Today the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) – an expert advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended lifting the pause on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The current pause resulted from the reporting of a small number of unusual clotting events in women who had received the vaccine. The Committee’s recommendation has to be approved by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration before becoming official government policy.
As a reminder, anyone age 16 and older is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Michigan. Appointments are significantly easier to find than in prior weeks. Check local pharmacy vaccination web sites, such as Meijer, Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, Walmart (Mid/Central and Northern MI) or Snyder Drugs (U.P. residents). Residents without internet access can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also, ClickOnDetroit has a live blog with updates on vaccine appointment availability.
So don’t be lax, get the vax!
One more reminder – Saturday, April 24, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This is a great opportunity to safely dispose of unused prescription drugs at no cost. Tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of drugs are accepted. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. Click here for Drop-off locations.
This Weekend Reading Series begins with the COVID-Corner, with articles on unions and employers vaccination efforts, the alarming rise of COVID-1 cases in children and more. Next, check out Gun Violence – A Public Health Crisis for articles on the need to consider it within the public health framework, statistics as well as handguns and suicide. Do not miss Health Disparities – Another Public Health Crisis with articles on the impact of race on heath and health outcomes. Last, but not least, check out Taxing Questions such as how many bubbles are in a glass of beer!
I hope you enjoy the following:
1. COVID-19 Corner
Associated Press: A jab on the job: Companies, unions offer COVID-19 vaccines
History of Vaccines – The College of Physicians of Philadelphia: COVID-19 Deaths Were Not Just Reclassified Deaths From Other Diseases and Conditions
WebMD: Children’s Share of COVID Burden Never Higher
STAT: We know a lot about Covid-19. Experts have many more questions
2. Gun Violence – A Public Health Crisis
American Public Health Association: Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis
TIME: We Must Treat Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis. These 4 Steps Will Help Us Reduce Deaths
HealthDay: Handgun Ownership Raises Odds for Gun Suicide
Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence (EFSGV)/ Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV): A Public Health Crisis Decades in the Making – A Review of 2019 CDC Gun Mortality Data
3. Health Disparities – Another Public Health Crisis
NPR: Studies Confirm Racial, Ethnic Disparities In COVID-19 Hospitalizations And Visits
University of Michigan Health: Southeast Michigan’s Middle Eastern and North African Population Face Significant Barriers to Achieving Optimal Health
Patient Engagement HIT: Racial Health Disparities Affect Ovarian Cancer Palliative Care Rates
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Black Patients are More Likely Than White Patients to be in Hospitals with Worse Patient Safety Conditions
4. Taxing Questions
American Chemical Society: Cracking open the mystery of how many bubbles are in a glass of beer
HISTORY: Who Invented Chicken Nuggets?
Live Science: ‘Brazil nut puzzle’ cracked by researchers
USA Today: What’s the difference between black, white, pink and green peppercorns?
Enjoy your weekend!
Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.
AEPC President
P.O. Box 1416
Birmingham, MI 48012
Office: (248) 792-2187
Email: [email protected]
