Health and Safety Committee

Many people are experiencing increased stress and anxiety as we continue to battle COVID-19. A blog post from the director of the National Institute of Mental Health states “The mental health impacts of COVID-19 continue. From all that we know, it is clear these impacts will outlive the pandemic itself.” The American Psychological Association reports that many people are coping with their stress in unhealthy ways including increased alcohol consumption.

Please see the attached mental health resources published by various agencies including Medline Plus, SAMHSA, NIMH, NIH, and CDC.

To understand how COVID-19 vaccines work, it helps to first look at how our bodies fight illness.

When germs, such as the virus that causes COVID-19, invade our bodies, they attack and multiply. This invasion, called an infection, is what causes illness. Our immune system uses several tools to fight infection.
Blood contains red cells, which carry oxygen to tissues and organs, and white or immune cells, which fight infection.

Different types of white blood cells fight infection in different ways:

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a two-page Fact Sheet that outlines what to expect from the Covid-19 vaccine. We encourage you to read the attached document to learn about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and what to expect should you receive the vaccine.
 
The data show that the vaccine is a key exit strategy from the pandemic. We hope to have information soon about receiving the vaccine as a group of essential workers and will share that information as it becomes available.

As we experience this unusual time in our history, here are some self-care tips from the Mayo Clinic. See attached article "Self Care During the Covid-19 Pandemic."

See the Attached Newsletter that outlines October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Tips to Help You Sleep, and the Dangers of Vaping.