Update on the Omicron Variant & Review of Mitigation Strategies for COVID-19
Omicron, the latest Variant of Concern, has become dominant in the U.S. and is gaining on the Delta Variant in Canada. This follows its sudden surge in dominance over other strains in many countries in Africa and in Europe and confirms its increased infectiousness in the U.S. This article includes an update on Omicron, mostly through the use of links to articles about its known and suspected traits, including differences from previous COVID-19 strains. Due to some of these differences,...
CDC Intro to Omicron & Review of COVID-19 Vaccinations & Boosters
The CDC EPIC (Emergency Partners Information Connection) Extra contains info on the new Variant of Concern – Omicron - and what can be done to protect against it. There is also information on the current recommendations on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. There are many links to more in-depth information on the topics. View/Download Full Document
Paramedic Chiefs of Canada – Navigating Mandatory Vaccination Policies
This session will offer perspectives on what to know as you develop, implement and manage the many variables of legislations, health orders, collective agreements, policies, etc. on vaccination polices.
iPhone 12/Implanted Cardiac Devices Warning and Monkeypox in the UK
This article is a quick briefing on two topics. The first topic is very important for all First Responders, especially those performing any EMS functions, to be aware of and pre-plan management. The second topic is a reminder that not only COVID-19 can travel fast but it's also not the only virus that a country had to consider during a COVID surge. Instead of a separate list of Resources & Links, a few pertinent links are listed with each of the...
COVID-19 Variants Update
COVID-19 Variants, particularly those named Variants of Concern, are increasingly posing a greater risk to countries throughout the world, including the US and Canada. Currently, the Delta Variant (aka B.1.617.2), which has rampaged India, has very rapidly become the dominant variant in the UK, replacing the previously dominant Alpha Variant (B.1.1.7). It is rapidly gaining the same ground in the US and some experts expect it to be dominant in the next month. This article discusses the Variants and looks specifically...
Paramedics Chiefs of Canada: COVID-19 Situation Report (Update) | Recording May 20th
During this interactive session we explored lessons learned, what we should be doing now, and strategies for handling things as they evolve.
Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Vaccine Information
The Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) Vaccine started distribution this month and has been used at vaccination sites throughout the US. This vaccine is a different type of vaccine, called a virus vector vaccine; it requires only one shot to achieve full vaccination. The vaccine is also easier to store since it needs only refrigeration and has a longer shelf life. This article covers what is known about the vaccine and what is not, including how the vaccine was developed and...
1st CDC Guidance for Those Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19
The CDC has issued its first Guidance for those who are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The definition of fully vaccinated depends on which vaccine was administered, but is two weeks after the final shot; so two weeks after shot #2 for mRNA vaccines Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna and two weeks after for the single shot adenovirus vaccine Janssen/J & J. The CDC outlines what those that are fully vaccinated should do, and under what circumstances, while also outlining what should...
JEMS – EMS Agencies Combat Patient Offload Delays Due to COVID-19
JEMS article – While offload delays aren’t a new hurdle for EMS, they have become increasingly challenging as COVID-19 cases rise. Hospitals at full capacity have led to ambulances waiting longer—in some cases for several hours—to complete patient handoffs. These delays and subsequent diversions can have a negative impact on patient care and limit the availability of emergency resources. In response, some EMS systems are implementing new processes and technology to combat the extended wait times.
Finding Valid Information & Keeping Up-to-Date on COVID-19
A year into the Pandemic, there is lots of information about COVID-19 out there – more and more based on sound science -- but not all of it. We absolutely want & need the cutting-edge info to help guide recommendations for all things COVID, but we also need it to be based on validatable science so we can rely on it. This article explores some of the ways to find reliable scientific opinion if not completely validated science. It also...
List of Employer & Employee COVID-19 Resources for the General Workplace & Specific Occupations
This list of Resources with links is provides In an attempt to make this updated info available more quickly, this document provides a list, divided into topics, each with links and a synopsis of what each site represents. There are way too many available articles/sites to include them all, so these pages represent some of what I perceive are the best on the subject, at least at the moment selected. Most of the sites also provide links to other sites...
COVID-19 In the News Update
The available information about COVID-19 is updating/changing on a daily, if not hourly, basis. In an attempt to make this updated info available more quickly, this document provides a list, divided into topics, each with links and a synopsis of what each site represents. There are way too many available articles/sites to include them all, so these pages represent some of what I perceive are the best on the subject, at least at the moment selected. Most of the sites also...
COVID-19 Vaccine and Vaccination Update
The two mRNA vaccines have been out for more than a month and 4,263,056 individuals have already completed their vaccination series, while millions more await their second shot in the series, and even more are waiting to begin their vaccinations. This update covers what is known about the current vaccines and what is not, that even after vaccination, it is essential that everyone continue their current protective behaviors, particularly with the finding of COVID-19 Variants in both Canada and the...
Too Tired to Manage Fatigue
Folks are tired. Tired of dealing with the virus, on and off duty. Tired of managing family and work life during COVID. Tired of masking, double masking, donning, doffing, disinfecting, and singing the Happy Birthday song at the sink. During this Conversations That Matter we, and our world class guest experts, explored fatigue, fatigue management, and how to safely ride out the rest of this pandemic. Guest Experts: P. Daniel Patterson, PhD, NRP Associate Professor – James O. Page Professor of Emergency Healthcare Worker...
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Variants
A year into the COVID Pandemic, and the SARS-CoV-2 virus has mutated millions of times as it transmitted between people. It is what viruses do to survive & thrive. Several of those mutations have resulted in COVID Virus Variants. These variants have been identified by genetic sequencing in the few countries that have been doing aggressive testing for just these changes. Three global variants have been officially identified and, at least temporarily, named. This article outlines why this happens, what...
Offload Delays and Diversions During COVID
This session was a special installment of the Conversations That Matter series, followed by a 30 minute session on practical tools for FirstWatch customers and interested Public Safety agencies. Offload delays and hospital diversions have been around for a long time – COVID is making them worse. In some areas much worse, and the potential effect on patients are dominating the news headlines. We invited some folks who’ve come up with innovative ways to lead through this along with leaders from some...
Paramedic Chiefs of Canada – Revolutionizing EMS: New Models of Care to Address Changing Health Care Needs in the Age of COVID | January 21st
Across Canada, access to appropriate health care is an ongoing challenge, and pressures within our health care system – wait times, hospital overcrowding, patient backlog – have only been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address these challenges, integrated primary health care teams across the country are working to help patients receive the care they need in their homes and communities, where they are often happiest and healthiest.
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccine Update
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations to protect against COVID-19 have begun in the United States. This article supplies some FAQs with subsequent discussion intended to help each individual come to their own personal choice on COVID-19 Vaccination based on sound information. This same info can provide an opening for an agency to plan their approach to determining how COVID-19 Vaccinations fit into their Agency and Operational Plan. There is also a list of Resources & Links with supporting materials divided into easy to identify...
The Promise, Potential, and Possible Pitfalls of ET3
The ET3 program starts in earnest on January 1, 2021. This program has been a long time in the making, which COVID only prolonged. In this installment of Conversations That Matter, guest facilitator Rob Lawrence explored the path to going live with ET3 with Matt Zavadsky (MedStar Mobile Healthcare, Fort Worth, Texas) and Hanan Cohen (Empress EMS, New York). You'll learn about what they hope to achieve with their ET3 programs, how they're measuring quality and success, and the potential for...
