The Delta Variant and Other Facts About COVID-19

Image by GoLocalProv

By: Terrell George

One of the top questions on everyone’s mind as it relates to COVID-19 and the surge in Delta variant related infections is, whether or not getting a vaccine is safe and effective in preventing the risk of contracting the coronavirus? Concerns about the delta variant is putting COVID-19 on the forefront of everyone’s mind as it has spread to over 65 countries, making up more than half of all cases in the majority of those countries according to GISAID (GISAID is a database recording genetic sequences of the coronavirus). The Delta variant is what is also causing infection rates to exceed or even double the surges from the previous year. What is more important now, than ever, and what healthcare workers are trying to encourage are preventive methods to reduce the risk of getting infected. Looking back, prevention has always been a huge push but coupled with the spread of misinformation, presenting the facts is what Americans need to do to prevent COVID from becoming a part of everyday life. 

Delta variant and history of coronavirus

We’ve all seen the numbers the media highlights about the infection rate of the Delta variant and simply put it’s 2x more contagious than previous variants. Here’s what you need to know: “The Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than early forms of SARS-CoV-2”(CDC, 2021). There have been other variants such as Gamma, first identified in East Asia; Beta, first identified in South Africa; and most recently the MU variant. The Mu variant, or B.1.621, is a variant “of interest” for epidemiologists, but more research needs to be done to identify its severity and infection rate. Though just because the delta variant is taking over the narrative, vaccination is still the driving force we all need to get behind. 

Many Americans who are concerned that the COVID vaccines are not safe and effective, have not done their research. The COVID-19 vaccine seemed to come out quicker than expected. It is true the vaccine came in what seemed to be record time but it’s as a result of previous lessons learned. The FDA has been monitoring and amending vaccine research since the 2003 SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and 2012 MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) epidemics, respectively. Both MERS and SARS were highly transmissible viruses emerging from the novel coronavirus. 

Before SARS, the coronaviruses caused a variety of fatal diseases in animals. Scientists were already working on a spike protein to identify a vaccine. In fact, SARS 1 vaccine was developed in a lab at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (where U.S presidents receive medical treatment). Funding was an issue to continue the development of a vaccine, but testing a vaccine also requires the disease to still be active. Frankly, the 812 deaths from SARS and 866 from MERS didn’t push pharmaceutical companies to invest in what was seen as a rarely used vaccine. 

Which vaccines are available and how effective are they?

To date the current vaccines approved and authorized in the United States are: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen. These are all safe, effective, and considered to highly reduce risk of severe illnesses. With the Pfizer vaccine showing “efficacy of 95% at preventing symptomatic COVID infection after two doses” (Statnews, 2021). Moderna comes in second place at 94.1 percent according to Statnews. As of August 2021 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave full approval of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for ages 16 and older. 

To completely answer the question prior, are vaccines safe and effective in preventing the possibility of contracting covid-19? Yes. 

Getting a vaccine does not guarantee you will not contract the virus, simply because none of the vaccines available in the United States or around the world provide 100% guaranteed protection. The CDC has stopped collecting data on breakthrough cases considering how rare it occurs. There are currently no states in the US with above 0.01 percent of COVID breakthrough cases. 

What ingredients do these vaccines compose of?

I am sure someone reading this is on the fence about getting a vaccine because they don’t know what’s in it. I know this to be true because the Mayo Clinic is tracking U.S. COVID-19 cases and as of October 1st we have yet to reach the President’s goal of 80 percent inoculation –64.8% at least one dose; 56.3 fully vaccinated (Mayo Clinic, 2021). Even those vaccinated surely want to know what’s in the vaccine they took so here’s a comprehensive breakdown. 

Image by UC Health, 2021 

The great thing about this vaccine are the common everyday ingredients you can find in your home. What you will not find in the picture above is key ingredients found in the vaccine that helps the body fight the virus and develop immunity: mRNA or “spike protein.” Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is composed of proteins that trigger our immune system to fight against future infections. With the COVID-19 vaccine our bodies use spike proteins to create antibodies which specifically help fight 

future infections. Getting the vaccine will only help our bodies fight future COVID and actively provide protection to our bodies today. 

There’s also one difference with the Johnson and Johnson as it does not use mRNA but takes the virus found in common cold to communicate with COVID-19. The common cold or adenovirus doesn’t cause the cold but is created to communicate genetic information from COVID-19 to spike proteins. From there the spike proteins do the work of creating antibodies specific to fight COVId-19, should we ever become infected with the virus. 

Are there COVID-19 vaccines for children under 12 years old yet?

COVID vaccinations for children under 12 have not received a green light from CDC or U.S. FDA. The good news is, considering Pfizer’s full approval it opens the opportunity to manufacture off-label use which potentially allows for young kids to get a vaccine. However, by the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics who released a statement “discouraging clinicians to give the vaccines off-label to kids under 12” due to lack of evidence surrounding suitable dosage for children (CNBC,2021). Therefore, the recommendation is for children to wear masks in public spaces and the same for those who have yet to be vaccinated

Simple Rules To Kick Smoking Out Of You

By: George Ngigi

Smoking is not inborn, it is a habit like any other. Just like it has a beginning so does it have an end. It is not so easy though to quit smoking because of the addiction it causes to the smoker who needless to say, is a prisoner of war to the habit. 

