StemCell Therapy

Editors note: Grace Lutheran Pastor Russ Glaser shared his home worship packet with us this week and we are sharing it with our readers who might want to worship at home. There are two attachments at the bottom for download or printing.

Dear Grace Friends,

In place of Sunday worship on the Grace Lutheran campus, I am offering three items to assist you in home worship this March 22, 2020, weekend.

They are:

Home Worship for Sunday, March 22, with message, see below.Gospel reading of John 9 in large print, pdf below.Wordsearch puzzle, pdf below.

The church building will be open 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunday if anyone wishes to stop by and spend any time in individual prayer.

As always, feel free to contact me or church leaders for any concerns or needs you have during this time. Again, we are doing our part with the community to address and slow down the effects of COVID-19.

In Christs love,

Pastor Russ GlaserGrace Lutheran E.L.C.A.210 Holliday St.Osage City, KS 66523

From Pastor Russ:

While acting to limit our exposure to the spread of the coronavirus, we may be separated in time and location. But we are united together in Jesus Christ.

Please use the provided devotional and message as your home substitute this coming Sunday. It is based on two of the readings assigned for the Fourth Sunday of Lent. If there are two or more at home, take turn reading or speaking parts. Have fun with it!

Sunday March 22, 2020For Home Worship

Breathing In

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.Everything exposed by the light becomes light.You have brought your sin into the light of Christ.Your sins are forgiven.Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

May our eyes be opened in new ways to Gods glory, Gods light and our place in Gods purposes as we worship this week.

Gospel Reading John 9:1-41: Jesus heals a man who was born blind, and, because this was done on the Sabbath, the religious leaders start an investigation, calling in the mans parents and ultimately throwing the man out of the synagogue. Then, Jesus teaches that he came to bring sight to the blind and to reveal the blindness of those who think they see.

Read from your Bible or download attachment John 9.

Message

Now I See

How quickly the world changes. In just the past week or so, schools and universities around the country are now closed. Many libraries, restaurants, cafes, and cultural centers are shutting their doors. Its hard to find hand sanitizer, bathroom tissue, or other staples at the local grocery.

I am learning to maintain a six foot distance from every human being I encounter. Welcome to life in the shadow of Covid-19. Like I said, how quickly the world changes.

How do we respond to change? How do we respond when something challenges the way we are used to seeing or doing things? Are we quick to adapt ourselves to the change or do we stubbornly stand our ground?

In Johns Gospel, Jesus heals a ruined man on the Sabbath, a man who has been blind since birth. When Jesus sees him, he kneels down, spits on the ground, makes a muddy paste with his saliva, rubs the paste on the mans eyes, and instructs him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. When the man obeys, his sight is restored.

Though this is a miracle story, the Gospel writer doesnt spend too long on the healing itself. The focus of the lection is on the religious communitys response, both to the mans blindness, and to his restored sight. In other words, one of the most barren and desolate places we can occupy as Christians is a place of smugness. Of rightness. Of certainty. The more convinced we are that we have full insight, comprehension, and knowledge, the less we will see and experience the truth.

We saw that in many of our nations leaders who dismissed COVID-19 as a partisan hoax. Some stubbornly felt it was just another flu and would be gone in a week. In their righteous smugness (which is often anti-science or any other thing which could challenge their strongly held positions) our nation lost precious time in preparing for and meeting the demands this coronavirus strain will have on us and the world. It is what it is.

And in our story, even the disciples of Jesus held their own strongly held lenses in viewing the blind man. The disciples assume that his blindness is his own fault somehow. So they ask Jesus who has sinned and incurred Gods displeasure the man himself, or his parents. But Jesus rejects the entire premise of their question.

There is no relationship between the mans condition and his sinfulness, Jesus says. God does not make people sick in order to punish them for wrongdoing. To step away from our brother or sisters suffering because we assume its divinely ordained, is not righteous. Its reprehensible.

In the story John tells, Jesus sees the blind man a man whom no one else really sees. In the eyes of his peers, the man is contaminated, burdensome, and expendable. In his communitys calculus of human worth, the blind man barely registers hes not a human being; hes Blindness. The condition itself, with all of its accumulated meanings.

Which is why, when the mans sight is restored by Jesus, his own townspeople the people he has lived and worshipped with for years dont recognize him. They dont know how to see him without his disability. To do so would be to recognize a common humanity, a bond, a kinship. And that would be intolerable.

So, of course, when the man shows up at the Temple healed and whole, the community rallies to discredit him. To restore order, re-establish the social hierarchy, and reinforce the status quo.

But why? Why does the community feel such an urgent need to silence the healed man? I wonder if the core reason is fear. A fear so primal and so deep, it drives away all compassion, all empathy, all tenderness, all sense of kinship.

If the mans blindness isnt a punishment for sin, then what does that mean about how the world works? Anyone might get sick, or suffer from a disability, or face years of undeserved pain and suffering for no discernible reason whatsoever.

That wouldnt be fair would it? That would be a version of reality the good religious folks cant control. A terrifying, destabilizing version. Who among us can bear to surrender the illusion of control?

Not only does the communitys legalistic approach to faith prevent them from seeing the healed man; it also prevents them from seeing Gods love and power at work in their midst.

Notice that no one in the story rejoices when the man is healed. No one not even the mans parents expresses joy, or wonder, or gratitude, or awe. No one says, I am so happy for you! or asks, What is it like to see for the first time? Does the sunlight hurt your eyes? What are you excited to look at first?

Instead, the community responds with contempt, its need to preserve its own sense of righteousness more important than celebrating a fellow human beings restoration to life. Hard and cynical. Hard and suspicious. Hard and stingy.

This suggests to me that vulnerability, softness, curiosity, and openness are essential to real seeing. The Gospels tell us that Jesuss true identity eludes just about everyone until after his Resurrection. Even his disciples struggle to understand who and what their Teacher is.

Most of the people who encounter Jesus are too busy seeing what they want to see a magician, a heretic, a political and military leader, a carpenters son, a wise man, a phony, a clerical threat to notice what the blind man, free of all such filters, discerns by the end of the story. The blind man alone sees Jesus as the Son of Man and calls him, Lord.

We might say, then, that this is one of the rare and beautiful moments in the Gospels when Jesus himself is truly seen. The blind man sees Jesus as wholly and purely as Jesus sees him; the gaze and the recognition in this story are mutual. Because the healed man has no bias or preconceptions(remember he was blind from birth), because the spiritual ground he stands on is soft and supple, he is able to see God as God is. This allows the whispers of Gods Spirit to bring forth new life.

Whether we want to or not over the coming weeks, we will face a choice the choice to see or to turn away. Will we allow the ground we stand on to remain pliable, or will we harden our stance and refuse to grow and change?

During these hard days, who are the people we might render invisible with our cherished theologies, our dogmatic political views, our legalistic approaches to justice, fairness, generosity, and sympathy? Why are tests found for NBA athletes and not for the common person. Who might we deem expendable during this season of mass illness and fear? The homeless, the elderly? Whose joys will we be unwilling to celebrate, because were so busy hoarding our own?

Will we be flexible in the ways we extend love across distances, or will we hunker down in fear and suspicion? Will we dare to be the Church in new ways, even as we practice quarantines and social distancing or will we forget that we are one body, connected and interdependent, incomplete without each other? Will we have eyes to see God in our neighbors, regardless of whether they are sick or healthy, insured or uninsured, citizen or foreigner, protected or vulnerable? Will we be brave enough to look our own vulnerability our own mortality in the eye, and trust that God is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death? Or will we yield to cynicism, panic, and despair?

I am in awe of the trust the healed man has in Jesus by the end of this weeks Gospel story a trust deep enough to enable him to bear honest, radical witness to his experience, even at the risk of censure and excommunication from his religious community. In shedding his identity as the man blind from birth, the healed man becomes a disciple, a traveler, a pilgrim. He commits himself without looking back, straining forward instead of clinging to what others tell him is right and true. He is, in the truest sense, born again.

During this Lenten season, may we drop any sense of righteous smugness we might stand on. During this season, may we, too, confess our blindness and receive sight. May we also praise the one who kneels in the dirt and gets his hands dirty in order to heal us. May we also soften and prepare the ground we stand on, so that when new life appears in whatever surprising guise God chooses, we will embrace, cherish, celebrate, and share the good news, too!

Breathing OutGo ahead and sing the hymn. Youre at home after all!

Amazing GraceAmazing grace! how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch; like me!I once was lost, but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,And grace my fears relieved;How precious did that grace appearThe hour I first believed!The Lord hath promised good to me,His word my hope secures;He will my shield and portion beAs long as life endures.When weve been there ten thousand years,Bright shining as the sun,Weve no less days to sing Gods praiseThan when we first begun.

