By Jessica Franco A 2022 poll of Americans shows that COVID-19 fears have begun to dwindle, leading to decreased handwashing hygiene. According to the United States Center for Disease Control (“CDC”), handwashing with soap reduces respiratory illnesses, like the cold or COVID, in the general population by 16-21%. handwashing with soap is low-cost, easy, and only takes 20 seconds. The CDC has found that nearly 1.8 million children under the age of 5 tragically lose their lives each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, which can both be prevented by regular handwashing using soap. In fact, handwashing with soap can protect nearly 1 in 3 children under 5 who get sick with … [Read more...] about American handwashing hygiene decreases two years into the pandemic
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Opinion: Benefits to wearing masks
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the United States, we are continuing to adapt to our new normal to further slow the spread of the virus. California Governor Gavin Newsom re-initiated curfew hours for many counties that forbids get-togethers from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Continuing to stay 6-feet apart, avoid large gatherings, sanitize all our surroundings, and wear face masks are still highly encouraged to practice. However, many Americans are becoming selfish and refusing to wear face masks because they do not believe they are beneficial. Wearing a face mask or any sort of cloth covering the nose and mouth is proven to prevent those who are infected with the virus and reduce the spread … [Read more...] about Opinion: Benefits to wearing masks
Opinion: Teaching acceptance to better the mental health of autistic youth
A large contributor to depression and anxiety among those with autism is the apparent lack of acceptance that is essential for the human psyche to have. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines autism as “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges." This is the definition of a very complex disability that affects approximately 1 in 59 children, according to the CDC. What isn’t said is that “more than 70% of autistic youth have mental conditions, including depression and anxiety,” says Carla Mazefsky, an associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. There … [Read more...] about Opinion: Teaching acceptance to better the mental health of autistic youth
Opinion: Positive vaccine updates don’t mean we are out of the woods yet
While Pfizer Inc. states the COVID-19 vaccine is said to be 90% effective, pharmaceutical company Moderna also published preliminary results claiming 94.5% efficacy of their vaccine against COVID-19. Moderna's vaccine does not require minus 70-degree Celsius for storage, thus, it can be stored and moved in a more affordable way. With this news definitely being worth celebrating, it is not the time to take COVID lightly, but time to buckle down and wait for the vaccine. The virus has already killed over 1.3 million people globally, and cases are still continuing to rise. While the feeling of living alongside COVID is still there, we must also get through flu season and winter without … [Read more...] about Opinion: Positive vaccine updates don’t mean we are out of the woods yet
Independent construction contractors continue to face challenges with pandemic regulations
With COVID-19 cases surging, independent construction contractors continue to face challenges and obstacles in adapting to COVID-19 regulations in the workforce. The construction industry was excluded from the shutdown of non-essential businesses in California, that Governor Newsom issued. When the regulations of The California Department of Industrial Relations came into effect, construction sites had to immediately implement safety and health guidelines to specifically combat COVID-19. “When modifying work stations for my 15 employees, it was difficult to come up with a plan that would reduce the amount of workers in enclosed and confined areas. At the moment, only about three … [Read more...] about Independent construction contractors continue to face challenges with pandemic regulations
Local communities offer low-risk Halloween activities
Is COVID-19 the real boogeyman this Halloween? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, it might as well be.Various Halloween activities were ranked as low, moderate, or high risk. They recommend people to not mingle with others outside the household, rating activities such as parties, haunted houses, hayrides, and trick-or-treating as high-risk. For those who are feeling sick, live with someone who is at higher risk for disease, have tested positive, are waiting for COIVD-19 test results, or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, the CDC recommends them to stay home. But, do not fret my ghostly friends. Halloween activities … [Read more...] about Local communities offer low-risk Halloween activities
Thinking about the irony in society
Why do we perpetuate and normalize some things that we know are detrimental to our health and are directly linked to death, yet we race to fight COVID? As we live and breathe in the days of COVID-19, a few things have become apparent: that COVID kills, that people are concerned and cautious, and finally, that some will shame and alienate an individual if they don’t agree or comply to the same degree in regards to the first two points. The perplexing bit about all of this, from an outside perspective, would be how we’ve arrived at what seems like a rather backward point in time. The number one killers in the United States are cancer and heart disease, as stated by the CDC, yet we … [Read more...] about Thinking about the irony in society
CSU Smoking Ban: Mixed Opinions
Chancellor Timothy P. White's Executive Order 1108 that bans the use of tobacco and all related products from the CSUSB campus has been receiving mixed reviews. This includes banning e-cigarettes, vaporizers, snuff and chewing tobacco on all CSU campuses, claiming that it will promote a healthier, safer learning environment. This executive order supersedes all previous campus policies related to smoking. All UC schools have been smoke-free for the past three years and now CSU schools have followed. The health risks of tobacco have been thoroughly studied and it is well known that smoking is unhealthy. However, students and faculty who are regular tobacco users are having a … [Read more...] about CSU Smoking Ban: Mixed Opinions
Zika virus: to take over world or scare straight?
By Nicholas Whitt |Staff Writer| Hide your kids! Hide your wife! Hide your husband! A virus called Zika (just like Ebola and the swine flu) is coming to take us all away—or that's what the media is telling us. However, I disagree. The media is only using this virus as a means of getting traffic on their website because in fact, the virus is not a big deal—AT ALL—at least in the U.S. Within the past month there have been a total of 52 Zika virus cases in the U.S., all of them are from people traveling in areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands, according to Center for Disease Control (CDC). There has not be a single case yet of someone acquiring it … [Read more...] about Zika virus: to take over world or scare straight?
News Briefs
By: Elle Carlos | Staff Writer | Iron Max 1/18/16 A 5-year-old superhero made his Marvel debut as "Iron Max" in the Iron Man comic book. When Max Levy had a metal plate inserted in his chest to assist his battle against hemophilia, he quickly realized, "I'm Iron Man!," according to an article on nbc.news.com. Marvel writers got wind of the story when #IronMax appeared on social media. Along with the Iron Max comic, his photo and story were featured in the back, with hopes to inspire children everywhere who are battling a disease. Space Fashion 1/15/16 Virgin Galactic partnered with Adidas' Y-3 designer to create fashionable spacesuits. Following … [Read more...] about News Briefs