COVID-19 weekly news: May 11 – 17

Cold vs. allergies during COVID-19 pandemic

In this Q&A, Dr. Arveen Bhasin, a Mayo Clinic allergist and immunologist, provides some clarity by comparing and contrasting the signs and symptoms of these conditions...

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Talking to your children about vaccines

Educate yourself so you know the facts and can help put your kids at ease. Start by talking about the amazing work your child's body does to stay healthy. Explain that your child's body is strong and does a great job of keeping him or her safe from germs.

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Fatigue, perceived cognitive impairment and mood disorders associated with post-COVID-19 syndrome

ROCHESTER, Minn. ­­­— Patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 syndrome, also known as "PCS," "COVID-19 long-haul syndrome" and "Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS COV-2," experience symptoms such as mood disorders, fatigue and perceived cognitive impairment that can negatively affect returning to work and resuming normal activities, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

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Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines

"This is the first week we have not had an increase in COVID-19 cases in any U.S. state, and in 33 of those states, there was a decrease last week," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "This has not happened on any consistent basis for every U.S. state since the start of this pandemic."

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Mayo Clinic Q and A: What is extracorporeal membrane oxygenation?

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My uncle was diagnosed with COVID-19, and his doctors mentioned the possibility of putting him on ECMO. What does this mean?

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Dancing through complex care during COVID-19

Twin Cities journalist Sonya Goins, like so many, has been coping with the challenges that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic, such as working remotely and not being able to see family and friends. If all of that weren't difficult enough, for the past year, she's also been battling breast cancer and Crohn's disease at Mayo Clinic.

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Why you shouldn’t forgo your second COVID-19 vaccine dose

More than 35% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated for COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And for anyone who receives the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, two doses are required to complete the series and be fully vaccinated.

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New CDC guidance for fully vaccinated adults. What does it mean?

"It's important for patients to know that this new guidance doesn't apply to health care settings," says Dr. Jack O'Horo, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert. "We ask our patients and visitors to continue to wear masks and socially distance to protect our patients. Also, state and local government may continue to require masking, particularly in places with increasing cases and relatively low COVID-19 vaccination rates. For now, the best thing you can do is be aware of your local conditions, continue to wear masks in facilities that require them, and if you haven't already done so, look into your options for the vaccine."

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Samantha Rossi

Samantha Rossi is a Digital Marketing Manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. She supports marketing strategies for product management and specialty testing. Samantha has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2019.