Author: Linda Rider

  • Coronavirus Today – November 10

    Coronavirus Today – November 10


    By Anne Blythe

    Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, has talked about her daughters many times as she helped steer the state through the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Now the state gets to see them in a public service announcement about the kid-sized Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that has just become available for children ages 5 to 11.

    Cohen, the proud mother of a 7- and 9-year-old, took her children on Saturday to get a first dose of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine approved last week for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    “Like most kids, my daughters don’t like shots,” Cohen told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday. “But we talked as a family about the reasons it was important to protect them from COVID just like we protect them from flu and other childhood illnesses like chicken pox.”

    Then she showed a video that she said she hopes will help persuade other parents of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. In clinical trials, according to data reviewed by Cohen, the CDC and FDA, the kid-sized dose of the Pfizer vaccine, a third of the amount in the vaccines given to anyone 12 and older, is 90 percent effective at preventing COVID infection in the younger children.

    “We love our kids so much and we want to make good decisions for them and their health, and I was really happy that we have a safe and effective COVID vaccine,” Cohen says in a video showing her hugging her daughters. “And I was really proud of them today that they got their vaccine. It was a huge sigh of relief for mom. So I hope everyone goes out and gets their COVID vaccine for their kids as soon as possible.”

    Cohen posted photos of her daughters to her Twitter account on Saturday. There is one of her older daughter getting her vaccine. Another one shows the two girls together after getting their shots. The 9-year-old gave a thumbs-up while revealing the colorful Band-Aid covering the spot on her left arm where she got the shot. The younger girl is smiling with her hands raised in the air.

    They might have been celebrating, too, because chocolate milk was coming to them after their shots, their mother said.

    Cohen’s girls are among the more than 24,000 children in North Carolina who have received their first dose of the newly available vaccine. Though children can experience side effects such as a sore arm, fever, headaches or feeling tired for a few days, Cohen said her daughters experienced no side effects.

    “We have plenty of vaccine supply across the state. Kids can get vaccinated at any location that has a smaller dose of the Pfizer vaccine available,” Cohen said. “This includes their pediatrician or doctor’s office or hospital. Unlike other vaccines, younger children can also get vaccinated at local pharmacies and grocery stores, making it even easier for parents to find a convenient location for them.”

    Additionally, DHHS has worked with community partners to set up nine family COVID-19 vaccination centers in historically underserved communities that will be open for the next six weeks. The centers will be open on weekends and during the evening so parents don’t have to take their children out of school or miss work to get a vaccine.

    The centers also will have vaccines available for people older than 12, as well as boosters. Spanish interpreters will be there, too.

    Cohen and Charlene Wong, a Duke pediatrician and the DHHS assistant secretary for children and families, know that many parents might have questions about the vaccine and tried to provide answers to many at the briefing with reporters. They also encouraged parents to talk with their pediatricians and other trusted health care providers about any concerns they have.

    Here are some of the questions and answers:

    Q: Two physicians asserted in a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece that a low number of children in this country have been hospitalized or died from COVID infections. But the piece also cited data that have not been peer reviewed and have been contested.

    So, what’s the urgency to get the younger children vaccinated?

    A: To date, North Carolina has seen more than 1,300 hospitalizations and 11 deaths in children under the age of 17, out of 244,902 cases, according to data on the DHHS COVID-19 dashboard. Cohen and Wong made the point that although the risks of hospitalization and death from COVID are rare in children in that age group, the virus can make them very sick.

    Some children infected with COVID have come down with the multi-system inflammatory syndrome, or Mis-C, a rare condition in which their organs can become inflamed and in some cases can be deadly.

    Children also can experience long-COVID symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, insomnia, trouble concentrating, muscle and joint pain, as well as a lingering cough, months after infection, according to the CDC

    “We are seeing that children can have longer-term side effects, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, lethargy, again, different kinds of tiredness. So we are seeing that in children and adults,” Cohen said. “And so I think what we want to do is say we have a tool here that is safe and effective at preventing your child from getting COVID in the first place. Let’s use that safe and effective tool to make sure they don’t get COVID.”

