Trustworthy and accurate health info for moms like me! Monday updates
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will meet this Thursday to discuss Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Next Thursday, they will meet again to discuss Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. It is very likely that at least one COVID-19 vaccine will be available this month, and probably two. Should you get a COVID-19 vaccine, and if so, how long will it be until you can get one? Read on for my thoughts.
This has been a difficult year for everyone, but especially for doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers. Looking for holiday gifts for the healthcare providers in your life? Read on for four great ways to show them your appreciation and maybe make their New Year a little brighter!
Hopefully you’ve heard the exciting news by now: Last week, both Moderna and Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their COVID-19 vaccines are about 95% effective! This is groundbreaking news that had changed the way that many physicians and public health professionals – including myself – think about these vaccines. But, you may be wondering what does “95% effective” really mean, both for the vaccines themselves and the pandemic? Read on for an explanation.
Let’s be honest: the longer the COVID-19 pandemic stretches on, the harder it is to give up our treasured traditions. For many Americans like myself, Thanksgiving is one of the most important traditions. My extended family has gotten together, sometimes traveling far distances to do so, for a big Thanksgiving dinner for as long as I can remember. It’s important to me, I want it for my kids, and after so many months of social distancing I really want to spend time in the same room as my family.
But.
This Thanksgiving, we will celebrate in our own separate homes in front of the video chat and I strongly encourage and ask you and your family do the same, for their and your own protection. Read on for reasons why.
You’ve probably already heard about risks of COVID-19 for older adults and people with certain high-risk conditions. But, new data is showing that COVID-19 can also be particularly risky for pregnant women and the babies they are carrying. Are you or someone you love pregnant? Read on for more information on risks to pregnant women during this pandemic, and important preventive steps.
“How soon will a COVID-19 vaccine come out?” That’s one of the top questions I’ve been asked over the last several months. It’s usually followed with “Is it being rushed?” Unfortunately, the answer to the first question is still unclear. However, there are real, evidence-based reasons why and how scientists are achieving the seemingly-impossible: developing a vaccine against COVID-19 within months of the first identified cases. This post will discuss those reasons and whether the vaccine is being rushed.
Halloween is nearly here! Are you ready? The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t mean you and your kids can’t still have a spooky fun time; read on for expert tips to keep your kids and yourself safe and healthy while still enjoying Halloween this weekend.
Last week Johnson & Johnson announced that they were temporarily pausing their COVID-19 vaccine clinical studies in order to review and evaluate an unexpected illness in an individual participating in their study, less than 3 weeks after their Phase 3 study had started. Another COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford, also had its clinical studies paused in July and September for similar reasons. Read on for my thoughts on what this may mean for potential COVID-19 vaccines and their safety.
This past June, the New England Journal of Medicine published two articles describing a then-newly identified complication of COVID-19 infection in children, which the CDC had named Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C. At the time, it was unclear whether this complication was unique to children. However, the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) recently published a case series summarizing 27 cases of a similar condition in adults.
October is here, and that means it’s the perfect time to get your flu shot if you haven’t gotten one already!
You may have some questions about flu shots during the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, I’ll address frequently asked questions about the flu shot but if I miss your question, let me know in the comments!
