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Health
President Joe Biden Takes Executive Action to Increase Supply of Vaccine, Medical and Testing Supplies
Senator Baldwin supports the President’s Executive Orders to increase the nation’s supply of necessary medical equipment, supplies, and coordinate a federal COVID-19 response
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced new Executive Orders utilizing the Defense Production Act (DPA) to rapidly increase the production and stockpiling of vaccine, medical and testing supplies, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE). The executive actions also dramatically boost public transparency; increase coordination with State and local entities, private industry and essential workers; and create a COVID-19 response coordinator to coordinate all elements of the COVID-19 response, including the production, procurement and distribution of critical medical supplies.
“Since March of last year, I’ve been calling for the full power of the Defense Production Act to be unleashed so we can massively scale up production of Made in America medical supplies, PPE and testing equipment. The previous administration failed to do this, which has created supply chain issues that are having dangerous impacts on the nation’s response to COVID-19,” said Senator Baldwin. “I applaud President Biden for taking action to activate authorities under the DPA that will increase our national production of the supplies we need to get through this pandemic, and his efforts to provide the leadership and transparency that the American people deserve. Now we must keep working together to stop the spread of this deadly virus, get the vaccine equitably distributed and administered, and help those who are struggling to get by.”
The country has continued to experience supply chain issues that are having dangerous impacts on the nation’s response to COVID-19, as well as the nation’s ability to scale up vaccine production and distribution. President Biden’s Executive Orders will take immediate action to fill supply shortfalls for vaccination supplies, testing supplies, and PPE, and to ensure that these critical supplies equitably reach American communities, especially communities of color and other underserved communities.
The President’s Executive Orders will direct relevant agencies to exercise all appropriate authorities, including the DPA, to accelerate manufacturing, delivery, and administration to meet shortfalls in equipment and supplies needed for the COVID-19 response, to include what is necessary to support a transparent and equitable national vaccination plan.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Senator Baldwin has been calling for the full activation of the DPA to ramp up nationwide production of testing supplies, PPE and medical equipment. Senators Baldwin and Chris Murphy (D-CT) recently lead their colleagues in supporting President Biden’s use of executive action to utilize all authorities under the DPA that will help deploy a more functional response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Baldwin also led the call for this action as part of her Medical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act, which calls for using the DPA to mobilize a federal response to the pandemic through an equitable and transparent process.
Community Testing for COVID-19 Expands for Younger Children
Children as Young as One Year of Age Now Being Tested for COVID-19
Following a modification of orders from the State’s Chief Medical Officer, Milwaukee is now testing children as young as one year of age for COVID-19 at its community testing sites. Previously, children had to be five years of age or older to be tested. The order from Dr. Ryan Westergaard was announced within the past several weeks.
The Milwaukee Health Department operates three fixed testing sites at the Southside Health Center, (1639 S. 23rd St.), the Northwest Health Center (7630 W. Mill Road), and American Family Field (formerly Miller Park at 1 Brewers Way). Hours of operation are listed at milwaukee.gov/covidtesting.
“We are excited by the changes to Dr. Westergaard’s order to allow for testing of young children. This age expansion allows parents and medical providers to access free testing at a time when many children are returning to preschool and daycare settings,” Milwaukee Health Department’s Dr. Heather Paradis said. “Testing is a necessary step to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the places where children live, learn, and play.”
All testing at the community sites is conducted with a PCR test which is collected through a nasal swab. Results are typically returned within 24-48 hours.
Testing of children seventeen years old or younger requires parental authorization. Parents should always contact their children’s regular medical provider first with concerns of illness. However, community testing is available for those with known exposures and who do not require medical care.
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Break the Fear Cycle: Brain Expert Shares Advice for Building Resilience During Challenging Times
Chattanooga, TN, January 19, 2021 ― Forced social isolation, shuttered businesses and canceled or scaled-down worship services have contributed to an overwhelming sense of loss and fear among people all over the world. And there’s a scientific reason for these emotions, explains Timothy R. Jennings, M.D., board-certified psychiatrist, master psychopharmacologist and founder of Come and Reason Ministries.
Dr. Jennings is a much sought-after speaker who regularly addresses non-medical professionals on the subjects of Spirituality in Medicine, Depression and its Spiritual and Physical Connections, and Alzheimer’s Dementia. He also speaks to medical professionals on the topics of Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice, Major Depression in the Primary Care Setting, and the Neurobiology of Depression — among many others.