    Q: How prevalent is long-COVID in children?

  • New Mexico health leaders highlight waning immunity, continued COVID case uptick

    New Mexico health leaders highlight waning immunity, continued COVID case uptick

    NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Contacting it a “tough time for New Mexico,” the state’s performing Office of Health and fitness Secretary explained Wednesday claimed the state is continuing to see a higher amount of new COVID-19 conditions though highlighting info thinks exhibits waning immunity between the vaccinated. In the course of the most recent COVID-19 trends update Wednesday, though acknowledging the modify of a breakthrough an infection remaining “very small,” New Mexico health and fitness leaders unveiled information exhibiting the common volume of time for a vaccine breakthrough scenario in New Mexico is 163 days.

    “What we’re learning is persons get started starting to be far more probable to get a vaccine breakthrough infection at about 5 and a 50 percent months,” Dr. David Scrase reported Wednesday. “Immunity does wane, we’re seeing it in our info, and what this usually means for us is we all need to have to commence acquiring in line to get a booster.”

    The highlight on waning immunity arrives as the state documented 1,337 new COVID-19 circumstances and 13 extra deaths Wednesday. According to a report published Monday, November 8, New Mexico claimed 8,254 new COVID-19 cases in the 7 days prior. That is about a 2,000 scenario raise in contrast to the week prior, where 6,656 cases ended up described in between October 26 and November 1, according to an NMDOH report.

    Whilst talking about COVID-19 immunity and breakthrough cases, Dr. Scrase reported the probabilities of breakthrough circumstances continue to be lower, between 1.5 and 2.5{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}. “Out of 1,000 persons who are vaccinated, only 15 to 25 will get a breakthrough an infection,” Dr. Scrase stated.

    Waning immunity was amid the highlights of Wednesday’s discussion as health officers hoped to describe why New Mexico continues to see a high number of scenarios although the point out has one particular of the most entirely-vaccinated populations among other states. The New York Occasions highlighted the problem in an post Wednesday titled, “Cases increase sharply in New Mexico regardless of a relatively solid inoculation level.”

    Of New Mexico’s total population, 60.4{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of men and women are thought of absolutely vaccinated. Introducing in the partially vaccinated, all-around 69.5{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of New Mexicans have been given at least 1 dose of a COVID-vaccine. The condition believes 30.5{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of New Mexicans are unvaccinated towards COVID-19.

    “The progress is fantastic but there is nonetheless groups of people who are acquiring sick with COVID spreading the virus between the total point out,” NMDOH Deputy Director Dr. Laura Parajón stated Wednesday. “Knowing that there are individuals who are unvaccinated, it is nevertheless driving increased situation fees.”

    A modern point out vaccination report shows from February 2021 by way of present working day, New Mexico’s noticed 22,041 confirmed COVID circumstances among the vaccinated, when compared to 90,373 confirmed COVID situations amid the unvaccinated. Of those people circumstances, 5,775 unvaccinated people today have been hospitalized in comparison to 1,004 hospitalizations between the vaccinated.

    New Mexico’s vaccination report posted on November 8 exhibits since February 2021, 1,133 unvaccinated people today have died of COVID-19. Of the vaccinated, 93 men and women have died given that February 2021.

    In the meantime, the press to vaccinate kids ages 5 to 11 carries on in New Mexico, where 188,000 little ones are now suitable for Pfizer’s vaccine. According to the NMDOH, as of Tuesday, about a single-thousand youngsters, or fewer than 1{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, have gotten their 1st COVID vaccine shot.

    Between the other aspects driving COVID situations in New Mexico, Dr. Scrase highlighted the quick unfold of the Delta variant and decreased compliance with COVID-risk-free methods. The condition is anticipated to prolong the community wellness purchase and indoor mask mandate later this 7 days.

