Uncategorized
-
Staying Safe: Bone Marrow Transplant Survivor Tells You How
I had no immune system for months after my bone marrow transplant. Here’s how I avoided viral illness, and how you can, too. It’s easier than you think. writes AM Carter This is by far and away the best post I’ve read on how to stay safe. I urge you to check it out here. Her major advice: “Constant, thorough hand washing and hand sanitizing. Constant, thorough cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces that I touched. Completely avoiding primary vectors of transmission. Clean the things you touch. Avoid People, and the things people touch. Upon returning home from any excursion, I wipe down my keys, phone, credit card (if I…
-
Coronavirus Tidbits # 21 3-28-20
News: Best news of the day: ‘Going full-on MacGyver’ – U of MN doctor creates makeshift ventilators to battle COVID-19 Even better, in some ways, he’s also made the plans OPEN Source and will be updating here Physical Prototype Video: https://youtu.be/3ssVoWEVxw4 CAD Prototype Video: https://youtu.be/RpEqtGa2vTI Diagnostics: Rapid diagnostic tests are winning approval, like this 5-minute coronavirus test by Abbott Laboratories that won emergency FDA approval The problem is that we don’t yet know enough about the accuracy of the tests, known as sensitivity and specificity? In particular, is a negative test really negative. Until we know more, many ID experts recommend assuming someone who has symptoms is infectious, even if the test is…
-
Coronavirus Tidbits #20 3-27-20
News Wondering if you should seek care for suspected COVID-19? Apple and CDC have a new app and symptom checker with a decision tool. https://www.apple.com/covid19 When can we stop the social distancing? We can’t…at least until there is widespread testing. Then you could monitor and slowly loosen restrictions in selected areas. “To consider letting off on social distancing will require sharp decline in cases, widely available rapid diagnostics wherever pts get clinical care, the right PPE available to all HCWS who need it, safe and good hospital capacity to deal with all pts with COVID.” Tom Inglesby, Johns Hopkins Here’s a thread by Scott Gottlieb that explains more: Our path…
-
Another Bad Week for People of Color
In Minneapolis on October 11, Trump again escalated his anti-immigrant rhetoric. He deliberately chose to go on an ugly offensive, holding his rally in Rep. Ilhan Omar’s backyard. In a city with a large Somali population, he chose to call Omar “a disgrace to our country.” At his rally just now, Trump called me an “America-hating socialist” and a “disgrace.” He shouted xenophobic conspiracy theories about me. He scolded my district for voting for me. His hate is no match for our movement. Stand with me by donating now: https://t.co/QdUrT9zJsr pic.twitter.com/Ik8I9zlRTf — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 11, 2019 Can you imagine being Somali-American and watching this? This is the kind…
-
Swimming Pools, Hot Tubs, and Other Summer Recreational Water Hazards
Is nothing safe anymore? Just in time for summer fun, the CDC announced an increase in infections from swimming pools and hot tubs. In their new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the CDC announced that cases of a parasite, cryptosporidium, had increased approximately 13 percent each year between 2009–2017, with 444 outbreaks reported in total. Cryptosporidium is a single-celled organism, a protozoan. It causes diarrhea that often lasts for two to three weeks and is readily missed by the lab. This is because often only a stool culture is ordered, and the parasites are instead seen on direct examination of stool through a microscope. Many community hospitals don’t have techs skilled…
-
Do You Know Which Mosquito Repellents Really Work? Most People Are Wrong
Being summer–and a wet one at that–it seems appropriate time to repost this favorite from Forbes: Many Americans surveyed in June on how to protect themselves from mosquito-borne diseases like Zika, dengue and Chikungunya are ill-prepared. The June survey by Spectrum Brands Holdings showed that respondents were extremely overconfident about their knowledge. While almost a quarter of participants could not name even one effective active ingredient in insect repellents, 82% incorrectly believed that specific products were effective. Knowledge of insect repellents As explained in yesterday’s post about the survey results, many participants lacked even basic knowledge about what repellents are effective, although they were confident in their knowledge. Almost all were…
-
Refugee Detention or Concentration Camps? Protests Begin
Last week, more news came out about abuses of refugees at detention camps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came under fire for appropriately calling the “detention centers” concentration camps. She is historically correct. This administration has established concentration camps on the southern border of the United States for immigrants, where they are being brutalized with dehumanizing conditions and dying. This is not hyperbole. It is the conclusion of expert analysis ⬇️https://t.co/2dWHxb7UuL — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 18, 2019 Also, here is testimony supporting a temporary restraining order from the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law. I couldn’t agree more with AOC. Refugees are being abused physically and mentally. The numbers of deaths…
- Holocaust, Legacies - News and Commentary, Social justice, Strategies to teach tolerance, Uncategorized
“Our Stories Must Be Told” – Now More Than Ever
I visited this #Holocaust exhibit in August #Maine recently, at the Holocaust & Human Rights Center of Maine (HHRC). In Augusta, Maine (@HHRCMe). “Our Stories Must Be Told” is a very moving exhibit, which I highly recommend. If you haven’t yet, come check out our latest exhibit, Our Stories Must Be Told, at the Michael Klahr Center on the UMaine–Augusta campus. The exhibit features artifacts from the Holocaust. pic.twitter.com/lxmsH6JiI8 — Holocaust & Human Rights Center of Maine (HHRC) (@HHRCMe) June 12, 2019 Their staff couldn’t have been more welcoming despite my having given them such short notice of my visit, and I was able to meet with Phil Fishman, Office…
-
Faith and Friendship
There are so many lessons packed into “Faith, Friendship, and Tragedy at Santa Fe High.” Skip Hollandsworth gifts us with this beautiful, thoughtful written eulogy. Friendships like Sabika and Jaelyn’s don’t come along every day. The Muslim teenager from Pakistan and evangelical Christian girl from small town Texas were inseparable. Until a student opened fire at Santa Fe High School a year ago today. By @skiphol: https://t.co/Owq9BHQpBg — Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) May 18, 2019 Faith and Friendship is a heartbreaking read about overcoming religious and ethnic hatreds and the unlikely friendship between two young women. Jaelyn Cogburn is an Evangelical Christian home-schooled in Santa Fe. Her best friend was Sabika…
-
Holocaust Survivors and Liberators Speak Out
Since Holocaust Remembrance Week, there has been a variety of news, some good, more not. My aunt Kati (now Kitty Williams) is an Auschwitz survivor. Each year, she has spoken throughout the Omaha region and reached thousands of students with her messages of tolerance and hope. KETV interviewed her and shared this article and clip: KETV didn’t get the title of their article quite right. Kati wasn’t just warning about the rise in antisemitism, but also of the increase in othering and hate crimes in the current political climate. She spoke of the rising tide of hate crimes, and then of her hope that the students will learn from…