There are several ways someone who wants to quit smoking can use to manage his or her craving for smoking. Your dose for countering the urge to smoke is to have more than one reason to stop it. But before exploring them think of why someone would like to stop smoking. 

Could be you want to quit smoking in order to save your family from inhaling a second hand smoke you know very well is a health hazard. It could be you want to save yourself from the enslaving habit of having to wake up in the middle of the night just to take a puff. Or it could be you realise that smoking is obnoxious to those around you and does no good to yourself either. 

Feeling Humiliated

You are travelling from point A to point B in a public transport vehicle and unlike in a private car, you feel uncomfortable when your smoking habit forces you to disembark. Just to be away from non-smokers.

That is, if you are lucky to get a chance to relieve yourself of a much persevered urge to smoke, after a long spell of waiting for the vehicle to make a stopover. Or it could be a case where the ingrained habit makes you feel like someone in a compulsory isolation center. Not because you are likely to infect the person next to you with Covid-19, but because those around you must be protected from nicotine and other disease causing chemical substances. 

You feel humiliated to be consigned in a designated smoking zone as the law requires, which lowers your dignity when passers-by look at you scornfully like if you are a criminal. Or it could be you realize that smoking is a foreign cultural lifestyle that does not add any value to your life in general and to your health in particular. 

So for those reasons and others, you want to do away with it. In other words, if the set of reasons you are armed with is not a sub-set of other people’s reasons, but your own, then you are more likely to own the quit smoking program to your advantage.

If your reasons are so strong that they outweigh the pleasure derived from smoking, your urge to light up a cigarette goes down and you are halfway on the road to success. 

Determination to win against addiction 

Like any other addiction, smoking is a habit that gets the brain hooked up. So consider enlisting the services of a professional who can walk you out of the habit through medication, counselling, and attending anti-smoking classes or hypnosis. 

Let us face it. Nicotine and other related addictive substances are the number one culprits behind smoking habit. You will therefore, find it hard to do without them. 

Acknowledging that it is going to be a tough choice, is but a surefire guarantee of succeeding in kicking out your smoking temptations. It is not going to be easy or a case of hoping for the best but one of preparing for the worst. There is a  big fight ahead of you. And this is why many who are victims of cigarette smoking addiction give up the fight.

Expect to face challenges but do not follow the route of failures, that can be the cause of you going cold turkey. 

With that in mind, once the program for stopping smoking is up and running, do not backslide. You will have to find methods you can apply to get around withdrawal effects such as headaches, mood-changes or feeling of loss of energy. 

A health caregiver can choose to prescribe drugs meant to fight withdrawal symptoms such as depression, loss of concentration, anxiety and related problems just to make you get less and less of the satisfaction you derive from smoking in case you light up. 

In particular, nicotine withdrawal can be replaced with nicotine gum, lozenges and other suitable substitutes to “keep your mug full” and curb the urge for nicotine intake. In actual fact, nicotine-replacement therapy is top priority in a quit-smoking program. 

Having said that, if you suffer a setback in your spirited effort to win the battle against smoking by lighting up, do not for one moment get discouraged. It is not the many times you slip up and fall that matters but it is the many attempts you make to get up after each fall that makes a difference. Eventually, you will be on your feet. 

Remember you are in a liberation struggle for yourself and no liberation struggle is won easily. Find out what went wrong and address the relapse. Up your game by making renewed commitment to the deserved goal of quitting smoking. Because you are not a chimney or an exhaust pipe to emit smoke. It is your right to keep your body free of contaminants. 

Support system 

Withdrawal symptoms are noticeable. So getting people close to you like your friends and family members or your colleagues at work aware, as your support system, of your resolve to quit smoking, is not a sign of weakness. 

These people are your safety net to fall back on when things go wrong. They are the ones to look up to for encouragement whenever the temptation to smoke proves hard to resist. 

They will help out by reminding you that you have an obligation to keep off smoking. And they will assist you in every possible manner in your endeavor to beat the odds that come with trying to stop smoking. Similarly, you will remind yourself that you made a promise not just to yourself but also to those around you, that you want to quit smoking and you do not want to get ashamed of yourself or even to let them down. 
Your kids, if you have them, are part of  your source of motivation. You will be surprised at how your wife and children will be of help to you. Testimonies about the success of fathers and mothers who quit smoking because of their children abound all around the world. And what more do you need. 

Make time to unwind 

Find new ways to unwind which have the potential to replace the relaxation you get from smoking. During your free times, make the most of what you love doing. Engaging in sports and/or activities you enjoy most is your best bet. Your hobbies come in handy. 

