The song, Seasons of Love, from the Broadway musical Rent poses the question:
525,600 minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. . . .
525,600 is the number of minutes in a common year. And this week marks the one year anniversary of the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) – a common year if measured in minutes and yet unprecedented in so many dimensions.
The U.S. continues to make progress in the fight against COVID-19 through increased vaccinations and continuance of public health measures. On Thursday, President Biden directed all states to make all American adults eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines no later than May 1st. President Biden said the federal government will double the number of pharmacies participating in the federal pharmacy program, making the vaccine available at more than 20,000 retail pharmacies as well as distributing the vaccine directly to 700 additional community health centers. The number of federally run mass vaccination centers will also be doubled.
On Friday Governor Whitmer announced updates to the vaccine eligibility requirements. Beginning March 22nd, people aged 16 and up who have disabilities and/or medical conditions, and their caregiver family members/guardians, will be eligible for the vaccine. Every resident 16 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 5.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer also announced that an eight-week mass vaccination site with the capacity to administer 6,000 doses each day will open on March 24 at Ford Field. Vaccinations will be provided 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., seven days a week, for eight weeks under the federal government’s vaccination program. The site is supported by Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Wayne County, the City of Detroit, Ford Field, Meijer, Henry Ford Health System, and the Lions. Information on booking appointments is expected by March 15th.
Click here for information on vaccines in your area.
Here are a few more Michigan vaccine scheduling and/or registration links:
Meijer Registration
Walgreens (Eligibility Screening Required)
Ford Field Vaccination Clinic: Registration opens March 15th
This Weekend Reading Series begins with Are You One? Take the 1 minute the online quiz to see if you are at risk for chronic kidney disease and learn more about this serious condition that affects more than 37 million people.
Check out Looking Back for perspectives on the past year of the pandemic. Do not miss Looking Forward for articles on the provisions of the American Rescue Plan, impact on health insurance and more! Last but not least, check out Pi or Pies, including ways to celebrate International Pi Day on March 14th.
I hope you enjoy the following:
1. Are You One?
One Minute Quiz: are you at risk for chronic kidney disease?
Becker’s Hospital Review: Nearly 50% of women get inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for UTI, study finds
Mayo Clinic: Risk for chronic kidney disease even more critical due to COVID-19 pandemic
2. Looking Back
Axios: Pandemic preparations: Some saw it coming
The Atlantic: There Is No One Pandemic Anniversary
STAT: ‘Then the world caved in’: 11 experts describe the day they realized Covid-19 was here to stay
3. Looking Ahead
Bridge Michigan: Biden’s American Rescue Act makes Obamacare more affordable for Michiganders
Michigan COVID-19 Vaccination Interim Prioritization Guidance – March 12, 2021
Kaiser Family Foundation: Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator (for individuals)
JD Supra: Congress passes, and the President signs, a sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package
Inverse: How to make sense of the new CDC rules for vaccinated people
4. Pi or Pies?
San Francisco Chronicle: What you need to know about math- centric Pi Day, a Bay Area creation
CNET: Pi Day through time: From Linux to Einstein to Steph Curry
American Pie Council: History of Pies
Pi Activities https://www.exploratorium.edu/pi/activities
Have a wonderful weekend!
Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.
AEPC President
P.O. Box 1416
Birmingham, MI 48012
Office: (248) 792-2187
Email: [email protected]
