“You're out of the woods,
You're out of the dark, you're out of the night,
Step into the sun, step into the light."
Optimistic Voices
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Most of us remember the scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy arrives in Oz. It's the point when her world switches from black and white to color. Shortly after that, the Munchkins begin to wake up because it's safe to come out of hiding. The Wicked Witch of the East can no longer harm them.
Many of us who've been vaccinated are feeling a bit like that about COVID-19. It's as if we've been in hibernation for more than a year and we're finally beginning to wake up. It's safe to come out of hiding.
But it's not that way for everyone nor is the virus under control.
In the United States, coronavirus cases are increasing again after hitting a low point late last month. Some of the states driving the upward trend have also been hit hardest by variants, according to Lauren Leatherby in The New York Times. And, while the number of daily vaccinations is exceeding three million, and daily vaccine production will likely hit four million doses soon, states are rolling back virus control measures just as new, more contagious variants are showing up. “It is a pretty complex situation, because behavior is changing, but you’ve also got this change in the virus itself [occurring] at the same time,” observes Emily Martin, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Some experts estimate 70 to 90 percent of the population needs to acquire resistance before transmission will slow.
As of April 5, less than 20 percent of the U.S. population had been fully vaccinated against the virus. And the article points out that, while higher vaccination rates among older adults mean that some of those at highest risk are protected, almost 70 percent of the population has still not received a first dose. Only about half of those 65 and older are fully vaccinated.
The good news is that the rate of vaccinations is continuing to speed up and more studies confirm that vaccines are effective against the coronavirus in the real world. In New Mexico, more than 52% of the population has been partially vaccinated and more than 34% has been fully vaccinated. But with increased transmission, experts warn, comes a renewed need for caution in the immediate term. “I think we’ve got to hang on just a little bit longer, being conservative and getting more people vaccinated,” Dr. Martin advises. “I’d hate to see us having another hospital surge when we’re getting so close to being done with this. I’m definitely worried about it.”
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Thirteen months into the pandemic, many of us are also finding it harder and harder to concentrate, as Sarah Lyall writes. Some folks are experiencing a variety of late-pandemic lapses in concentration and memory, affecting our ability to get things done. It's not surprising, says Margaret Wehrenberg, an expert on anxiety. A year of extraordinary uncertainty has left many people feeling that they are existing in a kind of fog and seeing the world in shades of gray. When we experience a long period of chronic, unpredictable stress, she explains, some of us develop a condition called behavioral anhedonia, a loss of ability to take pleasure in our activities. “And so [we] get lethargic, and [we] show a lack of interest — and obviously that plays a huge role in productivity.”
“There’s definitely a change in how people are reporting memories and cognitive experiences,” observes Natasha Rajah, professor of psychiatry at McGill University. “They have fewer rich details about their personal memories, and more negative content to their memories.” This can mean people have a harder time paying attention with “a reduced ability to hold things in their minds, manipulate thoughts and plan for the future.”
But all is not lost. Olga Khazan suggests that we can emerge from our extended "stasis" a new person from the one we were when the pandemic began, if we're so inclined and we make enough of a commitment. "And what better time for transformation than now, when no one has seen you for a year, and might have forgotten what you were like in the first place?" She tells us that adults can change the five traits that make up personality - extroversion, openness to experience, emotional stability, agreeableness, and conscientiousness - within just a few months. Essentially, our personalities are "more like sand dunes and less like stone."
Intrigued? Here’s how a post-pandemic dispositional makeover might look.
If, for example, we were chronically late in the "Before Times," we could focus on being more conscientious, or timely, in the post-pandemic world. One way to show our friends how much we missed them is to start respecting their time.
Perhaps we’re someone who typically reacts with anger when a friend cancels plans. If so, we could focus on forgiving minor social slights. Forgiveness involves greater empathy and concern for others. Letting go of anger also takes significantly less energy than carrying around a grudge. The pandemic has caused some people to carry a crushing weight and experience extreme loss. By becoming more forgiving, we remember the uniqueness of each person’s experience, and become gentler toward one another.
The pandemic is far from over. For some of us, things are easing up. For others, there are still many challenges to overcome. For all of us, we're going to need time to heal. Accepting the fogginess of our days is a first step, if we're struggling with the repetitive nature of our locked-down lives. Treating ourselves and others with patience and kindness can also help.
The Munchkins were able to start celebrating immediately after they came out of their slumber . . . they didn't need time to recover. But that's the magic of the movies. In real life, it may take us a bit more time. And for those of us who want to live differently, perhaps we can.
In gratitude for all that you do.
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Thank you for your vigilance. We want you to stay safe,
healthy, and informed.
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Keeping Up With Changing Travel Guidance
The CDC updated its travel guidelines on April 2, 2021. Here's a summary for both domestic and international travel even though travel continues to be discouraged.
Domestic Travel Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
During Travel
- Wear a mask.
- Avoid crowds, maintain physical distancing from anyone who is not traveling with you, and wash your hands often.
After Travel
- Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
- You do not need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past three months.
- You should still follow all other travel recommendations.
If you are not fully vaccinated . . .
Before/During Travel
- Get tested one to three days before your trip.
