As wildfire season continues across the West, the CDC has helpful iinformation on how to prepare during the pandemic as wildfire smoke can irritate your lungs, cause inflammation, affect your immune system, and make you more prone to lung infections, including COVID-19. Know how wildfire smoke can affect you and your loved ones during the pandemic and what you can do to protect yourselves. Learn more about the symptoms of smoke exposure and COVID-19, and whether you are at risk from wildfire smoke during the pandemic. Stay informed by following the CDC's recommendations. 

During this pandemic, we remain committed to sharing news and information from local and national media about COVID-19 and immunization-related topics. Each week we’ll continue to review clips from across the U.S., from various news outlets and platforms, and bring you ten timely and relevant links.

“Coronavirus contextualized, 18th edition: Exploring, through data, COVID-19 in Nevada and beyond” The Nevada Independent  (July 24, 2020)

Welcome to the 18th installment of “Coronavirus Contextualized,” a recurring feature in which we explore some of the numbers swirling around in the time of coronavirus. Through these stories, we hope to parse the numbers, including confirmed cases of COVID-19, people tested, number of hospitalizations and deaths, and provide some context to them.

"Collective Responsibility: The Importance of Protecting Others through Vaccination” Shot of Prevention (August 14, 2020)

This month is National Immunization Awareness Month — a month dedicated to highlighting the importance of vaccines for all ages. In a year when millions have been suddenly impacted by a devastating virus, we’ve gained a renewed understanding of one of the core guiding principles of vaccination — that is, we have a collective responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.

Let’s Pull Together: Matthew McConaughey + Dr. Fauci Live on Facebook and Instagram  (August 13, 2020)

Dr. Fauci leads an informative COVID-19 question answer session with Matthew McConaughey. 

"UNLV expert: Where do I stand? Six feet away" Las Vegas Sun  (August 16, 2020)

If public health professionals do their jobs well, you never know that they exist. The success of public health is measured in the prevention of disease, and people generally don’t celebrate things that don’t happen. We have described essential retail workers as heroes and have publicly thanked health care workers for their selfless response to the pandemic, but the important contribution of public health professionals to our response has gone overlooked.

"What happens when COVID-19 and flu converge? We’ll soon find out."  Las Vegas Review-Journal  (August 10, 2020)
With no signs of the COVID-19 pandemic receding anytime soon, more trouble can be seen on the horizon with the approach of flu season. What will happen when hospitals, already stressed by high numbers of patients with the coronavirus, have to also contend with an influx of flu cases? At the height of flu season, hospital resources typically are strained, even without the confluence of the two diseases.

“Health officials ramp up effort to convince public that vaccine decisions will be based on science, not politics” The Washington Post (August 7, 2020)

Federal health officials, worried about shaky confidence in a possible coronavirus vaccine, launched a public campaign this week to try to reassure Americans that regulators won’t clear any vaccine that isn’t vetted for safety and effectiveness. But President Trump immediately demonstrated the difficulty of divorcing the issue from politics by asserting Thursday that a vaccine might be available ‘right around’ Nov. 3, or Election Day.

“Exclusive: Here's What The CDC Wants Black People To Know About The Coronavirus Vaccine” Essence (August 6, 2020)

Since coronavirus began wreaking havoc in the United States, every corner of society has been affected. Schools, government institutions, and businesses of all sizes were forced to close their doors in March as social distancing went into effect. Since then, there have been 4.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States and approximately 160,000 deaths. Health outcomes of the virus based on race quickly became apparent, with Black people disproportionately dying from COVID-19.

“Worried About The Safety And Effectiveness Of The Covid-19 Vaccine? The SAVE Act Aims To Make Transparency A Priority” Forbes (August 7, 2020)

As Russia debuts its new Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, and begins to inoculate some of its citizens without extensive testing regarding its safety or efficacy, concern regarding the pressure to get a vaccine safely to market here in the United States via Operation Warp Speed has many people concerned, and rightfully so.

“Why do asymptomatic COVID-19 cases happen? A vaccine could answer that mystery” Pharmacy Times (August 10, 2020)

Finding answers to those mysteries may come from a vaccine and reviewing asymptomatic patients, experts recently told CNN. Specifically, experts wonder why some people suffer from the virus so greatly while others show no signs at all. Part of it due to immune training, which is essentially preparing your immune system to deal with diseases and viruses.

“Does new school year mean measles or flu outbreaks? Doctors worry as kids miss scheduled vaccinations” USA Today (August 12, 2020)

A recent survey serves as a small snapshot of a national problem that some fear may be exacerbated in the fall as children return to school for in-person instruction. The national survey, released Wednesday and conducted by Orlando Health, found the vast majority of parents believe vaccines are the best way to protect their children from infectious diseases, but two-thirds are still nervous to take their kids to their pediatrician’s office due to COVID-19.

"Kids’ Vaccination Rates Have Plummeted – Here’s What That Means for the Fall"  Healthline  (August 12, 2020)

As kids in many states head back to school, doctors warn that potential outbreaks of whooping cough, measles, the flu, and other vaccine-preventable diseases may overwhelm hospitals and impact public health at large this fall.
 

---

Prepare, Don’t Panic. To inform Nevadans statewide, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Governor's Office have created this website to better share information and resources as it pertains to the current status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact within the state of Nevada. https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/

Want this to arrive in your email in the future? Click the orange icon above next to "SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG" and receive all our blog posts in your inbox.

*Links included do not imply endorsement.