cases increase less than 100% .

Twelve counties (Adams, Thurston, Snohomish, Benton, Skamania, Whatcom, Skagit, Kitsap, Yakima, Cowlitz, Mason, Grant) have seen cases increase between 100-299%.

Ten counties (Clallam, Stevens, Asotin, Whitman, Franklin, Spokane, King, Clark, Lewis, Pierce) have seen cases increase between 300-599%.

Six counties (Pend Oreille, Douglas, Lincoln, Pacific, Chelan, Island) have seen cases increase more than 600%.

Columbia, San Juan and Wahkiakum counties have among the fewest cases.

Prevalence is approaching levels last seen in the winter 2020 surge, which means a lot of people are currently infected and may be spreading the virus. As of July 30, one in 172 WA residents was estimated to have an active COVID-19 infection.

Hospitals and health care facilities are under immense and increasing strain.

Expected increases in summer hospital occupancy coupled with a sharp increase in non-COVID-19 patients who are arriving at hospitals sicker and staying longer.

Many hospitals and other healthcare facilities are experiencing staffing challenges that decrease the number of available beds.

COVID-19 related hospital admissions reached November 2020 levels as of August 8 based on data reported by hospitals. COVID-19 admission rates are increasing in all 18+ age groups.

COVID-19 related hospital occupancy and ICU occupancy are skyrocketing, and many regional hospitals are at or near full capacity. This rapid increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations is further limiting hospital capacity.

As of late July, about 95% of COVID-19 cases who were hospitalized since February were not fully vaccinated.

Health care facilities report an increasing number of workers who have tested positive for COVID-19. This will further impact hospital staffing challenges.

The state is now seeing daily case counts in the 3,000 range for the first time since the winter surge. DOH is also reporting 24 new deaths today, which is a significant increase from weeks past.

“Vaccination progress is continuing, but not fast enough,” said Secretary Shah. “If you are unvaccinated and continue to have questions, we encourage you to speak to a trusted healthcare provider.”

The DOH website is your source for a healthy dose of information. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Sign up for the DOH blog, Public Health Connection.

Women, people of color, and low-income families face the highest risk of being forced out of their homes as the eviction moratorium comes to an end.

The eviction moratorium is expected to end on July 31, 2021.

Once the moratorium expires, about 7.4 million Americans will risk getting evicted in the next coming months, according to Census Pulse Survey Data.

Women, people of color, and low-income households are the most vulnerable groups of renters who will be exposed to the consequences brought on by the end of the eviction moratorium. These three groups are believed to have the likeliest chance of being forced to leave their homes within the next two months, Census household data projects.

About 1.4 million renters are very likely to be kicked out of their homes in the next two months, the data says. According to Insider calculations.

Please fill out the attached form to share what you need to access safe, sustainable, and truly affordable housing.

PLEASE TAP ON “VISIT WEBSITE” TO FILL OUT SURVEY.

Nearly 3% of medical workers in a new Israeli study contracted COVID-19 even though they were vaccinated, and 19% of them still had symptoms six weeks later.

The study followed about 1,500 Israeli health care workers for four months after they received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Anyone who tested positive more than 11 days after the second dose was considered a breakthrough case.

Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist who founded and directs the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California. said current vaccines are great at preventing serious infection deep in the lungs, but not at blocking infection in the upper airways.

What’s needed, he said, is a nasal-spray vaccine that would stop the coronavirus from taking hold at all.

“Those who are vaccinated did everything right, but some are going to go on to long-COVID, and that’s really unfortunate.”

Topol said the best protection is to get vaccinated and practice social measures like wearing a mask.

Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, said he is troubled by the fact that young, healthy people would get so-called breakthrough infections within a few months of vaccination.

Scientists expected protection to wane over time, and they expected the vaccines to be less effective among older people and those with pre-existing health conditions. But that’s not who got sick in this study.

Dr. Ashish Jha, said he finds it concerning – though not conclusive – that people had lingering symptoms weeks after getting sick.

“There really may be a risk here, but we don’t know how big a risk and how much of a problem it is,” he said.

Although the vaccines were never expected to be perfect, the findings raise questions about their protection and suggest that even vaccinated people could experience long-term symptoms such as such as fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath.

Most of the people in the study who got sick had mild symptoms, and none were hospitalized.

The good news is none of the 39 people who got infected passed the coronavirus on to anyone else, according to the study, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Although many people with COVID-19 get better within weeks, some people continue to experience symptoms that can last months after first being infected, or may have new or recurring symptoms at a later time. This can happen to anyone who has had COVID-19, even if the initial illness was mild. People with this condition are sometimes called “long-haulers.” This condition is known as “long COVID.”

In light of the rise of long COVID as a persistent and significant health issue, the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice have joined together to provide this guidance.

This guidance explains that long COVID can be a disability under Titles II (state and local government) and III (public accommodations) of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),3 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Section 1557).

Each of these federal laws protects people with disabilities from discrimination. This guidance also provides resources for additional information and best practices. This document focuses solely on long COVID, and does not address when COVID-19 may meet the legal definition of disability.

The civil rights protections and responsibilities of these federal laws apply even during emergencies.

They cannot be waived.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with long COVID have a range of new or ongoing symptoms that can last weeks or months after they are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and that can worsen with physical or mental activity.

Examples of common symptoms of long COVID include:
Tiredness or fatigue
Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes called “brain fog”)
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Headache
Dizziness on standing
Fast-beating or pounding heart (known as heart palpitations)
Chest pain
Cough
Joint or muscle pain
Depression or anxiety
Fever
Loss of taste or smell
This list is not exhaustive.

Some people also experience damage to multiple organs including:
heart
lungs
kidneys
skin
brain.

Long COVID is a physiological condition affecting one or more body systems. For example, some people with long COVID experience:
Lung damage
Heart damage, (including inflammation of the heart muscle)
Kidney damage
Neurological damage
Damage to the circulatory system resulting in poor blood flow

Lingering emotional illness and other mental health conditions

Accordingly, long COVID is a physical or mental impairment under the ADA, Section 504, and Section 1557.

NOTE:
Is long COVID always a disability?
No.
An individualized assessment is necessary to determine whether a person’s long COVID condition or any of its symptoms substantially limits a major life activity. The CDC and health experts are working to better understand long COVID.

This guidance addresses the “actual disability” part of the disability definition. The definition also covers individuals with a “record of” a substantially limiting impairment or those “regarded as” having a physical impairment (whether substantially limiting or not). This document does not address the “record of” or “regarded as” parts of the disability definition, which may also be relevant to claims regarding long COVID.

FOR MORE DETAIL INFORMATION, TAP ON “VISIT WEBSITE”

PLEASE – YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET THIS DISEASE – DISABILITY!

TAP ON “CLICK HERE TO OPEN RELATED DOCUMENT”, “How to Protect yourself Against Coronavirus!”

“Single-use plastic bags are not easily recyclable, which makes managing them at the end of their lives almost impossible,” said Laurie Davies, manager of Ecology’s Solid Waste Management Program.

Additionally, recycling plastic bags is made difficult because they tend to be more of a contaminant in the recycling system by clogging sorting machines, which in turn puts workers at risk.

The bags, according to DEC, are a common form of pollution that threatens the health of wildlife, the environment and even humans.

When chemicals are released from the production, use, incineration and even slow decay of plastic bags, they pose a risk to organic life.

If customers choose to use compliant plastic or paper bags from a business, the ban requires that the business charge 8 cents per bag.

Plastic bags that are exempt from the law include plastics to wrap meat and produce, bags for prescriptions and bags for newspapers and dry-cleaning.

Other efforts in the state to reduce single-use plastics also include new legislation signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on May 17 that will increase recycled content in bottles and trash bags.

The Social Determinants of Health represent aspects of people’s social identity, their social environment and their social position…

It’s a broad topic and includes issues like justice, inequality, health inequity, poverty and human rights.

The WHO states that, “The social determinants of health (SDoH) are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.

These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies and political systems.

The SDoH provide a comprehensive blueprint for human development and for systematically addressing the Social Determinants of Health.”

The video was made with support from USC.

Global Health with Greg Martin

(To watch the youtube video, cut and paste the link below into your browser)

(To listen to the English Narration, tap on the unloaded audio)

About Us
Our mission is “To re-introduce cultural values, traditions and history that promote healing and empowerment for youth, families and communities in crisis”. Our motto is “Cultural empowerment for families in crisis”.

Sisters In Common, (SIC), is a non-profit community based organization. We provide services that reduce the Social Determinates of Health disparities of the adults, children, and families in our communities. We work to empower our clients to resolve their personal, and situation disturbances in ways that accomplish quality and effective outcomes.

To ensure community-informed, culturally-competent services, that address client Health Related Social Needs, we always hire directly from their cultural and ethnic communities. To ensure effective communications, the client’s services are based on their culture and language spoken.