Go jogging or skating or even walk your dog. Treat yourself to a massage, go to a gym, tune in to your favorite music, watch your favorite movie or get an interesting book to read. When you work out, make sure you do not have any possibility for reaching for a cigarette.
Wear a track suit or sports attire to remind yourself that you are in serious business. Never go in the field in the wrong clothes. Equally important, when you do all these things make sure they are aligned with the times you know your craving for smoking is high. Leisure times are some of the most trying moments for people working to stop smoking. 

Psychologically, you should know better what works best for you especially when you make time to manage your smoking. For enhanced concentration, find conducive environments to ward off detractors. This is a healing process that seeks your personal intervention; so do not confuse it with a faith healing one which requires divine intervention. 

Do you take alcohol? If you do, and you often smoke when taking it, please avoid it by all means and so are the places where it is sold and served to patrons. 

Look for alternatives. If the temptation to smoke is associated with a hot drink like coffee or tea, go crazy with other drinks like soda, yoghurt, or juice which are cold drinks, by nature. 

Again, if the temptation is high when you come across things like ashtrays, remember what they say, out of sight out of mind. If your clothes or the house or even your car in general smell smoke and are the reasons you want to smoke, get them washed clean and applying air fresheners to your house and car helps to get rid of the familiar scents of smoke. 

A person who is trying to stop smoking is, with all due respect, a patient like any other. He or she is a person who suffers from addiction and addiction is a disease. They should be helped to avoid anything and everything that can trigger the urge to smoke.

However, it is good to remember that the primary responsibility for ensuring you succeed in quitting smoking is yours.

ARE WE NEAR THE FINISH LINE OF THIS PANDEMIC?

By: Shecondria Duncan

What started as an epidemic in Wuhan, China, in 2019 quickly became a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2, also known as Covid-19, caused citizens to be locked down for months, shut down schools and businesses, and has taken the life of many people across the globe. The only glimpse of hope amidst this horrific pandemic arrived when a vaccine became available late last year. However, since the development of this vaccine, four new Covid strains have surfaced, leaving most of us wondering if there is an end to this pandemic? 

COVID-19 VARIANT STRAINS 

As of June 2021, the CDC is monitoring four different strains of Covid-19. The strains Delta, Beta, Alpha, and Gamma are classified as variants of concern. Delta is now responsible for 83% of Covid cases in the U.S. Dr. Perry Wilson, a Yale Medicine epidemiologist, says, “Delta is spreading 50% faster than Alpha, which was 50% more contagious than the original strain of SARS-Co-V-2.” 

Who is being affected most by the Delta strain? According to new reports from health officials, unvaccinated people. This population includes kids and adults under 50, according to a recent U.K. study. This research showed that adults under 50 and children are 2.5 times more likely to be infected with Delta. 

IS A NEW SURGE IN COVID-19 CASES POSSIBLE? 

With Covid-19 cases beginning to rise again in the U.S., could we be facing another surge of this virus? The answer to that could be yes. According to health officials, if the Delta variant continues to move quickly across low-vaccinated populations, a new surge in Covid cases is highly possible. Worse than that, findings from a U.K. study showed that the delta variant is twice as likely to lead to hospitalization. 

As it appears, we may be facing this pandemic longer than expected. Until we reach the finish line, getting vaccinated may be the best solution to protect you against this deadly virus. CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, stated data suggests that 99.5 % of people who died from Covid-19 since January were unvaccinated. Dr. Walensky further said, “We also know that our authorized vaccines prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death from the delta variant.” 

Staten Island University Hospital physician, Dr. Theodore Strange, agrees with this data. He agrees that the current vaccines work to prevent the infection of the disease and the spread of it. 

Overall, returning to a sense of normalcy appears to be highly dependent upon increasing vaccination rates amongst low-vaccinated populations.

Everything you Should Know About the Covid-19 Vaccines

Although there are more Covid 19 vaccines on the horizon, only three have been authorized and recommended by the CDC (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen). They are all considered safe and the CDC has recommended that people get whatever vaccine is available to them when they get the chance rather than waiting on a specific one because they all do the same thing. But of course for people with allergies and serious health conditions, that isn’t always an option. One of the biggest questions when it comes to the difference between the vaccines is do they have the same efficacy, what’s in them and what kind of side effects do they produce? Here’s everything you should know about all three vaccines:

Pfizer (95% effective)

Name: BNT162b2

Manufacturer: Pfizer, Inc., and BioNTech

Type of vaccine: mRNA

Number of shots: 2 shots, 21 days apart

How given: Shot in the muscle of the upper arm

Does not contain:

• Eggs
• Preservatives
• Latex

For a full list of ingredients click here

The Pfizer vaccine has been recommended for people 16 years of age or older.

Do Not get the Pfizer vaccine if the following applies:

• If you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or an immediate allergic reaction—even if it was not severe—to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (such as polyethylene glycol), you should not get an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.*
• If you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or an immediate allergic reaction—even if it was not severe—after getting the first dose of the vaccine, you should not get a second dose of either of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.*
• An allergic reaction is considered severe when a person needs to be treated with epinephrine or EpiPen^© or if they must go to the hospital. Learn about common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and when to call a doctor.
• An immediate allergic reaction means a reaction within 4 hours of getting vaccinated, including symptoms such as hives, swelling, or wheezing (respiratory distress).

