COVID-19 Vaccination for the Older Americans: Anticipated Timeframe and Perspectives

The first COVID-19 vaccines became available in the US by the end of 2020. However, because of poor logistics and administration, fewer than 10 million people had received their first doses by the middle of January 2021.
Due to the current shortage in the available doses and uneven demographics from state to state, vaccination priorities remain unclear in most of the country.


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends prioritizing elderly citizens (75 y.o. +) as well as healthcare frontline and essential workers in the first wave of vaccination. However, vague instruction and a lack of federal guidance have led to confusion about vaccination priorities and perspectives.

The vaccination forecasts remain uncertain due to shipment and logistics issues. The limitations over healthcare workers and facilities that receive the vaccine are another crucial deterrent. As a result, most experts predict vaccination of the general public will not be possible until Summer 2021.
Still, not all American citizens are willing to get vaccinated immediately. According to the recent poll, 54% of older Americans would prefer to wait and see how others respond to the doses first.


At the same time, the efficiency of vaccination depends on the widespread participation of the public. Experts claim that the disease can`t be defeated until 90% of the population gets vaccinated.


That is why most state officials consider launching educational campaigns to explain the effect and importance of vaccination. But the pandemic has impacted most fiscal budgets, making these campaign initiatives tougher to implement.

Preparing for COVID-19 in Nursing Homes and Long-term Care Facilities


Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities can take steps to assess and improve their readiness to respond to the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has formulated a checklist for facilities to assist in the development of a comprehensive response plan that includes these key areas:


Rapid identification and management of ill residents

Considerations for visitors and consultant staff

Supplies and resources

Sick leave policies and other occupational health considerations

Education and training

Surge capacity for staffing, equipment and supplies, and postmortem care

This tool, in conjunction with other assessments, identifies strengths and weaknesses of a facility’s current preparedness efforts. It does not describe mandatory requirements or standards. Rather, it highlights important areas for facilities to review to in order to prepare for the possibility of residents testing positive for COVID-19.

Additional information is available on the CDC website.

This link will take you to the checklist: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/novel-coronavirus-2019-Nursing-Homes-Preparedness-Checklist_3_13.pdf

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You can also use this short-cut: bit.ly/2vB2gaW

Edited for clarification on April 1, 2020

NOT Your Typical Coronavirus: The Difference Between a Cold, the Flu, and COVID-19

NOT Your Typical Coronavirus: The Difference Between a Cold, the Flu, and COVID-19

The Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a new strain of coronavirus and is spreading quickly worldwide. China was the first to report the viral strain. We first heard of the outbreak in December 2019.

COVID-19 is the most serious and deadliest strain of coronavirus that scientists have identified to date. Yes, there are other strains in existence. The most common, a milder form of coronavirus, is one we are all familiar with: the common cold.

COVID-19, however, can cause severe illness and even death. The elderly and people with compromised health and immune systems, like heart and lung disease, hypertension, and diabetes, are at serious risk. Children and younger adults appear to be less affected by the virus. Many young adults exhibit mild symptoms, and some report having no symptoms despite being tested positive for the virus. But be aware– they can pass the virus on to others. Scientists don’t know why children and young adults are not as strongly affected. However, those with pre-existing health conditions may be have different risk factors.

So how can you determine if your symptoms are related to the common cold, the flu, or is COVID-19? If you have traveled out of the country where COVID-19 is quickly spreading, and it’s been within the past 14 days or less, you should seek medical treatment. 

However, do not go directly to the hospital without contacting either your physician or the hospital first. If you have COVID-19, there’s a good chance you will infect others. Healthcare professionals will ensure you get the appropriate testing and treatment, and protect other staff and patients.

Here is a symptom chart to help you determine the difference between a cold, the flu and COVID-19. It was developed by the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Best Way to Tame your Emotions

Many psychological issues can arise as a result of an inability to properly handle one’s emotions. Depression, anxiety, and short temperament, sudden emotional outbursts in inappropriate situations and places–just to name a few.  But to live a happy, balanced and fulfilled life, it is important to learn how to control your emotions.  Recent studies indicate flexibility is the key.

There is no one-size-fits-all in emotional situations. In the study led by Dr. Peter Koval, it was determined that the best levels of emotional health were found in people who altered their approach to fit each situation based on their ability to control the situation at hand.  In moments of limited control, they re-assessed the situation by taking a diverse approach to solving the problem.  However, in situations where there was better control over the outcome, their focus was toward that solution, and not the situation giving rise to it. This approach is referred to as the reappraisal method.

The ability to apply this method increased when the situation factor was diverted.  However, those in less than desirable surroundings (for example, poor environments) the approach is more difficult to exercise.

To tame your emotions, learn to change your focus when a situation is beyond your control. Avoid over-thinking,  internalizing, and focus your attention on what is within your control.

 

Eysenck’s Personality Inventory (EPI) (Extroversion/Introversion)

The Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) measures two pervasive, independent dimensions of personality, Extraversion-Introversion and Neuroticism-Stability, which account for most of the variance in the personality domain. Each form contains 57 “Yes-No” items with no repetition of items. The inclusion of a falsification scale provides for the detection of response distortion. The traits measured are Extraversion-Introversion and Neuroticism. Read More