Services include client Health Related Social Needs,(HRSN), screenings, consultations, referrals, brief intervention treatment, counseling, and case management.

Tyson Foods is recalling approximately 8.5 million pounds of frozen, cooked chicken products for possible listeria contamination.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also issued a food safety alert saying the products – which were shipped nationwide to retailers and institutions including hospitals, nursing facilities, restaurants and schools – may be linked to a listeria outbreak that has caused three illnesses and one death.

The company and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall Saturday night.

The recall includes Tyson branded products and private label products for restaurants, which include Jet’s Pizza, Casey’s General Store, Marco’s Pizza and Little Caesars.

Members of the media who have questions regarding the recall can contact Derek Burleson, Communications Manager, Tyson Foods, at (479) 290-6466 or derek.burleson@tyson.com. Consumers who have questions can contact Tyson Foods customer relations, at (855) 382-3101.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.

You could qualify for free health insurance if you collected unemployment in 2021 Deadline for enrollment is Aug. 15,2021.

“But this is the magic button. If you claimed and received any unemployment this year,(2021), you just have to click yes, and then continue, and it will tell you how much your credit will be towards your health insurance per month,” McCalanahan said.

Even if you’re working again — if you received unemployment sometime this year,(2021), you could qualify for free or nearly free coverage. Starting Thursday,(jULY1,2021), subsidies available through the Affordable Care Act were authorized by the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, which was enacted in March 2021 by President Joe Biden.

Deadline for enrollment is Aug. 15,2021 and benefits will last until the end of the 2021 year.

Dr. Carolyn McCalanahan says the process to apply is simple. Just go to the Healthcare.gov website, where you’ll answer questions about where you live, your age, gender, health conditions — if any — and information about your income.

TO APPLY,CLICK ON “VISIT WEBSITE” .

‘Bringing back mask mandate is a good idea’: doctor on Delta variant”

“The CDC needs to act quickly, without waiting, to follow the WHO guidelines and ask everyone to put the masks back on so we can stay open, protect folks, and keep the economy going,” Marvasti said. “We’re already seeing preliminary numbers out of Israel where fully vaccinated people are getting sick.

Outbreaks of infections largely driven by the Delta variant have prompted governments from around the world to reimpose coronavirus-related restrictions. South Africa is imposing at least two weeks of lockdowns while about 10 million Australians are also under lockdown. Here in the U.S., Los Angeles County officials are urging all residents to wear masks in public indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.

“We have gotten into this false sense of security thinking it’s okay to take off masks,” warned Marvasti. “The best thing to do is to start putting the masks back on to prevent another surge from happening, and if you’re unvaccinated, now is the time to get vaccinated before this Delta variant comes for you.”

Supreme Court dismisses challenge to Obama health law.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to the Obama era health care law, preserving insurance coverage for millions of Americans.

The law’s major provisions include protections for people with pre-existing health conditions, a range of no-cost preventive services and the expansion of the Medicaid program that insures lower-income people, including those who work in jobs that don’t pay much or provide health insurance

BELOW are some of the U.S, States who LOST their lawsuit to immediately end OBAMACARE.
Alabama Arkansas Arizona Florida Georgia Indiana Kansas Louisiana Maine Mississippi Missouri Nebraska North Dakota South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah West Virginia Wisconsin.

(A coalition of 20 U.S. states sued the federal government to end Obamacare)

Important changes to the Child Tax Credit will help many families get advance payments of the credit starting the summer of 2021.

The IRS will pay half the total credit amount in advance monthly payments beginning July 15.

You will claim the other half when you file your 2021 income tax return. These changes apply to tax year 2021 only.

To qualify for advance Child Tax Credit payments, you — and your spouse, if you filed a joint return — must have:

Filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return and claimed the Child Tax Credit on the return; or
Given us your information in 2020 to receive the Economic Impact Payment using the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool; and

A main home in the United States for more than half the year (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) or file a joint return with a spouse who has a main home in the United States for more than half the year; and

A qualifying child who is under age 18 at the end of 2021 and who has a valid Social Security number; and
Made less than certain income limits.

We’ll use information you provided earlier to determine if you qualify and automatically enroll you for advance payments. You do not need to take any additional action to get advance payments.

Check back later for tools to help you check your eligibility and manage and unenroll from payments.

Non-Filers: HOW TO Submit Your Information. Tap on “VISIT WEBSITE” in the Community SDoH Alert! and follow the instructions.

If you aren’t required to file a tax return and haven’t given us your information already, you will need to give us some basic information for the Child Tax Credit.

Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool; Who Should Use This Tool

Use this tool to report your qualifying children born before 2021 if you:

Are not required to file a 2020 tax return, didn’t file one and don’t plan to; and

Have a main home in the United States for more than half of the year.

Also, if you did not get the full amounts of the first and second Economic Impact Payment, you may use this tool if you:

Are not required to file a 2020 tax return, didn’t file and don’t plan to, and

Want to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and get your third Economic Impact Payment.

Preliminary findings from two vaccine safety monitoring systems suggest a higher-than-expected number of cases of heart inflammation after the second dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in young men, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

So far, 19%, (meaning 19 in each 100 patients), – DID NOT had a FULL recovery from their heart symptoms,

More than half of the myocarditis or pericarditis cases reported to the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System after patients had received either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines were in people between the ages of 12 and 24, the CDC said.

Lawsuits mushroom as workers test employers’ right to mandate COVID-19 vaccination:

Immunology experts have pushed back on the plaintiff’s characterization of Pfizer-BioNTech’s (PFE) and Moderna’s (MRNA) mRNA vaccines as “gene modification injections.”

The FDA’s characterization of the (COVID-19) injections as “investigational products.”

ALSO

More unvaccinated U.S. adolescents hospitalized; myocarditis may be rare vaccine side effect in teens.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is causing a devastating effect on mental health and addiction in our African Heritage communities. We ALL must do all we can to stop it!

The Speaker: Former U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy , co-sponsored the 2008 Mental Health Parity Act.

Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, is the founder and CEO of The Kennedy Forum, an organization dedicated to advancing policies and best practices to improve access to mental health and addiction services.

Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy talks about Biden Administration efforts to address the mental health crisis through expanded health coverage and more resources for addiction and mental health treatment

(Former US Congressman Patrick Kennedy is the 3rd youngest child of Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy and musician/socialite/model Virginia Joan Kennedy, and is a nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy)

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:

The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.

The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.

There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Types of information should include:

An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

Funeral expenses documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.

Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. We are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.

How Funds are Received?

If you are eligible for funeral assistance you will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option you choose when you apply for assistance.

Have you received an invite?
If you have received an email or text invitation, from your landlord, you have already been pre-registered. You may now apply for rental assistance using the link from your invitation. If you are expecting an email invitation, please check your junk and spam folders for an email from DCHSRentalAssistance@kingcounty.gov.

What you will need
Your email or text invitation link
Basic information about all household members
Evidence of income for all adults (18+) in the household
Evidence of financial hardship due to COVID-19
Evidence of past due rent
To read and agree to the Tenant Release of Information for EPRAP – shown below
If you haven’t received an invite…
You may pre-register to be included in the tenant selection pool. You must meet the household eligibility requirements below to pre-register.

Tenant selection pool
Each week, we will randomly select registered tenants to participate in the program. The number selected will vary based on service providers’ capacity. Weekly selections will continue until all EPRAP funds are disbursed.

King County is also operating the City of Seattle’s tenant selection pool. Until the City’s funds are disbursed, Seattle residents will have two chances to be selected each week; first in the Seattle selection process, and secondly in the wider King County selection process.

Once you register, you can sign back into this website at any time to check your status. If you are selected, one of our contracted community-based organizations will send you information about next steps via text and/or email message in your preferred language.

Household eligibility
An “eligible household” is defined as a renter household where at least one or more individuals meets the following criteria:

Residence within the King County geographical area
A lease; or proof of regular recurring rent payments
Household income at or below 50% of Area Median Income; households can use 2020 income or current income to prove eligibility;
Median family income 50% Income limits* ($) by number of persons in family.
* Seattle – Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area Median Income Limits
Must prove they are experiencing a financial hardship directly or indirectly due to the COVID-19 outbreak;
Must prove they are at risk of experiencing homelessness or currently experiencing housing instability
Rental assistance provided to an eligible household cannot duplicate any other federally funded rental assistance provided to the household. Eligible households that include an individual who has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to application for assistance and households with income at or below 50% of the area median are to be prioritized for assistance

*US Citizenship is not a requirement under EPRAP assistance. We will not ask for information about immigration status.