Additional Info:

• 94% effective in elderly patients
• 90% effective at preventing asymptomatic infection after the second dose
• In clinical trials, reactogenicity symptoms (side effects that happen within 7 days of getting vaccinated) were common but were mostly mild to moderate.
• Side effects (such as fever, chills, tiredness, and headache) throughout the body were more common after the second dose of the vaccine.
• Most side effects were mild to moderate. However, a small number of people had severe side effects—defined as side effects affecting a person’s ability to do daily activities.
• Although few people in the clinical trials went to the hospital or died, data suggest that people who got the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were less likely to have these more serious outcomes compared to people who got the saline placebo.

Moderna (94.1% effective)

Name: mRNA-1273

Manufacturer: ModernaTX, Inc.

Type of vaccine: mRNA

Number of shots: 2 shots, one month (28 days) apart

How given: Shot in the muscle of the upper arm

Does not contain:

• Eggs
• Preservatives
• Latex

For a full list of ingredients click here

The Moderna vaccine has been recommended for people 18 years of age or older.

Do Not get the Moderna vaccine if the following applies:

• If you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or an immediate allergic reaction—even if it was not severe—to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (such as polyethylene glycol),  you should not get an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.*
• If you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or an immediate allergic reaction—even if it was not severe—after getting the first dose of the vaccine, you should not get a second dose of either of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
• An allergic reaction is considered severe when a person needs to be treated with epinephrine or EpiPen^©or if they must go to the hospital. Learn about common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and when to call a doctor.
• An immediate allergic reaction means a reaction within 4 hours of getting vaccinated, including symptoms such as hives, swelling, or wheezing (respiratory distress).

Additional info:

• 86% effective in those over 65 years old
• An effectiveness of about 66% at preventing asymptomatic infection
• In clinical trials, reactogenicity symptoms (side effects that happen within 7 days of getting vaccinated) were common but were mostly mild to moderate.
• Side effects (such as fever, chills, tiredness, and headache) throughout the body were more common after the second dose of the vaccine.
• Most side effects were mild to moderate. However, a small number of people had severe side effects that affected their ability to do daily activities.

Johnson & Johnson

Name: JNJ-78436735

Manufacturer: Janssen Pharmaceuticals Companies of Johnson & Johnson

Type of vaccine: Viral vector

Number of shots: 1 shot

How given: Shot in the muscle of the upper arm

Does not contain:

• Eggs
• Preservatives
• Latex

For a full list of ingredients click here

The J&J/Janssen vaccine is recommended for people 18 years of age or older.

Do Not get the J&J/Janssen vaccine if the following applies:

• If you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or an immediate allergic reaction—even if it was not severe—to any ingredientexternal icon in the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (such as polysorbate), you should not get the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
• An allergic reaction is considered severe when a person needs to be treated with epinephrine or EpiPen© or if they must go to the hospital. Experts refer to severe allergic reactions as anaphylaxis. Learn about common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and when to call a doctor.
• An immediate allergic reaction means a reaction within 4 hours of getting vaccinated, including symptoms such as hives, swelling, or wheezing (respiratory distress).

Additional Info:

• 42% effective in those over 60
• About 74% effective at preventing asymptomatic infection 
• In clinical trials, side effects were common within 7 days of getting vaccinated but were mostly mild to moderate.
• Side effects were more common in people 18–59 years old compared to people 60 years and older.

The side effects for all three vaccines are essentially the same and are as follows:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea

The main difference between the vaccines is that Pfizer and Moderna are made using messenger RNA, or mRNA, a technology that delivers a bit of genetic code to cells and are done in two doses. This is a a recipe to make the surface protein (known as spike) on the SARS-2 virus. Essentially the proteins made with with the mRNA will activate the immune system, spiking protein as foreign and developing antibodies and other immunity weapons to fight.

The J & J vaccine is a viral vectored vaccine, which can be done in only one dose. The vaccine instructs human cells to make the SARS-2 spike protein ,triggering an immune response. Once the harmless adenovirus, the cause of many common colds, enters cells the code is used to spike proteins.

The consensus is that yes the vaccines are all very similar and as the CDC recommends many people may get the first one that is available to them, but for others health problems, allergies, age, etc. may play a part in which one they get. Remember that everyone is different and the vaccines/side effects may effect everyone differently.

*Note- A new CDC study found that Moderna and Pfizer were 80% effective in preventing Covid after a single dose and jumped to 90% effective two weeks after the second dose.

Address the Disconnect Series 1: Systemic Racism in Healthcare

It’s Worse Than You Think:

 The Fierce Spread of Covid-19 in Black Communities

The data came too late, the relief took too long, the word “essential” proved interchangeable with the words poor and desperate. Covid-19 unveiled the depths of systemic racism that cost Black communities profoundly.

