On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic, discusses how students, teachers and staff can use public health measures already in place to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus and reduce community spread of COVID-19.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are working from home than ever before. As physical boundaries between work and personal life blur, it can become difficult to manage the two worlds.
The risk of developing dangerous symptoms of COVID-19 may be increased in people who are older and also in people of any age who have other serious health problems — such as heart or lung conditions, weakened immune systems, severe obesity, or diabetes. This is similar to what is seen with other respiratory illnesses, such as influenza.
During any rapidly changing situation, loss of daily routine, isolation and uncertainty can lead to anxiety, fear, depression and loneliness. Information overload, rumors and misinformation can make you feel out of control and make it unclear what to do. When you feel this way, your kids may feel it too — and they often sense the way you're feeling. Talking to them about what's going on can be challenging.
On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, discusses viral shedding and why asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 are a big concern.
If you have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and you're caring for yourself at home or you're caring for a loved one with COVID-19 at home, you might have questions. How do you know when emergency care is needed? How long is isolation necessary? What can you do to prevent the spread of germs? How can you support a sick loved one and manage your stress? Here's what you need to know.
"We believe these measures have helped significantly reduce the risk for COVID-19 transmission," says Dr. Jack O'Horo, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic. "We know that after implementing universal masking for our staff, we saw an immediate decrease in work-related exposures. Of the COVID-19-positive staff exposures that occurred at work, many were due to being unmasked during eating or celebrating with others during the workday. With that, it is clear that masking is an effective measure to prevent exposure to COVID-19 droplets."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have heard that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is similar to the flu (influenza). COVID-19 and the flu are both contagious respiratory diseases caused by viruses. They have some common symptoms. But through closer comparison, they can affect people differently. Also, since the flu has been around much longer, doctors know more about how to treat and prevent it, while they continue to learn more about COVID-19.
The start of a new school year is always a time that’s filled with excitement and anxiety. This year, COVID-19 is making back to school even more challenging for kids, teachers and parents. Whether in person, online or a hybrid approach, this school year will be different for students and staff. How can you and your child have a healthy mindset for this school year?
Can face masks help slow the spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19? Yes, face masks combined with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and social distancing, help slow the spread of the virus.
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic and collaborators have published a preprint that identifies two main signals of efficacy that can inform future clinical trials on plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients. The data are extracted from the Mayo-led national Expanded Access Program (EAP) for convalescent plasma for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.