Latino and Black parents were less likely than White parents to say they felt their child was “very safe” from COVID-19 when they were at school, according to a recent study. How can you protect your children? Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your children against the worst outcomes of the virus – and COVID-19 vaccines are available and free for children! Let’s explore how “You’re Covered” against COVID-19!
COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for Children
As of Sept. 12, 2023, CDC recommends that everyone ages 5 and older get one dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. CDC recommends the 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax, to protect against ...
This holiday season, as many of us prepare to celebrate with friends and familia, it is important to do all we can to stay healthy and protect against COVID-19. To prevent severe illness, vaccines are still our best tool. The good news is: You’re covered! Updated COVID-19 vaccines are now available and remain free of cost to you! See how you can “Come Home Covered” against COVID-19 during the holidays!
Should We Worry about COVID-19?
COVID-19 has not gone away. U.S. Latinos continue to suffer a large share of cases. Also, CDC data shows that the percentages of positive tests, hospitalizations, and deaths have increased from October 2023 to December 2023. With holiday celebrations upon us, it’s crucial that people and their loved ones are up to date with their ...
U.S. Latinos continue to suffer a large share of COVID-19 cases. This not only interrupts important parts of our daily lives, but also put people at risk of serious illness and death. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your familia against the worst outcomes of COVID-19. But who should get the vaccine? Are they free? Where? Let’s explore how “You’re Covered” against COVID-19!
Are COVID-19 Vaccines Free?
Yes. COVID-19 vaccines continue to be available to everyone in the United States free of cost, according to the COVID-19 Vaccine Education ... Project. Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is partner in the project’s “You’re Covered” campaign. “You may have heard about upcoming ...
Access to practical and valuable infection control training is crucial for all healthcare workers. That’s why CDC’s Project Firstline developed Infection Control Micro-Learns – a series of guided infection control discussions that can be easily incorporated into team meetings or huddles facilitated by an experienced team member with infection control expertise. These short and easy-to-understand learning opportunities can help healthcare workers recognize and minimize infection control risks to protect themselves, coworkers, and patients from infectious diseases. Let’s explore the Infection Control Micro-Learn on Draining Wounds.
What Should You Do When You See a Patient with a Draining Wound?
A draining wound is a break in the skin or other tissue that has liquid ...
Individual health is influenced by a variety of non-medical factors, like where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age. These conditions are known as Non-Medical Drivers of Health (NMDoH). To help improve health and wellbeing through NMDoH, the White House and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have released new resources, including the first-ever U.S. Playbook to Address Non-Medical Drivers of Health. “It is clear that the health of our people does not exist in a vacuum, but it is affected by our access to stable housing, healthy food, and clean air to breathe,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “It is crucial for HHS to tackle health care and public health holistically by addressing patients’ social ...
Did you know 12.1% of men are in fair or poor health? Similarly, the average life expectancy of men in the United States is almost 5 years less than women (76.2 compared to 81). November is National Men’s Health Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of men’s physical and mental health while encouraging support for men facing prostate, testicular, and other cancers. In November (and beyond), here are some ways you can support men’s health!
Latino Men’s Health
Latino men face many health differences when it comes to physical and mental health. For example, while national suicide rates decreased, the rates went up 6% for Latino men, according to a 2022 article from Texas Public Radio. Machismo and other forms of stigma can play a large part ...
You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with Day 1. On Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, you can join thousands of people who will begin their smoke-free journey with the Great American Smokeout. This annual event from the American Cancer Society encourages smokers to make a plan to stop smoking. Need help? Enroll in Quitxt, a free English or Spanish text-message service that turns your phone into a personal “quit smoking” coach from UT Health San Antonio. To join Quitxt, text “iquit” (for English) or “lodejo” (for Spanish) to 844-332-2058. “For the Great American Smokeout, we’re excited to share Quitxt to provide real-time help with motivation to quit, setting a quit date, handling stress, and much more, all on your phone,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, ...
Healthcare workers, looking for your next informative – and entertaining – infection control resource?! Look no further, the Washington State Department of Health’s Project Firstline Podcast covers a variety of infection control topics, from healthcare-associated infections to multi-drug-resistant organisms. The podcast is part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Project Firstline, which provides all healthcare workers the infection control training and resources they need to protect themselves, their patients, and their coworkers from infectious diseases. With 17 episodes to choose from, you’ll be sure to learn something new. Let’s dive in!
A Glimpse at the Episodes
Dating back to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening episodes ...
Spending on health is rising in America. Yet, ironically, health outcomes are getting worse. In fact, people here experience the worst health outcomes overall of any high-income nation. U.S. residents are more likely to die younger, and from avoidable causes, than residents of peer countries, according to a 2023 report from The Commonwealth Fund. Let’s compare health outcomes with peer countries to provide an important baseline for where we are in health outcomes and set a target for where we could be.
The U.S. and 5 Important Domains of Healthcare Systems
A 2021 study by The Commonwealth Fund compared five performance domains of health care systems across 11 high-income countries. Researchers found the U.S. ranks last on four of five domains: access to care (last)
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