He describes how the measures taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 can have physiological and psychological impacts that, like dominoes, will topple our sources of strength and resilience.
“Research shows that social rejection, isolation and loneliness activate the brain’s stress pathways, thereby increasing inflammatory factors, diminishing immune response and increasing vulnerability to viral infections and cancer, and make you less resilient in life,” he says.
In the shadow of government mandates that restrict our interactions with others, what can we do within our four walls to build our resilience and guard our overall wellbeing?
Dr. Jennings suggests we can boost our resilience through physical exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting regular sleep, cognitive training, having a healthy relationship with God and spiritual development — measures that can actually alter the way our brains react to stress.
“Healthy spirituality confers resilience in a multitude of ways,” he says. “It develops your higher cortex, which calms your fear circuits. You have less fear and you’re less anxious if you’ve got a developed prefrontal cortex. And if you have a loving relationship with a God you trust, that’s part of your prefrontal cortex. And if people have more love, they have less fear.”
Another part of our prefrontal cortex is altruism — something those with healthy spirituality are more likely to engage in — and helping others also calms fear circuits.
Our ability to face a crisis and bounce back is, in part, inherited from our parents and even grandparents through our genetic makeup, Dr. Jennings explains. But through a combination of mental, physical and spiritual adaptive measures, we can boost our resilience and improve our ability to overcome life’s challenges.
Dr. Timothy R. Jennings operates a private practice in Chattanooga and has successfully treated thousands of patients. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Life-Fellow of the Southern Psychiatric Association.
He is also a prolific author whose books include The God-Shaped Brain: How Changing Your View of God Transforms Your Life; Could It Be This Simple? A Biblical Model for Healing the Mind; The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind; and The God-Shaped Heart: How Correctly Understanding God’s Love Transforms Us.
To hear his presentations and to learn more about Dr. Jennings and his approach to brain and body health, please visit: www.comeandreason.com.
Possible discussion topics for Dr. Jennings:
- How do positive social interactions reduce our inflammatory markers?
- How does wearing masks contribute to feelings of social isolation?
- Explain epigenetic markers and the role they play in our ability to be resilient.
- Explain how our life experiences can alter our gene expression and lead to improved resiliency.
Post-Traumatic Thriving
Los Angeles, CA, January 19, 2021 — Is there a science to survival, or are some people simply born with elastic emotional exoskeletons that bounce back readily following even the most traumatic of experiences?
To uncover the answer, world-renown expert on disasters and trauma Dr. Randall Bell undertook unprecedented research, juxtaposing outcomes of scientific studies with stories of real people who have not just survived, but have used their trauma as their fuel to thrive to uncover common denominators. He shares his remarkable insights in his new book, Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience.
Dr. Bell sits down with survivors of the Holocaust; murder-victim’s families; crime victims; suicide survivors; and those who’ve experienced homelessness, disasters, addictions, depression, death, divorce, disabilities, defeats and disease to explore the rare mindset of the post-traumatic thriver.
He shares with readers stories of remarkable resilience, including the following:
• A deaf man with a glass eye invented the electric guitar and became a household name, remarkably wealthy and most importantly, happy.
• A convicted murderer took responsibility for the damage he caused, graduated with honors from college, became a minister and turned around the hearts of the most hardened criminals.
• A girl born with cerebral palsy landed the world’s first starring role on national television and spoke at the White House three times.
• A woman hid in a basement for years and lost her entire family in the Holocaust. She eventually found true love and paints stunning artwork.
• The sister of a murder victim helped millions of women in toxic domestic relationships.
• A woman’s car crash resulted in an addiction to prescription drugs, a divorce, a loss of her children and a cot in a homeless shelter. She has rebuilt it all back and more.
• A man set to go to the Olympics had his hopes dashed by Jimmy Carter and went on to build a worldwide business empire.
Ultimately, Dr. Bell documents the science of happiness, as well as the individual styles and common thread that all post-traumatic thrivers have to emerge with a fulfilling life. When trauma hits, your most significant decision will be to dive, survive or thrive. If you choose to thrive, this book is for you.
As an economist, Dr. Randall Bell has consulted on more disasters on earth than anyone in history and is widely considered the world’s top authority in the field of post-traumatic thriving. His clients include the Federal Government, State Governments, International Tribunals, major corporations and homeowners. Dr. Bell believes that “the problem is not the problem — the problem is how we react to the problem.”