    “One the situation rate will get under ten (circumstances) for every 100,000 (persons,) we’ll just take another seem at that – I assume we’re at 66 (scenarios for each 100,000 people today) these days,” so much more than six instances the amount,” Dr. Scrase reported. “We do plan to renew the indoor masking in the public wellbeing order.”

  • Treating cancer patients and addressing myths: Ukrainian oncologist shares his experience

    Treating cancer patients and addressing myths: Ukrainian oncologist shares his experience

    “Ukraine’s wellness treatment method has to evolve, and most cancers remedy ought to be built obtainable to absolutely everyone who demands it,” states Dr Sergii Sikachov, a most cancers surgeon and oncologist who works at the National Most cancers Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine.

    “I take out tumours from the liver, pancreas and bile duct. The majority of these tumours are intense, and surgical procedures involving these organs often guide to postoperative problems.”

    Most cancers is the second most frequent lead to of death and morbidity in the WHO European Region, with much more than 3.7 million new situations and 1.9 million deaths claimed each 12 months. Together with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary health conditions, most cancers is a major cause of untimely demise in Ukraine. Jointly these diseases account for 91{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of premature deaths in the region every single 12 months.

    Quite a few most cancers circumstances are avoidable and treatable. Possibility of survival is substantially bigger if the cancer is detected at an early stage.

    Sergii points out that making a culture of overall health and equipping communities with the ideal knowledge and instruments can assist with early detection. “We require to teach the public on cancer prevention and instruct them how to check out for tumours.”

    Making absolutely sure clients have the info they require

    Recognizing that increasing community awareness of most cancers and its signs or symptoms is not an easy task, Sergii claims, “Both plan-makers and health treatment workers should really target on populations at danger and provide them with well timed details on pertinent treatment method choices to make certain better outcomes. I believe most cancers individuals should really be entirely knowledgeable about their situation.”

    When sufferers have a clear being familiar with of their treatment system, they are improved capable to cope with uncertainty, Sergii provides.

    Myths about non-regular solutions, however, continue to keep people back from daily life-saving treatment method.

    “People go with myths often for the reason that of misinformation or lack of information. In my impression one particular of the most risky beliefs is that most cancers can be healed by substitute drugs therapies by yourself. While I concur that regular medication does not always get the job done 100{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the time, it does supply the most up-to-date and most successful remedy procedures.”

    Most cancers and COVID-19

    The COVID-19 pandemic has been another unprecedented barrier to procedure, triggering delays and placing health treatment personnel like Sergii at a crossroads.

    “We couldn’t determine whether or not it was extra hazardous to postpone a patient’s cure or continue with the possibility of contracting COVID-19. It was an particularly scary predicament for all of us. The good thing is, we now have more information on the virus and how it influences most cancers patients.”

    Most cancers procedure therapies as well as surgical treatment are speedily evolving, which indicates that experts should uncover ways to keep their clinical awareness and abilities up-to-date in get to supply the highest good quality of treatment.

    “Cancer surgical procedures is altering incredibly immediately. If you know English, you have entry to a lot of practical facts. You can provide health care treatment that is in line with global expectations in Ukraine, but we need an enabling natural environment to do so.”

    The calendar year 2021 has been selected by WHO as the International Yr of Well being and Care Employees in appreciation of and gratitude for their unwavering determination in the battle versus the COVID-19 pandemic and past.

    This story has been formulated by the WHO Place Office environment in Ukraine, with economic aid from the European Union (EU) within the EU and WHO initiative on health and fitness program improvement in Ukraine, and is component of a collection of stories showcasing Ukrainian wellbeing treatment employees.

  • Which types of fat reduce risk?

