Starting today, Feb. 18, the mask mandate for outdoor events and gatherings has been lifted by Gov. Inslee. We know lifting the outdoor mask mandate can give our community a glimpse of hope that the pandemic is nearing its end. However, it's important to remember that cases of COVID-19 are still being reported in Spokane County, and healthcare workers are continuing to provide critical care to those in the COVID-19 ICU.
Black History Month is a great time to acknowledge the contributions to public health by the many Black Americans who have saved lives and paved the way for better health. However, how do you choose who to share about from the expansive list of public health heroes? All public health is important to us, but for the sake of time, let’s focus on some programs where Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) staff directly provides for our community. Here are four Black public health leaders who have made an impact in those areas.
Chances are you have been affected by a school or childcare closure, lack of staff at the workplace or have had to quarantine because of the rise in COVID-19 infections in the last month. The uncertainty can be exhausting, especially after two years of a pandemic. There are, however, things we can focus on to help find balance with feelings of reassurance and confidence.
Cervical Health Awareness Month is a time to focus on the health and well-being of your cervix, because even though it might sound a little weird, cervical cancer affects around 13,000 women each year and results in about 4,000 deaths. Knowing how you can prevent cervical cancer is an important part of keeping yourself safe and putting your health first! Keep reading to learn more about how you can reduce your risk and what signs and symptoms you should watch out for.
News about COVID-19 variants seems to be everywhere right now. This leaves many people wondering how we even know what variants are currently circulating. Here is a simple breakdown of the journey our nasal swabs take through the testing process and how we use it to determine the spread of variants. It’s a truly amazing process.