A year into the Pandemic, there is lots of information about COVID-19 out there – more and more based on sound science -- but not all of it. We absolutely want & need the cutting-edge info to help guide recommendations for all things COVID, but we also need it to be based on validatable science so we can rely on it. This article explores some of the ways to find reliable scientific opinion if not completely validated science. It also...
This list of Resources with links is provides In an attempt to make this updated info available more quickly, this document provides a list, divided into topics, each with links and a synopsis of what each site represents. There are way too many available articles/sites to include them all, so these pages represent some of what I perceive are the best on the subject, at least at the moment selected. Most of the sites also provide links to other sites...
The US DHS has released a Terrorism Advisory Bulletin to alert all people of a need to be aware of their surrounding and report any suspicious information or activity. It is included here, for Public Safety / First Responder Agencies, who may not be part of a direct intel sharing system. It also includes a few ways that the Bulletin can be used by these agencies as well as information on how to report the info/activity. View/Download the Article with Links
This article is for awareness only. A new Ebola outbreak in the Eastern Province of North Kivu, DRC, has been announced by the DRC and WHO. Only two cases have been reported although there are more than 100 contacts, many of them high risk, which are being surveilled. The two cases were women who had close contact and have both died. The first case is married to an Ebola survivor from a previous outbreak in the Region, which just ended...
The available information about COVID-19 is updating/changing on a daily, if not hourly, basis. In an attempt to make this updated info available more quickly, this document provides a list, divided into topics, each with links and a synopsis of what each site represents. There are way too many available articles/sites to include them all, so these pages represent some of what I perceive are the best on the subject, at least at the moment selected. Most of the sites also...
The two mRNA vaccines have been out for more than a month and 4,263,056 individuals have already completed their vaccination series, while millions more await their second shot in the series, and even more are waiting to begin their vaccinations. This update covers what is known about the current vaccines and what is not, that even after vaccination, it is essential that everyone continue their current protective behaviors, particularly with the finding of COVID-19 Variants in both Canada and the...
A year into the COVID Pandemic, and the SARS-CoV-2 virus has mutated millions of times as it transmitted between people. It is what viruses do to survive & thrive. Several of those mutations have resulted in COVID Virus Variants. These variants have been identified by genetic sequencing in the few countries that have been doing aggressive testing for just these changes. Three global variants have been officially identified and, at least temporarily, named. This article outlines why this happens, what...
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations to protect against COVID-19 have begun in the United States. This article supplies some FAQs with subsequent discussion intended to help each individual come to their own personal choice on COVID-19 Vaccination based on sound information. This same info can provide an opening for an agency to plan their approach to determining how COVID-19 Vaccinations fit into their Agency and Operational Plan. There is also a list of Resources & Links with supporting materials divided into easy to identify...
The CDC published Guidelines intended to help individuals & families make the best and safest choices for themselves while celebrating the upcoming holidays. Most of the guidance is applicable to other situations and timeframes too. First Responders have two families, a traditional one and a work one, with many share living quarters during their shift. As essential/front line workers, First Responders are often at increased risk and have an ongoing chance of sharing that risk with those they come in contact...
With COVID levels at record highs it’s time to double down on protecting yourself, those you are responsible for and/or care about, from getting it. This paper answers vital questions with solid science. Scientists & engineers in this field have collected the evidence together to answer the questions many are asking – silently or out loud – and provide the proof for all to read. It is written for the general public & as a living document. One that's updated...
The new 2020 AHA (American Heart Association) and ILCOR (International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation) Guidelines have been released and are posted, for your convenience, within the following links. Links & Resources
The HHS/CDC has reposted their Interim Vaccination Plan for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to prevent COVID-19. This is a rapid rollout plan that is identified as interim because not all the specifics of a vaccine(s) is known. There is a push to be ready to distribute the vaccine as soon as even emergency approval is given, with dates for beginning the vaccinations suggested for as soon as late October or early November. The documents included in this post should assist in...
As the 2020/21 Flu Season approaches, COVID-19 is still circulating in most states throughout the U.S. with many states again on the rise. Since the Southern Hemisphere had their Flu Season 2020, ahead and opposite that of the Northern Hemisphere, there may be some indication of what the upcoming Flu Season will be like, at least in some countries. Read about the Flu Season that the Southern Hemisphere did not have and their mitigation techniques, and then read on to...
Since the onset of the disease that would be named COVID-19, there have been questions about how it's transmitted & how to decrease person-to-person transmission. More and more evidence has accumulated that suggests that airborne transmission does occur and these airborne droplets are much smaller and may quickly dry in the air to be a virus particle(s). Why is it important? Read the full update about Airborne Transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. View/Download the full update More Links &...
It is important to realize that this time, between August and November is the peak time for AFM. Furthermore, EMS Personnel and other First Responders should be aware of the signs and symptoms and other presentations of the syndrome, as well as how to further assess, monitor, stabilize/treat, and transport an individual (typically a child) with possible AFM. The inability to recognize and manage AFM appropriately, including transport to an appropriate hospital, may result in a worsening condition and potentially...
Most Public Safety & First Responders, especially EMS and Fire that work around COVID often, are keen to decrease its transmission to themselves or others. And, recent studies and articles have suggested more ways to mitigate the risk of exposure, both on and off duty. View/Download the full update with links
There are a lot of recently published scientific & observational studies, editorials, viewpoints, and more about both medical and lay person PPE. This includes predominantly masks & respirators, but also other mitigation strategies that have been moved beyond ‘might this help?’ to ‘likely some benefit’. In some cases, recommendations from international and national organizations & agencies, as well as industry organizations, have been made. Below, are some links to some of those documents. All of them provide good information, but...
The Ebola outbreak in the DRC Equateur Province in Mbandaka continues to produce new cases with a total of 74 known cases and 32 deaths. There was only one new case reported on August 3 and no new deaths, but one new case and one new death reported on August 5 by the WHO African Regional Office.
There is an ongoing and escalating issue with hand sanitizers manufactured in some factories in Mexico, and sold in stores throughout the U.S, that pose a danger to those who use them. This is due to either methanol being added or substituted for ethyl or isopropyl alcohols, or subpotent percentages of appropriate alcohols in them.
There are very few positives that have come from this COVID-19 Pandemic, but there is one that has made it easier for scientists, health care providers, and anyone who wants to know what is happening, from a scientific or medical perspective, to have access to the latest information on a wide range of topics related to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. The downside is that those readers who are not used to reading scientific or medical literature, may not realize that the info...