Tenant Release of Information for EPRAP
Acknowledgment
I understand that at no point will information about the immigration status of my household members be collected.
I understand that participating agencies will be required to use secure data systems. They will be held accountable for keeping my household’s personal information confidential.
Agreement
I agree to allow King County to share my household’s information with local community-based organizations who will help me further process my application for rental assistance.
I agree to allow King County to use my household’s information to help monitor and/or to conduct research about how EPRAP is working. I understand that in these activities my household’s personal information will always be kept confidential.
I understand that King County is operating a tenant selection pool for the City of Seattle. If selected for the Seattle EPRAP program, King County will share my household’s information with the United Way of King County to further process my application for rental assistance. I also understand that if I am a resident of the City of Seattle, that my information may be used as described in Agreement 1 and 2 above by the City of Seattle.
I understand that the funds provided for rental assistance require that there is no duplication of payment. I agree to inform the Agency assigned to assist me with processing my application, if I have been assisted with rent by any other funding source.
Language Assistance Available.

Face Masks Are Required at UW Medicine Hospitals and Clinics

To Our Valued Patients and Their Families:

UW Medicine is continuing to require that all patients and visitors wear masks in our hospitals and clinics even after they are fully vaccinated. We believe that this policy is necessary to protect our patients, staff and visitors given the current levels of COVID-19 transmission in our community.

Our masking policy supports the updated directive from Public Health – Seattle & King County, announced on May 20, which states that a well-fitted mask must be worn by everyone 5 years of age and older in healthcare settings and hospitals in King County. In making this decision, Dr. Jeff Duchin said that masks are needed until disease rates decline, and more of the population is protected through vaccination.

We are also following recently updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by continuing to require the use of well-fitting masks in healthcare facilities. The CDC acknowledged that some people are still at high risk from COVID-19 after they are fully vaccinated. This includes many of our patients at UW Medicine, such as those who are immunocompromised. When we wear masks, we are helping to protect them. UW Medicine appreciates your understanding and cooperation in keeping our patients safe from COVID-19.

Since the start of the pandemic, UW Medicine has implemented many safety precautions. Because COVID-19 remains a serious public health threat, this is not the right time to let down our guard. We will continue to screen employees, patients and visitors when they enter our facilities, and we ask everyone to maintain physical distancing. Additional restrictions are in effect for visitors, as described in our visitor policy.

Lisa Brandenburg
President, UW Medicine Hospitals & Clinics
Vice President for Medical Affairs
University of Washington

Timothy H. Dellit, MD

Please visit COVID-19 Vaccines for clinic locations, hours and online scheduling.

We look forward to seeing you and thank you for your cooperation in observing our safety precautions.

Sincerely,
Chief Medical Officer, UW Medicine
Vice President for Medical Affairs,
University of Washington and
President, UW Physicians

What We’re Doing?
With $145 million in funding from the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), this program will help King County residents by:
Paying past, current, and future rent.
Targeting resources to people in need.

ALSO IFORMATION FROM ;
Dave Upthegrove
King County Councilmember
District 5

COVID-19 Vaccinations Now Open To Everyone 12+

Dear Neighbor,

Following federal approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for 12-15 year old’s, the County will be offering shots for this age group at their sites and working with school districts to schedule vaccination clinics throughout the County.

To locate a vaccine and schedule an appointment, visit Vaccine Locator. Need help? Call the COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.

WHAT IS MY SOCIAL RISK OF CATCHING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) is a self-screening tool to help you manage your DAILY social risk of Coronavirus infection.

FIRST, WITH YOUR FINGER, TAP ON “VISIT WEB SITE”.

NEXT, create your Identifier by ENTERING THE INITIALS of your FIRST, and MIDDLE, and LAST NAMES and TODAYS DATE (example; jce050121).

NEXT, ANSWER ALL 3 QUESTIONS IN EACH SECTION.

NEXT, REVEIW ALL YOUR ANSWERS.

THEN TAP SUBMIT TO VIEW YOUR SOCIAL RISK OF CATCHING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) SNAPSHOT.

A FEW EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL ACTIVITES
(PLEASE ADD MORE OF YOUR OWN)
1. Community Activities, (i.e., No pay. Pay each time. Pay as you go).
Bars, restaurants, all types of stores, funerals, weddings, library, barbershop, hair salon, nail shops,
2. Work/School Activities
Jobs, schools, and campus of learning,
3. Love Ones Contacts
Children, Wife, Husband, Domestic Partner….
4. Spiritual Activities
* Houses of worship, meetings, visiting.
5. Original family Contacts
Mother, Father, Brothers, Sisters, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins
6. Community Association Activities,(i.e., Pay a membership fee, dues, tithes, offerings).
Gyms, Social Clubs, and, Memberships,
7. Friends and Acquaintances Contacts
8. Entertainment Activities
With other for fun and enjoyment

Contact Sisters In Common (at the phone number above), if you would like help answering the section questions to
WHAT IS MY SOCIAL RISK OF CATCHING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?

Transportation

Our free transportation services provide rides to community meal programs, senior centers, and rides to medical appointments. Additionally, neighborhood vans are provided for errands such as grocery shopping, banking, or visiting friends. We understand the impact that access to affordable transportation options has for older adults or persons with limited mobility. We enable individuals to maintain their independence and quality of life.
Call to schedule a ride in advance. Rides are free, but donations are welcome.
________________________________________
Hyde Shuttle

Connecting Communities Through Transportation
Transportation is a vital service for older adults that seek to maintain their independence. Hyde Shuttle drivers and volunteer drivers help aging adults get to and from errands, attend activities and medical appointments, and remain connected to their communities. Learn more about Hyde Shuttle and Volunteer Transportation.

Hyde Shuttles transport older adults (55+) and adults with disabilities of all ages to hot lunches at community partner sites, senior centers, grocery shopping, and other errands within King County, Washington.

Go to Hyde Shuttle
________________________________________
Volunteer Transportation
Volunteer Transportation helps older adults (60+) get to medical, dental, and other essential healthcare appointments.

Hi All,

The Washington Immigrant Relief Fund has just opened for new applications! Awards are $1000 per approved adult. The application is open until May 21th, but please encourage applicants to submit their application by May 15th, since applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Applicants must demonstrate Washington state residency; be at least 18 years old; have been significantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic; be ineligible for federal stimulus payments or unemployment insurance benefits due to their immigration status; and have an income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.

The Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund is considered one-time disaster relief assistance. Receiving assistance from this fund should not impact people’s ability to obtain a green card.

NOTE: Please TAP on “CLICK HERE TO OPEN RELATED DOCUMENT” for more details ON COVID-19 Guidance for Large or Extended Families Living in the Same Household.

The additional $65 million allocated by the Legislature this year will provide additional relief to support new applicants.

The fund coincides with other relief commitments by the governor in small business grants and rental assistance.

Please help share this opportunity out with your Immigrant Family, Friends and Neighbors.

(Please Tap on “VISIT WEBSITE” to open and start the application).

Places You’re Most Likely to Catch Coronavirus
1. Bars and restaurants
2. Gyms and fitness centers
3. Transportation
4. Crowded beaches and pools
5. Sporting events
6. Indoor social gatherings

Guidance for Large or Extended Families Living in the Same Household
Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions are at higher risk
for severe illness from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

If your household includes people in these groups, then all family members should act
as if they, themselves, are at higher risk. This can be difficult if space is limited for large or extended
families living together. The attached PDF DOCUMENT information may help you protect YOURSELF and OTHERS who are most vulnerable in your household and COMMUNITY.

Places You’re Most Likely to Catch Coronavirus
1. Gyms and fitness centers
2. Transportation
3. Crowded beaches and pools
4. Sporting events
5. Indoor social gatherings
6. Indoor social gatherings

Guidance for Large or Extended Families Living in the Same Household
Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions are at higher risk
for severe illness from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

If your household includes people in these groups, then all family members should act
as if they, themselves, are at higher risk. This can be difficult if space is limited for large or extended
families living together. The PDF DOCUMENT information may help you protect those who are most vulnerable in your household.

As of April 15, all people in Washington age 16 and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

At this time, COVID-19 vaccines are NOT authorized for children YOUNGER than 16 years old.

To search for open appointments, check How to get vaccinated information below.

The J&J vaccine has been paused as the CDC reviews reports of a rare, severe type of blood clot in six people who have received the vaccine in the U.S.

If you have an upcoming J&J vaccine appointment, it may be rescheduled or you may be offered a different vaccine.

Contact your provider for information. All appointments at Public Health’s Auburn and Kent clinics remain scheduled. Auburn will use Moderna, Kent will use Pfizer.

If you received the J&J vaccine more than a month ago, any risk is very low. If you received it within the last three weeks your risk of a blood clot is still very low. However, if you develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath, contact your healthcare provider or go to urgent care or an Emergency Room.

Who is eligible?
Everyone age 16 years and older is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination as of April 15.

Vaccination is available for eligible individuals no matter your insurance status, immigration status, citizenship, place of work, place of residence, or your health condition.

What vaccine options are available for 16– and 17–year–olds?
The Pfizer vaccine is currently the only vaccine authorized for people under age 18.

