The Via Staff and Leadership Wishes a Blessed Holiday Season to All of Those Who Are Celebrating Hanukkah
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Seniors Staying Connected: Via Center Coronavirus Update 12.14.2020 [email protected] www.viamobile.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theviacenter/ Instagram: via health fitness Hanukkah is December 10th ~ December 18th The Via Staff and leadership wishes a blessed holiday season to all of those who are celebrating Hanukkah. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army, and the Hebrew word hanukkah means “rededication.” The hanukiah (or hanukkah menorah) is a candle holder, an important Hanukkah symbol. Click Here for a Closer Look at the Hanukkah Celebration DRIVE-THOUGH HOLIDAY TURKEY GIVE AWAY The Via Center gave away more than 100 turkeys to our community’s Seniors on Wednesday. Thank you to AARP Mobile for supporting the event. Also, big thank you to our “Turkey Team” of volunteers: District 3 Commissioner Randall Dueitt, Chris and Monica Leslie of Senior Blue Book and Alma Bryant High School. The Via Center food distributions are about food, but they also are a way for our Seniors to stay connected during the pandemic. HAVING A BLAST WITH OUR VIA VIRTUAL 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GIVE AWAY FOR SENIORS! So far, we have given away some great prizes…including an amazing air fyer, a quick crock pot, a fabulous grilling set and more. Our give away goes through December 22, and we have more prizes to go! Videos are posted daily at 3:00 p.m. So, if you haven’t registered, you can: 1. E-mail us 2. Comment on our Facebook post: Via Health. Fitness and Enrichment Center 3. Reply to our story on Instagram: viahealthfitness 4. Call us at 470.5229 Check Out Our Daily Videos Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Click Here for Our Give Away Prizes Click Here for Our Contest Rules COVID AND OUR COMMUNITY Governor Extends Safer-at-Home Order Until January 22 Governor Ivey announced the extension of the Safer-at-Home Order until January 22, citing "these are some of our darkest days since COVID-19 became a part of our daily conversations.” There are no other changes, with masks and social distancing guidelines remaining in place. Alabama first instituted a mask order in July, as Covid cases began to rise. Alabama’s cases have increased in recent weeks, with hospitalizations reaching record highs over 2,000. Mobile Seeing Slight, But Steady Increase in Cases Public health experts have said we have yet to see a dramatic increase resulting from the Thanksgiving holiday. Hospitalizations – the most serious indicator of the virus – are holding steady. Alabama is in the worst Covid hospitalization situation since the beginning of the pandemic, about 34% higher than the August peak. Mobile is in good shape, with about half of the hospital admissions we had in August. Officials are concerned, however, about “Covid fatigue,” when 9 months of pandemic restrictions lead to more lax behaviors. Effective December 11, the Alabama Department of Public Health announced – following national CDC guidance - that the length of home quarantine for people with close contacts to Covid cases can end after the 10th day for some individuals without testing, provided they have experienced no symptoms during the daily required monitoring period, and they follow additional requirements found here: https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/news/2020/12/11.html The 14-day quarantine is still the safest option. Seniors and those interacting with Seniors should consider the health of their family and friends. Even with new treatment protocols, Seniors (50 and older) continue to have the highest death rates: this group has 36.6% of the cases and a 94.1% rate of death. Seniors Should Avoid Holiday Travel & Hosting Holiday Travelers With the upcoming holiday, public health professionals are being very clear about residents continuing to social distance, wear masks, wash hands and clean surfaces. Also, those over age 65 and who have significant health conditions should absolutely avoid unnecessary travel and gatherings beyond one’s household. Out of town family and guests should stay somewhere else! Avoid Hugging for the Holidays Global health officials are suggesting people not to go in for the holiday hug. Infected people without symptoms are driving the spread of coronavirus more than we realize. The above picture shows an electron microscope image of the virus that causes Covid isolated from a patient in the U.S. Unfortunately, hugs can pass along the virus through close body contact and microscopic air droplets. Choose instead, the “elbow bump.” Hugging makes it impossible to maintain six feet of distance. “KNOW B4U GO:” SENIORS’ FAMILIES CAN TEST BEFORE CHRISTMAS The Mobile County Health Department is hosting another free Covid testing event. The testing is intended to protect families, as well as other travelers, during the Christmas holiday season. The last event tested more than 