Often called the “Master of Disaster,” Dr. Bell is squarely focused on authentic recovery and resilience. His research has been profiled on major television shows and featured in numerous magazines and the international media. More information can be found at www.posttraumaticthriving.com.
New AARP analysis shows COVID-19 deaths skyrocketing in Wisconsin nursing homes
MADISON, WISCONSIN – The latest release of AARP’s Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard depicts a worsening crisis from coast to coast, including skyrocketing increases in deaths among Wisconsin nursing home residents since last fall.
In the four-week period ending Dec. 20, 9.9% of nursing homes in Wisconsin reported residents with confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 10.3% of these facilities had at least one staff member diagnosed. While those percentages are down slightly from the previous four-week period, the latest dashboard shows an increase in nursing home deaths related to COVID-19 over the same time period – from 2.11 deaths per 100 residents to 2.70.
What’s even more startling is that COVID-19 deaths in Wisconsin nursing homes have increased nine-fold in just over two months – from 0.30 deaths per 100 residents in the Oct. 18 analysis to the latest dashboard showing 2.7 deaths per 100 residents.
“We know that rising cases of COVID-19 in nursing homes translate to rising death rates shortly thereafter based on our dashboard analysis. This most recent report confirms that fact following the explosion of cases we saw in the fall,” said AARP Wisconsin State Director Sam Wilson. “There are signs of hope on the horizon, but we are nowhere near out of the woods at this point.”
In Wisconsin, the rates of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes has dipped slightly. From Nov. 23 to Dec. 20, Wisconsin nursing homes had:
- 9.9 new COVID-19 cases per 100 residents, down from 13.4 in the previous four-week period.
- 2.7 COVID-19 deaths per 100 residents, up from 2.11.
- 10.3 new staff COVID-19 cases per 100 residents, down from 15.9.
Shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) have decreased slightly over the same period, from 39.7% of nursing homes without a one-week supply in November to 34.6% in December.
Meanwhile, staffing shortages remain a persistent problem, with 43.4% of facilities reporting a shortage in the most recent dashboard, which is down from 47.1% in the previous four-week period, but much higher than the 26.1% reported in June of 2020.
“Almost a year into the pandemic, we continue the clarion call that anything we can do, both big and small, to improve the health and safety of our nursing home residents and staff, matters,” Wilson said. “Vaccinations have started, but they will not make nursing home residents safe overnight.”
The AARP COVID-19 Nursing Home Dashboard analyzes federally reported data in four-week periods going back to June 1, 2020. Earlier this year, AARP fought for public reporting of nursing home COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Using this data, the AARP Public Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Ohio, created the dashboard to provide snapshots of the virus’ infiltration into nursing homes and impact on nursing home residents and staff, with the goal of identifying specific areas of concern at the national and state levels in a timely manner.
The full dashboard is available at www.aarp.org/nursinghomedashboard. For more information on how COVID is impacting nursing homes and AARP’s advocacy on this issue, visit www.aarp.org/nursinghomes.
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AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment security and retirement planning. We advocate for consumers in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world’s largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www. aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP VIVA, a bilingual news source. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.
Booze vs BMI? 1 in 4 Wisconsinites would choose alcohol over exercise in January 2021, reveals poll.
January is usually the time of year when new sneakers are purchased online, gym memberships are re-activated, and workout gear is dusted off and removed from the bottom drawer. It has been widely reported that Google searches linked to exercise peak at the beginning of each year, and gyms are typically at their busiest as customers aim to burn off their indulgences of the festive season. However, 2020 was a year like no other. Numerous studies showed that as a nation, alcohol intake significantly increased due to a host of circumstances such as boredom and isolation. For many households, drinking was the default entertainment of choice.
During a typical new year, it’s expected that many would be chomping at the bit to fulfil a common New Year’s resolution and begin a new exercise program. However, aside from life during a pandemic, our relationship with exercise is complicated. We know we should be doing more exercise, yet many of us are not. Solutions-Recovery.com surveyed 3,000 Americans and asked: If you had to give up alcohol or exercise in January, which one would you choose? And the results of the survey appear to confirm what many health experts fear – that for millions of people, a strong bond with alcohol exists.
The survey revealed that 27% of respondents in Wisconsin admit that they would ditch exercise if it meant that they could continue drinking in January. It appears New Hampshire is the state least concerned with their fitness as 50% said they would choose a drink over dumbbells. At the other end of the spectrum is Arizona, which appears to be the state most set on maintaining a Dry January; 90% of respondents indicated they’d choose their health over a hangover.