For 16 and 17-year-olds, make sure the location you choose offers the Pfizer vaccine (see below for information on parental consent).

How do I find an appointment?
Option 1:  Call your doctor’s office or health care provider to see if they have available vaccination appointments.
Option 2:  Check with your local pharmacies to see if they have available appointments. Just like getting a flu shot at your local pharmacy, many pharmacy chains – including grocery stores – have COVID-19 vaccine appointments available.
Option 3:  Use Washington State’s Vaccine Locator – Vaccinate WA: COVID-19 Vaccine Availability
Option 4:  Visit one of the King County Vaccination Partnership Sites – You can schedule directly at one of these sites. All King County sites are ADA accessible and have language and ASL interpretation available. For the Auburn and Kent sites, registration is prioritized for residents of south King County to ensure equitable access. For more information about these sites, visit kingcounty.gov/vaccine.
Option 5:  Schedule by phone if you need language interpretation or other assistance. For language interpretation, please say your preferred language when connected:

Call the Washington State COVID-19 Assistance Hotline: Dial 1-800-525-0127 or 1-888-856-5816, then press #. Available Mondays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Tuesdays – Sundays and observed state holidays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

PLEASE LET YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER KNOW IF YOU NEED HELP FILLING OUT THE FORM.

King County received $165 million for rental assistance through the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). This funding has strict requirements and guidelines that King County and all partners must follow.

King County is starting the next round of the Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program (EPRAP). The program helps people experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 at risk of housing instability or homelessness.

King County will launch another round of rental assistance through the Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program in April. Please add your contact information below to be updated about the EPRAP.

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/COVID/eviction-prevention-rent-assistance.aspx

PLEASE LET YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER KNOW IF YOU NEED HELP FILLING OUT THE FORM.

King County received $165 million for rental assistance through the Federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). This funding has strict requirements and guidelines that King County and all partners must follow.

King County is starting the next round of the Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program (EPRAP). The program helps people experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 at risk of housing instability or homelessness.

King County will launch another round of rental assistance through the Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program in April. Please add your contact information below to be updated about the EPRAP.

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/COVID/eviction-prevention-rent-assistance.aspx

LONDON (Reuters) – One in three COVID-19 survivors in a study of more than 230,000 mostly American patients were diagnosed with a brain or psychiatric disorder within six months, suggesting the pandemic could lead to a wave of mental and neurological problems, scientists said on Tuesday.

The new findings, published in the Lancet Psychiatry journal, analyzed health records of 236,379 COVID-19 patients, mostly from the United States, and found 34% had been diagnosed with neurological or psychiatric illnesses within six months.

Health experts are increasingly concerned by evidence of higher risks of brain and mental health disorders among COVID-19 survivors. A previous study by the same researchers found last year that 20% of COVID-19 survivors were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within three months.

Post-COVID cases of stroke, dementia and other neurological disorders were rarer, the researchers said, but were still significant, especially in those who had severe COVID-19.

Supreme Court Dips Gingerly Into Roiling Police Misconduct Waters

The court’s decision came in the case of Roxanne Torres, who sued two New Mexico state police officers for excessive force.

The case began at dawn on July 15, 2014, when the two state police officers went to an Albuquerque apartment complex to execute an arrest warrant for somebody named Kayenta Jackson. Torres was not the target of the warrant. That, both sides agree on. Beyond that, the facts are in dispute.

Torres maintains she was sleeping in her car when the two officers tried to open the car door. Although the officers wore tactical vests marked with police identification, Torres says she saw only their guns, and, mistaking them for carjackers, she sped out of the apartment complex amid a hail of gunshots that struck her twice in the back and temporarily paralyzed her left arm.

Steering with her right arm, she drove to another apartment complex, asked a bystander to report a carjacking, and with her own car now damaged, she then stole a car that was idling nearby and drove 75 miles to Grants, N.M. The hospital there airlifted her back to Albuquerque where she was treated and arrested. She eventually pleaded no contest to three charges — fleeing from a law enforcement officer, assault on a police officer, and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle; Torres was eventually sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison.

Torres then sued the police officers for illegally seizing her in violation of the Constitution. But the lower courts dismissed the case on grounds that police had never touched her. Torres appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, contending that when police shoot and wound a person, that is a seizure regardless of whether the person escapes.

The Supreme Court agreed. Writing for the court majority, Chief Justice Roberts said that an unconstitutional seizure of a person can “as readily [be] accomplished by a bullet as a finger.” And, he added, “we see no basis for drawing an artificial line between grasping with a hand and other means of applying physical force to effect an arrest.”

The focus of the Fourth Amendment “is the “privacy and security” of individuals, not the particular manner of arbitrary invasion by government officials, he wrote. Even brief seizures are still seizures, he noted, and in the Torres case, the officers fired to prevent her driving away.

Roberts added that the court had previously plowed this legal ground in 1991 in a 7-to-2 opinion written by conservative icon, Justice Antonin Scalia.

The Court made clear that the Fourth Amendment’s protection of our personal security applies whenever police use physical force to restrain a person,” he said.

Sherrilyn Ifill, president and counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said she sees the decision as a “very positive reaffirmance of Fourth Amendment Rights.”

The court’s ruling, however, will establish a line for police officers in the future, noted lawyer Ginger Anders, who filed a brief in the Torres case on behalf of Fourth Amendment scholars.

The decision resolves a question that has long split the lower courts.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — On Friday afternoon, Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced that he is rescinding the state’s travel advisory, which he put into place back in November 2020.

Instead of providing the state with its own travel advisory, Governor Inslee and the state of Washington are expected to follow the travel advisory set in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board a flight to the United States.

Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

Additionally, the following recommendations have been advised by CDC officials:

If you are eligible, get fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
Before you travel, get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip.
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when in public.
Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who did not travel with you.

Get tested 3-5 days after your trip and stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if your test is negative. If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel.

Post-Covid clinics come online
Some large medical centers are now creating post-Covid clinics to help care for patients with persistent symptoms.

“It’s really, in many ways, forcing us all to get together and to make sure we have open lines of communication to be addressing all of these problems for patients,” Bell said

Long’ Covid-19 symptoms NOW have a medical name; POST-ACUTE SEQUELAE of COVID-19 (aka PASC) and can last up to 9 MONTHS!!

Researchers at the University of Washington recently found that 3 of every 10 patients who got infected with the coronavirus, reported symptoms for as long as nine months.

Dr. Fauci told reporters during a White House news briefing on Covid-19. People reported;
fatigue.
shortness of breath,
sleep disorders and
other symptoms that lasted for months.

Symptoms of “long Covid,” which researchers are now calling Post-Acute Sequelae of Covid-19, or PASC, can develop “WELL AFTER” infection, and severity can range from mild to “incapacitating,” he said.

Selina Jackson, MA, Author of Emotional Competence

February 27, 2021,10am-12pm

PROBLEM: Because of the present situation, many parents and students are having emotional and behavioral problems such as: siblings not getting along, kids not doing their homework, kids feeling fearful, upset, restless and anxious about the situation. And this causes parents themselves to feel anxious, frustrated, overwhelmed, and fearful.

SOLUTION: Fortunately, Selina Jackson, author of Emotional Competence, has the solution available. Please
plan to attend this session:
“Urgent Help for Restless and Anxious Students at Home”
In this program, she will provide tools where you will discover
how to more deeply understand your child so that you (and it) can be happier.

TO SEE FLYER AND REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP TAP ABOVE ON “CLICK HERE TO OPEN RELATED DOCUMENT”

Under the program approved at the ballot in 2015 and first used in 2017, the city raises $3 million annually in property taxes. Each election cycle, voters receive four $25 vouchers that they can sign over to candidates who abide by certain rules.

The city’s program is the first of its kind in the country and has garnered significant attention.

COVID-19: Quarantine vs. Isolation

QUARANTINE
Keeps someone who was in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 away from others.

If you had close contact with a person who has COVID-19;
• The best way to protect yourself and others is to stay home for 14 days after your last contact. Check your local health department’s website for information about options in your area to possibly shorten this quarantine period.
• Check your temperature twice a day and watch for symptoms of COVID-19.
• If possible, stay away from people who are at higher-risk for getting sick from COVID-19.

ISOLATION
Keeps someone who is sick or tested positive for COVID-19 without symptoms away from others, even in their own home.

If you are sick and think or know you have COVID-19;
• Stay home until after At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared and At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and Symptoms have improved.

If you tested positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms;
• Stay home until after 10 days have passed since your positive test.

If you live with others, stay in a specific “sick room” or area and away from other people or animals, including pets. Use a separate bathroom, if available.

Dr. Fauci Says These Are the COVID Symptoms That Don’t Go Away

THIS IS WHAT’S HAPPENING TO LONG HAULERS AFTER COVID.

