Global Hepatitis Outbreak in Children May Be Linked to Social Distancing Policies

Global Hepatitis Outbreak in Children May Be Linked to Social Distancing Policies

The current mysterious outbreak of acute hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) in children in the United States, specifically in Alabama, could be caused by an adenovirus infection that children are more susceptible to because of COVID-19 pandemic-related social distancing policies, according to a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) […]

Dramatic Increase in Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents During COVID-19 Lockdown Isolation

Dramatic Increase in Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents During COVID-19 Lockdown Isolation

There has been an increase in suicide attempts by adolescents aged 12-17 years old during the COVID-19 pandemic according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The longer the lockdowns that included social isolation and compulsory masking continued, the number of suicide attempts increased, especially among adolescent girls. From July through August […]

U.S. Consumers Warned About Fraudulent Coronavirus Testing Sites

U.S. Consumers Warned About Fraudulent Coronavirus Testing Sites

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has issued a warning to the public about fraudulent schemes and scams related to COVID-19 services and testing that involve telemarketing calls, text messages, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits.1 At the outset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there was a proliferation of fraudulent […]

Vaccinated Americans Count Their Blessings Despite Getting COVID

Vaccinated Americans Count Their Blessings Despite Getting COVID

On Aug. 2, 2021, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina became the first fully vaccinated (for COVID-19) U.S. Senator to disclose he had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Sen. Graham said he had begun to experience “flu-like symptoms” two days earlier and eventually decided go to the doctor and get tested.1 Despite becoming another […]

Judge Revokes Mother’s Child Visitation Rights for Refusing COVID Vaccine

Judge Revokes Mother’s Child Visitation Rights for Refusing COVID Vaccine

A judge in Cook County, Illinois took away a mother’s parental visitation rights to see her 11-year-old son when he learned that she did not get the COVID-19 vaccine. The mother, Rebecca Firlit said that the judge, James Shapiro told her she could not see her son until she received the COVID-19 vaccine.1 Firlit and […]

If You’re Vaccinated, You’re Protected… or Not

If You’re Vaccinated, You’re Protected… or Not

“If you’re vaccinated, you’re protected. If you’re unvaccinated, you’re not protected.” These words, or some slight variation of them, are increasingly being used by U.S. government officials to encourage Americans to get vaccinated for COVID-19. In a July 4, 2021 interview on ABC’s “This Week,” White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients was asked, “What does […]

Poll: Half of Correctional Officers Do Not Want COVID-19 Vaccine

Poll: Half of Correctional Officers Do Not Want COVID-19 Vaccine

When a correctional officer took a poll of his co-workers on a private Facebook group asking whether they would get the COVID-19 vaccine, only 40 of 475 (8.4 percent) said yes and more than half replied, “Hell no”.1 This informal poll appears to represent the sentiment of Department of Corrections employees across the country. Despite […]

Illinois Mandates Insurance Coverage for EpiPens

Illinois Mandates Insurance Coverage for EpiPens

Illinois has become the first state to pass a law requiring health insurance companies to cover the cost of medically necessary EpiPen injectors.​ This is big news in an era when so many families face the daily threat of a potentially deadly allergic reaction. Signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker, the new law will take effect […]