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The NIH indicates the importance of COVID-19 testing if we want our community to get back to normal. Early COVID testing can help save many lives by detecting the virus and allowing patients to isolate themselves early on to avoid spreading the virus. COVID testing is also very quick. You can receive results from a rapid test in as little as 15 minutes.

Why COVID-19 testing is the key to getting back to normal

From wearing a mask to washing your hands to maintaining physical distance and avoiding large indoor gatherings, each of us can follow proven public health practices.

According to a study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) researchers, each week a woman consumes alcohol during the first five to 10 weeks of pregnancy is associated with an incremental 8% increase in risk of miscarriage. 
#pregnancyawareness #alcoholawareness #miscarriage 

Miscarriage risk increases each week alcohol is used in early pregnancy

Each week a woman consumes alcohol during the first five to 10 weeks of pregnancy is associated with an incremental 8% increase in risk of miscarriage, according to a new study.

Illinois officials plan to use a $36 million federal grant focused on opioid addiction to support treatment through hospitals, health centers and community programs. The money was awarded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  
#opioidaddiction ##treatment 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is requiring an update to the Boxed Warning, and requiring class-wide labeling changes for benzodiazepines to include the risks of abuse, addiction, physical dependence and withdrawal reactions. This action is part of the FDA’s ongoing effort to promote public health by minimizing risks associated with inappropriate use of controlled substances.#FDA#benzodiazepine#substanceawareness

FDA Requiring Labeling Changes for Benzodiazepines

FDA issues a Drug Safety Communication announcing a class-wide labeling change for benzodiazepines

The federal government estimates one in 10 healthcare workers experience substance use disorder. There is rising concern that medical professionals are stealing powerful opioid pain medications meant for their patients. The DEA told NPR it investigated roughly 3,600 cases of alleged drug theft at healthcare facilities over the last five years, including 280 cases so far in 2020. Also, studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Mayo Clinic found healthcare workers who steal drugs frequently tamper with medications, leaving them contaminated. #substanceabuse#healthcare

Some Health Workers Suffering From Addiction Steal Drugs Meant For Patients

The Drug Enforcement Agency relies on hospitals to identify nurses and doctors who misuse drugs such as morphine and fentanyl. But “only a fraction of those who are diverting drugs are ever caught.”

A National Institutes of Health-funded study found that people with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more susceptible to COVID-19 and its complications.

Substance use disorders linked to COVID-19 susceptibility

NIH research finds higher risk and worse outcomes for those with addiction.