By JOHN QUINN
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
Dr. Fauci talks about long COVID with Duke Global Health Institute
Duke Global Health Institute / YouTube

1. Extreme Fatigue
Fauci listed extreme fatigue as the first of the most common long COVID symptoms. In a survey by Survivor Corps—a Facebook group of COVID-19 survivors—led by Natalie Lambert, MD, associate professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, researchers talked to more than 1,500 long haulers about their symptoms to determine the 98 most common ones. According to their findings, 100 percent of those surveyed reported feeling fatigue. And for more on your long-hauler risk, check out If You’re Lacking This One Thing, You’re at Greater Risk of Long COVID.

2. Muscle Aches
Fauci also described muscular aches and pains as a common symptom that can persist, which aligns with what was reported in the Survivor Corps survey. Muscle pain was the second most common effect long haulers reported with nearly 67 percent experiencing the symptom. And for more on where you can expect aches, see why Ellen DeGeneres Says This Is the “One Thing They Don’t Tell You” About COVID.

3. Sleep Disorder (severe)
Disrupted sleep is also a common symptom of PACS, Fauci said. According to the Survivor Corp survey, 50 percent of long haulers have trouble getting shut eye. And for more strange and scary ways COVID can affect you, check out The Terrifying Long COVID Symptom Doctors Are Now Warning About.

4. Body Temperature Dysregulation (Abnormal or Impaired)
Fauci said that PACS patients were also commonly suffering from issues “where they feel chilly or that they’re not regulating their temperature properly.” While this wasn’t a symptom tracked by the Survivors Corp survey, 29 percent of patients did say they experienced fever or chills long after “recovering” from the virus. And for more COVID news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

5. Brain Fog
The last on Fauci’s list of long COVID symptoms is one of the most troubling and mysterious: brain fog, “which means they have a difficulty in focusing or concentrating,” he explained. Among those long haulers surveyed in the Survivors Corp report, 59 percent said they experienced difficulty concentrating. And for more on factors that affect people with PACS, check out Nearly All COVID Long Haulers Have This in Common, New Study Finds.

John Quinn is a London-based writer and editor who specializes in lifestyle topics. Read more

Two masks, and a GOOD FIT reduces COVID-19 spread, U.S.

(Reuters) – Making sure a mask fits snugly on the face and use of two masks is likely to significantly reduce a person’s exposure to the coronavirus, laboratory experiments described by U.S. health officials on Wednesday showed.

The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January conducted experiments to see how well wearing a cloth mask over a three-ply medical procedure mask, and knotting the ear loops of a surgical mask and then tucking the excess material close to the face, protects against COVID-19.

They found that both these methods helped reduce the exposure to potentially infected aerosols by more than 90% in laboratory simulations.

The data also showed that wearing a mask helped reduce exposure to aerosol particles that were the size of droplets that spread COVID-19, when compared to wearing no mask at all.

The experiments highlight that “masks work, and they work best when they have a good fit and are worn correctly,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters.

Walesnky added that re-useable devices known as mask-fitters were also an option to improve a mask’s fit.

Check out the Isolation and Quarantine Calculator
Washington State Department of Health

Simply visit www.doh.wa.gov/CovidCalculator and follow the instructions based on your particular situation.
If you…
• Tested positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms
• Tested positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms
• Were exposed to COVID-19 (identified as a close contact)
• Previously tested positive for COVID-19 and want to know when you could be reinfected
…then the calculator can pinpoint the dates your isolation or quarantine will end.
Once you land on the page, simply enter the appropriate dates, and the calculator will show you when you can resume your usual activities. When your time in isolation or quarantine ends, don’t forget to continue protecting others. Even though you may have antibodies in your system, it’s still important to wash your hands, wear your mask, and watch your distance, to prevent spreading the virus to others.
We hope this tool makes one part of living through COVID-19 a bit easier and less confusing for everyone. The tool is currently available in several languages and more are coming.

As the world continues to battle COVID-19 and communities strive to get back to business, it is more important than ever to raise confidence in the safety of buildings and shared spaces.

Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Michael B. Jordan, Robert DeNiro, Venus Williams, Wolfgang Puck, Deepak Chopra and 17th Surgeon General Richard Carmona came together in a new integrated ad campaign to raise awareness about the importance of the WELL Health-Safety Rating, an evidence-based third-party designation to verify that a building or space has taken the necessary steps to prioritize the health and safety of their staff, visitors and other stakeholders.

As such, the seal is a symbol of trust and confidence that is backed by science, structure and, most importantly, third-party verification. IWBI has seen thousands of buildings enroll in the program since its launch in July 2020.

“Look for the WELL Health-Safety Seal. The WELL Health-Safety Rating brings together building expertise and nearly a decade of health science to promote indoor safety, creating an efficient and cost-effective opportunity to guide, validate, recognize and scale efforts to manage critical health and safety issues in shared spaces. The WELL Health-Safety Rating examines 22 features across five core areas – Cleaning and Sanitization Procedures, Emergency Preparedness Programs, Health Service Resources, Air and Water Quality Management, and Stakeholder Engagement and Communication – and requires a minimum of 15 criteria be met in order to achieve the rating and be awarded the WELL Health-Safety seal.

The WELL Health-Safety Seal” Public Awareness Campaign featuring ambassadors, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Michael B. Jordan, Robert DeNiro, Venus Williams, Wolfgang Puck, Deepak Chopra and 17th U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, encourage people to look for buildings and spaces with the WELL Health-Safety seal on their windows or doors to feel more confident in their decision to go inside.

Directed by Spike Lee, the Star-studded Campaign Will Drive Awareness of Practices to Promote Healthier and Safer Indoor Spaces Through the WELL Health-Safety Rating.

PSE HELP
Maximum Monthly Net Income Limit** Valid 10/1/20—9/30/21

You may qualify for PSE HELP and LIHEAP programs if your net monthly income does not exceed the limits listed in the PDF table ATTACHED.

For PSE HELP and LIHEAP contact your local agency to begin the application process or get help with questions.

Valid 10/1/20—9/30/21

PLEASE TAP ON VIEW WEBSITE TO GET DETAIL INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY

Alert
Tip: If you do not qualify for HELP at this time, ask your agency about Weatherization.
*Monthly household income after taxes and other authorized deductions.
**After taxes and other authorized deductions. Other conditions apply. If your situation is different, please call.

IT IS STILL NECESSARY TO MASK UP AND KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED!!!

Masks and distancing are still necessary, because the vaccines do not offer 100% protection — and because it’s possible that a person who has been vaccinated can unknowingly spread the virus to others.

REMEMBER It’s essential to continue following proven public health measures, like universal masking and physical distancing.

IT IS STILL POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO CATCH THE VIRUS AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVED BOTH DOSES OF A COVID-19 VACCINE!

AND, YOU “COULD” STILL PASS THE VIRUS ON TO SOMEONE ELSE!

ALSO, researchers aren’t yet sure whether the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines protect against asymptomatic infection.

All of which means that an individual who has received both doses of the vaccine could potentially unknowingly become infected without showing any symptoms. And that person could then pass COVID-19 along to his or her contacts without realizing it — again, despite being vaccinated.

TAP ON WEBSITE TO FIND Testing for COVID19 Testing Locations IN KING COUNTY.

There are now several troubling “MUTATIONS” of the coronavirus circulating, and a few seem to make the virus more contagious.

One variant , the United Kingdom strain, is also more likely to make people SICK or to KILL US.

The CDC believes that strain will become dominant in the U.S. as soon as MARCH 2021.

William Brangham reports on what experts say about avoiding exposure.

Read the Full Transcript
Judy Woodruff:

Given that and the emergence of new, alarming strains of the virus, including one found in South Carolina, public health officials warn it’s crucial that we redouble our protection efforts.

William Brangham looks at the latest on both fronts.

William Brangham:

Judy, there are now several troubling new mutants of the coronavirus circulating today.

A few of them seem to make the virus more contagious. One of them, known as the U.K. strain, not only is more contagious, but now seems more likely to make people sick or to kill them. The CDC believes that that strain will become dominant in the U.S. by March.

Given these concerns, we wanted to look at the latest science about how best to protect ourselves.

The first thing to remember is, these new variants, just like the initial coronavirus they come from, travel through the air. That’s the main way people get sick. Someone who’s infected breathes out the virus and someone who’s healthy breathes it in.

Dr. Linsey Marr at Virginia Tech studies airborne transmission, and she says that the coronavirus can travel on small airborne droplets or even smaller aerosols.

DR. LINSEY MARR, Virginia Tech:

Droplets are large, visible droplets that fly out of our mouths when we’re coughing or talking. Aerosols are really just smaller droplets. They’re microscopic, and we release hundreds of those for every one large droplet that might come out.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:

But according to Erin Bromage, who researches immunology and infectious disease at UMass Dartmouth, not everyone who’s infected spreads the virus the same way or in the same amounts.

