Health Links
April 2, 2021, CDC Issues Updated Guidance on Travel for Fully Vaccinated People: “With millions of Americans getting vaccinated every day, it is important to update the public on the latest science about what fully vaccinated people can do safely..."
CDC is providing the following guidance related to international travel: Fully vaccinated people can travel internationally without getting a COVID-19 test before travel unless it is required by the international destination. Fully vaccinated people do not need to self-quarantine after returning to the United States, unless required by a state or local jurisdiction. Fully vaccinated people must still have a negative COVID-19 test result before they board a flight to the United States and get a COVID-19 test 3 to 5 days after returning from international travel. Fully vaccinated people should continue to take COVID-19 precautions while traveling internationally. The guidance issued today does not change the agency’s existing guidance for people who are not fully vaccinated. [A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last recommended dose of vaccine.] more »
Ouch! Needle-Phobic People Scarred by So Many Images of Covid Shots; Facing the Fear (it's technically called trypanophobia)
Each night it’s the same. Story after story on the TV news is about the Covid vaccination effort, and they are all illustrated with footage of needles sinking into exposed upper arms. Put it in perspective. Be positive about the reasons you are getting the vaccine and remember that the pain will be short-lived, like a stubbed toe, said Thea Gallagher, director of the clinic at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania. For those getting the two-dose regimens, “be objective about how the first one went,” she said, “and that you got through it.” Bring a support person. Some vaccination sites will allow this. Ask. Practice deep breathing or other techniques to help stay calm at the site. Eat something and drink water beforehand; it reduces the chance of fainting. more »
From the CDC: When You've Been Fully Vaccinated You Can ........For the 30,000,000 Who Have Been Vaccinated
March 8, 2021 This message includes updates on the COVID-19 response from CDC. If you are participating in activities outside your home, like an outdoor yoga class or just picking up a few items at the grocery store, be sure to do so safely. Have an extra mask, tissues, and hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol on hand. When considering activities, think about how many people you’ll interact with, if you’ll be able to stay at least 6 feet away from others, if others will be wearing masks, and how long the activity lasts. Outdoors is safer than indoors. Wear a mask; Stay at least 6 feet from others; avoid crowds and poorly ventilated places.
When You’ve Been Full… more »
IGS* Poll: The Troubling Political Dimension of the Coronavirus in California
Only 58% of Republican voters surveyed say they are very or somewhat likely to seek the vaccine, compared to 88% among Democrats and 72% among those with no party affiliation. More than one-third of Republicans — 37% in all — say they are somewhat or very unlikely to seek the vaccine, compared to 8% of Democrats and 22% of those with no party. The poll described the Californians’ attitudes on the pandemic as “highly politicized,” and found that Republicans are more likely to see vaccinations as a matter of personal choice, rather than as a shared responsibility to protect the health of all Californians. “COVID has brought to the forefront a tension between values about the individual and the community,” said IGS co-Director Cristina Mora. But underlying that longstanding partisan disagreement, she said, are racial tensions and even a disagreement about whether the threat of the pandemic is real. more »