Health
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- Written by: Lakeport Seventh-day Adventist Church
The event, titled, “To everything there is a season,” will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the church, located at 1111 Park Way (at the Park Way exit of Highway 29).
The seminar will feature Dr. Andrew Chung, MD and U.C. Master Gardener Gabriele O’Neill.
Dr. Chung will focus on plant and herb-based protocols that boost immunity.
O’Neill will focus on gardening tips to increase productivity, decrease water consumption, tips on planting timing, tips for planting within limited space, and tips on growing herbs with nutritional benefit in our area.
The seminar is sponsored by Spectrum of L.I.G.H.T.
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- Written by: County of Lake
The quarantine is in place to protect the public against poisoning as the toxins found in mussels can lead to severe illness and death.
Previous outbreaks have involved residents of inland counties as well as those along the coast.
This order does not apply to mussels harvested from Clear Lake. Neither does it apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters. State-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers are permitted to sell these products which are subject to frequent mandatory testing to ensure they are safe for consumers.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, and domoic acid poisoning, or DAP, are linked to microscopic phytoplankton which become concentrated in filter-feeding animals.
PSP affects the human central nervous system producing a tingling sensation around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours after eating toxic shellfish.
DAP can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. More information about the annual quarantine, PSP, and DAP can be found on the California Department of Public Health’s Annual Mussel Quarantine Frequently Asked Questions webpage here.
The annual quarantine lasts from May 1 through Oct. 31. Neighboring counties have previously extended the quarantine order after monitoring programs continued to detect elevated levels of domoic acid and high numbers of algae that produce this toxin.
To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and the annual mussel quarantine, call the California Department of Public Health’s toll-free Biotoxin Information Line at 1-800-553-413 or visit the California Department of Public Health Annual Mussel Quarantine Frequently Asked Questions or the agency’s Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program.
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- Written by: California Department of Public Health
Canadian officials continue to investigate the source of norovirus illnesses and have closed multiple growing regions in British Columbia for sanitary contamination.
In California, at least 34 persons have become ill following the consumption of oysters at nine restaurants located throughout the state. Illness has been reported from March 11 through 19, 2022. Illnesses associated with oysters from British Columbia have also been reported in other states.
Canada has reported 279 cases of norovirus and gastrointestinal illness linked to consumption of British Columbia oysters.
Although multiple oyster recalls associated with British Columbia have been posted by CDPH, additional illness has been reported in California residents linked to oysters from British Columbia that have not been recalled.
CDPH staff continue to investigate and share updates with state and federal partners, which may lead to recall of more oysters.
Restaurants and retailers can protect customers by checking their inventory and shellfish tags, ensuring that potentially contaminated raw oysters are not available for purchase, and discarding any leftover contaminated product.
Oysters with tags from the following landfile numbers have been recalled: CLF #278741, CLF #278757, CLF #278737, and CLF #1411206.
Oysters harvested from CLF #1407063 have not been recalled to date but the growing area was closed due to sanitary contamination. Restaurants and retailers are encouraged to check Canada’s website for closure statuses and notices of re-opening.
Anyone who becomes ill after eating raw oysters should contact their health care provider as well as report their illness to their local health department.
“Avoid eating raw and undercooked shellfish, including oysters, to reduce your risk of illness,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “If you do eat shellfish, cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F. Quick steaming isn't sufficient to kill norovirus.”
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus and can be spread easily from person-to-person, through contaminated surfaces, and by eating contaminated food, including raw or undercooked oysters.
Symptoms of norovirus usually begin 12 to 48 hours after a person has come in contact with the virus and can last for 1 to 3 days. Common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.
People who develop symptoms of norovirus infection should consult their health care providers. For more information on norovirus, please see CDPH’s Norovirus webpage.
The most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines are available at CDPH’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at 800-553-4133.
For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Web page.
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- Written by: Office of Congressman Mike Thompson
This bill ensures vital and affordable access to lifesaving medication for the more than 37 million people in the United States who have diabetes, including one-third of Medicare beneficiaries and the over seven million Americans who rely on insulin to maintain their health and well-being.
“In the wealthiest nation on earth, no one should go bankrupt trying to pay for lifesaving medication,” said Thompson. “Today, I was proud to vote for the Affordable Insulin Now Act to ensure that every American who depends on this vital medication can afford it by capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month. While this is a strong step to address the costs of health care, there is still work to be done to lower costs and provide health care for every American. The Senate must take up this bill expeditiously to cap the cost of insulin and ensure broad access to this life-saving medication.”
The Affordable Insulin Now Act requires Medicare Part D plans and commercial health insurance plans to cover insulin and cap cost-sharing at no more than $35 per month.
Beginning in 2023, the bill requires private health plans to cover at least one of each type and dosage form of insulin and caps cost-sharing for a 30-day supply at the lesser of $35 or 25 percent of a plan’s negotiated price.
The bill also requires all Medicare prescription drug plans to cap cost-sharing for insulin at no more than $35.
Among individuals with private insurance, half would save at least $19 per month and a quarter would save at least $42 per month. Individuals who buy their own insurance will experience the most savings.
This bill is paid for by delaying the implementation for one year of the Rebate Rule that was published by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services on Nov. 30, 2020.
Right now, insulin is too expensive for millions of Americans:
• One in four Americans who rely on insulin have cut back or skipped doses due to costs.
• 34% of families with children dependent on insulin have been impacted by rising insulin costs, including adverse health effects and increased stress and anxiety.
• 26% of Americans with diabetes ration their insulin at least once a year — putting themselves at grave health risk because of cost. In 2018, more than a dozen people died while rationing their insulin due to the high cost.
Insulin prices in the United States are much higher than other countries and continue to increase:
• Americans pay more than 10 times the price of insulin compared to other similar high-income countries.
• From 2014 to 2019, the average retail price of insulin rose by 54 percent.
• Among those with private coverage, 1 in 5 people who take insulin have out-of-pocket costs of more than $35 per month. High cost-sharing is especially common in the individual and small group markets.
• In a recent study, insulin out-of-pocket costs among all insulin users averaged $64 in 2017, almost double what the out-of-pocket costs would be with H.R. 6833.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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