Labor Day is known as taking place within a three-day weekend during which many employees have off from work. Throughout the years, this holiday has become synonymous with family barbecues, soaking up those final moments of summer, and of course, Labor Day sales.

But there's more to Labor Day than just snagging a discounted mattress or grilling burgers. In fact, the origins of Labor Day stretch all the way back to 1882 and believe it or not, it all started with a parade.

Ready to brush up on your Labor Day facts? Keep reading for a breakdown on the holiday weekend—from when LDW falls this year to why we celebrate and more.

Read more here. . . .

TOP PODCAST DONE WEEKLY

BY DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM

(UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA)  

He is a world-renowned epidemiologist who was credited with first elucidating TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME in the 1980’s.

He provides comprehensive and understandable/actionable ideas related to COVID.

Dr. Osterholm Update: COVID-19

September 1, 2022

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars/episode-112

 'A Reason for Hope'

In "A Reason for Hope," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the state of the pandemic in the U.S. and around the world, the trajectory of the monkeypox outbreak, and why we should remain hopeful for the future, even in the face of COVID..

According to Dr. Osterholm……

• ALL IS GOING WELL WITH THE PANDEMIC AT THIS TIME. HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE AT THE LOWEST WE HAVE SEEN DURING THE PANDEMIC
• THERE IS A LOT OF COVID ACROSS THE USA.  PEOPLE ARE DOING MUCH BETTER, IT IS MUCH LESS SEVERE.
• BA 4 AND BA5 ARE RISING AND MAY CAUSE INCREASE HOSPITALIZATIONS SLIGHTLY COMPARED TO MORE RECENT VARIANTS. 
• CHINA WILL BE EXPERIENCING MAJOR COVID OUTBREAKS AS TIME GOES ON.  OMICRON IS LIKE THE WIND…YOU CAN’T STOP IT, BUT YOU CAN TRY TO CONTROL IT.  THE ZERO COVID POLICY OF CHINA IS UNSUSTAINABLE.
• COVID IS SHOWING MINOR SURGES IN THE NORTHEAST.  
• VACCINE, VACCINE, VACCINE…THIS IS OUR PROTECTION.  ALL VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE AND WITH TIME WE ARE SEEING THAT THE J&J VACCINE IS PICKING UP STEAM AND GIVES SOLID LONG-TERM PROTECTION.
• BOOST, BOOST, BOOST…THIS WILL BE NECESSARY TO PREVENT RECURRING SURGE AND TO RAISE ANTIBODY LEVELS IN THOSE ALREADY SET WITH THE PRIMARY COVID VACCINE SERIES.
• ANTIGEN TESTING IS USEFUL, BUT OF LIMITED VALUE. DON’T DEPEND ON THIS TEST IF YOU HAVE CLASSIC COVID SYMPTOMS.
• MASKS OF THE KN95 AND N95 VARIETY CAN BE HELPFUL. CLOTH MASKS AND SURGICAL MASKS ARE CURRENTLY NOT AS EFFECTIVE WITH DELTA VARIANT 
• THE THREE/FOUR VACCINE REGIMEN IS PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST SERIOUS ILLNESS AND HOSPITALIZATION. DEATHS AMONG THE VACCINATED ARE MASSIVELY REDUCED.
• GET YOUR BOOSTERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 

Know that unvaccinated remain a source of potential infection.  Avoiding unvaccinated persons will reduce your risk of COVID.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday signed off on updated versions of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s Covid boosters, allowing vaccinations to begin.

The final endorsement, from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, came shortly after the members of the agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of recommending the shots.

Read more here....

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Thursday that teenagers and adults get updated booster shots from Pfizer or Moderna. The shots — also known as bivalent vaccines —are designed to target both the original coronavirus strain and the currently circulating omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

The decision follows a similar recommendation from a panel of independent advisers to the CDC, which voted in favor of the shots Thursday.

The CDC's recommendation means the shots can now be administered to the public. But a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said people likely won't start getting updated boosters until after Labor Day.

After that, appointment availability is expected to ramp up over several days, with appointments becoming more broadly available in a few weeks, a senior administration official said.

People will be able to search for the closest sites offering updated boosters at Vaccines.gov.

Here's what to know about the updated shots.

Read more here....

After you received your COVID vaccinations, please let us know!

We would like to document this information into your chart.



BUT FIRST.......

PLEASE COMPLETE THE INFORMATION ON THE CARD BEFORE YOU SEND IT TO US!

What we need:

1. Your name
2. Date vaccination received
3. Brand name
4. Lot number if available
5. Which dose you have received

**Email your COVID vaccine completed info HERE

The government ended its giveaway of Covid-19 at-home tests Friday, 9/2/2022, because of insufficient congressional funding, a senior Biden administration official said Sunday.

A stockpile of the tests is being depleted, and officials want to have enough on hand in the event of a fall surge, the source said.

The giveaway, which includes tests mailed at no cost to recipients who request them at Covidtests.gov, will end Friday, according to an announcement on the site — unless there's a surprise round of funding from Congress, the source said.

"If Congress provides funding, we will expeditiously resume distribution of free tests through covidtests.gov," the source said. "Until then, we believe reserving the remaining tests for distribution later this year is the best course."

Read more Here. . .