By: Ally Christiani

Creator: Caroline Brehman | Credit: CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

In 2020, I started listening to podcasts, like everyone else, a new way to kill time. In my pursuit to uncover more truths on American history, I came across the 1619 podcast by New York Times writer Nikole Hannah Jones. It is the audio version of her famous 1619 journalism project released by the NYT in 2019, documenting the long suffering of African Americans since being transported to America 402 years ago. One of her episodes speaks explicitly on healthcare; its inception, errors, and biases.

She begins the episode with a personal story about the loss of her beloved Uncle to cancer. She explained how her Uncle was in pain for a while but could only afford to be seen by free clinics who misdiagnosed his pain. Free clinics are most Americans only option if they’re unemployed and therefore, do not have health insurance. After a while, he finally visits an ER where a doctor makes the decision to give him the X-Ray and CAT scan he needed. Those revealed the tumors that had been growing throughout his back. They learned he had Stage 4 terminal cancer.

With this diagnosis, he qualified for government provided disability aid that pays for medical treatment when your physical health is so bad you cannot work.

“It took my Uncle getting a death sentence before he was able to get health insurance.”

This story made me think about the poverty in this country. The way the poor are cast into this cycle that spins so uncontrollably; it appears built to be impossible to escape.

Not having access to adequate healthcare, education and housing, as well as unemployment, and the growing wealth gap are all bi-products of the poverty cycle. Unsurprisingly, implicit bias and racist antecedents are immersed in these determinants; and that is where we begin to understand the horrific realities that black communities have been facing in the age of COVID-19.

The “profile” Azar speaks of concerns the idea that there are certain underlying conditions that are more predominant in those dying from COVID-19. The conditions are hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Research has shown that black people develop these diseases at a greater rate and at a younger age.  In a study by the CDC, 90% of the hospitalizations with severe COVID-19 had at least one of these underlying conditions.

The reasons for the prevalence of these health conditions in the black community involve several factors. Studies have shown stress is related to immunity and black people have increased stress in their life that has a physiological effect on the body’s ability to defend itself. Stressors include; income inequality, discrimination, violence, and institutional racism. This type of stress has actually been identified by the medical community with a term called “weathering,” which concludes that “the stress of living as a member of a minority in itself takes a toll on the body, weakening one’s cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and immune systems.”

In addition to a higher rate of disease, when they develop the disease it is harder to get adequate healthcare. The hospitals in black communities are commonly underfunded—mainly based on the fact that the hospitals located in these particular communities are impoverished as a result of housing discrimination from the age of red-lining.  Red-lining originated in the aftermath of The Great Depression when the federal government set out to evaluate the riskiness of mortgages in major metropolitan areas of the country—black people were deemed by the housing market as high-risk buyers. This process of systemic racism in housing trapped black communities in underfunded, polluted, and unhealthier areas to reside. I will provide more on red-lining and housing discrimination in subsequent articles.

Past research also revealed the disparities in receiving medical treatment. In 2002, the Institute of Medicine’s report, Unequal Treatment, revealed this fact. “According to the report, minorities were less likely to be given appropriate cardiac medications or to undergo bypass surgery, and were less likely to receive kidney dialysis or transplants, compared with their white counterparts.” In addition, when modern medicine became more reliant on the use of technology in the 20^th century, racial biases engrained themselves into the coding.

“In 2019, an algorithm that helps manage healthcare for 200 million people in the US was found to systematically discriminate against black people. According to research published in the Journal Science, people who self-identified as black were given lower risk scores by the computer than white counterparts, leading to fewer referrals for medical care.”

Despite the black patients being sicker, the computer calculated that black people will receive fewer referrals for care because the costs on average were less over a year than white patients.

Some States including Michigan and California have taken action to decrease implicit bias in the medical field by making it mandatory to earn a State licensure on implicit bias training. Michigan approved the measure after analysing the data of COVID-19 in their black counties and taking note of the disparities that are apparent in their health system.

When it comes to employment and COVID-19, the black community is struck with a double-edged sword. Black people have higher rates of both unemployment and employment in jobs that do not include health insurance in their benefits package. The jobs deemed “essential” by society in this pandemic disproportionately affect black people who find themselves on the spectrum of these lower paying jobs including: fast food servers, grocery store clerks, nurses, teachers, and public transportation.

“In the U.S., according to the CDC nearly 25% of employed Hispanic and Black or African Americans work in the service industry, compared with 16% of non-Hispanic white workers. Black or African Americans also account for 30% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.”

These occupations cannot be done remotely and require public interaction. They are considered “necessary” to allow other members of society to stay at home in an attempt to “flatten the curve.” These workers often travel either by car-pool or via public transportation; all of which increasing their exposure to the virus. Systematically, those working these types of jobs have less job options due to inequities in access to higher levels of education. According to the Census, 10.8% of the country lives in poverty (median yearly household income is $23,500 for a family of 4). Black people account for 20.8% of that figure.  A 2015 income report found that for every dollar a white household makes, a black family receives 59 cents. Anyone making that amount of money a year, is not afforded the comfort of taking time off work, even if they are not feeling well.