A Prayer on Coronavirus

Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages curing every disease and illness. At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.

Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.

Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.

Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.

Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.

Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.

Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.

Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.

Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.

Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.

Jesus Christ, heal us.Amen.

Source: Kerry Weber, Executive Editor of America: The Jesuit Review

Ephesians 5: 8-10

For you were oncedarkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light(for the fruitof the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth)and find out what pleases the Lord.

Sending

The kingdom of love is coming because:

somewhere someone is kind when others are unkind,somewhere someone shares with another in need,somewhere someone refuses to hate, while others hate,somewhere someone is patient and waits in love,somewhere someone returns good for evil,somewhere someone serves another, in love,somewhere someone is calm in a storm,somewhere someone is loving everybody.Is that someone you?

Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Gospel reading of John 9 in large print, pdf download or print.

Wordsearch puzzle 3-22-20, pdf download or print.

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Feeling confined? Home worship with Grace Lutheran | Osage County Online - Osage County Online | Osage County News

By REP. DAVID EASTMAN

The mess in our Legislature in Juneau today is far greater than any one legislator will be able to fix, but that does not mean that every single legislator should not be working earnestly today to do their part to fix it. I am committed to doing my part, day in and day out, which sets me at odds with the status quo in Juneau.

When I first expressed concern about the coronavirus in January, I cautioned those in Juneau and other parts of the state to take this virus seriously. The response was sadly predictable. The responsefrom ADN and the political blogswas to mock the one legislator who was willing to call attention to it at the time.

When I wrotein Januaryabout the censorship of doctors in China, who were trying to warn their countrymen about the disease, there was still significant reluctance to talking about it in the state capitol building.

When I highlightedthe first discussionabout the virus in the U.S. Senate, and then passed on advice thatThe Time to Prepare is NOWon February 3rd, Juneau was still not ready to take this virus seriously.

I responded by simply reminding the critics that All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. (Arthur Schopenhauer)

It is a very familiar progression, as it is a path that I have walked down many times since first becoming a legislator. We walked down that path for three long years in the effort to repeal SB91.We were repeatedly told that it was impossible, that there was no stopping it, that we would simply have to let SB91 run its course, that those in Juneau who supported it were too powerful. Thankfully, there were some in Juneau (including then Sen. Mike Dunleavy) who were willing to persevere anyway, and SB91 is now repealed.

I have been walking a similar path with the Coronavirus for the last two months, and we have now reached the point where the crisis of the coronavirus is now accepted as being self-evident everywhere; everywhere except Juneau that is.

To Juneau, everything is political. The political angle is the focus. Everything else is blurry. This is what is meant when you hear someone say that those in Juneau are blind. Its not actual blindness, its simply an extreme case of tunnel-vision. This becomes painfully clear with something as tangible and as terrible as the coronavirus. It is coming. We know it is coming. It is coming to Juneau, just as it is coming to any community in Alaska that maintains passenger traffic with other parts of the state and nation.

And yet, the legislature has literally done nothing to prepare for the arrival of the virus in Juneau. If the coronavirus were to be identified in the capitol building this morning, unlike legislatures in other states, the Alaska Legislature has no contingency for how to conduct business without assembling all legislators together into a single room.

The White House has advised all Americans to avoid groups of more than ten people due to the extremely contagious nature of the coronavirus. The response in Juneau has largely been it wont happen to me, and so, other than shutting the capitol building to the public, we have largely continued with business as usual.

Each day, the House of Representatives assembles, as usual, putting more than 50 people in the same room, a number of whom are senior legislators in the 70s.

Yesterday,the entire Georgia legislaturewas urged to self-quarantine after a Georgia senator tested positive for the coronavirus. Do we think this wont happen here?

Over the last ten days, we have debated bills onelectric bicycles,notaries, andchanging the name of a road. This is Juneau. You arent dreaming; this is what its really like. While other nations are enduring conditions not seen since World War II, we have prioritized debating a new law for electric bicycles.

Im sure, simply for writing this, my colleagues in the legislature will be looking for new ways topunish and silence me, but if no one has the courage to call a spade a spade, legislators will continue to walk the streets of Juneau wearing little more thanthe invisible clothesthat exist only in their imagination.

The first item of business when the legislature gathers today should be passage of a bill that establishes legal authority for the legislature to conduct business without physically assembling more than 50 people in the same room. Thats it. That should be our first order of business. No exceptions.

Other states have passed similar bills. Why not Alaska?

It hasnt happened in Alaska yet because doing so would deprive some legislators of a helpful excuse to rush their favorite bills through the process unvetted.

Juneau is so hopelessly mired in politics today that, rather than spur the legislature to action, the threat of the virus is simply seen as a political tool to accomplish old political agendas. Last week, it was used as an excuse to push through an absolutely awful mental health budget (what fighting against the U.S. Supreme CourtsJanusdecision has to do with mental health is your guess as well as mine), and was used yesterday as an excuse to pass thelargest supplemental budget in state history, only a small fraction of which had anything to do with responding to the coronavirus.

Juneau needs help today. It needs concerned Alaskans to take note of the mind-boggling decisions that legislators are making. It needs concerned Alaskans willing to ask legislators the hard questions that few in Juneau seem willing to ask. And when legislators offer unsatisfactory answers, it needs individual Alaskans who wont take a non-answer for an answer and, when the time comes, will be willing to vote against maintaining the status quo in Juneau.

Perhaps most of all, Alaska needs a handful of good men and women who are willing to make the personal sacrifice to take a tour of duty and deploy to Juneau for six months or more each year to protect their neighbors from the damaging, long-term decisions the legislature will continue to make if they do not. Otherwise, the status quo will continue.

It didnt have to be this way. But it is. So lets deal with it and each do our part to fix this mess.

Rep. David Eastman represents District 10, Wasilla.

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Legislature's response to coronavirus is predictable, and irresponsible - Must Read Alaska

On Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, over 250 people attended the 13th Annual Medical Ethics Society (MES) Conference presented by the YU Student Medical Ethics Society and the Center for the Jewish Future (CJF). Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die? examined Jewish perspectives on patient autonomy and decision-making in modern medicine.

The conference opened with remarks by the co-presidents of MES, Bailey Frohlich 20S and Tzvi Cantor 21YC, who welcomed the audience. Rabbi Yaakov Glasser 99YC, 01R, 05A, the David Mitzner Dean of CJF, addressed the audience and was followed by the conference chairman, Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman 86YC, 90E, 97R, who introduced the honoree of the conference, Rabbi Dr. Moshe D. Tendler 48R, the Rabbi Isaac and Bella Tendler Professor of Jewish Medical Ethics, a professor of biology at YU and a rosh yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). The conference, sponsored by the Community Synagogue of Monsey, was in honor of Rabbi Tendler, who spoke about risk and patient autonomy in Talmudic law.

The first panel featured Dr. Richard Grazi, director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Maimonides Medical Center and Founder of GENESIS, and Rabbi Dr. Richard Weiss 83YC, 96R, adjunct instructor in biology at Stern College for Women and rabbi of the Young Israel of Hillcrest. Their panel was titled Patient Autonomy Versus Physician Autonomy In Assisted Reproductive Technology and addressed questions such as how an Orthodox physician can navigate his or her patients request to perform elective Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) for sex determination, or what to do when a single woman asks for donor insemination.

Dr. Grazi spoke about various case studies he has seen in his practice in which the patients wishes conflicted with his own religious beliefs. Both he and Dr. Weiss then evaluated each case and discussed the halachic [Jewish legal] issues that arise in similar situations as well as possible clinical approaches to resolving the ethical issues of autonomy faced by physicians. After the panel concluded, a comment by a member of the audience mirrored the feeling of many when he stated, The miracle of birth is a miracle of birth, no matter how it is achieved.

The second session, titled Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS): Ethics, Legality and Halakha, featured Dr. Susan Cohen, medical director of palliative care at Bellevue Hospital and associate professor of the Department of Medicine at NYU-Langone; Assemblyman Gary Schaer, deputy speaker in the New Jersey State Assembly and vice-chair of the Appropriations Committee; and Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman 96YC, 98R, rosh yeshiva at RIETS.

Dr. Cohen discussed the medical ethics of PAS and the physician-patient interaction during end-of-life care. Assemblyman Schaer then presented the legal arguments that arose for and against the Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act passed by the New Jersey State Legislature in August 2019. He spoke movingly about his personal experience with regards to his father and the issues and challenges he faced in his voting decision. Rounding out the discussion was Rabbi Feldman, who explored the halachic aspects of PAS, end-of-life situations and balancing compassion with Jewish law.

