| Web: | mayocliniclabs.com |
|---|---|
| Email: | mcl@mayo.edu |
| Telephone: | 800-533-1710 |
| International: | +1 855-379-3115 |
| Values are valid only on day of printing | |
| Web: | mayocliniclabs.com |
|---|---|
| Email: | mcl@mayo.edu |
| Telephone: | 800-533-1710 |
| International: | +1 855-379-3115 |
| Values are valid only on day of printing | |
On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Adam Perlman, director of Integrative Health and Wellness at Mayo Clinic in Florida, offers helpful strategies for managing daily stresses during COVID-19. One plan of action? Delegate, delete, and do.
"We knew there were major changes in ED (emergency department) visit volume, but we didn't know how different communities were affected. It was especially important to know how much ED visits declined in areas that had a lot of COVID-19 cases, compared to those with fewer cases. Health care providers and our communities need real evidence for decision-making," says Molly Jeffery, Ph.D., scientific director of Emergency Medicine Research at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Jeffery is the study's lead author.
Acute symptoms of COVID-19, such as cough, fever and shortness of breath, are now widely known. What is not known, however, is what symptoms and complications may linger long after an initial COVID-19 infection. Early research shows the disease attacks more than just the respiratory system, affecting multiple organs with blood clots and inflammation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused much stress and uncertainty for students, parents, teachers and staff. "For students and the adults who care for them, the desire is so strong to have our lives return to normal, which also involves schooling," says Craig Sawchuk, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic psychologist. "School is one of the most important places that we learn and grow intellectually, socially and emotionally."
Despite the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there's still plenty of fun to be had. In fact, seeking out fun activities may be even more important now. Doing something you enjoy can distract you from problems and help you cope with life's challenges.
Whether in person, online or a hybrid model of education, families and school districts are planning for how to safely teach students during the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter which plan is chosen by communities, this school year will be challenging. On Mayo Clinic Q&A radio, Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic, discusses how students, teachers and staff can use public health measures already in place to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus and reduce community spread of COVID-19. Also on the podcast, Dr. Amir Khan, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist, explains what causes eye floaters. And Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist, explains changes in colorectal cancer screening guidelines to prevent the disease in younger adults.
As the race to develop a safe and effective vaccine to protect against COVID-19 continues, phase 3 trials of investigational vaccines are underway. In this Q&A, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, explains the meaning of phase 3, who’s being tested and the hopeful outcomes.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration paved the way for commercial developers to create at-home COVID-19 tests. While no test is yet approved for home use, a fast and cheap test could encourage people to test themselves routinely before going to work or school. Real-time results would enable infected people to self-quarantine right away, keeping asymptomatic people from infecting others. "It fits with the modeling that’s been done where if you can test frequently enough that you could actually start to dampen down, if people would quarantine, you could dampen down cases. And that, as you know, would be huge," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group.
Returning to school has taken on new meaning and a new set of worries for parents and caregivers during the age of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As schools reopen, they must balance the educational, social and emotional needs of their students along with the health and safety of students and staff in the midst of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
While there's no evidence that people of color have genetic or other biological factors that make them more likely to be affected by COVID-19, they are more likely to have underlying health conditions. Having certain conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, increases your risk of severe illness with COVID-19. But experts also know that where people live and work affects their health. Over time, these factors lead to different health risks among racial and ethnic minority groups.
