Philadelphia’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program
Have you lost income because of COVID-19? Are you having trouble paying your rent? The City of Philadelphia might be able to help with the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
FIGHT
Health Fact Friday: 6 Tips for Safe Grocery Shopping
Health Fact Friday: 6 tips for safe grocery shopping during the coronavirus crisis.
Contact Tracing
The process of closely monitoring those who are exposed to an infected person. It includes identifying contacts of the infected person, listing and informing those contacts of the infected person, and following up to check up on contacts’ infection and symptoms.
National Institutes of Health Panel Issues New Guidelines
A National Institutes of Health panel has released new guidelines on treating patients with COVID-19.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) FAQs
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) FAQs from the State of Pennsylvania, includes information on the CARE Act related to COVID-19 epidemic.
List of Philadelphia Churches Livestreaming Easter Services
List of Philadelphia Churches that are streaming Easter services on Sunday, April 12, 2020.
Masks: What to do?
The CDC now recommends wearing masks or face coverings when outside the home to help prevent community spread of coronavirus.
Get to Know Your Words: Referral
Referral – A direction from a more general professional, like a primary care physician, to a specialist for further action
Mayor Kenney Issues a New Business Activity and Stay at Home Order
Mayor Kenney has issued a new business activity and stay at home order requiring us to stay home except for absolutely necessary activity. Here is the link to the order: New Business Activity and Stay at Home Order: What you need to know. Social Distancing The graphic illustration below shows the importance of social distancing….
NIH Releases Interim Guidance for COVID-19 and Persons with HIV
This interim guidance reviews special considerations for persons with HIV and their health care providers in the United States regarding COVID-19.
A Message from the Chief Executive Officer
We will not abandon our patients. We are living in scary times, and right now it seems like COVID-19 has the upper hand. We at FIGHT are currently grappling with how to best serve our patients, protect our staff, and contribute in meaningful ways to the resolution of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. …
Exercise on your Sofa!
Exercising in the winter can be hard! It’s cold, sometimes there is snow on the ground you could slip on, it gets dark early, feeling down in the winter is more common. The obstacles are many. However, just a little bit of exercise each day can be beneficial. The American Heart Association recommends about 20…
Winter Injuries
The U.S Fire Administration cautions us that December through February are the prime time for home heating fires. As we discussed last week, the holidays can be dangerous times, but winter has dangers throughout the season. Just like you can take precautions to avoid slipping and falling, you can do some things to prevent home…
Holiday Hazards
Falls and motor vehicle accidents are leading causes of Traumatic Brain Injury, according to the CDC. Falls are more common in children and older adults, but winter ice and holiday decorating activities make this time of year a particularly dangerous one. Holiday decorations and candles can be a cause of electrical shocks and house fires….
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: What Is It?
What is IBD? Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) refers to conditions that cause bowel inflammation. The two most common diseases are Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. These diseases are separate from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Though abdominal pain can occur for all three conditions, Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis can cause lasting damage to the intestines and…
Get to Know Your Words: Antibody
Antibody: A protein produced by the immune system to recognize a foreign threat, attach to it, and begin the necessary process for neutralizing or killing it
HIV and Aging
Older Americans who are diagnosed with HIV are more likely to be diagnosed in later stages, attributing symptoms to normal signs of aging.
Get to Know your words: Generic Drug
Generic Drug: A drug that uses the same active ingredient as a brand-name drug once the brand patent has expired; often costs less.
March 10th is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD)
Every year on this day — and throughout the month of March — local, state, federal, and national organizations come together to shed light on the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls and show support for those at risk of and living with HIV. This year marks the 14th annual observance of…
Get to Know Your Words: Hypertension
Hypertension High blood pressure is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow…
Get to Know Your Words: Hypotension
Hypotension Low blood pressure might seem desirable, and for some people, it causes no problems. However, for many people, abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension) can cause dizziness and fainting. In severe cases, low blood pressure can be life-threatening. Make sure to stop by the John Bell Health Center to have your blood pressure measured!
Get to Know Your Words: Diastolic Pressure
Diastolic Pressure The diastolic blood pressure is the pressure the blood exerts within the arteries in between heartbeats, that is, when the heart is not actively ejecting blood into the arteries. After the heart is finished contracting, the cardiac ventricles relax momentarily so that they can be refilled with blood, in preparation for the next…
Get to Know Your Words: Systolic Pressure
Systolic Pressure The pressure exerted by your blood flowing through your arteries is not constant but is dynamic, and constantly reflects what the heart is doing at a given moment. When the heart is actively beating (an event called “systole”), it is ejecting blood out into the arteries. This dynamic ejection of blood into the…
Welcome to Word Wednesday
Word Wednesday (WW) is a weekly educational blog that provides accessible definitions for complex public health and medical terms.