    Which types of fat reduce risk?

    shot of man barbecuing meatShare on Pinterest
    New exploration examines how distinct nutritional sources of fat impact stroke possibility. The Excellent Brigade/Getty Visuals
    • Stroke is one particular of the main causes of disability, and adherence to a healthier diet plan can cut down the chance of stroke.
    • The connection concerning different forms and sources of body fat and the possibility of stroke is fewer nicely-understood.
    • A large longitudinal research confirmed that the consumption of vegetable fats, polyunsaturated excess fat, and vegetable oil had associations with reduce stroke chance.
    • Individuals consuming better degrees of non-dairy animal fat, crimson meat, and processed pink meat had been at improved possibility of stroke.

    Stroke is the fifth main result in of demise in the United States, in accordance to the Center for Disease Manage and Prevention (CDC).

    Despite the fact that there has been a drop in the mortality fee thanks to stroke in the earlier 4 many years, it continues to be a major cause of extensive-time period actual physical disability and long lasting brain destruction. This highlights the significance of stroke avoidance.

    Major a healthful way of life can significantly minimize the threat of heart illness and stroke. For instance, an more mature examine implies that protecting an total healthy life style can cut down the threat of stroke by 80{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}. The review thought of lifestyle things, this kind of as adhering to a healthy diet regime, performing actual physical work out, not smoking, average alcoholic beverages usage, and retaining an best body weight.

    Even though a healthful diet regime is a crucial part of avoidance approaches for stroke and other cardiovascular ailments, only 22{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of folks in the U.S. stick to the American Coronary heart Association’s (AHA) recommendations for a healthy diet plan.

    Dietary tips for decreasing the possibility of stroke normally features consuming a large fiber diet regime rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, full grains, poultry, and fish, while limiting the intake of carbs, salt, and pink meat. For a considerable time period, tips for stroke prevention also incorporated minimizing the usage of fat.

    In recent periods, nonetheless, researchers have regarded that consuming specified kinds of fat and the whole body fat ingestion may influence the possibility of stroke.

    Many research investigating the association involving the consumption of different extra fat styles, these kinds of as polyunsaturated and saturated fats, and the possibility of stroke have yielded inconsistent effects. Additionally, number of research have examined how fats from distinctive food sources, these as dairy, meat, and so forth., is related with an improved risk of stroke.

    A team of scientists at the Harvard T.H. Chan College of Community Overall health lately investigated the association concerning various unwanted fat types and resources and the hazard of stroke.

    The study’s creator, Dr. Fenglei Wang, a article-doctoral researcher at Harvard College, MA, told Professional medical News Now:

    “We located that larger consumption of vegetable fat and polyunsaturated fats was connected with decreased stroke hazard, when bigger ingestion of non-dairy animal extra fat was linked with higher stroke chance. Our results point out the relevance of thinking of the unwanted fat sources when examining the association among fat consumption and stroke risk.”

    “To our understanding, our analyze is the initially 1 that comprehensively examines the associations of complete body fat, various styles of fat (saturated unwanted fat, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated extra fat, or trans extra fat), and excess fat from various food resources (vegetable, dairy, or non-dairy animal foods) with stroke chance,” extra Dr. Wang.

    Dr. Ka Kahe, a professor at Columbia College, NY, who was not associated with the research, also spoke to MNT. Dr. Kahe explained, “The association concerning excess fat ingestion and stroke possibility remains controversial. This large scale research brings new insights into this elaborate situation and signifies that forms of excess fat and fat sources subject.”

    The results will be presented at the AHA’s conference Scientific Periods.

    The present examine bundled longitudinal facts gathered as a element of the Nurses’ Health and fitness Study (NHS) and Wellbeing Specialists Observe-up Study (HPFS).

    The research integrated clinical and life style knowledge from 73,867 woman nurses enrolled in the NHS collected through the observe-up interval from 1984-2016. Likewise, facts from the HPFS consisted of comparable info gathered from 43,269 male health care pros among 1986-2016.

    The individuals integrated in the review did not have a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease or cancer at the time of enrollment. Overall, 63{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the participants were female, and 97{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of them ended up white.