- While traveling, wear a mask, avoid crowds, maintain physical distancing from anyone who is not traveling with you, and wash your hands often.
After Travel
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Get tested three to five days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for seven days after returning, even if you test negative.
- If you test positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
- If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for ten days after returning.
- Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
- Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
International Travel Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
Before Travel
- Follow all airline and destination requirements related to travel, testing, and quarantine. Failure to do so may mean you can't re-enter the U.S.
During Travel
- Wear a mask.
- Avoid crowds, maintain physical distancing from anyone who is not traveling with you, and wash your hands often.
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Travelers coming to the U.S. are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than three days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past three months, even if fully vaccinated.
After Travel
- Get tested three to five days after returning.
- Self monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
If you are not fully vaccinated . . .
Before Travel
- Get tested one to three days before your trip.
- Follow all airline and destination requirements related to travel, testing, and quarantine. Failure to do so may mean you can't re-enter the U.S.
During Travel
- Wear a mask.
- Avoid crowds, maintain physical distancing from anyone who is not traveling with you, and wash your hands often.
- Travelers coming to the U.S. are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than three days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past three months.
After Travel
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Get tested three to five days after returning AND stay home and self-quarantine for seven days, even if you test negative.
- If you don't get tested, self-quarantine for ten days after returning.
- Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
- Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
Please note . . .
Fully vaccinated people who contract COVID-19 while traveling (and yes, it does happen), should not travel while symptomatic. If traveling internationally, you'll need clearance from a health care provider before you'll be allowed to re-enter the U.S. You can continue to test positive for the virus for as long as six months after infection because the PCR test detects even dead virus many weeks after acute infection has passed.
For purposes of returning to normal life after an infection (including volunteering), if it has been more than ten days since you became symptomatic AND symptoms have improved AND you've not had a fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications), you're no longer considered infectious. People who were hospitalized due to their illness or who are on very strong immunosuppressive medications, however, need to wait 20 days since their onset of symptoms, instead of the recommended 10 days.
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Tips for Registering for Vaccination
To Register:
Everyone who wants to receive the COVID-19 vaccination needs to register with the Department of Health through their vaccine registration portal. You'll receive a text and/or email with a seven-digit confirmation code.
To Be Vaccinated:
New Mexicans age 60 and older can now self-schedule for a vaccination. Event codes are no longer required although they're still needed for younger individuals. Simply log into the vaccine portal with your confirmation code and date of birth and select from available appointments in your area.
For others, an EVENT CODE is required to sign up for a vaccination. Once you have an event code, log into your registration and click on Schedule your Appointment. You will be asked to enter the event code, then click the blue Find Event button.
The Health Department will also send texts if they determine that a particular event has unused vaccine doses. This is a last minute, first-come-first-served opportunity, however. Reply to the text and you may be able to secure an immediate appointment. Be prepared to get to the site as quickly as possible.
Day of the Event:
On the day of your scheduled vaccination, you must fill out a Medical Questionnaire, which you will find when you log into your account through the vaccine registration portal. The questionnaire can only be completed on the day of, and must be completed prior to, your vaccination.
You will be given a vaccination card that lists the vaccine manufacturer and lot number of the vaccine you will receive, and your date of vaccination. It also includes the date for your second vaccination. Keep the card in a safe place.
If you have questions, email Lauren. She will answer emails as quickly as she can.
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Still Looking for a Shot?
We're hearing from more and more folks that the vaccine search website, Dr. B, is an effective tool for finding available COVID-19 vaccine. The site asks for some basic information to connect people with unused doses of vaccine.
If you receive a vaccination through an event that isn't affiliated with the Department of Health, please update your vaccination profile with the date of your vaccination(s). The information is used to help determine both the number of vaccine doses still needed by the state as well as the number of people who have been vaccinated.
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We Need to Hear From You!
Please let Lauren know about any plans you have that will require you to be away from Kitchen Angels. The sooner you let her know, the easier it will be to ensure we have no holes in coverage.
We will continue to make case-by-case determinations for how long volunteers need to quarantine after traveling or other activities. For New Mexico Department of Health information on the risk status of other states click here.
If you're not sure about how to answer one of the items on the assessment, check with Lauren. We'd rather you refrain from volunteering than risk infecting staff, other volunteers, or clients.
Even if you've been vaccinated, we're all still at risk of contracting the virus.
If you need to self-quarantine, please do! It's not just Kitchen Angels that may be at risk but your friends, colleagues and others.
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Before you return to Kitchen Angels,
take a moment and ask yourself . . .
- Am I able to work a full shift wearing a face mask?
- Can I hear well enough from six feet away if the other person is speaking through a face mask?
- Am I willing to work a different shift than the one I previously worked?
- Can I commit to showing up to my shift on-time and without canceling at the last minute?
- Can I adapt to a new environment and new routine?
- Can I reliably communicate with the Volunteer Coordinator?
- Do I feel safe being back in the public sphere?
- Can I maintain appropriate risk-mitigating practices when I'm not at Kitchen Angels?
If you answer "NO" to any of these questions, you're not ready to return. If you're not sure, check with Lauren.
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