ERIN BROMAGE, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth: We know that some people have a lot more virus, and it’s not just twice the amount. It can be 100-fold or a 1,000-fold more virus, inside their mouth.

And so those people, with talking, with sing, with shouting, breathing, for that matter, can release 1,000 times more of those viral particles into the air

William Brangham:

With these new mutant strains, it’s not totally clear why they’re more contagious, only that they are.

This only reinforces the need for mask-wearing. Numerous studies have now confirmed that wearing a mask can reduce the risk of transmission. But not all masks are created equally.

ERIN BROMAGE:

So, virtually any covering over your face will deal with those large droplets. A handkerchief, a bandana, they all deal with those large droplets in roughly the same way.

But there is a big difference between the quality of the mask being worn and the ability to both filter the small little aerosols out on the way out and filter them on the way back in.

William Brangham:

There’s still a great deal of confusion about what kinds of masks offer the best protection. N95s are considered tops, but since they’re still in short supply, many say they should be left only for front-line health care workers.

KF-94 masks, like these made in South Korea, are considered a good substitute, and while they can be found online, there are reports of fakes and counterfeits swirling around. So, what’s a consumer to do?

DR. LINSEY MARR:

Unfortunately, there aren’t any standards for masks right now. Those are coming, but it’s going to be several months. In the meantime, what we know is that tightly woven cloth works better than loosely knitted cloth. Two layers is better than one. Three layers is even better, as long as it doesn’t inhibit you from breathing easily through the fabric.

If you really want to upgrade your masks, the thing to do is to look for a mask with a pocket or a middle layer where you can insert a filter. Things like a HEPA filter, a high-efficiency particulate air filter, work very well, block 99 percent of particles.

The other thing you can do is to use a surgical-type mask which filters really well, but probably doesn’t fit so well, especially around the sides, and to layer a second mask on top of that, like a tight-fitting cloth mask, to help improve the fit and reduce gaps. That way, you get both good filtration and a good fit.

William Brangham:

One of the things that seems, I think, so difficult for people is that they go to shop for a mask, and it’s very hard to assess quality or whether or not something that is a surgical mask or claims to be one is, in fact, one.

ERIN BROMAGE:

So, we want to look for certification seals if we are actually buying, say, surgical masks, so, the ASTM rating, one, two and three.

A three is the best that you can get in regards to surgical masks. And then the FDA actually has a Web site that shows true from false. You have fake from real ones.

William Brangham:

If masks are the first layer of protection, the second one is distancing. We have heard this mantra for months, avoid crowds as much as possible, and if you’re around others, stay six feet apart. But six feet isn’t some magical number.

ERIN BROMAGE:

It really isn’t a magic number. I mean, it’s the closer you are, the more risk that you have.

You know the analogy, which is not perfect, but it’s a way that you can sort of think about it in your head, is if you’re standing right next to a person smoking a cigarette, you’re going to be inhaling a lot of that. It’s the same with the virus.

So, six feet is just a good standard. It’s easy for people to visualize six feet. But 10 feet is better, three feet is worse, and it’s not this instant cutoff of distance.

William Brangham:

This is why outdoor gatherings are recommended. Infinite amounts of fresh air swirling around will often disperse the virus quickly.

But those sealed restaurant tents you see everywhere? Not great. They’re technically outside, but airflow is often minimal. Crowded indoor gatherings with people outside your family are by far the riskiest environments. There, if someone is infected, the virus can build up and linger in the air, and keeping your distance is no guarantee of safety.

DR. LINSEY MARR:

You also want to pay attention to ventilation.

But what you can do is just open the door or the windows. Just a few inches or a halfway open door can make a huge difference. And so that’s one way that you can improve the ventilation.

William Brangham:

With these new, more contagious variants spreading, public health experts argue, this is the time to redouble these safety measures.

That also applies to people who’ve been vaccinated, because it’s not clear if the vaccine also prevents people from transmitting the virus. These precautions, they argue, will save lives, avoid more lockdowns, and could get us through the next few months, until more people get vaccinated.

Oh, and don’t forget to keep washing your hands.

For the “PBS NewsHour,” I’m William Brangham

Monoclonal treatment 101

They work right away, unlike a vaccine that takes a few weeks to kick in.

However, the treatments are not as simple as swallowing a pill. A nurse wearing full protective gear needs to administer the treatment for about an hour and then monitor the patient for another.

Monoclonal treatments have a lot of advantages.

Lifesaving Covid-19 antibody treatments are plentiful, but still sitting on the shelf.

WARNING!!

People who have received a Covid-19 vaccine could still pass the virus on to others…. England’s deputy chief medical officer has warned.

“Even after you have had both doses of the vaccine you may still give Covid-19 to someone else and the chains of transmission will then continue,” Prof Van-Tam said.

Guarantee that No American Has to Choose Between Paying Their Bills and Keeping Themselves and Their Families Safe from COVID-19. In 2019, 43% of American households reported having at least one member with pre-existing conditions, many of whom may have a heightened risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID. President Biden believes that workers should have the right to safe work environments and that no one should have to choose between their livelihoods and their own or their families’ health. As one of many measures to help keep workers and their families’ safe throughout the pandemic, the President is asking the Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers have a federally guaranteed right to refuse employment that will jeopardize their health and if they do so, they will still qualify for unemployment insurance.

Please note that home-based businesses are not eligible for a Tech Makeover. However, home-based businesses are eligible for Consulting, Media, and Creative Production.

Apply today. The deadline for your small business application is February 7, 2021.

ELIGIBILITY
You are eligible to apply for this program if your business:

Is at least 51% Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned and operated
Is independently owned and operated
Is registered to conduct business in the US
Has been operating for one or more years
Is located within the Comcast Business or Effective service area footprint

Additional recipients will be chosen quarterly.

Comcast RISE, a multi-year commitment to provide marketing, creative, media, and technology services to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Treasury Department, announced that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) re-opened the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions was able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, January 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, January 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter.

The application is available in English, Amharic, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya.

$500 grants to 200 Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers who live within the Seattle city limits.

These grants will be made to low-income caregivers currently taking care of a child or children for 10 or more hours a week.

The application is opened Friday, January 15 – ENDS ON Friday, January 29.

Questions? Please send an email to ffn@childcare.org or call Child Care Resources Provider Line at 1-800-446-1114.

The application attached here is in PDF format which may be printed, completed, and submitted to ffn@chldcare.org.

COVID-19 Testing Locations
Click your area on the map below to find testing sites near you. You will find community-based sites, local clinics, drive-through sites, your local health department phone number, and additional lists and maps of sites in the area. If you have a health care provider, you can also call them for an appointment. Choose the option that works best for you. For additional questions about testing sites, call 2-1-1. Visit our Testing for COVID-19 page for information about who should be tested, what you should do after you’re tested, and more,

ADA Accessible sites available in Franklin County (South Central), King County (North Puget Sound), and Thurston County (South Puget Sound).

With funding from the City of Seattle, Child Care Resources is offering one-time $500 grants to 100 Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers who live within the Seattle city limits. These grants will be made to low-income caregivers currently taking care of a child or children for 10 or more hours a week.

We will contact you through email once the application becomes available in early January 2021. That email will include links to the application as well as information about which caregivers qualify. The application and information will be available in English, Chinese (simplified), Somali, and Spanish.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced on Sunday that the state will provide unemployment for the nearly 100,000 Washingtonians who will lose their federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits following President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign a federal coronavirus relief package by the Saturday night deadline.

The $54 million bill, announced by Inslee, will provide a one-time Pandemic Relief Payment to 94,555 people in Washington who have been claiming PUA. The money will be distributed by the Employment Security Department later this week, the governor’s office says.

RECALL – Sure Scents 2-1 Peaceful Stream/Moonlit Waves Candle

Consumer Contact:
Dollar Tree at 800-876-8697 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at www.dollartree.com, then on the bottom of the page, under “Customer Service,” click “Contact Us,” then “Company Questions & Answers,” and click on “Product Recalls” in the left column for more information

Name of product:
Sure Scents 2-1 Peaceful Stream/Moonlit Waves Candles
Hazard:
The candles’ high flames can ignite the surface of the wax or cause the glass to break, posing fire and burn hazards.

Remedy:
Refund
Recall date:
December 2, 2020
Units:
About 142,740

Saturday, Dec 12 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Sponsored by African American Reach and Teach Health Ministry (AARTH) and NAMI

Poverty, Historical racism, trauma, oppression and violence
Institutional, structural and individual racism Stigma.