Solutions-Recovery.com has created an infographic showing results across America
Regardless of the results, it appears that many at least try to kick the year off with the right intentions. Forty-five percent of respondents said January is the month they are most likely to start a new exercise regime, 1 in 5 plan to offset their alcohol consumption with more exercise, and, though a significant number of people attempt Dry January, more than 50% said they’ve failed the task. Unfortunately, 2021 may see a larger percentage of people who have an unsuccessful Dry January -a recent study found that half the country will forgo Dry January following a difficult year brought on by the pandemic.
And finally, when asked if they expect to spend more time drinking or exercising in 2021, 1 in 3 (34%) said drinking – presumably due to the expectation of another long period of lockdowns.
Flowers, Candy, And A Mask; Will The Vaccine Be Your Valentine?
For all its woes, 2020 did at least give the United States a normal Valentine’s Day.
It’s 2021 that may cause troubles for Cupid and his quiver of arrows.
Slowly but surely, Americans are being vaccinated for COVID-19, but the vaccination’s timeline doesn’t look that good for Feb. 14, when intimate dinners at fancy restaurants are usually the norm.
“We’ve been social distancing and staying at home so much that this Valentine’s Day may feel more like any other day than it ever has before,” says Acamea Deadwiler(www.Acameadeadwiler.com), author of Single That: Dispelling the Top 10 Myths of the Single Woman.
At this time a year ago, the pandemic’s impact on the United States was still relatively muted, so donning masks and avoiding crowds wasn’t yet de rigueur. Valentine’s Day played out under normal circumstances, with couples making dinner reservations, exchanging cards, and enjoying romantic time together.
Singles, too, had a normal Valentine’s Day in 2020, which for some meant feeling left out as the holiday played out all around them, Deadwiler says.
“Although Valentine’s Day could feel like any other day this year, singles still may wish they had someone for a more intimate celebration, like candlelit dinner at home or a local hotel staycation,” Deadwiler says.
“Feeling forced to spend the day alone is different from choosing to be alone. Sometimes you at least want the option to go out and meet someone new or enjoy a Valentine’s Day event that’s especially for singles.”
Deadwiler has a few tips for those singles as Valentine’s Day approaches:
- Treat yourself to something. Buy chocolates and a teddy bear for yourself. Or you could go bigger and buy a pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing. “Even better, spend the day getting pampered at a spa if there’s one open near you, masked up, of course,” Deadwiler says. “Be your own Valentine and engage in an abundance of self-love.”
- Know that you may not be missing out on all that much. Being single may feel less noticeable this Valentine’s Day because there wouldn’t be much to do even if you were coupled up, Deadwiler says. “Love fests will be more intimate and contained,” she says. “So, you won’t be missing out on any big celebrations or events commemorating the occasion. Plus, most restaurants aren’t able to operate at full capacity. Even the basic Valentine’s Day outings like dinner may be limited.”
- Be aware of the potential effects of “lockdown loneliness.” After nearly a year of limited social activities, plenty of singles may be inclined to throw caution (and discretion) about relationships to the winds, Deadwiler says. “If you’re already tempted to get serious with someone just to have a partner around, Valentine’s Day will likely magnify that feeling,” she says. “It will increase the self-imposed pressure to lock someone down because now you have a deadline. To beat the clock, you may be tempted to rush things or even reach out to an ex just to have someone occupying that space.” Deadwiler says that could prove to be a bad idea because once Valentine’s Day passes – and certainly once the post-pandemic world opens up – you may have trouble remembering why you felt the need to be with that person.
“Couples and singles both may need to make alternative plans this Valentine’s Day,” Deadwiler says. “But that doesn’t mean it has to be a bad day. Just a different one.”
About Acamea Deadwiler
Acamea Deadwiler (www.Acameadeadwiler.com) is the author of Single That: Dispelling the Top 10 Myths of the Single Woman. She is an accomplished writer and freelance journalist who has appeared on the FOX television network talk show, MORE. Deadwiler was designated as a Top 100 Contributor on Yahoo! with more than 1 million page views, and she has held Top Writer status in both love and feminism for Medium. She is also an event speaker who covers overcoming hardships, love and relationships. Deadwiler is a graduate of Valparaiso University with a background in communications.
InFLUencer
By Thomas E. Mitchell, Jr.
Though the nation—and world’s—attention is riveted on the COVID-19 pandemic and the new vaccines that will eventually end it, local medical professionals like Dr. Kevin Izard encourage residents not to let their guard down, and to get vaccinated.
