COVID-19 News and Updates

Hello all,

Nina Duggan here with the latest COVID-19 news and updates. This week we will be discussing more resources for answering tough COVID-19 questions and the new data regarding the effects of repeat COVID infections on the human body.

COVID Communication:

Vaccine Promoter Resource: Public Health Communications Collaborative

The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) offers a fantastic resource to those answering tough or in-depth questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. Regularly updated, their page on COVID covers children and the pandemic, mask guidance, quarantining, vaccination, variants, and much more.

You can find the PHCC COVD-19 page here.

COVID in the News:

State of COVID-19 in Maine

Over the past two weeks cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths have all decreased significantly across the state. Test positivity rates sit at 6.2%, though experts caution this number is likely severely underreported and state that wastewater testing is still the best method to monitor the prevalence of the virus.

Link to NYT Maine Coronavirus Tracker

New Data on Repeat COVID-19 Infections

We have known for some time that there can be serious health complications after a single COVID-19 infection, including long COVID and other related health issues, but we now know more conclusively the overall impacts of multiple infections. Reinfection substantially increases the risk of death, hospitalization, and general adverse health outcomes such as pulmonary disorders, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, neurologic disorders, and mental health issues.

Each additional infection past the initial infection increased the risk of death, hospitalization and adverse health issues regardless of vaccination status. All of these risks are most common during the acute phase of the infection (when symptoms are active and at their worst) but persisted even as long as 6 months post infection.

Looking only at deaths from COVID-19 does not truly capture the scope of the public health disaster that the pandemic represents. Even mild infections can have long lasting harmful effects on the body.

The best defense against these harmful effects of COVID-19 is to focus on prevention of infection and reinfection in the first place. It is vital to keep up with the best practices we have had in place: being up to date on vaccinations, wearing a mask, testing, and quarantining if you feel sick.

Unambigous Science did an excellent post on this data, which you can find here.

Featured in the Field:

Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC)

Mentioned above, the Public Health Communications Collaborative “creates and amplifies tools, resources, and learning opportunities for communicators designed to address public health issues, build public confidence, and identify and counter misinformation”. They have many useful resources available to anyone in the field of public health.

They are found on their website, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Thanks again everyone for checking in this week. Stay safe, and remember to take care of each other. ~ Nina

Nina Duggan is Healthy Acadia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project Coordinator. They share weekly updates about COVID-19 in the state of Maine and beyond, along with resources you may find useful on testing, vaccination, and best practices in preventative measures. 

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If you or anyone you know have questions or concerns about COVID-19 or the available vaccines please call or text our COVID-19 Peer Support Line at 207-271-6023, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.