These disparities were already widely known, especially in the counties that are most affected; however, the data explaining how these conditions blend to create these spreading zones in communities of color came very late in the containment.

This delayed data, consequently, delayed aid. Andi Egbert, a senior researcher at APM Research Lab said: “We are in the midst of this tremendous crisis, and data is the best way of knowing who is suffering and how.” Egbert was one of the authors of the APM report that criticized the federal government for their inaction with collecting and categorizing data based on race. Some researchers believe that they could have gotten a better grip of decreasing spread in these communities if the data became available sooner and resources allocated appropriately. Necessary hospitals would have gotten the first flow of more funding and PPE like masks, gloves, Purell, would have been more fairly distributed to all essential workers.

               Egberts is skeptical of the now former administrations intention behind this lag, “I won’t speculate about motive, but I can’t believe in a modern economy that we don’t have a mandated, uniform way of reporting the data across States.”

               Researchers are anticipating changes in policies that can limit these disparities in society that are causing the poor to suffer unequivocally. A handful of States are already working towards mending this tear. Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, was put in charge of specifically handling the racial disparities with COVID-19 in the State. Once Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was alerted of the disproportionate spread of COVID-19 in their predominately black counties, she sent a taskforce to go directly into the communities and provide mobile testing in hotspots and PPE distributed in nursing homes and homeless shelters. She also committed to testing all the incarcerated in her State.  New York, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland have made similar commitments.

The rise of racial justice awareness in this country last year could not have come at a more pressing time for black communities. As COVID-19 destroyed families and social injustices played out on our screens, society began to recognize the unequal suffering a large portion of our society endures. Acknowledging the connection of race and economic inequality as a vital explanation for why the virus is attacking black communities disproportionately, will hopefully continue to lead to constructive conversations of racism on a larger scale and therefore, new policy implementation. Understanding healthcare, as a basic human right, is what I hope this country will learn and evolve from this relentless pandemic.

Sources:

1. www.ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305290
2. www.povertyusa.org/facts
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4. www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/racial-differences-doctors.html
5. www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/medical-racism-history-covid-19/
6. www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/medical-racism-history-covid-19/
7. www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32032-8/fulltext
8. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4194634/
9. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html
10. www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/coronavirus-infection-by-race/faq-20488802
11. www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/racial-inequalities-in-covid-19-the-impact-on-black-communities#Making-sense-of-incomplete-data
12. www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/population-care/why-african-american-communities-are-being-hit-hard-covid-19
13. www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/podcast/2020/jun/why-are-more-black-americans-dying-covid-19
14. www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid19-racial-disparities
15. www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2020/05/27/covid-19-is-crushing-black-communities-some-states-are-paying-attention
16. www.cnbc.com/2021/01/12/factors-affecting-covid-19-spread-among-lower-income-communities.html
17. www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-14/racial-bias-in-medicine-a-barrier-to-covid-health-equity
18. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279720301769
19. Spotify: 1619 Project Episode 2: How The Bad Blood Started

8 Ways to Keep your Mental Health in Order While Dealing With Racial Injustice

These past few weeks have been trying. We’ve had to see countless black people killed (George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, etc.) We’ve had to deal with the racist comments and overall ignorance of others, one of them being the President of the United States. We’ve had to deal with this all while fighting for justice in our own way, whether it be through protesting, donating, educating, etc. We’ve had to deal with the backlash of peaceful protesting, be sprayed with tear gas, rubber bullets, etc. All of this has been very painful, but at the core of it all; the lives lost and lives we are continuing to lose as I write this serve as a reminder of all the lives we’ve lost in the past that have not gotten the justice they deserve. It also serves a reminder that we’ve been dealing with oppression for over 400 years and it goes much deeper than racism and white privilege. It lies withing our justice system as well. Despite what some may think, America has never been great for us and we’ve been fighting for as long as we’ve been alive and before that it was our parents and our parents’ parents.

We know all this can be heavy and weigh down on many people’s mental as people try to find the right balance between doing their part and taking a much needed break to decompress. Here are some ways you can keep your mental health in order right now:

 

1. Self-care

We’ve heard the phrase you can’t help anyone if you don’t take care of yourself first. That phrase is just as relevant now. Take the time for yourself to just be, relax and do what makes you happy.

 

 2. Connect with other Black people

During these times it’s important that you have someone to talk to that understands what you are going through and how you feel.

 

3. Limit your Social Media Intake

It’s okay to turn your social media off or choose to not watch or engage in certain things you may see. You may also seek to follow more lighthearted or upbeat pages as well.

 

4. Blocking/Unfollowing

We live in a society where cancel-culture can be overbearing, but at this time give yourself permission to distance yourself from anyone who you feel isn’t behind you without worrying about what others may say. This applies to both social media and real life.