The third and final session discussed Navigating Cases of Diminished Capacity with Dementia and Alzheimers Patients and featured Dr. Hannah Lipman, director of Bioethics at Hackensack University Medical Center and associate professor at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University; and Rabbi Mordechai Willig 68YC, 71R, the Rabbi Dr. Sol Roth Professor of Talmud and Contemporary Halakhah, rosh yeshiva at the Yeshiva Program/Mazer School of Talmudic Studies, rosh kollel at RIETS, and spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Riverdale.

Dr. Lipman discussed the challenges involved in dealing with patients who have dementia, such as who makes medical decisions for the patient when the patient is no longer capable of making such decisions for himself or herself, whether the patients wishes in their current state of limited capacity conflict with their own past wishes, and how a physician can facilitate shared decision-making between elderly patients and various family members who have conflicting opinions. Following Dr. Lipmans presentation, Rabbi Willig discussed the halakhic questions that arise when dealing with patients and family members who have dementia and cannot entirely express their own opinions.

The yearly conference is considered highly relevant for members of the Jewish community, since many of the issues explored are compounded by halachic considerations that require the guidance of rabbinic authority.

As Rabbi Tendler introduced the theme of Jewish law and autonomy, I looked out at our captivated audience of over 250 students, physicians and community members and realized that our countless hours of hard work paid off, said Frohlich. Based on our attendance, robust Q&A sessions with the speakers and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received, I felt that we successfully generated a positive and productive conversation about these increasingly sensitive and nuanced medical ethics issues, thus achieving the mission of the YU Medical Ethics Society. She added, By bringing in leading physicians, rabbis, ethicists, lawmakers and scientists who are experts in their respective fields, MES looks forward to presenting future informative and thought-provoking conferences in order to provide YU students and surrounding community members with a deeper insight into how to navigate complex medical ethics topics.

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Medical Ethics Society Conference Explores the Intersection of Patient Autonomy and Jewish Law - Yu News

1000s of individuals in the USA have examined optimistic for COVID-19, and the dying toll around the globe has surpassed 6,000. Italy is below lockdown and in New York Metropolis the federal government is demanding companies together with bars, eating places and film theaters be closed in an effort to stem the unfold of the virus. After draconian measures have been applied in China to halt the fast an infection charge of the virus, together with motion restrictions, massive scale surveillance and compelled isolation, it appears such measures are working, with new instances in China decliningBeneath laws from the Occupational Security and Well being Administration plus legal guidelines together with the People with Disabilities Act (ADA), HIPAA, and the Genetic Info Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), amongst others, employers should respect employees privateness and different rights. With coronavirus, that will preclude administering any form of well being testing or straight inquiring about an workers well being situation or medical prognosis, says Elizabeth M. Renieris, a lawyer and a fellow at Harvard Colleges Berkman Klein Center for Web and Society This isnt a time for employers to opportunistically accumulate further details about their staff or to introduce worker surveillance measures, says Renieris. Staff dont give up all of their privateness rights in a disaster.

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Uncharted territory: Legal experts weigh in on the COVID-19 outbreak - Harvard Law School News

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized business practices across many industries. With 39% of health care providers investing in AI-related technologies, its safe to say its about to transform the medical industry as well. AIs disruptive potential may increase profits in other sectors, but in health care, it can save lives.

While robots arent quite ready to replace doctors, they can help them accomplish their tasks with higher speed and precision. AI in the hospital is not just a thing of the future, either. All around the world, smart machines are already assisting medical staff in a variety of ways.

As this technology refines, machine learning will become an increasingly regular part of medicine. Here are seven ways AI will transform health care in the coming years.

1. Robot-Assisted Surgery

It may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but surgery robots are already in use. In 2017, more than 690,000 surgeries were assisted by robots in the U.S. alone. As these machines continue to demonstrate their worth, theyll appear in more operating rooms.

Robotic surgeons like the da Vinci Surgical System offer more precise and less invasive movements than human hands and traditional tools. With AI, they can improve upon surgical methods. AI-enabled surgery bots can notice reactions in a patient invisible to the human eye and make necessary adjustments.

2. Early Diagnoses

Intelligent programs can quickly analyze vast amounts of information. This unique talent makes AI ideal for making preliminary diagnoses in patients. Smart machines can take note of patients symptoms and interpret them to make an early diagnosis while doctors make their rounds.

The accuracy of these diagnoses will improve as AI develops, but even at its current state, they can be useful. Doctors can use them as a starting-off point. A list of likely diagnoses can be a helpful resource to doctors when trying to diagnose patients as quickly as possible. They might also make health care professionals consider options they otherwise wouldnt have thought of, increasing accuracy.

3. Administrative Assistance

Treating patients is not the only duty of health care professionals. Doctors and nurses have to take records of patient data, from symptoms to insurance information, so they can refer to them later or send them to other hospitals. This process can take time, and any issues along the way can create problems for patients and doctors alike.

IT usability is a critical part of health care, and AI can optimize it. Intelligent systems can find ways to streamline the information-sharing process, ensuring health workers get the data they need as soon as possible. AI can also handle administrative tasks like scheduling and logistics, allowing hospital staff to focus on more pressing concerns.

4. Health Screenings

Just as AI applications can diagnose patients, they can also make predictions about a persons fitness for a given situation. Predictive analytics is an AI function that analyzes historical data to make predictions about future outcomes. AI systems can use predictive analytics to perform more nuanced health screenings.

AI can tell doctors is a patient would be fit for surgery or not. Similarly, it can advise people if they arent a suitable candidate for physically exerting activities or tests. These analytics consider a wide range of data, including things a human might overlook, leading to more accurate predictions.

5. Remote Monitoring

AI can also optimize health care outside of the hospital. Wearable technology is already prevalent with products like Fitbit, and the medical industry can use this to its advantage. With wearable health-monitoring devices, doctors can monitor their patients remotely.

Remote monitoring devices can alert patients if they need to see a doctor. Should an emergency occur, they can also alert hospital staff so they can send an ambulance. These noninvasive technologies will allow patients with conditions such as heart disease to live without fear by providing them with almost instant assistance.

6. Robot Nurses

Intelligent robots can help fix the nursing labor shortage by filling in those vital roles. Nursing robots are already working in Japanese hospitals and may soon see use in the U.S. These machines can help patients move, reduce their stress and remind them to take their medicine.

With AI, these robot nurses can adapt to each patients needs and desires. By analyzing how different people respond to various stimuli and situations, they can customize care. Intelligent nurse robots treat patients in a manner ideal for their health and comfort needs.

7. AI-Enabled Genomics

Compared to humans, AI is better suited for data-heavy tasks. Since DNA sequencing is a form of data analysis, its an ideal area to employ AI.

Using artificial intelligence in genomics has already shown impressive results. In 2019, an AI system identified new genetic mutations that contributed to autism. The system could detect patterns in DNA humans would not be able to, as well as predict how changing each gene would affect a person.

AI Is Revolutionizing Medicine

Artificial intelligence is changing the way the health care industry operates. With continued research and improvement, AI systems could save countless lives.

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3D-printed medical valves are helping the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy - The American Genius

Oklahoma State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine strives for innovation in both animal and human health, serving education, research and extension efforts.

Each year, the CVM welcomes bright, energetic students. There are 106 students in the veterinary class of 2023; 58 are Oklahoma residents. Forty-seven Oklahoma counties are represented by current classes.

The colleges faculty and staff work diligently to ensure all students are well prepared. Our graduates have achieved a National Board Examination pass rate of 100 percent for the last three years.

For the past five years, the CVM has consistently ranked higher than the national average in students seeking employment in food animal-mixed animal practice (OSU 22.8 percent, national 16.02 percent). The CVM recognizes the shortage of rural veterinarians and is working to address those needs.

As part of a land-grant institution, CVMs research is a strong focus. Research productivity is dramatically increasing. According to the 2019 Comparative Data Report from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, the CVM ranks 13th of 30 among U.S. schools of veterinary medicine when research funding is normalized to faculty numbers.

Our signature research programs include respiratory and infectious disease, interdisciplinary toxicology, parasitology, zoonotic and tick transmitted diseases, lung biology, exercise physiology and microbiome science.