    The scientists collected knowledge on body fat intake and the variety and resource of fat utilizing food frequency questionnaires.

    The participants gained meals frequency questionnaires every 4 decades, setting up in 1984 for NHS contributors and 1986 for people enrolled in the HPFS.

    The researchers discovered that 6,189 people had a stroke throughout the abide by-up periods based on participant self-stories, which a doctor later on confirmed.

    The researchers very first analyzed the connection involving the variety of extra fat and the total possibility of stroke. They observed that a better consumption of animal excess fat from non-dairy sources had associations with an elevated threat of stroke. In distinction, participants who eaten additional vegetable excess fat or polyunsaturated excess fat have been at decreased possibility of stroke.

    The researchers then examined the partnership between fat from numerous food resources and stroke possibility. They identified that consuming crimson meat and processed purple meat experienced associations with enhanced stroke possibility, whilst vegetable oil intake was affiliated with decrease danger.

    Consumption of saturated extra fat was not affiliated with an amplified hazard of stroke. Having said that, Dr. Wang observed that “the associations may well differ for saturated excess fat from vegetable, dairy, or non-dairy animal foodstuff. For upcoming ways, finer classes will support us superior have an understanding of how sorts and sources of unwanted fat are connected with the sickness chance.”

    Due to the fact the review contributors had been overwhelmingly white, the investigate conclusions could not generalize to all ethnic and racial groups.

  • Best exercise and workout tips for your 30s, 50s, 60s and beyond

    Best exercise and workout tips for your 30s, 50s, 60s and beyond

    In accordance to health and fitness skilled and celeb trainer Louisa Drake, when it will come to exercise, frequency is crucial. “A mix of average and vigorous intensity carried out by means of the two resistance schooling and higher intensity cardio work out” and breaking workout routines down to 10 or 30 minute intervals across five days is what will keep your entire body operating, she goes on to say.

    Routines like resistance instruction is excellent for weight management, as perfectly as making bone density – a little something that you really should be extra aware of as soon as about the age of 40. Ladies tend to have thinner bones so it is easier to suffer from osteoporosis. “You would not always burn up a lot more calories lifting weights than doing cardiovascular physical exercise, but the amplified muscle mass mass you develop will make your system melt away calories for the duration of the relaxation periods.”

    She goes on to say that you really don’t want to count only on aerobic-based exercise routines: “Our Louisa Drake System Sculpt and Condition Changer courses are all amazing for preserving your coronary heart in good shape and balanced which can protect against heart disease, reduced blood strain and increase blood circulation – as perfectly as providing an productive alternative for advertising and marketing fat decline as these workout routines enhance your metabolic charge for the subsequent 24 several hours.”

    Recommended workout: Louisa indicates introducing lunges, squats and barre-style workouts to your workout program. Barre is distinguished from other team conditioning activities due to its incorporation of actions derived from ballet and there are dozens of groups throughout the place.

    Exercises to attempt in your 50s: barre, working and yoga

    “If you are operating out in your 50s you want to start off contemplating about protecting, or improving, your mobility, overall flexibility and bone density,” says Emily King, head trainer at Barrecore. Disciplines these kinds of as yoga, Pilates and barre are all wonderful for trying to keep our joints moving and, for that reason, balanced.

    Emily goes on to say that as we age, our mobility can begin to minimize and affect our day-to-day lives. If you happen to be a person who suffers from occasional aches and pains, you should really appear into doing immediate mobility function to make improvements to the vary of movement in just your joints. “Our bones begin to weaken as we get older so just intention to transfer your overall body in some way each individual working day.”

    Girls likely by way of menopause are at a larger danger of acquiring osteoporosis, as the decrease in estrogen can induce a lessen in bone density. Emily advises that “everything involving fat bearing is good for assisting fight this – imagine walking, functioning, dancing, barre – anything where by your bones are supporting the bodyweight.”