 

5. Celebrate your culture/Support other Black people

Now is the time more than ever to celebrate how great black culture is. It’s also important to stick together as a community. One of the best ways of doing that is supporting black artists and creators, buying black, etc.

 

6. Remind yourself that you don’t have to discuss things when it gets too heavy nor is it your job to educate others.

 

7. Mantras

It’s important to remind yourself that you matter in a world that on a daily is trying to convince us otherwise. Mantras/positive affirmations are a great way to do that. Find one that’s good for you and repeat it daily.

 

8. Let yourself have feelings. Everyone is going to react in different ways. There is no right or wrong way. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

 

Know of any other ways to protect your mental health during difficult times? List them below.

Everything You Should Know About Trafficking From Avoiding Becoming a Victim to Learning the Signs of Someone Being Trafficked

If you keep up with news, then you’ve probably heard about the growing trafficking epidemic and the warning signs for women and young girls to be safe when going outside and take preventative measures to ensure it doesn’t happen to them. So what exactly can you do avoid trafficking especially if you must travel alone or in dangerous/secluded areas.

Here are some things you can consider to ensure your safety and avoid becoming a victim of trafficking:

1. Be Aware of Your Surroundings

This is probably one of the most obvious things you can tell someone, but the reality is that most people don’t pay attention to what is going on around them. A lot of times people are looking down when walking or are in their phone. This video gives an in depth look at how you can better be aware at all times.

2. Take a Self-Defense Class

It’s important that you know at least some basic fighting skills. So that if worst comes to worst, you have the ability to fight off an attacker.

3. Carry A Safety Kit

Carry a small kit with easily accessible items such as a flashlight, tactical knife, pepper spray, a taser, etc. But before you try to use any of these items make sure you understand how to properly use them.

4. Conceal to Carry

If you are looking to carry a firearm, take the necessary steps to understand what that means, how to get licensed, the laws in your state and lastly but most importantly train on how to use a firearm.

5. Avoid Going To Nightclubs, Deserted/Bad Areas and Parking Lots Alone Especially At Night

If you must attend any of these places, try to do so in groups when able.

6. Keep Control of Your Drinks

While on the subject of nightclubs/bars, make sure your are aware of your drink at all times. Never leave it unattended. If you do, it’s best to order another one rather than take your chances.

7. Stay Aware From Unknown Drugs, Especially From Unknown People

8. Don’t Get In The Car With Someone You Just Met

It’s best to call a cab, Uber, Lyft or get a ride from someone you know. If you call for a Uber or Lyft, make sure the driver and car matches the description in the app. Also make sure the child locks are off the car in case you need to make a quick escape and/or jump out of a moving vehicle.

9. Help Someone in Need

If you see other women or young girls in a potential dangerous situation offer to help in anyway you can or point them in the right direction to get the help they need.

10. Know What Countries Are Safe To Travel To

When traveling abroad it’s best to educate yourself on the countries you’re planning on visiting, especially if you’re traveling alone. Make sure to avoid ones that pose a high threat to crime, economic crisis, genocide, etc. Also note that women between the ages of 15 and 23 pose the highest threat of being trafficked, so they should never travel abroad alone.

For other informative tips on how to avoid being trafficked watch these videos:

 

Another important part of putting an end to trafficking is knowing the signs that someone is already being trafficked, if it’s to late to prevent them from being trafficked in the first place. Here are signs someone is being trafficked and may need your help:

1. Signs of physical abuse such as cuts, marks, bruises, etc.
2. Avoids eye contact/Social Interaction with law enforcement and figures of authority
3. Appearing malnourished/poor physical health
4. Lack of identification documents
5. Tattoos/Branding
6. Not allowed to go out alone or speak for themselves
7. Measures of keeping people trapped on houses, buildings, etc. such as barbed wire and bars around windows
8. Checking into hotel with males
9. Scripted or rehearsed responses
10. Working long hours

Trafficking is at an all time high so it is important that we all do what we can to prevent it from happening to ourselves, those around us and even strangers. Know of some more ways we can put an end to trafficking? List them below.

7 Ways You Can Prevent Your Child From Being the Next Shooter

With mass shootings happening way too often and back to back in the case of the two most recent ones in El Paso and Dayton, it is obviously apparent to everyone but the people in power that something needs to be done about gun laws. But with the realization that many of the shooters are what the media likes to label “troubled” or “mentally ill” teens or young adults, the question should be posed as to whether or not there is anything parents can do to prevent their children from being the next shooter? The short answer to that question is yes. Although as we know some things are beyond the parents’ control, especially as their children grow older and make their own decisions; it’s still important that they try to make a positive impact on their kids while they still can.

Parents are more times than not the first people who will be able to notice a behavioral change in their children. It is important that when you do notice this, you take the necessary measures to get to the bottom of what has caused a shift in your child’s behavior. You can decide which steps work best for your children depending on their age. Here are some ways you can do that:

 

1. Monitor Your Child’s Social Media/Screen Time
Social Media is a big cause for depression among youth because it opens the door to internet trolls/internet bullying. It can also expose children to tons of online violent content. While some children may not be affected by this, others may be influenced to mimic what they see. So it is important for children to determine what is best for their child.

