Public Health Disasters
COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about mental health impact among everyone especially children and young adults. As we lead to the World Mental Health Day (Oct 10), let’s discuss latest thought leadership and global mental health reports this week.
Today’s discussion question:
How can healthcare and technology help to meet the mental health needs of the young generation?
Opting in to COVID-19 vaccine mandates at your company? Strategy working to curb new infections at workplace?
COVID-19 cases in the United States have dropped by 25% over the last two weeks (Axios).
With World Mental Health Day coming up, we should be pushing towards a fairer and healthier world. One way is not dismissing the great impact caused by COVID-19 pandemic on our mental health. Making mental health days “normal” in the workplace will go a long way to improve the workforce and its productivity as more and more industries re-open.
Today Pfizer / BioNTech SE announced positive topline results from COVID-19 vaccine trial in children 5 to 11 years old via press release (still waiting for full report and data).
Highlights given in Press Release of Phase 2/3 trial (link in below):
COVID-19 vaccine or testing requirement coming soon at your company?
Recent news emerged that President Biden will be implementing a requirement for large businesses (>100 employees) to have employees vaccinated for COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing. If weekly testing occurs, details have yet to be released to whether the employer will have to cover the cost of weekly testing or the unvaccinated employees could use the free federal sites or would have to pay out of pocket.
Are you using vaccine card or digital vaccine passport where you live?
More and more cities and regions are opting into using technology with vaccine passports. British Columbia, Canada just released its new program requiring people to show in order to enter non-essential business activities. There are plans in Alberta, Canada to create a proof of vaccination card and QR code coming soon in upcoming weeks, as well.
Yesterday, our paper addressing how disaster risk in conflict areas can be reduced to meet United Nations Sendai Framework disaster risk reduction priorities was presented at Conflict Research Society’s annual conference.
A constant message: the pandemic is not over until it is over everywhere.
United States is first country to hit 40 million coronavirus cases. The next country near that mark is India with 33 million coronavirus cases, then followed by Brazil with 20 million coronavirus cases.
The situation with Hurricane Ida is very concerning especially with ongoing power outages and extreme weather conditions. Though recently downgraded to tropical depression yesterday, climate change helped make Hurricane Ida one of Louisiana’s worst storm.
Have you considered moving during the COVID-19 pandemic due to your local government’s response and/or local community’s caseload? Will FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer / BioNTech SE vaccine play a factor in the shift of US?