    Minimal-depth workout routines are also key to reducing impression to the joints but also strengthening around them at the exact same time. “Feel about yoga, barre and Pilates – you really don’t need to be doing burpees to get an powerful exercise routine!”

    Recommended exercise: The finest pilates moves to attempt in your 50s involve the Roll Up, the Observed and the Spine Stretch. If you are not sure about how to execute any work out effectively, be absolutely sure to request out an qualified.

    Exercise routines to test in your 60s: aerobics, resistance and bodyweight teaching

  • Decline in Georgia’s Covid numbers may be just a lull

    Decline in Georgia’s Covid numbers may be just a lull

    The new news on Covid in Georgia seems rather excellent – instances, hospitalizations and fatalities have all dropped to a lower plateau, state well being officials stated Tuesday.

    But the amount of vaccinations has also proven a current drop, with the rate of Georgia citizens absolutely vaccinated now hovering at about 50 percent. All through October, vaccinations dropped 30 p.c to 40 p.c.

    That could adjust because new acceptance of the Pfizer vaccine for young children ages 5 to 11.

    However Cherie Drenzek, the condition epidemiologist, informed the Georgia Section of Public Health’s board that she stays cautious about what lies ahead. “This virus does very little but surprise us,’’ she claimed.

     

    Nearly all the new hospitalizations and fatalities have happened in unvaccinated people, she claimed.

    The virus is surging in some states in the West, and also in Europe, Drenzek mentioned. California, New Mexico and Colorado, together with some Northern states, have witnessed circumstance numbers increase over the earlier two months, in accordance to knowledge in the New York Periods.

    New scenarios in the Southeast keep on being pretty small, she reported.

    In Ga, just 8 percent of counties have significant transmission charges, Drenzek said. They involve Chattahoochee County, which is dwelling to a huge part of the Army’s Fort Benning, and Bacon County in southeast Georgia.

    Dr. Harry Heiman, a community overall health qualified at Ga Condition College, mentioned Tuesday that there are good and encouraging developments on Covid in the condition, “but we are much from out of the woods.’’

    “Our vaccination level in Ga stays amongst the worst in the country, which suggests that if there is a further Delta surge about the holidays, there are nonetheless several susceptible Georgians, especially in rural components of the point out,’’ Heiman mentioned.

    “Now is a time to remain vigilant, work even more challenging to boost vaccination premiums, which include amid newly eligible little ones, and not back again away from proof-based tactics like indoor mask mandates . . . or do absent with mask mandates in colleges,’’ he extra.

    Ga Public Health and fitness officers are encouraging corporations to present incentives for personnel to get vaccinated.

    Gov. Brian Kemp, who has also promoted vaccinations in Georgia, nonetheless joined condition Attorney Normal Chris Carr, together with Alabama and Florida officers, in submitting a lawsuit Friday to challenge a federal get necessitating companies with 100 or more personnel to impose mandatory Covid vaccinations of their workers or weekly tests by Jan. 4.

    A very similar lawful problem from Louisiana officers moved a federal appeals court docket Saturday to suspend the new vaccine mandate whilst judges can critique the regulation.

    On a countrywide degree, the Institute for Health and fitness Metrics and Analysis (IHME) at the University of Washington is projecting a reasonable surge in Covid scenarios this winter season.

    UGA athletes

    IHME modeler Christopher J.L. Murray said previous Thursday that reductions in circumstances, believed bacterial infections, and hospitalizations have essentially stopped in the United States, and we are commencing to flip towards one more rise in infections.

    Rising Covid-19 figures right here in the Northern Hemisphere are due, in element, to the truth that winter season temperatures are coming, Murray mentioned.

    Vaccine-derived immunity against Covid wanes significantly around the 6-thirty day period period right after vaccination, he reported.

    A different variable, Murray extra, is that “people are a lot considerably less careful than previous wintertime, as mask use is considerably lower. Presently, it is underneath 40{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} in the U.S. – slightly higher than that in Europe, but much lessen than a year in the past.’’