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JULY 2021 UPDATE

COVID FATIGUE

We are sorry to say that the Covid-19 pandemic is NOT over.  However, the CDC made recommendations for vaccinated people, loosening restrictions and mask requirements.  The exception is health care facilities such as our office, which still require masks.  Unvaccinated people must wear masks indoors and maintain social distancing.  It is very important that every adult and young person 12 years of age and older get the Covid-19 vaccine.   To date, it will protect you from serious illness and hospitalization.   There are breakthrough infections due to increasing number of variants. The mutations of the Covid-19 virus, such as the Delta, are more contagious than the original.  In states where the vaccination rates are low, we are seeing large numbers of infected people.   The hospital intensive care units in those states are filled with very sick individuals.  Sadly, the vaccination efforts have been hampered by MYTHS. 

There are many myths surrounding Covid-19 and the vaccines. These myths gain steam on social media where the validity of assertions go unchallenged. They appear as legitimate scientific sources, making it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Here are legitimate rebuttals to some of the more common myths out there. Please contact our office if you have questions about something you found on the internet about Covid-19 or the vaccines.

6 Common Myths Debunked About The Covid-19 Vaccine

Mayo Clinic: Covid-19 Myths

Vaccine breakthrough cases are going to happen. No vaccine is 100% effective, but the vaccines we have are effective at preventing serious disease, hospitalization and death from Covid-19. On Friday July 23, 2021, the Connecticut Department of Public Health reported 938 breakthrough cases in Connecticut. In other words, that is about 1 in 2500 vaccinated persons. This means that a fully vaccinated person has a 0.0004% chance of getting Covid-19 and an even smaller chance of being hospitalized or dying. Get yourself and your family vaccinated!

It saves lives!

CDC: Breakthrough Cases

CT Department of Health Press Release: Breakthrough cases highlighting effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine.

CT has tracked 938 'breakthrough' COVID cases among 2.4M vaccinated (nhregister.com)

FAKE CAR SEATS

We were notified by the Yale of the following incident. We want to pass this information along:

“Women’s Service would like to recognize Chelsea Beckmann, RN (WP 8) / Sharifa Bawa, PCA (WP 8) / Monica Quisgard, Injury Prevention Coordinator for the Center for Injury and Violence Prevention. On Sunday, 6/20, Chelsea Beckmann, RN (WP 8), was preparing her patient for discharge home after having a baby. As part of that preparation, she checked that the infant was secured appropriately in the car seat. Her internal smoke detector sounded when she noted that, while strapped in correctly, something seemed ‘off’ with the car seat. On further investigation, she realized that the seat was missing the chest clip on the straps. She questioned the family who said it had never been used before and was straight out of the box from her baby shower. Chelsea checked the car seat manual that came with the seat and found that there was also no mention of the chest clip in the manual. Chelsea checked with the pediatric providers and they stated that there needed to be an appropriate car seat for the infant to go home. The question became what to do on this Father’s Day so that they could be discharged. Sharifa Bawa, PCA (WP 8) then became involved. Sharifa is a car seat technician and she reached out to Monica Quisgard (Injury Prevention Coordinator for the Center for Injury and Violence Prevention) at home with the story and the need to get a car seat. Monica instructed Sharifa to not let the family leave and to sequester the car seat and that she would come in from home with one for them. Monica had to stop on her way in from Stratford to get the seat but ultimately did arrive with an appropriate seat. On her investigation she realized that the seat the family had received as a gift was actually a counterfeit seat. Because of the use of Attention to Detail, a Questioning Attitude, and ARCC’ing Up of a Concern, the safety of the infant when in the car was assured. Women’s thanks this amazing team of professionals for using these CHAMP behaviors on Sunday for the safety of this infant.”

COUNTERFEIT CAR SEAT IMAGE pdf

Please review the PDF to look at the images of the counterfeit car seat.  Walmart did not make a statement regarding the incident.  Please be careful when purchasing a car seat.   If you have any doubt, have a professional take a look and check its installation.

 

SUNSCREEN RECALL

Johnson & Johnson recalled Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreens due to containing Benzene. Benzene has been associated with causing cancers.  Please see the company statement at the link below:

Johnson & Johnson Issues Voluntary recall of specific Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreen products due to the presence of benzene

For appropriate sunscreen recommendations, read more here:

Healthychildren.org: Sun-Safety

 

 IN MEMORIAM

It is with sadness and a sense of profound loss that we note the passing of our friend and colleague Joan Grace Alfiero PA-C.  Joan died at age 60 on July 11, 2021 after a courageous struggle with ALS.

Joan was a decade-long colleague in our practice, serving allergy patients as a partner of Dr. Gary Wanerka.   She was much loved by our patients as a compassionate and gifted provider, and by us as a trusted and admired friend.  We miss her deeply.

She leaves her loving husband Dr. David Eilbott and three devoted children.  

Joan Alfiero obituary