Extension is also a focus area for the CVM, specifically through outreach and education. Additionally, collaborations with other segments of extension enhance programming. This includes the Integrated Beef Cattle Program for Veterinarians, a project funded by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant. This project aims to retain veterinarians and attract new graduates to rural practice. It expands business opportunities by improving veterinary training in areas impacting herd management, health and production. It is a cooperative multidisciplinary project, uniting the CVM and the animal science and agricultural economics departments of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

The Veterinary Medical Hospital is a teaching facility that serves patients from across the region. The food animal service offers around-the-clock emergency care, treating thousands of animals annually. Surgery, medicine, reproduction and on-farm services are offered. The CVM caseload is in the top 10 of U.S. veterinary schools and growing.

The Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory operates within the CVM, promoting animal health through diagnostic testing, professional student instruction and research in diseases of economic importance. OADDL is a National Animal Health Laboratory Network Level 1 laboratory. This is the highest level of designation from the USDA. In 2018, OADDL served 75 Oklahoma counties and 40 states on more than 17,000 cases involving 89,000 tests.

Dr. Rosslyn Biggs is an assistant clinical professor at Oklahoma State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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VETERINARY VIEWPOINTS: Oklahoma State strives for innovation in health - Stillwater News Press

Animal Science Pre-Vet Club

Members of the Pre-Vet club alongside faculty advisor, Jeremy Powell.

In early March, 13 members of the Pre-Veterinary Club, along with two faculty advisors, Jeremy Powell and Lauren Thomas, traveled to Virginia Tech University to participate in the 2020 American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Symposium.

Hosted by a different school each year, the annual symposium typically draws approximately 500 pre-veterinary students from all over the nation. During this year's two-day event, our students had the opportunity to attended lectures presented by veterinary professionals, participate in hands-on wet labs and meet and greet with veterinary admissions counselors from all over the nation, including international schools!As an added bonus, our students capitalized on the long drive to Virginia Tech by stopping in Knoxville, Tennessee. to tour the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

All students agree, that while the drive to and from Virginia was rather arduous, the value of the experience was well worth all the effort!

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Students Attend American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Symposium - University of Arkansas Newswire

When it comes to veterinary medicine duringthe coronavirus pandemic, many Cape Ann and North Shore veterinarians are keeping the human half of their client pairs out of the office.

They are only speaking with their human clients out in their parking lots or by phone.

We are not letting any clients in the building except (for) life or death things, such as euthanasia, said Dr. Donna Heaney of North Shore Veterinary Hospital in Gloucester. Were doing things like taking histories of the pets outside.

New England Veterinary Clinic of Salem is also following the outdoor intake method.

People pull up, call the office, a nurse goes out to pick (the pet) up in the parking lot, said Dr. Julie Bergeron ofNew England Veterinary. The idea behind that is to keep people who may be carrying the virus from infecting my team and other clients as well. Vet clinics are considered essential services, so we're going to try to continue working as long as humanly possible.

Heaney says her clients have been understanding of this change, as they are trying to keep away from the virus as well. Bergeron hasnt had the same luck.

Nobody likes change, she said. There seems to be confusion as well, and with confusion some get angry. But if we continue with foot traffic in and out of the building, we could get sick and wed be unable to take care of their pets.

Despite these changes, North Shore Veterinary Hospital staff has been working a full caseload, although it might not last for long.

Its a work in progress, said Heaney. Were still trying to figure out what we can and cant do. Were still having routine check-ups but we might be cutting back on that soon to make room for the pets that need immediate attention. Were down a few employees as well. Next week will be slower.

New England Veterinary Clinic has already begun cutting down its services.

As with a lot of other clinics, we are not providing elective surgeries at this time, said Bergeron. Were trying to preserve the (personal protective equipment) for human hospitals.

Pets and the virus

The CDC states there have been no cases of animalscatching coronavirus so far. Still, this doesnt mean they aren't capable of transmitting the virus. Because of this, Bergeron said, if a pet owner is self-quarantining,he or she should consider any pets quarantined as well.

These times arent just stressful for humans pets have been feeling the effects of the pandemic panic as well.

Some are the dogs are getting stressed, said Heaney. Theyre feeding off their peoples stress. Weve been seeing dogs with stress diarrhea. I think (the best way to mitigate the stress is) trying to keep them in a routine. They are creatures of habit and they dont like when their routines are interrupted.

Not all veterinarian offices are staying open during the pandemic.

Were not seeing any routine cases, said Dr. Larry Lamb of Manchester Animal Hospital. Were trying to figure out how its possible how to work with staff and keep a 10-foot distance. I feel its so important to maintain the safety of our coworkers and their families.

Lamb says hes willing to talk to clients over the phone if they have any questions. If it's urgent care theyre seeking, he says hell be able to connect them with vets still working nearby.

Ill be able to help them out on the phone as best I can, he said. I know Angell Animal Hospitalin Boston will still be seeing urgent care.

Indeed, MSPCA-Angell is stillproviding immediate medical attention to pets atits Boston and Waltham locations. LikeNorth Shore Veterinary Hospital andNew England Veterinary Clinic, however, humans are not allowed inside.

"Signage outside our front entrance provides specific phone numbers for clients to call from their mobile phones upon arrival," reads instructions on the MSPCA website. "As clients remain outside the building, our team then guides clients on next steps for an emergency, a necessary re-check, or medication/food pickup."

Back in Gloucester, Cape Ann Animal Aid of Gloucester has closed its doors for the time being as well.

Due to concerns about coronavirus and recommendations on social distancing, we are not currently open to the public, states the clinics answering machine message. We are busy caring for the animals and working on a process for adoption via appointment Please keep updated on happenings here by checking our website, capeannanimalaid.org, or viewing our Facebook page.

Representatives with SeaPort Veterinary Hospital in Rockport and All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in Salem declined to comment for this story. Dr. Jeff French of Cape Ann Veterinary Hospital in Gloucesterwas unable to be reached at presstime.

Michael Cronin may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or mcronin@gloucestertimes.com.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

Read the rest here:
Parking lot procedures: Veterinarians on Cape Ann, North Shore adjust to coronavirus - Gloucester Daily Times

Trupanion, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association and The Bridge Club have scheduled separate webinars designed to help veterinary professionals navigate the COVID-19 crisis.

Guidance for Nonprofit, Government and In Practice Veterinary Personnel, hosted by Trupanion, will take place at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 25. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/2UnNSLu.

The first 3,000 veterinary professionals who preregister will be eligible for RACE credits if they view the presentation on the Zoom conferencing platform. The event also will be streamed on Facebook Live at https://bit.ly/2wtqR1L.

Moderated by Trupanion chief veterinary officer Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, the webinar will feature three speakers:

By joining forces with these worldwide authorities in pet health and welfare, our goal is to provide the most current and useful information to the veterinary and sheltering community, Dr. Weinrauch said.

At 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday, March 24, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association will present Coronavirus: Employment Law Updates Managers Need to Know. Topics presented by attorney Timothy A. Davis will include new federal legislation regarding paid leave and unemployment benefits, compliance with applicable laws and how to reduce the risk of workplace exposures.

Registration is available at https://bit.ly/3dlTEG9.

At 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 25, The Bridge Club, a networking group, will host COVID-19 Updates from the AVMA : What the Profession Needs to Know Now. The guest speaker will be Gail Golab, DVM, Ph.D., MANZCVS, DACAW, chief veterinary officer at the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Registration is available at https://bit.ly/3dnMuRC.

Did you know a subscription to Todays Veterinary Business is free to qualified veterinary professionals? All you have to do is sign up here (and renew each year). You also can sign up to receive the Todays Veterinary Business weekly e-newsletter.

Read more here:
Webinar week: COVID-19 and veterinary practice - Today's Veterinary Business Magazine

One of the joys of owning a pet is being able to observe their curious nature. However, when they stick their noses where they dont belong, a dangerous situation can arise, especially in a state like Texas, which is home to more than 75 different species of snakes.

Dr. Dalton Hindmarsh, a veterinary resident at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, advises pet owners on what to do if their furry friend falls victim to a snake bite.

First, you should keep your pet calm and seek veterinary care, he said. Contrary to what you may read on the internet, I would not recommend giving any medications at home, including things like Benadryl, without first consulting your veterinarian. I would also not recommend a tourniquet or trying to suck the venom out.

Hindmarsh also said that prophylactic antibiotics are typically not prescribed, since the risk of infection from a snake bite is less than 1 percent. Steroid medications or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) pain medications are also not usually involved in treatment of a snake bite, as they have a high risk of side effects and no documented treatment benefit.

Hindmarsh adds that snake bites are very common in dogs and less frequently seen in cats. Its also important to remember that if a snake is able to harm your pet, they are likely a danger to you as well, so Hindmarsh recommends that owners exercise caution after the bite.

If the snake is already dead, you can take a picture of it to show veterinary staff, he said. Please do not bring the snake with you! If the snake is alive, do not put yourself in danger and leave the area with your pet.

