Researchers are worried about COVID-19 transmission from asymptomatic smokers and vapers to others in their household via secondhand and thirdhand smoke and aerosol. Let’s explore what this means.
Why Are Researchers Concerned about COVID-19 and Smoking?
Smokers are already at risk of more severe cases of coronavirus. But even in the homes of asymptomatic but infected smokers and vapers, coronaviruses can attach to secondhand smoke and secondhand aerosol particles and droplets. These viral secondhand exhalations, coughs, and sneezes can travel up to 27 feet, land on surfaces, survive for hours, and may increase transmission of COVID-19 to older and younger non-smokers in the home, according to researchers in Environmental Science and Technology. The risk remains even up to ...
Three recent European studies are making bold claims and generating sensational media headlines—like "Smokers seem less likely than non-smokers to fall ill with covid-19." But does the science support these studies? No, according to many health experts. “The results of a small study with significant flaws are being blown out of proportion and people’s lives are potentially being put at risk as a result,” said Dr. Anna B. Gilmore, professor of public health at the University of Bath. WHO even issued a statement on May 11, 2020. They urge researchers, scientists and the media to be cautious about "amplifying unproven claims that tobacco or nicotine could reduce the risk of COVID-19." "There is currently insufficient information to confirm any link between tobacco or ...
How we process information can impact significant aspects of our lives: The choices we make, issues we or do not support, or even if we care to tackle a problem. When it comes to health, how information is spread can save lives — or it can lead to further sickness and harm. As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps throughout the U.S., medical experts say that mixed messaging coming from civic leaders in Washington has led to worse outcomes for everyday individuals and a successful stop to the spread. Today, Dr. Jason Rosenfeld, the Assistant Director of Global Health at UT Health San Antonio, joins Salud Talks to discuss his career in health communications, and how that experience is informing his work to disseminate knowledge about the outbreak. Check out this discussion on the ...
Medical and public health experts agree that being active outside is crucial to maintaining physical and mental health. However, overcrowding in parks, sidewalks, and on trails can become a serious issue during COVID-19. Pedestrian safety is also a serious issue because although vehicle travel is down, crashes and fatalities are up. Cities across the world are responding by temporarily reallocating street space for people walking, biking, rolling, and skating to practice physical distancing from others. Everyone deserves safe places to be physically active and safe routes to get to essential destinations. Let’s use #SaludTues on May 26, 2020, to tweet about the importance of equitably sharing streets during a crisis problem. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to ...
Without childcare, going back to work after the coronavirus lockdown is not an option for many families. But many city and state leaders are overlooking this childcare dilemma as they push to reopen businesses, even while schools remain closed amid the pandemic. That’s why Melinda Lopez is speaking up. Rhode Island, where Lopez lives, began reopening businesses on May 9. But childcare sites have to remain closed through May 30. Beyond this three-week-lag, when childcare centers do reopen, they will take fewer kids. Many moms will still be left without a spot for their child. “I’m concerned about what our women in our communities are going to do,” said Lopez, an Education Strategies Specialist with Highlander Institute, Early Childhood Adjunct Instructor at Rhode ...
Eric Cooper knows what it's like to depend on public assistance programs. He grew up in a low-income family, relying on free school meals and food assistance to get enough food to eat. Today, as CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, Cooper helps families like his. And with rising amounts of food insecurity amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, he led the Food Bank to orchestrate a whole new way of operating. An army of volunteers has stepped up to meet the needs of so many, by working in back-to-back shifts and implementing new strategies, such as drive-through pickup lines or COVID-19 preparation kits. Their efforts have garnered national acclaim and have turned a crisis into a rallying point for those who need it most. "I think all of us, as human beings find ourselves in ...
Last week, we discussed how high levels of stress can influence the development of cancer. This week, we explore another risk factor in cancer development — genetics. A person’s family or place of origin, even dating back years and years, can influence that individual’s risk for certain types of cancers. Dr. Laura Fejerman, an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, joins Salud Talks to discuss her research into the discovery of genetic and non-genetic factors that contribute to breast cancer risk and prognosis in Latinas. Check out this discussion on the Salud Talks Podcast, Episode 30, "Hereditary Sickness"! WHAT: A #SaludTalks discussion about genetics and their impact on cancer
GUEST: Dr. Laura Fejerman, an ...
Without paid sick leave, too many Latinos are forced to choose between financial security and health. After all, just a few days of lost pay due to illness is the same as losing an entire month’s worth of groceries for some families, which fare worse during a pandemic like COVID-19. “For a typical Latino family without paid sick days, losing an average of 3.3 days due to sickness is equivalent to a family’s entire monthly health care budget or its monthly grocery budget,” according to a joint fact sheet from UnidosUS and National Partnership for Women & Families. This situation won’t just fix itself after the pandemic, either. “Lives are at stake when policies are not put in place from the top down to prevent the spread of disease or create healthy living ...
Half of workers with the lowest wages and more than half of Latinos are unable to earn a single paid sick day through their jobs. Without paid sick leave, these workers are forced to choose between the financial consequences of staying home without pay and the health risks of both ignoring health problems and exposing others to contagious disease. Afterall, just a few days of lost pay due to illness is the same as losing an entire month’s grocery budget for some families. Workers everywhere should be able to earn paid sick leave, particularly as our country focuses on economic recovery after COVID-19. Join #SaludTues on May 19, 2020, at 1:00 PM EST to tweet about why it is so important to for all workers to be able to earn paid sick leave. WHAT: #SaludTuesTweetchat: ...
