If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call 988 or message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
People’s faith in institutions, from the government to the CDC, are generally declining. But their trust in their own employers is actually going up for nearly everyone except those in Gen Z. So your business has an important role to play as a trusted messenger when it comes to public health. Focusing on getting your employees vaccinated is a good place to start. A recent UK study showed that spending the money to make flu shots free and super convenient for workers reduced, on average, 1-3 sick days and had a positive ROI. Beyond vaccination campaigns, focus on ways you can make a real impact. You’re probably not going to convince someone staunchly opposed to get the updated COVID shot, but you can help on-the-fence workers navigate the complicated landscape of flu, COVID, and RSV shots this winter. Or you can aim at those who are unsure about getting the updated booster because of the 24-48 hour side effects they felt last time. For those folks, you can share evidence-based information about how Novavax is proven to have fewer side effects, though it can be harder to find in pharmacies right now. Read on for a good example of that kind of messaging - and feel free to borrow from ZHH for your employee communications!
Source: YLE
If you’ve had COVID within the last three months, it is generally recommended that you wait at least three months before you get your updated shot to extend your period of immunity (though if you’re at high risk or have specific conditions, you should talk to your doctor). If you had COVID more than three months ago, though, we really do recommend that you get the shot because it lowers your chances of getting COVID at all and ensures that if you do get it, it’s more like a cold than a major health issue. It can also reduce your chances of long COVID, which can happen even if you just had mild symptoms. If you felt really bad after getting your last booster, consider trying the Novavax brand vaccine if you can find it near you. Studies show it has fewer side effects for people who had mRNA doses for their first few shots, though it may be a bit harder to find at pharmacies right now. That said, lots of people have no side effects at all when getting their updated booster! Your primary care provider can give you the best personal guidance.
Source: Scientific American
A new analysis of studies around pandemic attitudes suggests that people’s current political opinions impact how they remember the pandemic, including their own earlier beliefs. Vaccinated people overestimated how much they perceived COVID as a risk and their general trust in science, while unvaccinated people underestimated them. How strongly participants identified with their vaccination status correlated with a great distortion in their recall. This tendency to forget in the direction of our current views has the potential to increase polarization and harm our preparedness for the next pandemic or major health crisis.
Source: CIDRAP
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