Once a bitten pet has reached a veterinary care facility, there are a variety of treatment options available.

The recommended treatment ultimately depends on the severity of the bite, but most cases are treated with IV fluids to address shock, pain medications, and monitoring, Hindmarsh said. Antivenom is readily available but is not always indicated for every snake bite.

Owners should be mindful about preventing their pets from interacting with snakes, especially when in regions where these slithering creatures are more common. In the areas near Texas A&M, copperheads are the most common venomous snake.

Owners may consider avoidance training (teaching dogs to leave snakes alone) for outdoor and working dogs, Hindmarsh said. Keeping pets on a leash may also reduce the chance they encounter a snake.

If pet owners have concerns about their animal encountering snakes, they should contact their veterinarian to discuss how they can best protect their pet. Owners who suspect that their pet has been bitten should contact their veterinarian immediately.

If you end up seeing a snake the next time you and your pet are enjoying the outdoors, Hindmarsh advises that you leave the snake alone, back away, and leave the area.

Read more:
Pet talk: The biting truth of Snake Envenomation - Marshall News Messenger

RINER Dogs and cats may not have to worry about COVID-19, but the pandemic viral infection is changing how some veterinarians practice.

At Riner Animal Hospital on Thursday, that meant Bear the black lab got his vaccines in the clinic while his ride, Joe Richmeier, sat in his truck in the parking lot. And Bear got a little walk from his vet, Dr. Lindsey Mabe, who brought the 1-year-old canine outside when his appointment was over.

Its all part of the new way the clinic handles patient care. For now, animal patients come inside, but their owners dont. All communication and payment is done in the parking lot or by phone.

Were really just trying to take every precaution to prevent exposure, Mabe said. And the new service reduces the need to constantly sanitize the waiting room. That allows the staff to conserve cleaning supplies that are already in short supply.

I really appreciate them doing that, Richmeier said. Im sure its inconvenient.

Mabe said its a little more work for the staff but worth it for everyones safety.

Dr. Richard Wright, practice owner, said he implemented the procedures on Tuesday at the request of his staff. The change came after Gov. Ralph Northam announced new guidelines to slow the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Northam announced Monday that gatherings of more than 10 people, including in most places of business in the state, are prohibited, and people with elevated risk, such as the elderly and those with chronic health conditions, are asked to voluntarily quarantine themselves.

So far in Virginia, more than 1,900 people have been tested for the novel coronavirus and at least 117 cases have been confirmed as of midday Friday, including one in Botetourt County, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Two people have died in the state, and at least 19 have been hospitalized.

The changes at Riner help the clinic comply with guidelines to slow the spread.

Its not unusual to have up to 10 people in the waiting room all clustered together, and thats not good, Wright said. If the owner wants to hold their dog, youre looking in the dogs eyes, and theres a lot of close contact there.

So far clients have been positive about the change, he said.

Its a great idea, said Rick Barrow, who came to the clinic on Thursday with his wife, Deb, to pick up prescription food for their cat, Izzy. Everybodys got to be safe.

The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicines teaching hospital in Blacksburg was among the first veterinary practices to institute a drop-off-only policy starting on March 13, director Terry Swecker said. It applies to small and large animal clients.

Were big, meaning we have a lot of people, Swecker said. Im trying to protect people, both my people and the clients.

As a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation with dozens of medical and other support staff, faculty, students and practitioners potentially on site at any given time, preventing coronavirus infection was a particular concern, Swecker said.

Policies meant to minimize the number of staff and clients on site were formed with advice from the colleges public health experts, Swecker said.

Veterinary students were recently sent home to complete their semesters remotely, and the hospital is working to tailor its staffing to three priority areas: emergency services for all cases where the animals life is in danger, care of existing patients with conditions such as cancer and existing clients with cases that require timely treatment.

Appointments for vaccinations and other lower priority services, as well as enrolling new patients who need those nonemergency services will be delayed until the COVID-19 threat passes, Swecker said.

His advice to all clients: Call ahead and be prepared to talk about your case on the phone and to provide photos and even videos of the problem. And if the animal needs to be seen at the hospital, be prepared to drop it off, he said.

But most private practice clinics so far have made drop-off services optional.

On Monday, Companion Animal Clinic in Blacksburg implemented an optional limited contact appointment system for clients who want it, practice manager Sarah Perdue said. On Thursday, they had five such appointments.

Were into the unknown at this particular point, so we want everyone to have the option to feel comfortable, but for their pets to still receive care, Perdue said.

So far, the majority of clients have wanted regular appointments, she added. But that could change if coronavirus begins to spread in the New River Valley.

Roanoke Animal Hospital also is offering drop-off and other limited contact options, but clients have so far shown limited interest in them, Dr. Thomas Blaszak said.

Were cleaning nonstop to make sure if it [coronavirus] does at all step into our hospital, hopefully were killing it before it goes anywhere else, Blaszak said. The hospital also has asked staff members who have traveled recently to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Worldwide, more than 250,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed as of Friday. More than 11,000 people have died.

Excerpt from:
Dogs and cats leaving owners in the car - Roanoke Times

Adaptability in the age of COVID-19 is coming in the way of telemedicine.

Over the past several weeks, Oregon leaders have announced numerous, increasingly stringent orders around social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Earlier this month, Gov. Kate Brown banned groups over 250. She narrowed that this week, banning groups of over 25. Hospitals and nursing care facilities have banned visitors all together.

Enter a lot more telemedicine.

The clinic will continue to provide in-person visits for newborns and for well-child checks for kids two and a half and undervisits that often include immunizations and monitoring developmental milestones that providers must do in person, COPA stated Friday. (Updated 3/21, 5:30pm: the original version of this story stated providers "can't" do those visits; that was inaccurate.)

Like other health care providers faced with supply chain disruptions, preserving PPEs is definitely a thing.

"COPA is conserving all our PPE supplies using multiple methods to ensure that our current supplies last as long as possible," Clausen wrote.

"The Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board issued a statement saying that says we can provide telemedicine to our patients," Maas said. "We are taking it seriously. We have already, for the last two weeks, have been anticipating a need for PPE, and conserving and recycling and reusing whenever possibleautoclaving it when we can, so we don't burn through one per patient. Because of that, we can still be open and still do the care we need for our patients."

Maas said his supplies of PPE are adequate for his team, but that they don't have a stockpile.

"I've responded to the emergency task forcefor things like anaesthesia, we will have that available for them in a time of need," he said.

"Before this throwaway society, we used to have cloth masks. We have a couple employees now doing that, who have seamstress skills."

"While telemedicine is still very much in its infancy, these new health care platforms have the potential to solve some of the most persistent problems faced by rural inhabitants," the Oregon Health Sciences University's Oregon Office of Rural Healthdetailed on its web page. Part of the office's purview is Project ECHO, which focuses not only on expanding telemedicine, but on using it to help health care providers in rural areas get the continuing education credits they need to maintain or advance their careers. "There are certainly limitations as to what telemedicine can accomplish, but for populations with limited access to health care, a little has the potential to go a long way."

Read the original:
A Pivot to Telemedicine | Local News | Bend - The Source Weekly

By DR JOSEPH MUGACHIAMore by this Author

Laboratory testing in both veterinary and human medical practice is a crucial ingredient of disease diagnosis. It is nowadays considered the gold standard for best practice in health services.

Incidentally, just like in other areas of medical practice, the analysis reports sometimes may be inaccurate and lead to improper treatment or management of a disease.

In veterinary medicine, such results, if not detected early, may result in improper and expensive treatment. The disease may escalate, cause death to the animal and unnecessary loss to the farmer.

You may recall last month (Seeds of Gold, February 19), I shared a black quarter case in a cow where I had submitted samples for laboratory analysis. I have since received the lab report.

Unfortunately, the test results were completely out of sync with my post-mortem (PM) findings. Such results cannot be considered for confirming the diagnosis of the problem.

In veterinary practice, PM observation, testing for disease confirmation in the lab is the gold standard for diagnosis of diseases in the field.

Most causes of death leave tell-tale changes in the body that inform the doctor on the disease and cause of death.

Laboratory testing, on the other hand, seeks to identify the agent or agents that caused the disease and death.

Post-mortem findings are more likely to be erroneous due to the doctors inadequate knowledge and experience than laboratory results.

This is because laboratory tests follow laid down protocols that use various standardised materials and equipment. PM examination is based on visual observations by the doctor. However, experienced doctors become PM diagnostic machines and give highly accurate diagnoses in most cases.

A good veterinary doctor should always express their sentiments in questionable laboratory test results and engage the facility to try and understand the source of the error.

