Last week was National EMS Week, held annually to celebrate Emergency Medical Services practitioners and the important work they do and lifesaving services they provide in communities every day. This year, EMS professionals are also being recognized for being on the frontlines of COVID-19, caring for those affected by the crisis while still responding to…
Rates of childhood vaccinations have dropped significantly during COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, likely a result of parents’ reluctance to schedule well-child visits at their doctor’s offices during this pandemic. Now, public health experts worry about a spike in vaccine-preventable diseases in addition to the spread of COVID-19. During…
Cloth face masks worn as a protective measure against spreading COVID-19 should be washed regularly and stored carefully, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public health experts strongly recommend that people wear a mask made from cotton fabric, such as T-shirts, scarves or bandannas, when they are outside of their homes…
We face constant change these days. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented us all with new circumstances, new uncertainties and new challenges. How we do our jobs, how we connect with co-workers, friends and loved ones, and how we provide health care have changed. Adaptability is the new normal. Considering the swiftness and scale of the…
Telemedicine is helping to bridge the gap between patients and physicians during COVID-19. University Medical Center has been offering telemedicine visits for patients since late March via Zoom, FaceTime and phone. The visits allow for the care and treatment of basic and urgent health needs without patients having to physically come to UMC to see…
These are definitely challenging times and almost everything about our daily lives looks different. Before COVID-19, people had their routines and schedules. Now, parents and children are dealing with major life disruptions, including school closures and social distancing, which has been difficult for everyone in the family. Parents are balancing remote work, home schooling their…
The official name for the virus that is causing the current pandemic is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19, as per the World Health Organization. CO stands for corona, VI for virus ad D for disease. Previously, this virus was referred to as 2019 novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV. A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus…
As local and state restrictions ease throughout Alabama and stores, restaurants, gyms and salons begin to re-open, it is important that we don’t get complacent about COVID-19. We are still in uncharted territory. Science and history tells us that there is more to come. The nation’s top health experts have said it is important to…
The Alabama Department of Public Health has expanded its criteria for COVID-19 testing. The new testing criteria includes: Residents, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, of long-term care facilities where there is a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 case in residents or staff. Hospitalized patients with symptoms. Health-care facility workers, workers in congregate living settings and first responders, with symptoms.…
Face masks have become the symbol of the fight against COVID-19. Health officials and experts recommend that people wear masks when they are out in public to help slow the spread of the virus. For the protection of its patients and employees, University Medical Center now requires people entering UMC facilities to wear their own…
