The pandemic revealed long-standing gaps in infection control knowledge and understanding among the frontline healthcare workforce. This is why CDC launched Project Firstline, a training and education collaborative designed to ensure all healthcare workers, no matter their role or educational background, have the infection control knowledge and understanding they need and deserve to protect themselves, their patients, and their coworkers. Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, in partnership with the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) and CDC Project Firstline, brings you a three-part episode podcast series, “Behind the Mask,” to explore infection control through three specific and diverse healthcare lenses: patient navigators/health screeners/community health ...
It’s that time of year again! Join us as we recognize the historic achievements of Latinos in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, 2022. We’re kicking off this year’s celebration by highlighting the sacrifices of Latina “Rosies” who helped the US war effort during World War II.
What Are Rosies?
You may have seen the famous image of Rosie the Riveter – a determined, hard-working woman flexing her arm alongside the message, “We Can Do It!” Rosie, now an iconic image for female empowerment, was the star of a campaign to recruit women into traditionally male-held jobs during World War II. As males enlisted to serve in the war, women entered the workforce in never-before-seen numbers to offset the labor shortage, particularly in ...
The main way that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads between people is by respiratory droplets. These are the tiny droplets of water that come out when you talk, cough, and breathe out and that other people can breathe in. The most common way we get infected with COVID-19 is when we breathe in the virus. Although less common, we can also get infected when we touch a surface that has virus on it. “When you touch something that has live virus on it and then you touch your face without cleaning your hands first, you can get virus into your eyes, your nose, and your mouth,” said Dr. Abigail Carlson, an infectious diseases physician with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), as part of CDC Project Firstline’s Inside Infection Control video ...
Hurricanes are one of mother nature’s most dangerous forces, causing flooding, heavy rainfall, high winds, and even tornados. Some hurricanes, including Hurricane Harvey (2017), Hurricane Katrina (2005), and Hurricane Sandy (2012) are infamous for destroying communities and entire cities, leaving many survivors without homes or possessions. Because hurricanes can be so destructive, it’s important to prepare in case one hits your area. Latinos, here’s everything you need to know about hurricane safety.
When is Hurricane Season?
Hurricane season varies depending on where you live in the United States. The hurricane season for the Eastern Pacific region, including California (40.2% Latino), lasts from May 15 – November 30. The Atlantic hurricane season, including ...
U.S. Latinos continue to deal with a heavy burden of COVID-19. Even if they don’t feel sick, a Latino or any person who is infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread the virus to others. But how does that spread happen?
How Viruses Spread
Even when you have a mild infection, there is virus in your nose, throat, and lungs. Virus particles can spread through respiratory droplets that come out when you talk, breathe, cough, or blow air out of your nose or mouth. When you release respiratory droplets, they can land on someone’s eyes, nose, or mouth, or someone can breathe them into their respiratory tract. If this happens, the virus in the droplets can infect them. Respiratory droplets can also fall on surfaces. If someone touches that surface ...
SARS-CoV-2 is the official scientific name of the virus that causes the disease COVID-19. When we get infected with SARS-CoV-2, we can get sick with COVID-19, which stands for Coronavirus Disease 2019. When you are sick with COVID-19, you may have fever, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms.
How We Use the Terms SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19
COVID-19 is the term we most often use to talk about the pandemic. We use SARS-CoV-2 when we talk about the virus and what it does in the body to make people sick. “In healthcare, you may see SARS-CoV-2 on test results, which are often recorded by the official name of the virus,” said Dr. Abigail Carlson, an infectious diseases physician with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), as part of CDC ...
Update: On Sept. 29, 2022 the US Department of Education updated its loan forgiveness plan. Privately held federal student loans must have been consolidated before September 29, 2022 to be eligible for debt relief. CNN reports that around 770,000 borrowers will be impacted by this update, which comes the same day six states sued President Biden over the forgiveness plan. President Biden made history in August 2022 when he announced his student loan forgiveness plan. Certain details of the plan are still being ironed out, such as how much the plan will cost the federal government and taxpayers. Nevertheless, college students and graduates across the nation are breathing a sigh of relief, as many of them will qualify for loan forgiveness.
What Does the Student Loan Forgiveness ...
Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and causes about 17,100 deaths annually in the US. About 75% of bladder cancer cases are non-muscle invasive. This means that the cancer affects the tissue lining of the inner surface of the bladder, but not the bladder muscle. While this type of bladder cancer is treatable, one of the most effective treatments for this disease – a tuberculosis vaccine – causes intolerable side effects for up to 84% of patients, which can prevent treatment completion. When treatments fail, the bladder may have to be removed, reducing the patient’s quality of life. However, a modified tuberculosis vaccine developed by Jordi B. Torrelles, PhD, a professor at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, could help treat non-muscle ...
Source control keeps germs from spreading by stopping them at their source before they can spread to other people. Source control is an important tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections in the healthcare setting. For COVID-19, source control focuses on covering your nose and mouth with a mask to keep your respiratory droplets out of the air. Masking applies to Latinos and any person with or without symptoms, because anyone infected with SARS-CoV-2 can be asymptomatic. This means they are not showing symptoms and may not be aware that they have the virus. In this case, even if they are asymptomatic, they can still spread the virus to others through respiratory droplets they make when talking, breathing, singing, sneezing, or coughing. “Masks ...