If the various professionals involved in the diagnosis and laboratory testing transparently engage, they will always confirm the source of the error.

I found myself contesting the results I received from the laboratory on the black quarter case. My two intern doctors, Eddy and Joyce, were the first to notice the anomalies when they received the results on email.

Joyce was on duty regarding laboratory issues that day. She discussed with Eddy and they informed me the results did not look right.

The laboratory had suggested Daisy died of a bacterial infection. They said they isolated Corynebacteria species that were resistant to most drugs used in animal treatment.

I had no problem with the resistance findings as the bacteria species is notorious for drug resistance. My problem was with the bacteria family apparently isolated from my samples.

The laboratory test report was completely inconsistent with the PM findings. By all counts, there was no chance in the universe that the bacteria could cause sudden death with blackening of tissues and gas accumulation under the skin.

You see, most disease-causing microorganisms, including viruses, have unique footprints that they exhibit during infection and also by the time the animal dies.

That is why an animal health service provider in most cases diagnoses a disease and treats your animal without taking samples to the laboratory. Many farmers are witnesses that most of their animals recover after such treatment.

My PM findings had shown Daisy had died of black quarter whose signs of sickness and death I explained fully in the article.

Corynebacteria species commonly cause cattle diseases but their main footprint is production of pus in boils or mastitis.

The only time members of this bacterial group could cause sudden death is if the germs formed a large abscess on a major blood vessel and caused it to burst.

This would cause the animal to quickly bleed to death. I have only seen such abscesses in the lungs of cattle on three occasions in the entire course of my practice.

Daisy had no abscess in the body but had evident areas of severe tissue blackening in the heavy muscles of the neck and shoulders.

The cow also had heavy accumulation of a foul-smelling gas under the skin. It is only some members of the Clostridium species of bacteria that are known to have these signature effects.

Therefore, the difference in the signs of diseases caused by the two bacterial species and the PM findings leave no room for confusion.

I called the doctor who signed off the report in the lab and expressed my disagreement with the results. I sent her the full post-mortem report, including photographic evidence. She was in agreement that something went wrong and would investigate.

There are many reasons why a laboratory can return inaccurate test results. Most of the causes are human errors because majority of laboratory tests are automated.

The most common errors are those related to sample recording, often called paper work mix-ups. Once a sample is submitted to the laboratory, it is given a lab number and comprehensive recording to fit with the testing and reporting protocol. Erroneous recording may invalidate the whole testing process and results.

There are also procedural mistakes where the sample may get contaminated with other microorganisms because of inappropriate handling. Faulty equipment calibration or choice of the wrong test may also cause fatal errors and unacceptable results.

Sometimes the circumstances of the animal at the time of sample collection may also affect the test results. For instance, a milk sample taken from an animal under treatment may give incoherent test results.

Such milk may show mastitis to be caused by fungi while in reality, the fungi would have grown because of severe suppression of bacteria by antibiotics used for treatment.

If the submitting doctor provides insufficient information to the laboratory such as incomplete set of clinical signs observed in sick animals or post-mortem findings, the laboratory could make a choice of an inappropriate test and return erroneous results.

Finally, there are test results that could be false, negative or positive. These are mainly tests for the immune reaction of the animal body.

They are called immunological tests. Vaccinated animals may show false positive results while those with a weak immune system may show false negative results.

Continued here:
Vet on call: Beware, not all laboratory results are free of errors - Daily Nation

The COVID-19 outbreak continued to drastically affect the lives of local residents this past week, with schools cancelling classes for four weeks, universities moving fully online for the rest of the semester, and bars and restaurants being forced to close dining rooms and only offer carry-out and delivery services.

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus have soared in the past week, with a total of 68 in Iowa, including the first confirmed case in Story County, the governors announced Saturday.

Residents have been told to work remotely from home if they can, restrict gatherings to groups of no more than 10, and churches have canceled services, with many offering livestream service to parishioners. CyRide is limiting the number of riders on each bus to nine.

The changes we saw this past week left many residents and local business leaders stunned.

You can prepare for somethings, you can prepare for expenses that you know are coming, but instances like this honestly you really only have a matter of weeks to prepare, Andy McCormick, the owner of Torrent Brewing Company in Ames said.

On Tuesday morning, Gov. Kim Reynolds declared a state of emergency, ordering the closing of bars, restaurants, movie theaters, casinos, places of mass gatherings and senior citizen and adult day care centers as a response to the continued spread of COVID-19.

Right now were shocked, said Justin Kabrick, the owner of Dublin Bay Bar & Grill, which canceled its popular St. Patricks Day celebration.

Many churches have gone to streaming platforms such as Facebook live last Sunday, in what some pastors called an unprecedented event.

Its a wild time Im trying to think of how to put it into words, said Mark Vance, the lead pastor at Cornerstone Church. This is unlike any situation Ive ever had to try and lead through in my time in ministry, which is over a decade, and its something we havent seen in generations in the church.

St. Cecilias Catholic Church is not moving towards online streaming services, but live streams of the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dubuque will be available as well as channel 23s showing of Sunday mass, which is available on any TV that has an HD antenna, Father Jim Secora said.

Local fitness centers, public offices such as City Hall, county offices and the Ames Community Center have also been shut down until further notice. Even North Grand Mall has been affected as some of its stores have closed.

Iowa State University announced Wednesday that it was moving all classes to online only the rest of the semester and canceling spring commencement.

We regret that Iowa State must also cancel spring commencement ceremonies for undergraduates, graduate students, and veterinary medicine students, ISU wrote in an email to university students and community on Wednesday. Campus leaders are working on plans for a live-streamed graduation address in May.

Students attending the university had mixed feelings on the decision, and although the outcome was predictable, it is still disappointing to some seniors who wanted to walk on stage and receive their degree.

I knew was going to happen, because Wartburg just got shut down, Megan Stonewall a senior studying materials engineering said. I kind of saw coming, even though I didnt want it, because my senior design class is all medium people meeting up. So Im very sad. But I dont know how else to react to it, so Im just kind of chillin.

Even local business owners empathized with students about the change in their academic lives.

Everyones in a good mood and looking at celebrating achievements of their graduate, McCormick said. Just the other day I was thinking I feel terrible for the students.

The cancellation of commencement at Iowa State University, an annual celebration that brings thousands of people to the community, will be a hard hit for local businesses, especially hotels, local tourism officials said.

Kevin Bourke the president and CEO of Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau said that hotels generally bring at least a half of million dollars of revenue on that weekend alone.

Its tough to say; we can look at just hotel revenue, just people staying overnight is well over a half million dollars, but that doesnt count all the food and non-overnight visitors, Bourke said. So theres a lot of revenue that can be lost just in the celebration of graduation.

Law Enforcement

For local law enforcement, changes they have made are intended to keep the public, and local officers and deputies safe.

Were trying to do what we can to make sure we keep our people and the community healthy, Ames Police Cmdr. Jason Tuttle said. The last thing we want to do is have a couple of our people contract this virus we would be in a very difficult position if we had to quarantine.

If that unlikely scenario were to happen all of the agencies in Story County have been in constant communication and are ready to assist other agencies if needed, Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said.

To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, officers are sanitizing patrol vehicles, and hand sanitizier is readily available.

All the agencies are limiting their number of non-life threatening medical calls they respond to, and asking people being apprehended how they are feeling, and screening them to see whether they may or may not have COVID-19.

If theres any indication that (someone) might be a little warm or have a temperature when they get to jail, well have their temperature taken before getting in the facility. If its over 100 degrees they will be put into a quarantine cell where nurses will come and administer tests to the individual, Fitzgerald said.

If an officer is dispatched, they may be wearing extra protective equipment like gloves or masks and will be adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Medical Professionals

Restrictions on visitors by Mary Greeley were enhanced, minor surgeries have been postponed and a COVID-19 nurse line was launched.

Professionals at McFarland Clinic launched a triage COVID-19 nurse line to assist patients who are experiencing symptoms and have had known contact with someone who has been tested.

We created a coronavirus triage line, so if (community members) are worried about it they can call the (specific number) and go through a dedicated nurse who will help guide them to the next steps, Dan Fulton, McFarlands infectious disease specialist said. Those next steps will depend on how much of the infection were seeing in the community, where is the best place for that patient to get the care we need.

The line is open from 8 a.m until 5 p.m. daily and is: 515-500-677. The Iowa Department of Public Health has a similar line 2-1-1.

Hopes within McFarland are that calls to this direct line will eliminate COVID-19 questions to their clinics, allowing other patients not experiencing a cough, fever or shortness of breath to create an appointment, or speak to their medical provider, said Shelley Goecke, director of marketing and public relations for McFarland Clinic.