Overall, mental health conditions occur among African Americans are about the same or less
frequency than in White Americans. However, the historical African American experience has and
continues to be characterized by:

Processing and dealing with layers of individual trauma on top of new mass traumas from COVID-
19 (uncertainty, isolation, grief from financial or human losses), police brutality and divisive political
rhetoric adds compounding layers of complexity for individuals to responsibly manage.
&
Mental Health: Common & Complex
Racial, historical, generational trauma in the Black community
Hear personal experiences of those among us striving and thriving
The Systemic impact
How to address mental health in your community
Next steps for leaders and community members

Today, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced the new Curative COVID-19 testing kiosks will have a soft launch Sat., Dec. 5, 2020 from noon to 3 p.m., operating thereafter Mondays through Saturdays.

The new kiosks allow clients to use an observed and directed self-collected oral fluid swab COVID-19 test. A Curative staff member will be available at each location to walk clients through the quick and painless process. Results will be delivered electronically within 48 hours.

The first two Kiosks will serve walk-up clients and are located in Northgate at the south end of the Northgate Community Center and in the Central District east of the Garfield Community Center. Clients can register for kiosk testing appointments beginning this evening. This pilot program can easily increase City of Seattle daily testing capacity by more than 1,000 units.

WHEN:
DECEMBER 5th, 2020, Saturday via Zoom 10:00a-12:00pm

Mr. Terry will discuss a range of topics including single parenting, self-care, child development, support within your community and much more.

Company Announcement Date:
November 27, 2020
FDA Publish Date:
November 28, 2020
Product Type:
Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:
Salmonella
Company Name:
Vegpro International
Brand Name:
Fresh Attitude
Product Description:
Baby spinach

Company Announcement
Vegpro International of Sherrington, QC CAN is recalling Fresh Attitude baby spinach (5oz and 11oz) with Best before dates of Dec 4th (for 11oz) and Dec 4th & 5th (for the 5oz), because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

These products were produced in Vegpro’s Eastern Canadian plant and have been distributed ONLY in Eastern Canada and in the Northeastern United States (NY,NJ, DE, CT,MD & PA ).

Home » About OSPI » News Releases and Statements » Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance & Resources » Nutrition & Meals Guidance

Child Nutrition Programs; Find a Meal Site Near You

The need for meals has grown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Child Nutrition Programs can help provide children with nutritious meals all year long. Please share the OSPI Organizations Providing Meals Map and help others find locations serving meals to children.

INTERCULTURAL CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES KINSHIP PROGRAM – WE ARE LOOKING FOR KINSHIP CAREGIVERS IN KING COUNTY!!

Registration and attendance is required to receive a $100 gift card.
(* Gift cards are limited to the first 100 Kinship Caregivers who are 55 and older, LIVING IN KING COUNTY).

This fun and informative workshop is designed to introduce self-care tips for Kinship Caregivers during the pandemic and the holiday season.

This new program provides support, education and services to KING COUNTY Kinship Caregivers. This project is funded by VSHSL Dept of Community and Human Services.

NOTE: Kinship Care;
“Kinship care is a term used in the United States for the RAISING OF CHILDREN by grandparents, other extended family members, and adults with whom they have a close family-like relationship such as godparents and close family friends”.

2020 Small Business Stabilization Fund for Businesses and Nonprofits Impacted by COVID-19.

YOU MUST Complete AND turn in your Small Business Stabilization Fund application by November 30, 2020, 11:59PM.

The Small Business Stabilization Fund (SBSF) provides $10,000 grants to small businesses and economic opportunity nonprofits throughout Seattle who have been financially impacted by COVID-19.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

With many landlords and tenants hit hard by impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, King County is expecting to face a large number of eviction cases after state and federal moratoria on evictions are lifted. In hopes of reducing the severity of a wave of evictions in the community, the King County Superior Court has established an Eviction Resolution Program (ERP) that will require problem solving steps in situations involving non-payment of rent so that there will be no need to file an eviction case.

The goal of the program is to bring all parties together with trained resolution specialists to explore solutions such as available state and local rental assistance, or achievable payment plans that could help tenants retain their housing and divert many situations from the legal eviction process. The program was developed by the state Superior Court Judges’ Association (SCJA) in partnership with the state Office of Civil Legal Aid.

The objective of the ERP is to:

Bring all parties to the table with the assistance of qualified and trained Eviction Resolution Specialists;
Explore the amount of rent arrears, the current and prospective circumstances of the tenant, the availability of rent and other assistance to cure or partially cure the arrearage;
Discover a range of other terms that might resolve the matter in a way that allows the tenant to retain housing (and avoid the need for filing of an unlawful detainer action)

Eviction Resolution Program (ERP) – King County Superior Court

Right now six counties are participating: King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston and Clark.

The program serves as mediation between a tenant facing eviction and landlords. It is specific only to non-payment issues because of the pandemic.

Here’s how it works: Tenants and landlords meet with resolution specialists who can mediate efforts to create repayment plans, resolve disputes and connect with rental assistance programs.

Landlords are required to participate before they can file rent-related evictions. If a renter chooses not to participate in the program, landlords can proceed with rent-related evictions.

U.S. Returns to Daily Coronavirus Death Toll of Over 2,000 Lives PER DAY!

A widely cited coronavirus model increased its death toll estimate to reflect that the U.S. could see nearly 471,000 deaths by the start of March 2021.

WE ALL NEED TO MASK UP (EVEN WHEN OUTSIDE) – WASH OUR HANDS – SOCIAL DISTANCE -SANITIZE!

COMING SOON !! King County’s Stipend for Workers to Isolate and Quarantine (SWIQ) program WILL PROVIDE direct cash stipends to help eligible workers and their families with expenses when they can’t work during isolation and quarantine. The program WILL provide eligible workers with a one-time stipend to cover some expenses for 2-3-week isolation and quarantine periods.
This program WILL go through December 30, 2020 or until the $3 million in funding is all given out.

A study carried out by researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) and the Andalusian School of Public Health has analyzed the main risk factors in the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the national lockdown in Spain, between March and May 2020.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, has revealed that living with a dog and buying basic products in the supermarket with home delivery were two of the socio-demographic variables (of those analyzed) that most increased the risk of contracting COVID-19 during the period under study—by 78% in the case of living with a dog, and by 94% in that of supermarket home delivery.

A LOW-COST WAY TO CLEAN INSIDE AIR AND IMPROVE HEALTH.

Operating with a clean filter, helps you have a clean air in one room.

Can filter out small particles common in;
Wildfire or wood smoke
Viruses
Mold
Dust released by common household activities

“Today, Sunday, November 15, 2020, is the most dangerous public health day in the last 100 years of our state’s history,” Inslee said in prepared remarks. “A pandemic is raging in our state. Left unchecked, it will assuredly result in grossly overburdened hospitals and morgues; and keep people from obtaining routine but necessary medical treatment for non-COVID conditions.”

According to the union, physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants will strike on Nov. 23 and 24.

“The recent outbreak of COVID-19 within MultiCare’s hospital system should have been a wake-up call, but it was not,” said Bussey. “So, out of concern for patients, doctors will strike and we are calling upon the public to stand with healthcare providers who are working the frontlines of a pandemic.

“For too long these providers have been subjected to irresponsible and unsafe policies including working 12+ hour shifts, sometimes seeing over 70 patients in one day without breaks. Not only has MultiCare put patients at risk through these assembly line conditions, but since the COVID-19 outbreak, MultiCare refuses to allow providers to wear N95 masks, even if they purchase our own,” said Dr. Stuart Bussey, president of UAPD and former urgent care physician. “MultiCare again refused the providers N95s just before the strike announcement last night. These practices are not only exhausting for providers, but more importantly, they are extremely risky for our patients who deserve the best possible care. It is no exaggeration to state this is a matter of life and death.

Does holding your breath while walking by an unmasked (or masked) person help reduce the odds of transmission?

But what if an unmasked person passes by? And stops to ask you a question?

What if that person is infected and expelling viral particles? Would holding your breath prevent you from inhaling any potentially infectious bits?

Chances are — sorry to report — probably not to a great extent.

Advani recommends carrying a mask with you to pop on in case a situation like this occurs.

Public Health – Seattle & King County is investigating a new confirmed measles case in a child, with possible exposures ON 11/5/2020 10:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Sea-Tac Airport, North Satellite (Gate N-11) to Baggage Claim (Carousel 13)

Transmission of measles can occur before people know they have the disease, before any rash appears. Before the measles diagnosis was made.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU WERE IN A LOCATION OF POTENTIAL MEASLES EXPOSURE.

Most people in our area have immunity to the measles through vaccination, so the risk to the general public is low. However, anyone who was in the locations of potential exposure to measles, (CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE), around the time the child was there should:

Find out if you have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. Make sure you are up-to-date with the recommended number of measles (MMR) vaccinations.
Call a healthcare provider promptly if you develop an illness with fever or illness with an unexplained rash. To avoid possibly spreading measles to others, do not go to a clinic or hospital without calling first to tell them you want to be evaluated for measles.

Vaccination or medication can be given after exposure in some cases to prevent illness – check with your healthcare provider. This is especially important for people at high risk for measles complications.

