June has started off with some positive COVID-19 metrics. U.S. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline thanks to the number of vaccine shots in arms. Vaccination rates continue to grow, but at a slower rate and varying greatly across regions of the country. Public health initiatives are amping up to drive-up vaccination rates.
Today CDC Director Rochelle Walensky urged parents and guardians to vaccinate their teenagers against the coronavirus. A new CDC report showed a rising rate of hospitalization in March and April for COVID-19 patients in the 12-to-17-year-old range, possibly driven by more transmissible variants and the return to in-person schooling. This number of teen COVID-19 hospitalizations is about three times greater than hospitalizations linked to influenza over three recent flu seasons. Of the teens admitted for COVID-19, nearly one-third required intensive care unit admission while five percent required invasive mechanical ventilation.
A myriad of observances take place this month – from National Trails Day to Applesauce Cake Day. More importantly, June 6, marks the 77th of D-Day. Code-named Operation Overlord, around 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along the heavily fortified coast of Normandy, France. The D-Day invasion marked the turn of the tide for the control maintained by Nazi Germany. World War II also resulted in medical advances that we still use today.
June is also PRIDE month – a time to recall the trials the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community has endured. It also is a celebration of the work of individuals who have fought, and continue to fight for equality. As President Obama said, “When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.”
This Weekend Reading Series begins with PRIDE & Prejudice, with articles on a variety of LGBTQ+ health disparity issues. Next, check out It’s Not That Simple, which explores COVID-19 challenges for immune compromised people, long-haulers and more. Do not miss Flashback Friday with articles on the impact of World War II on medicine and LGBTQ+ history. Last, but not least, check out The Bugs of Summer including perhaps a new source of protein!
For this Weekend Reading series, I hope you enjoy the following:
1. PRIDE & Prejudice
- Public News Service: Report: Most LGBTQ Adults Face Health-Care Discrimination
- American Medical Association: Why anti-transgender bills are a dangerous intrusion on medicine
- Health Day: Gender-Affirming Surgeries Improve Mental Health in Young, Study Says
- American Medical Association: For transgender kids, gender-affirming names can be lifesaving
- Oncology Nursing News: Cancer, COVID-19, and Aging in LGBTQ+ Communities
- The Gerontologist: “She’s Dying and I Can’t Say We’re Married?”: End-of-Life Care for LGBT Older Adults
2. It’s Not That Simple
- Stat: Even fully vaccinated, people with organ transplants aren’t fully protected until more Americans get their shots
- Nature: Count the cost of disability caused by COVID-19
- Kaiser Health News: Little-Known Illnesses Turning Up in Covid Long-Haulers
- American Academy of Pediatrics News: Teens hospitalized for COVID-19 at nearly 3 times typical flu hospitalization rate
3. Flashback Friday
- History: 6 World War II Innovations That Changed Everyday Life
- U.S. Department of Defense: Medical Improvements Saved Many Lives During World War II
- National D-Day Memorial – Combat Medics of WWII
- National WWII Museum: The Scientific and Technological Advances of World War II
- History: When Hollywood Studios Married Off Gay Stars to Keep Their Sexuality a Secret
- The Conversation: Trans kids in the US were seeking treatment decades before today’s political battles over access to health care
- BBC News: Cured: How mental illness was used as a tool against LGBT rights
- UCLA: The history of ‘coming out,’ from secret gay code to popular political protest
4. The Bugs of Summer
- The Conversation: Fireflies need dark nights for their summer light shows – here’s how you can help
- Axios: Eating insects: A sustainable protein source
- CVS Health Minute Clinic: Five Simple Steps for Removing a Tick from Your Skin
- National Geographic: How to keep your kids from bugging out over insects
Enjoy the weekend!
Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.
AEPC President
P.O. Box 1416
Birmingham, MI 48012
Office: (248) 792-2187
Email: [email protected]