Not against COVID-19! But against a more familiar foe: the common flu.
“The vaccine (for COVID-19) is just now coming out,” said Dr. Izard, a physician at Paladina Health in Milwaukee. “It will be six months before everyone (in the state of Wisconsin and the nation) is given a shot.”
Plus, flu season is just now reviving-up, with February being its peak month.
“But we have the flu vaccine. If everyone gets a flu shot, it would clear up confusion between the two (viruses).”
While the flu vaccine is safe and effective, and strongly recommended for people six months old and older, there are people who are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill if they get the flu. Those include:
- Children under 6 months old
- Pregnant women
- People 65 years of age and older
- People with chronic health conditions, such as asthma or heart disease
During a recent interview, Izard stressed how difficult it is to tell the difference between the flu and the coronavirus. “The symptoms are similar, though COVID-19 is more deadly and pervasive.”
Izard especially wants Wisconsin’s communities of color to heed his message. The doctor is the face and voice of a state-wide education and awareness campaign called “Be an InFLUencer,” created by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS).
The recently launched campaign aims to improve flu vaccine rates among the state’s communities of color. Black, Latino, Asian, and Indigenous communities have had—historically—the lowest vaccination rates in the state. Consequently, these communities have the highest flu rates.
Izard said Black residents in the state are half as likely to get the flu shot. Last year, only 26% of Black Wisconsinites got vaccinated.
The “Be an InFLUencer” campaign includes social media on several platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, as well as broadcast and digital radio ads, including in Spanish.
“We hope to eliminate some flu cases by getting people (especially people of color) vaccinated,” Izard said about the campaign’s goal. The doctor said preventative practices for COVID-19 are just as effective in combating the flu: wearing masks, six feet of separation from others, washing hands and—if possible—staying home if you have flu symptoms.
Izard said so far, cases of the flu are lower than usual at this time. “What people are doing to not get COVID is working for them in not getting the flu.”
Another silver lining, said Izard, is the low number of children getting colds at the start of the 2020/2021 school year.
Izard said the biggest challenge of the campaign is persuading minorities, especially Black people, to get a flu shot, despite the historical racism in health care and medicine, such as the exclusion of Black Americans from drug trails and the Tuskegee syphilis experiments where Black men of that Alabama city were unwittingly given the sexually transmitted disease to see how they would react to it.
He also noted concerns among many Black Americans that they would be denied equal access to the vaccines. There is also concern among many Americans—regardless of color—that the new vaccines were rushed out to the public, and that corners were cut in its development and testing, thus unsafe.
It’s for those reasons many people say they will not get the vaccine.
But Izard expressed confidence in the COVID vaccines’s safety and believes they would be distributed equally to all communities. His charge now is making sure communities of color get the one vaccine that matters as much as the one for the virus that’s made millions ill and killed hundreds of thousands of Americans: the flu shot.
For more information and answers to common questions about the flu and the flu vaccine, go to www.dhs.wisconsin.gov. The webpage also includes a link to the “VaccineFinder,” so people can find where the vaccine is available near them. The DHS has also created a “Be an InFLUencer” fact sheet with data and other details about preventing the flu.
The “Be an InFLUencer” campaign is funded through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Keep your brain sharp, with Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s new AARP book
Book Description
Keep your brain healthy and sharp with this science-driven guide for protecting your mind from decline by neurosurgeon and CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta.
Throughout our life, we look for ways to keep our mind sharp and effortlessly productive. Now, globe-trotting neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta offers insights from top scientists all over the world, whose cutting-edge research can help you heighten and protect brain function and maintain cognitive health at any age.
Keep Sharp debunks common myths about aging and cognitive decline, explores whether there’s a “best” diet or exercise regimen for the brain, and explains whether it’s healthier to play video games that test memory and processing speed or to engage in more social interaction.
Discover what we can learn from “super-brained” people who are in their 80s and 90s with no signs of slowing down — and whether there are truly any benefits to drugs, supplements and vitamins. Gupta also addresses brain disease, particularly Alzheimer’s; answers all your questions about the signs and symptoms; shows how to ward against it; and discusses ways to stay healthy while caring for a partner in cognitive decline. He culminates with a personalized 12-week program featuring practical strategies to strengthen your brain every day.
Keep Sharp, an AARP book, is the only owner’s manual you’ll need to keep your brain healthy, regardless of your age!