Wellness Wednesday – Staying Healthy this Winter with Nurse Lauren
Nurse Lauren gives her Wellness Wednesday tips on how to stay healthy to avoid the flu and COVID-19 this winter.
The Friday Five – Five Good Reads
When you can’t get off the couch after too much turkey and pumpkin pie, or when you are stuck at an airport like you knew you would be, this week’s Friday Five has interesting articles to help pass the time. Safe travels and stay safe this holiday weekend.
Friday Five – COVID Update
For this week’s Friday Five we’ve rounded up some of the news and announcements pertaining to COVID-19, the latest statistics, long covid, new COVID medications, and information about the vaccines including who is eligible to receive them, booster shots and CPT codes.
Labs With No One to Run Them: Why Public Health Workers Are Fleeing the Field
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester – There were days, nights and weekends in the early months of the pandemic when Denise Von Bargen was the only person running covid tests at the public health lab in Ventura County. She once had eight or nine employees to assist her, but, one by one, they had all retired or left for other jobs.
HHS on COVID-19 Vaccines for 5-11 Year Olds
Following the CDC’s recommendation to make 5-11 year old children eligible for COVID-19 vaccines after the FDA’s authorization, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra issued this statement on the landmark moment to increase children’s protection during this pandemic:
Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Workers
The Administration is requiring COVID-19 vaccination of eligible staff at health care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The emergency regulation issued by CMS protects those fighting this virus on the front lines while also delivering assurances to individuals and their families that they will be protected when seeking care.
Additional $40M in COVID-19 Telehealth Program Money from FCC
The Federal Communications Commission approved an additional 71 applications for funding commitments totaling $40,468,845 for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program. This is the FCC’s third funding announcement of approved Round 2 applications bringing the total to approximately $123.6 million awarded to health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia.
Why Purified Water Matters for COVID-19 Vaccines
By Devin Partida – The most important component in COVID-19 vaccines may not be messenger RNA (mRNA) but water. Ultra purified water, carefully filtered and conditioned to exceptionally high standards, is a vital component of vaccines that is saving millions of lives.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Politics of Vaccine Mandates
From Kaiser Health News Network – Their latest podcast, What the Health, Should covid vaccines be mandated? The answer to that question has become predictably partisan, as with almost everything else associated with the pandemic.
Friday Five – HIPAA, COVID-19 Vaccination, and the Workplace
HHS has released guidance to address how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule applies to various entities’ requests for information related to an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status. This week’s Friday Five highlights five FAQ’s regarding HIPAA, the COVID-19 vaccination and the workplace.
A Colorado Town Is About as Vaccinated as It Can Get. Covid Still Isn’t Over There.
By Rae Ellen Bichell – San Juan County, Colorado, can boast that 99.9% of its eligible population has received at least one dose of covid-19 vaccine, putting it in the top 10 counties in the nation, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Public Health Experts ‘Flabbergasted’ That Biden Still Hasn’t Picked an FDA Chief
By Rachana Pradhan – President Joe Biden’s failure to name someone to lead the Food and Drug Administration, more than 10 months after the election, has flummoxed public health experts who say it’s baffling for the agency to be without a permanent leader during a national health crisis.
