Happy new year and welcome to the first Weekend Reading edition of 2022! The new year starts with an all too familiar challenge – COVID-19. The highly transmissible omicron Covid-19 variant is resulting in record numbers of cases and…

Most of us have been asked to sing or listen to a child singing an alphabet song or two – multiple times! Perhaps it was the “traditional” ABC song that uses the same tune as Twinkle Twinkle…

We all have them – favorite routes traveled by car or by foot, by bike or other modes of transportation. Scattered landmarks along the routes  mark progress to the destination. Perhaps it’s a coffee shop, a park or the giant…

Thanksgiving celebrations this year will one again be impacted by COVID-19 – although not to the extent as last year. The COVID-19 vaccines in the arms of millions of Americans will allow a Thanksgiving with fewer…

November 2021 is National Diabetes Awareness month, a time to raise awareness of this chronic condition that can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, amputations, vision loss, and other serious health problems. Diabetes is increasing at an alarming…

November kicked off with numerous key developments in the fight against COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11 after the unanimous recommendation by the agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.…

No better way to close out October than with Halloween celebrations! Unlike last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has given the green light to outdoor Halloween trick-or-treating. The CDC does recommend…

The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the essential role of intensive care units (ICUs) in treating critically ill patients, such as those with severe respiratory conditions. One of the early intensive care units was started during…

Healthcare Quality Week, sponsored by  the National Association for Healthcare Quality, starts October 17th. HQW recognizes the contributions professionals have made to improve quality of care and raise awareness of quality issues. The focus on healthcare quality and patient safety…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month  – an annual campaign to raise awareness about the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. It is also a time to encourage women diagnosed with breast cancer and remember those who lost…

Welcome to another edition of Weekend Reading!  October is packed full of important national health awareness campaigns – many of which will be covered in upcoming Weekend Reading series. This month’s national health awareness campaigns include health literacy, breast…

Summer is officially over as the fall season began on September 22nd. In many parts of the country, temperatures will gradually decline, and leaves will fall from trees. Will COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths follow suit and decline? The COVID-19…

September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month; the month that shines a spotlight on a topic not often talked about. While many suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine restrictions would lead to an…

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. Most people can remember when they learned of the attacks on New York and the Pentagon and their reactions. So many stories of…

The Labor Day holiday gives many a three-day weekend and time to spend relaxing as summer unofficially ends. The idea of Labor Day emerged in the late 19th century when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize…

For decades, medical professionals, behavioral economists, psychologists and other thought leaders have looked for the “secret sauce” that will move people towards a healthier life. Are people motivated by a financial incentive to make lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking,…

Today is Groundhog Day, as in the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray. The movie is about Phil, a weatherman, who is once again sent by his company to Punxsutawney, PA to report on the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney on Groundhog…

Welcome to another edition of Weekend Reading! August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), an annual observance that highlights the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. It’s a good time to check that children are up to date…

Some days it feels that the changing CDC COVID-19 mask and other guidance is like an Olympic gymnast twisting above the uneven bars or tumbling during floor exercises. Or maybe the CDC is experiencing twisties. If you are not familiar…

The days of declining COVID-19 cases and deaths are unfortunately behind us. COVID-19 cases and deaths are once again increasing week over week as the Delta variant takes a foothold in the U.S. No, it’s not the failure of the…

The unprecedented heat wave that began around June 26 broke numerous all-time temperature records in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada. The heatwave resulted in nearly 200 deaths in Oregon and Washington state. High temperatures, possibly record breaking, are forecasted…