Looking forward

Despite the uncertainty of how long the changes were seeing will be in place, some say the community is handling the unprecedented situation well.

I think our community (has done) a phenomenal job in reacting to the whole pandemic, Dan Culhane, the president and CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce said.

Although peoples lives have been drastically changed, optimism about the future remains, and some believe Ames will be even stronger when the crisis passes.

All of us in Ames are going to experience a change in business, but we will bounce back. Ames is growing. There is a lot to do and see here for people in town and those traveling to Ames, Bonnie Alley, the general manager of Comfort Inn & Suites and Sleep Inn & Suites in Ames said.

See the rest here:
COVID-19: The week in review - Ames Tribune

By now, most people are aware of the importance of taking precautions to avoid spreading the Coronavirus to other people. But what about our pets?

First, the good news: Despite the widespread disease in the human population. There have been no reports of pets becoming ill with COVID-19," says Cassidy Rist. She teaches population health sciences at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia tech.

Also, there's no evidence to suggest that our pets can transmit this disease to us.

But she says, it possible, a person who has COVID-19 could contaminate a pet. And while dogs and cats dont become infected, the virus could remain on their bodies for a period of time. The CDC recommends people infected with COVID-19 practice isolation from their pets just like they would any other household member.

***Editor's Note: Radio IQ is a service of Virginia Tech.

This report, provided byVirginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from theVirginia Education Association.

Read more here:
COVID-19 and Pets - WVTF

Newsrooms have a long, not always proud tradition of gallows humor. The jokes and stories that get passed around are rarely the kind of things wed publish, especially when the people telling the stories have been in the business for a while.

One of the tame stories was from a former publisher who was, briefly, the suspect in a murder case. Authorities knew the victims body had been buried in a nearby nature reserve, and many killers will revisit locations like that. So investigators were monitoring the site.

Police noticed when he started showing up, routinely, near where the body was found. He never noticed them, and a brief investigation showed he wasnt connected to the case. After an arrest was made an investigator asked him what he was doing out there. It turns out the location was a good place to practice bird calls, which he was trying to learn.

Gallows humor has been getting a workout this past week. Im sure it has been in a lot more places than just newsrooms. Thats what happens when you know the worst of a bad situation is yet to come.

The speed with which people have reacted over the past couple weeks is remarkable. Its due to the fact medical professionals had a clear, understandable message and to people listening to that message. We dont yet know whether the actions came soon enough to really blunt this pandemic, but most people are doing what they can.

Still, life doesnt stop. Earlier this week we ran what we hope will be the first in a series of columns from Dr., Lorie Hickie, a veterinarian who moved back to Ottumwa in 2008. We know how much pets mean to Ottumwans. Pet stories and lottery winners always get a lot of traffic online. You dont work in our newsroom long before hearing veterans talk about how our website would probably crash if an area dog ever wins the lottery.

Hickie knows what shes talking about. She graduated from the Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. She was born and raised in Ottumwa, and lives here now with her husband, Chris, and their daughter, Amber.

Why debut something like this now? There are two fundamental reasons. One is that, frankly, we all need a break. Just writing about a subject other than this pandemic is a relief at times, and were sure people want to read about other things as well. And information about taking care of our pets accomplishes that quite nicely.

The other is that were still working on long-term goals. There will be a time when this crisis is over. There will be a time when we have to figure out what comes next. There will be a lot of work to do to get back to anything resembling what we think of as normal life. But that day will come, and this lays a little bit of a foundation for it.

Were glad to have Hickie on board as a monthly writer. And the reason goes back to some of the issues I touched on earlier. Theres a significant value to the community in having people with expertise being able to speak authoritatively on those subjects. In newspaper, its often our job to find those people and then get out of their way.

That has been our goal over the past couple weeks. No one in our newsroom is an expert on virology or medicine. Weve depended on those who are, and have tried to bring you their messages as clearly as possible. All I will add is one of my own:

Stay safe. Stay sane. Stay kind.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

See the original post here:
Finding the experts | Opinion - Ottumwacourier

Leadership from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA) the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), Shelter Medicine, and MightyVet to participate in first, worldwide webinar collaboration addressing COVID-19 and pets impacted in the crisis

SEATTLE, March 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trupanion, the leader in medical insurance for pets, announced today that it is joining forces with The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA), the membership organization exclusively for animal welfare, care and control leaders in the United States, Canada, and Australia. This partnership aims to provide veterinary and animal shelter professionals guidance on a community response during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

With the COVID-19 pandemic requiring communities to quarantine citizens, the care of impacted family pets has become a topic of concern for the entire veterinary community including, but not limited to, veterinary hospitals, veterinary educational institutions, and government and nonprofit animal shelters.

The first collaboration between Trupanion and AAWA will be a free, RACE approved, webinar for veterinary and animal shelter professionals offering guidance on community response to COVID-19, including considerations for those impacted by the crisis who have pets in their care.

We know that the veterinary community is on the frontline hearing from concerned pet owners about COVID-19 and their pets, said Jim Tedford, president and CEO for The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and Certified Animal Welfare Administer (CAWA). At the same time, animal shelters play the important role as the community safety net for stray or relinquished animals within the scope of public health, law enforcement, public safety, and animal protection. By working together, united in a community response, our veterinary profession, including animal shelters, can help ease the minds of worried pet owners and provide sound guidance for pet owners to keep their pets safe as part of the family and out of shelters.

Using One Health as a driving philosophy, the webinar will take place on Wednesday, March 25 at 11:00 a.m. PDT (2:00 p.m. EDT) and will cover the latest information related to COVID-19 and its impact on our entire community. Covetrus, a global leader in animal-health technology and services, is generously hosting the webinar, which is expected to attract thousands of attendees.

Understanding how COVID-19 is transmitted, what to expect and how to bathe a pet exposed to a COVID-19 infected person, will enable veterinary professionals to help pets stay in homes and out of the sheltering system. This webinar will also provide clarity regarding conflicting information around personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements to help veterinary hospitals and shelters better anticipate the potential barriers and contingencies involved.

The webinar, moderated by Trupanions Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Steve Weinrauch, is the first collaboration of its kind, bringing together the leading organizations in human, animal, and environmental health in discussion of this latest pandemic.

By joining forces with these worldwide authorities in pet health and welfare, our goal is to provide the most current and useful information to the veterinary and sheltering community, said Dr. Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, chief veterinary officer at Trupanion and Founder of MightyVet an industry-wide platform to support veterinary professionals in their career and well-being. Trupanion is here to bring our members and pet owners across the world comfort in times of uncertainty, and that includes with Pandemics. We have been diligent in providing our members with the latest information around COVID-19 and how it impacts them as pet owners. Bringing these world leaders in pet health together to discuss these timely and important issues continues our commitment, not only to our members but also to the worldwide community. We look forward to spearheading this critical community effort with our esteemed colleagues.

This webinar will serve In Practice, Nonprofit and Government veterinary personnel as well as animal sheltering leadership.

Webinar Details

WHO: Dr. Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, chief veterinary officer, Trupanion, Founder, MightyVet; Jim Tedford, president and CEO for The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and Certified Animal Welfare Administer (CAWA); Michael Lappin, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM), Chair, WSAVA One Health Committee; Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice), Fran Marino, Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine, Maddies Shelter Medicine Program, University of Florida

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WHAT: Free, RACE approved webinar: Guidance for COVID-19 Community Response for Nonprofit, Government, and In Practice Veterinary Personnel

WHEN: Wednesday, March 25, 11:00 a.m. noon PDT

WHERE: There are two ways to access this webinar:

The first 3,000 veterinary professionals who pre-register at https://covetrus.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IpntPH6NQAmEOg0UKedSuA will be eligible for RACE credits and will join the webinar via the Zoom platform.

The webinar will also be streamed live at http://www.facebook.com/NotOneMoreVet . Please note that RACE credits are not available via the Facebook Live stream.

About TrupanionTrupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States and Canada with over 500,000 pets enrolled. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet owners with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP". The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Omega General Insurance Company. For more information, please visit trupanion.com.

About AAWASince 1970, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement has been leading the conversation among animal welfare leaders. As the only membership organization dedicated exclusively to animal welfare, care and control professionals, The Association develops strong leaders, promotes standards of practice, and cultivates collaboration to advance the animal welfare profession with a united voice. For more information, please visit theaawa.org

About WSAVAThe WSAVA represents more than 200,000 veterinarians worldwide through its 113 member associations. Its core activities include the development of WSAVA Global Guidelines in key areas of veterinary practice, including pain management, nutrition and vaccination, and the provision of continuing education.

