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Doctors are encouraging everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19 even if you’ve already had the virus. However, experts say, be prepared for more intense side effects. In a study posted by medRxiv (med archive), researchers report many people who had previously been infected with the virus reported flu-like symptoms after their first dose. Although these findings could mean some discomfort, they also provide insight into how future vaccine doses are determined.
North Dakota middle of the pack for health emergency prep
North Dakota is middle of the pack when it comes to being prepared for public health emergencies, according to a new report from the Trust for America's Health. The nonpartisan nonprofit measured states' performance on 10 emergency preparedness indicators ranging from lab capacity to public health funding. It put states in three tiers: high, middle and low level of readiness for health emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic. The report, Ready or Not 2021: Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters and Bioterrorism, places North Dakota with 14 other states in the middle tier. Twenty states were higher; 15 were lower.
The effects of COVID-19 on North Dakota one year later
North Dakota is still feeling the effects of COVID-19 a year after the state’s first case was found. It’s been a roller coaster of year throughout the community. It was one year ago that North Dakotans were going about their day to day routines when the first confirmed COVID-19 case hit the state.
“It’s one of those things we didn’t even expect to come to America right? When it first started over in Asia, over in Asia,” said Barry Schneider, a Bismarck Resident.
“I thought it would be gone in six months, maybe seven. I really was not expecting this long,” said Marlette Pittman, a Bismarck Resident.
Tribune seeks nominations of top nurses
The Bismarck Tribune is again partnering with local hospitals to recognize nurses in Bismarck, Mandan and the surrounding area who go above and beyond to deliver compassionate care. The Tribune is seeking nominations from the public of nurses who have made a significant impact in their community and on their patients. CHI St. Alexius Health and Sanford Health are the presenting sponsors of “Nurses: The Heart of Health Care,” which honors nurses who have excelled in unprecedented times.
CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck among Nation’s 250 Best Hospitals
CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck was among four CHI facilities in the Midwest Division named to the Healthgrades 2021 list of America’s 250 Best Hospitals. The distinction places these facilities among the top 5% of nearly 4,500 hospitals assessed nationwide for its superior clinical performance as measured by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians, and health systems. CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy and CHI Health Lakeside — both in Omaha, Nebraska and CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney, Nebraska, were also selected.
Bismarck doctor says the chances of contracting COVID after being vaccinated are low
Can you still contract COVID-19 after being vaccinated? The short answer is yes. For instance, this past week, four people in Oregon who were fully vaccinated tested positive for COVID out of 160,000 Oregonian residents who have received their second shot.
KX Conversation: Work on the Frontlines
For our Feb. 12 edition of KX Conversation, Angie Sayler, the clinical coordinator at CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck, joined us to discuss working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight.
North Dakota has come a long way since November. After a peak of 334 active COVID patients in hospitals, we’re down to 39. We asked Sayler how different things are at the hospital now, how morale is and what her message is to North Dakotans to keep those COVID-positive numbers low.
CDC tracks COVID vaccine side effects through V-Safe
The Centers for Disease Control have been updating the list of COVID vaccine side effects as more shots are administered. But, the information wouldn’t be available if people didn’t report how they feel after receiving one. Doctors say it’s common to feel some mild side effects after you get your COVID vaccine. They know this, thanks to a reporting system called V-Safe. Once the data from your vaccine experience, and thousands of others, is compiled, scientists can make important calls about the vaccine that could potentially help generations to come in understanding how it works.
