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…
Social workers are playing a vital role in the current crisis, helping to provide resources, assistance and mental health care to individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19. During this pandemic, many people find themselves in situations they’ve never faced before. Social distancing is the new norm for daily life. Schools have closed, leaving some at-risk…
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and during this COVID-19 pandemic, caring for our mental and emotional health has become especially important. At University Medical Center, taking care of our patients’ mental health has always been as important as taking care of their physical health. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, social distancing and isolation, we have…
To assist those in Tuscaloosa working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, University Medical Center is offering free mental health services to first responders and health-care providers. “First responders and health-care providers are often functioning at a high level of (stress), which may negatively impact their thinking and emotional responses to situations,” said…
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while caring for our mental wellbeing is always important, it is particularly so now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. What is mental health awareness? Dr. Martha Crowther, a clinical psychologist at University Medical Center, said it’s about “making sure the public understands the importance of thinking about not just…
The University of Alabama’s Parenting Assistance Line, also called PAL, is a free, confidential and anonymous statewide resource for parents and caregivers seeking advice and help on how to deal with their children. Parents can reach out through telephone, text, online chat or the PAL Facebook page. Currently, the primary topics PAL is receiving questions…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its list of possible symptoms of COVID-19. Previously, the federal agency had listed three symptoms: fever, cough and shortness of breath. As of April 26, that list was expanded to include those three symptoms as possible indicators of COVID-19, as well as chills, repeating shaking with…
The COVID-19 crisis has required all of us to adapt to changes in our day-to-day lives. There have been tremendous changes in workplaces and in our homes. We find ourselves glued to the news, uncertain about the future and our financial stability. We are concerned about loved ones, coping with isolation and unable to move…
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing stress for many people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Thad Ulzen is professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at The University of…
