When I advise Governor Ducey and ADHS on emergency preparedness, including the COVID-19 pandemic, I give the best guidance I can from my perspective as 17th U.S. Surgeon General of the United States. I offer frank opinions and honest assessments, however inconvenient they might be. And that’s what I will do with you as Arizona [...]
Many issues related to weather can impact your health. Wildfires spawned by lightning can cause respiratory illnesses from smoke and poor air quality. Flash flooding has led to numerous rescues from vehicles and homes. Last year, extreme heat sent at least 2,414 people to Arizona emergency rooms and contributed to 522 deaths. There are many [...]
Vaccines continue providing robust protection against hospitalization and death from COVID-19. But federal officials have determined that it is time for members of certain groups, including those 65 and older, to get boosters of the Pfizer vaccine if they are at least six months past their second dose. Here are some quick questions and answers [...]
With Arizona marking September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, we recognize the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on many stressors, including emotional hardships, that can impact the overall health and mental well-being of Arizonans. It has never been more important for us to stay connected to the people we care about. ADHS recently launched a campaign [...]
Amid a wetter monsoon season than recent years, Arizona is experiencing a record high season for the West Nile virus, which transmits through mosquito bites. Through late last week, Arizona had seen 123 cases and four deaths. Nearly all of them have been in Maricopa County, where West Nile virus has been detected in record [...]
Any mom’s life lost is one too many. Over the years, maternal deaths and other complications that occur during and after pregnancy have been on the rise nationwide and in Arizona. In our state, about 70 women die each year, and about a third of these die from pregnancy-related complications, with the largest burden being [...]
A study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that all COVID-19 vaccines being used in the United States provide substantial protection against hospitalization. News outlets will understandably focus on how the vaccines rank in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): 93% effectiveness against hospitalization for Moderna, 88% [...]
We’ve all had those times when our stomach doesn’t feel just right, often after eating. And often, that stomachache is no more than minor discomfort that lasts just a short time. Even though the American food supply is among the safest in the world, an estimated 128,000 people each year require a hospital stay because [...]
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Richard Carmona, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, is advising Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The best leaders – presidents, governors, mayors, CEOs – surround themselves with people who will tell them the truth, even when it [...]
Emergencies can happen without warning. The disastrous flooding around Arizona during this monsoon reminded us of that. September – before the weather turns to winter in the high country and outdoor activities resume in the deserts – is the perfect time to prepare for disasters that can happen at any time. State and federal governments [...]
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