State and county health officials held an “urgent” COVID-19 response briefing Tuesday to discuss the accelerated COVID-19 transmission rates occurring across Washington state.

The news release for the briefing said “time is running out to reverse course and flatten the curve.” Both the state and individual counties have been reporting record high case numbers over the past few weeks, reaching or topping numbers seen early in the pandemic. King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties have all reported record highs and only expect their numbers to keep rising

According to Auburn ER doctor Stephen Anderson “Hospitals in South King County where I work are already functioning near 100% capacity on a daily basis.

Washington state health officials continue to express concerns over a sizable uptick in new COVID cases. That’s especially prominent in South King County among communities of color.

In the midst of that, local hospitals are already feeling the strain, according to Auburn ER doctor Stephen Anderson.

“This disease is racist,” he said. “It’s not genetic, but there’s a horrifying disparity between racial demographics, mostly due to longstanding variations in policies and economics. That’s driven by a variety of socioeconomic factors, including the fact that people of color “live in closer proximity,” they often have jobs in the service industry that don’t provide the ability to work from home, and they have “decreased access to health care” to go along with several risk factors like chronic lung conditions, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

MultiCare on Tuesday evening announced that a patient in the unit of the fourth floor at MultiCare Auburn Medical Center tested positive for COVID-19 late last week.

The hospital has since tested 40 patients in the unit and found eight additional positive cases. The health system said it had also identified 212 staff members who’d been in the unit 14 days before the first positive case and is in the process of testing those individuals.

Five employees so far have tested positive. “We acted swiftly to isolate the suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients, creating a specific COVID unit for the patients. Sadly, one of the affected patients died today,” the health care system said in a statement sent to The News Tribune.

MultiCare said it has temporarily paused discharges from the unit as well as new admissions to the unit, also temporarily.

“Appropriate environmental cleaning was performed on the impacted unit,” according to the statement.

It added that all affected workers and patients had been notified and that it was working with public health officials to identify the source of the spread.

“MultiCare is following all public health recommendations and has the PPE we need for our employees to continue to safely care for all of our patients at Auburn Medical Center and throughout our health system,” it added.

In recent days, King County has seen the highest COVID-19 case counts we’ve experienced to date. In light of these increases, we’re sharing Dr. Jeff Duchin’s November 6th, 2020, press briefing where he discusses the rising numbers and what we need to do to turn around this outbreak. View the update NOW!!!!!

One in five COVID-19 patients develop mental illness within 90 days – study

The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal, analyzed electronic health records of 69 million people in the United States, including more than 62,000 cases of COVID-19.

The study also found that people with a pre-existing mental illness were 65% more likely to be diagnosed with ( CORONAVIRUS) COVID-19 than those without a pre-existing mental problem.

METFORMIN – More than 175 different drug combinations have been recalled since late May.

Kansas City-based Nostrum Laboratories has issued a voluntary recall of two lots of Metformin HCl Extended Release Tablets, USP 750 mg. The addition of Nostrum’s pills come as 76 more lots were flagged in October for a possible cancer-causing ingredient.

The recall of extended-release metformin continues as two more lots of the diabetes drug have been added to the recall list.

The FDA announced the previous recall, involving Marksans Pharma Limited and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries products, on Oct. 5. It involves the 500mg and 700mg tablets.

Why 7 Deadly Diseases Strike Blacks Most, © 2005 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved

Health care disparities heighten disease differences between African-Americans and white Americans.

Several deadly diseases strike black Americans harder and more often than they do white Americans.
Why?
“Genes definitely play a role. So does the environment in which people live, socioeconomic status — and, yes, racism,” says Clyde W. Yancy, MD, associate dean of clinical affairs and medical director for heart failure/transplantation at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Some numbers
• Diabetes is 60% more common in black Americans than in white Americans. Blacks are up to 2.5 times more likely to suffer a limb amputation and up to 5.6 times more likely to suffer kidney disease than other people with diabetes.
• African-Americans are three times more likely to die of asthma than white Americans.
• Deaths from lung scarring — sarcoidosis — are 16 times more common among blacks than among whites. The disease recently (2004) killed former NFL star Reggie White at age 43.
• Despite lower tobacco exposure, black men are 50% more likely than white men to get lung cancer.
• Strokes kill 4 times more 35- to 54-year-old black Americans than white Americans. Blacks have nearly twice the first-time stroke risk of whites.
• Blacks develop high blood pressure earlier in life — and with much higher blood pressure levels — than whites. Nearly 42% of black men and more than 45% of black women aged 20 and older have high blood pressure.
• Cancer treatment is equally successful for all races. Yet black men have a 40% higher cancer death rate than white men. African-American women have a 20% higher cancer death rate than white women.

The investigation into the outbreak is ongoing.

“Symptoms of infection usually begin one to four weeks after eating contaminated food and can include fever, muscle aches, headache, confusion and loss of balance”.

“Those who are at high risk for infection to avoid eating deli meat”.

“Advises storing the meat in the refrigerator, away from other food and keeping surrounding surfaces clean”.

Greetings FROM CHILD CARE RESOURCES KING COUNTY
(formal message)
For those FFN caregivers who already applied this weekend, there was an error on the application that displayed a message that the caregiver was denied. We have now corrected that error so please let your caregivers know that if they submitted in an application that we have their information and that they do not need to submit a new application. Thank you so much!

$ 1,000 Grants Available for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers in King County

Statement of Intent
This Order shall be interpreted and implemented in a manner as to achieve the following paramount objectives:

Preserving human life;
Preserving the health and safety of cruise ship crew members, port personnel, and communities;
Preventing the further introduction, transmission, and spread of COVID-19 into and throughout the United States;
Preserving the public health and other critical resources of Federal, State, and local governments;
Preserving hospital, healthcare, and emergency response resources within the United States; and
Maintaining the safety of shipping and harbor conditions.

With funding from King County, Child Care Resources is offering one-time $1,000 grants to 75 Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers who live in King County. These grants will be made to low-income caregivers currently taking care of a child or children for 10 or more hours a week.

The application is open Saturday, October 24 – Sunday, November 8.
The application is available in English, Somali, and Spanish.
Questions? Please send and email to ffn@childcare.org or call Child Care Resources Provider Line at 1-800-446-1114

To support small businesses during the COVID19 pandemic, the Washington State Department of Commerce has developed The Community Small Business Resiliency Grant Program.

Commerce’s intent is to award each eligible applicant the maximum award available up to $10,000, based on the number of applications. HOWEVER, if the award per applicant would be less than $4,000 based on volume of eligible applicants, the applications will be reviewed and scored to determine award.

The Community Small Business Resiliency Grant Program is available to eligible* small businesses licensed in Washington State. Businesses must have been in operation since March 1, 2019 and have no more than 20 employees. Grant funds can be used to cover working capital shortfalls due to COVID-19 hardship.*

IMPORTANT NOTE:
** Businesses that meet ONE or MORE of the following criteria ARE NOT ELIGIBLE:
Established after Mar. 1, 2019.
Had more than 20 payroll employees as of Mar. 1, 2020.
Did not experience a financial loss due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Does not have a valid/current Washington State business license.
Has outstanding compliance or regulatory issues as of Mar. 1st, 2020 with state and federal agencies.
Has been disbarred by the federal government.
Is a licensed marijuana/cannabis operation in Washington State.
Is a K-12 school, college or university, library, non-profit organization, or government entity/agency.
Is actively pursuing a bankruptcy declaration.
Has received more than $5,000 from the Working Washington Small Business Emergency Grant.
Has received funding for the same expenses and not “double-dipping” for claimed expenses (not using other funding received from local, state or federal sources to cover the same expenses)

WHAT IS THE WASHINGTON STATE COVID-19 (Coronavirus) IMMIGRANT RELIEF FUND? As immigrants, we’ve made Washington STATE our home. If you’re an immigrant experiencing hard times because of COVID-19, AND you ARE NOT eligible for federal financial relief OR unemployment insurance, THIS FUND IS FOR YOU!!

Apply for the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund and receive a $1,000 one-time direct payment (up to $3,000 per household).

If you need help, call 1-844-724-3737 (Mon-Fri, 9AM-9PM).

Remember, there is no cost to apply. If someone asks you to pay something, it is a scam! Report it to relief@immigrantreliefwa.org

After you apply, please make sure to check your email inbox or the junk email folder for your confirmation. You will also get a text message confirmation the day you submit your application. You may log back in and check the status to see if your application is being reviewed and if you are awarded the funding. Please only submit your application one time.

Who can apply
To apply for the fund you must:

Live in Washington State
Be at least 18 years old
Have been significantly affected by the pandemic (such as losing work, being infected by the virus, or caring for a family member who was infected)
Not be eligible to receive federal stimulus dollars or unemployment insurance money due to immigration status.