900 citizens, with about 3% testing positive for the virus. Date: Saturday, December 19 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Locations: Keeler Memorial Building - 251 North Bayou Street in Mobile), Eight Mile Health Center - 4009 Saint Stephens Road in Prichard, and the Semmes Health Center - 3810 Wulff Road East No appointment necessary, and testing is first-come, first-served. Patients will remain in their cars and will need a hard surface and a pen in vehicles to complete paperwork (no clipboards or pens will be provided). VACCINE/RESEARCH UPDATE On December 10, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine and doses are being distributed to the states. Pfizer’s vaccine has been scrutinized and endorsed by a panel of independent external experts, known as the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted in favor of the vaccine for Americans 16 and older, concluding that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. The vaccine has a 95% efficacy rate. Side effects include fatigue, muscle pain, headaches. The FDA Committee will meet on December 18 to – most likely – approve the Moderna vaccine (94% effective). Both require two injections delivered three to four weeks apart. Alabama will receive about 40,9500 doses for the first round of vaccinations. Because the vaccines require two doses, 40,000 doses are only enough to vaccinate 20,475 people. The first round will go to front-line healthcare workers, and with more than 300,000 in the state, this demonstrates how far we have to go. The next round will go to residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. Then, first responders and those who are more vulnerable to the virus due to age or health conditions. Currently, there is no mandate requiring vaccinations for the general public and it will be administered at no charge to citizens. When Will Seniors Get the Vaccine? The honest answer is, we don’t know when most Seniors will be able to get vaccinated. We do know that the vaccine is expected to go out to the general public by summer 2021. Cool Tool: See When You Might be on the Vaccine Schedule Click Here and Answer a Few Questions to Find Your Place in Line WASHINGTON COVID STIMULUS - DIRECT PAYMENTS CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE Time is ticking away before the end of the session, but a bipartisan Congressional group is getting closer to a deal on a $908 billion aid legislation package. The measure would also put $6 billion into vaccine distribution. There is now support from the Senate on another stimulus check ($300 - $600 being debated) for individuals. There are still disagreements over state and local government aid, liability protections and direct payments. The proposal would extend unemployment insurance set to expire the day after Christmas and add a $300 per week federal jobless benefit supplement. It would temporarily extend an eviction moratorium and fund rental payment assistance. Also, it would provide business assistance/loans, which could help the Via Center. If individual stimulus checks are approved, here is the potential roll out: First in line: People who set up direct deposit with the IRS Next in line: Those who receive Social Security benefits through direct deposit Next group: People getting paper stimulus checks Final Group: People who have more complex situations FDA APPROVES NON-PRESCRPTION IN-HOME COVID TEST The FDA has granted an emergency use authorization for the first non-prescription, over-the-counter Covid test kit for in-home use. The LabCorp Pixel COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit allows anyone 18 and older to buy the kit and collect nasal swab samples at home. The samples are then sent to a LabCorp facility for testing. Positive or invalid results are delivered back to the consumer by phone or through a healthcare provider. Users will be notified by email or through an online portal if results are negative. The new kit is now available through the Pixel by LabCorp Website and will soon be available in stores. NEW NORMAL: VACCINE CARDS FOR EVERYONE The Department of Defense has released the first images of the Covid vaccination record card. The U.S. vaccination cards will be universal. Citizens will be issued a written card that will tell them when they had their first vaccine and when the next dose is due. THERE ARE 2,500 BENEFIT PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS: MAKE SURE YOU ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEM The National Council on Aging’s tool, Benefits Check Up, can help you make sure you are taking advantage of all Senior programs that are being offered: medication, tax relief, Veterans, health care and more. Access the Program Here: https://www.benefitscheckup.org/ AREA AGENCY ON AGING HAS FUNDING FOR SENIOR UNMET NEEDS The Area Agency on Aging is looking to support individuals 60 and older with funding to address “unmet needs.” This opportunity is open to Seniors living in Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile Counties.