About MightyVetMightyVet is an initiative to support and evolve the veterinary ecosystem for the common good of pets, families and the veterinary professionals entrusted with their care. MightyVet provides veterinary professionals with free on-demand Continuing Education courses, mentorship from industry experts, virtual office hours for real-time feedback with Veterinary educators, and online resources for their day-to-day needs. Incubated by Trupanion, MightyVet is an industry-wide movement with participation and support from over 30 veterinary-related organizations. For more information, please visit mightyvet.org

Contact:

MediaMichael Nankmichael.nank@trupanion.com206.436.9825

InvestorsLaura Bainbridge, Head of Investor RelationsInvestorRelations@trupanion.com206.607.1929

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Trupanion Convenes Global Authorities in Animal Welfare for Exclusive Webinar for Veterinary Professionals to Help Communities Manage COVID-19 - Yahoo...

A classification of Dr. med. vet. Lena Horn / POLO+10

Every day new information, updates, emails and news about the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), which is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2) are spread around the world. Most of them contain valuable information, but some also create myths and insecurity among us.

What we know for sure is that the COVID-19 virus is currently a big threat to our whole society. Worldwide the national governments are working closely together with the World Health Organization (WHO), infectious disease experts and e.g. the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), the Centers of Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and national health authorities in order to learn more about COVID-19 and to slow the spread of the virus.

Why slow the spread? Because the health systems of the affected countries need to be able to function in an efficient way. This is only possible if the number of COVID-19 patients does not exceed the local medical resources and capacities. If all of us are cautious and respect the principles of social distancing, we can lower the number of newly infected people per day which results in flattening the curve (c.f. link 1).

But what does this mean in real life?

Stay home if you can, even if you dont feel sick or have any symptoms and avoid any physical social contact. Basically, quarantine yourself at home. If you do need to go outside be sure to respect the recommendations, laws or implementations issued by your local authorities. The WHO and e.g. ECDC and CDC are excellent resources regarding daily actions and precautions you can take in order to minimalize the risk of getting infected by and spreading the virus causing COVID-19.

The virus responsible is a betacoronavirus. Corona means crown and refers to the protein spikes on the lipid envelope of the virus. Coronavirus infections are common in humans and animals, and some strains are zoonotic (transmission between animals and humans are possible). Current evidence suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 responsible for COVID-19 has an animal source, but the predominant source of transmission seems to be human to human (via bodily secretions such as saliva and mucus droplets in a cough or sneeze of an infected person). Another possible route of virus transmission is the secondary route. This can occur by touching contaminated objects or surfaces and then touching your face (esp. mouth, nose or possibly eyes). In general, non-porous, smooth surfaces (e.g. plastic, metal) can transmit viruses better than porous, non-smooth materials (e.g. paper, pet fur).

At this point infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations, such as the WHO, the OIE, the CDC and ECDC agree there is no evidence that animals become sick and also no evidence to suggest that companion animals can be a source of infection with SARS-CoV-2, including spreading COVID-19 to people. According to the OIE, further studies are needed to understand the role of animals in the spread of this human disease.

Currently, a general consensus is, that if you are not ill with COVID-19 you can handle and interact with your pet or horse as you normally would. Be aware that some countries have implemented strict rules regarding animal handling and care in order to minimize the possible spread of SARS-CoV-2 between owners, riders, handlers, caretakers etc. Always practice good general hygiene around your animals (clean equipment/tack, water/food bowls, stables, beds and toys on a regular basis) and be sure to keep their fur or coat well-groomed.

However, because animals can also spread other diseases to people and vice-versa, it is always advisable to observe basic principles of hygiene when coming into contact with animals (e.g. wash hands thoroughly with soap before and after contact).

If you are ill with COVID-19, you should be more precautious and limit the contact with animals until more is known about the role of animals and the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Daily activities such es feeding, grooming and playing should be performed by another member of the household. Some local shelters also offer to take care of your pet if you are tested positive. If your pet is a service animal or nobody else can take care of your animal the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends wearing a facemask, avoiding close contact with the animal (e.g. no kissing or food bowl sharing) and washing your hands before and after any contact with your pet.

Please be aware of the fact that the veterinarian community around the globe is highly impacted by the COVID-2019 pandemic. The national veterinarian medical associations and boards are closely working together with national and international agencies and organizations.

They are continuously adapting their strategies and updating their members about the measures to take during these difficult times. It is important to understand that, the authorities of many countries, have issued recommendations which might restrict the range of practicing veterinary medicine. If your animal gets sick or becomes injured, needs a refill of prescription medication or a special prescription diet food contact your veterinarian via phone or email and follow closely the instructions provided. Be aware that, due to a current shortage of personnel protection equipment (e.g. gowns, face masks, gloves), ventilators and medications for human patients, elective surgeries (surgeries that are scheduled in advance and that do not involve a medical emergency) are most likely to be postponed.

Currently the primary goals of the veterinarian community are to support the human medical health systems, to ensure the protection of the nations food supplies and to keep you and your animal(s) as well as the veterinarians and their staff healthy.

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COVID-19: What does the virus mean for us and the handling of our animals? - POLO+10 The Polo Magazine

A parasite known only to be hosted in North America by the Virginia opossum is infecting sea otters along the West Coast. A study from the University of California, Davis, elucidates the sometimes surprising and complex pathways infectious pathogens can move from land to sea to sea otter.

For the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers tested sea otters ranging from Southern California to Alaska for the presence of Sarcocystis neurona, a parasite and important cause of death in sea otters.

They were surprised to find several infected sea otters in the northern part of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, where Virginia opossums also known as the North American opossum are not known to live. They wondered: Could this parasite travel very long distances in water, or is there an additional unknown host for this pathogen?

To answer this question, the scientists examined spatial patterns and previous research into pathogen transmission, diet and movement of otters. Their results suggest the pathogen may be carried by water runoff from land to sea, where it can be concentrated through ocean movement and prey species, such as clams.

A related parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is also known to kill sea otters. Decades of research by a consortium of scientists led by UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife traced that parasite to another land-based mammal wild and domestic cats near watersheds.

We know S. neurona kills sea otters, and we were pretty sure it comes from the land, but we didnt really know how this pathogen finds them, said lead author Tristan Burgess, a doctoral student in the lab of Christine Kreuder Johnson at the UC Davis One Health Institute at the time of the study. This new research suggests that there may be a long and complex transmission pathway, a little like the way Toxoplasma finds sea otters, but with a different cast of characters.

Most infections occurred in California and Washington, more so than Alaska and British Columbia. The study found that higher risks of exposure were associated with:

This study highlights risk factors for one species exposure to one parasite. But it also provides a better understanding of how parasites and infection can move from land to sea to marine mammals.

Seemingly unimportant species can be important in unexpected ways, Burgess said. We should also remember the value of marine mammals as sentinels, not just of the health of their marine habitat, but of nearby terrestrial environments, too.

S. neurona may be most familiar to horse owners, as the cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, or EPM. UC Davis developed the diagnostic test for the disease in horses, and it has since been adapted for use in sea otters.

The study was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation Evolution and Ecology of Infectious Disease program, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Coastal Conservancy Sea Otter Tax Check-Off Fund, PG&E, Monterey Bay Aquarium and the UC Natural Reserve System.

See more here:
Sea Otters, Opossums and the Surprising Ways Pathogens Move From Land to Sea - UC Davis

Because the 2019 novel coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, Virginia Tech epidemiologist Charlotte Baker says everyone needs to be especially careful about minimizing the risk of exposure to yourself and others.

When you are in very close proximity to other people, it really does spread from droplets that are coming out of your lungs, said Baker. And you cant control that. We all breathe out different things out of our lungs all the time. Keeping a barrier between you and other people is really important, so we dont spread it further and faster.

Before coming to Virginia Tech, Dr. Baker was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, part of an elite corps that responds to national and international emergencies. At Virginia Tech she teaches public health students how to analyze and investigate health problems.

Older people tend to have some of the worst outcomes from it, but it doesnt mean that younger people dont have it too, she said. Younger people tend to be the ones that go from place to place and then spread it somewhere else. So we want to make sure people know you can be asymptomatic with it that means you dont have symptoms- and then you are touching and doing everything else, but you didnt know.

Background

Charlotte Baker is an assistant professor of epidemiology in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, located at Virginia Tech.

Video Interview with Dr. Baker

Schedule an interview

To schedule an interview with Charlotte Baker, contact Bill Foy by email, or by phone at 540-998-0288.

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Minimizing your risk of exposure to the coronavirus is key, expert says - Newswise