 

2. Keep Track of Your Child’s Relationships

Who’s around your child that could negatively affect their behavior and expose them to negative things? This could be friends, family friends, family members, etc. It’s also equally important for children who may not have many friends as well because this can be a sign that there may be things happening in school beyond your knowledge such as bullying that are causing them to have a hard time making friends.

 

3. Talk With Your Child

It might sound obvious, but some parents don’t take the time to do this. Ask them how their day was. Talk about serious issues with them. Ask them how they feel about all the mass shootings and other acts of violence they might see on the news. Obviously as they get older, some kids don’t want to share much with their parents, but don’t let that deter you. You should still ask questions and show interest because it is a sign you care. Children feeling neglected or not cared for can lead to further issues.

 

4. Work With Your Child on Self-Esteem

 If you see your child having issues with low self-esteem, it’s important to address it head on and work with them on loving themselves. A good way to do this with young children is through daily affirmations.

 

5. Watch Your Behavior

 Children often learn their behavior from their parents, so it’s important to limit the amount of violence you expose them to. Teach them to express themselves calmly and patiently through words instead of resorting to violence.

 

6. Discuss Gun Safety

Teach your kids about all the gun protocols, the dangers of them and how to stay safe. Also make sure if you have a gun in the house that it is completely out of reach of the kids. It is also a good idea that the gun is stored unloaded and locked separate from the ammunition.

 

7. Teach Your Children Acceptance of All

Because so many of the mass shootings fall under the category of hate crimes whether it’s against a certain race, religion or the LGBTQ community; it’s important that you talk to your children at an early age and teach them about the importance of accepting people for who they are.

 

Know of some more ways to help prevent gun violence? Let us know below.

How Does Lunch Shaming Negatively Affect Children?

The story about the school district in Pennsylvania sending letters to parents threatening to send children to foster care over unpaid lunches is all over the news. In the past we’ve heard similar stories of students with debt being served cold lunches, stamped with the words “I need lunch money”, etc. We’ve even seen cafeteria workers fired for giving out free lunches.

Of course there’s another discussion that needs to be had on what needs to be done to target this growing issue of lunch debt across the country, but an issue just as big that not too many people seem to be concerned with is how innocent children are being handled in this situation and what long-term affect lunch shaming will have on them.

These children are being subjected to punishment for something they have absolutely no control over. We know how important food is for students to be able to think properly and have a productive day. In other words lack of food can affect their grades and overall performance in school.

But lunch shaming also has an affect on a child’s mental health as well. It’s embarrassing for children to be singled out in front of their classmates. This can ultimately lead to teasing, anxiety, depression, etc. All of these have the potential to become long-term issues.

The bottom line is that lunch shaming can have a lasting affect on the mental, physical and emotional health of children. Many people believe that lunch shaming is something that is unfortunate, but necessary due to the shrinking budgets of school districts, but we cannot be willing to let innocent children become casualties to choices that they did not make.

What do you think is the best way to tackle the issue of lunch debt and lunch shaming?

Black Mental Health & Growing Suicide Rates

A few weeks ago actress Taraji P. Henson attended a hearing for the Congressional Black Caucus, who launched a task force in April to bring more awareness and conversation to the mental health issues black teens are facing. There she discussed the work her foundation, Borris Lawerence Henson Foundation, named after her late father who suffered with mental health challenges after serving in Vietnam War, is doing in addressing the issue.

Henson, who herself suffers from depression and anxiety, brought up everything from depression and anxiety to social media to gun control in her heartbreaking realization that children are harming themselves younger and younger today.

This alone brings up another topic of conversation. Why is it common in the African American community to not want to discuss our challenges with mental health? As Henson says at the hearing our method for some time now has been to pray our problems away. Yes, prayer is important but it can’t be the only solution. Sometimes therapy is okay or talking to someone that understands what we are going through. Suppressing problems until they build up and cause an explosion is what has led to a growth in suicide rates.

Henson brings up a good point in saying that mental health needs to be a subject in school because many people have been programmed to believe the stereotypes surrounding mental health the same way Henson describes her days as a special education teacher and working with young black men that believed there where limits to what they could do because of the label placed on them.

“I thought I was going to a school for special needs kids and when I got there, I was in a room full of all black young males, labeled special ed,” Henson says. “None of them were in wheelchairs, they could all speak, they could walk, they had all of their facilities. When I proceeded to try and teach these young men, they believed this label that had been placed upon them — ‘I’m special ed, Ms. Henson, I can’t learn that.’”

Mental health is to important, it affects everyone whether they are in a good or bad state of mind. We can not afford to give into the hype any longer that we can’t express our feelings and show emotions because we can’t afford to lose anymore people to depression and anxiety. In a world where self doubt, bullying and stereotypical images of what we should be are placed on us through social media, TV, music, etc. education about mental health is important. Therapy is important. Self love is important. Discussion is important. Listening is important. Understanding is important.