They say that timing is everything in life. That certainly applies to investing in the stock market, meeting your significant other, and deciding whether to wear clothes. But should it apply to when you get the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine booster? Should you worry about getting it too early or too late? Or should you just get it as soon as possible? Well, getting it now versus later is a good idea with three possible exceptions. Here’s why.
Getting the bivalent booster is indeed a bit like choosing whether to wear clothes. You don’t want to have any should’ves, could’ves, would’ves in the future. You don’t want to be saying, “perhaps I should have been wearing clothes when I ran into my boss in the elevator” or “what could have happened had I been wearing clothes while running into my potential soulmate in the museum?” Similarly, you don’t want to be lying in the hospital one day thinking, “yeah, probably should’ve gotten the booster earlier.” At the same time, it is unlikely that you will end up regretting doing either thing too soon. There may not have been too many times in your life when you have said, “If only I hadn’t been wearing clothes at the time.”
In a similar vein, let’s look at the current situation. It’s mid-October right now with November just over two weeks away. While you may be able to lose a guy in 10 days, it could take longer, at least two weeks, to get full immune protection from vaccination against Covid-19. Therefore, if you want to be protected as much as possible come November, it’s a good idea to get fully up-to-date on your vaccinations now.
And what might happen in November besides National Fun with Fondue Month? The answer rhymes with “a bro bid 19 merge.” For the past two years, November has seen Covid-19 surges. Take a look at the steep upward curves in the number of new reported Covid-19 cases each day that occurred in November 2020 and November 2021. Hmm, do you think it’s a coincidence that November is when the weather tends to get much colder and drier and activities typically move indoors? November is also traditionally a heavy travel month. Such conditions can really promote the transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Upward swings in Covid-19 hospitalizations and cases have already been happening in Europe as I mentioned on September 26 for Forbes. Throw in the fact that many people in the U.S. and Europe have ditched Covid-19 precautions such as face mask wearing as if they were micro-sunglasses or cheetah-print slip skirts and conditions in general are ripe for yet another Covid-19 surge in the U.S. next month.
So, in the words of 2Unlimited, y’all ready for this potential next Covid-19 surge? Not exactly, if you haven’t gotten the bivalent booster yet. Unless you’ve recently had Covid-19, chances are your immune system is not that familiar with the most common circulating version of the SARS-CoV-2: the BA.5 Omicron subvariant. Over the past week, the BA.5 has constituted 67.9% of all Covid-19 samples reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Previous Covid-19 vaccinations could offer at least some protection against the original SARS-CoV-2, the one that spread in early 2020. However, relying on just this protection can be sort of like your smartphone relying on an operating system from 2020 that hasn’t been updated since. Plus, your immune protection from Covid-19 vaccination may have waned and weakened over time. This could leave you vulnerable like a person without clothes this coming month.
According to CDC data, as of today, less than 5% of the U.S. population has gotten the bivalent boosters so far. That’s pretty darn low and leaves the U.S. vulnerable to what’s apparently happening in Munich, Germany, right now. As Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, tweeted today, “if all eligible Americans get their new bivalent booster we might avoid” massive Covid-19 rises that end up overwhelming our not-so-difficult-to-overwhelm health care system:
These new bivalent boosters are the first big update in the Covid-19 mRNA vaccines since, well, ever. As I described previously for Forbes, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna bivalent booster vaccines are called bivalent because they contain messenger RNA (mRNA) for not just one type of spike proteins but two of them. These two types of mRNA will help your cells code for not only the original SARS-CoV-2 spike protein but also the spike proteins found on the surfaces of the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.
Could getting the bivalent booster right now be a bit too early? Today, a friend borrowed words from the song “My Shot” from the musical Hamilton when wondering whether getting the bivalent booster right now would be “throwin’ away your shot.” (By the way, that song from Hamilton was not about vaccination.) Sure, your immune protection may peak four to six weeks after vaccination and then start waning afterwards. Sure, that may leave you not quite as well protected January through March as compared to November and December. Nevertheless, waning immune protection is not like one of those warrantees on your tech devices where everything starts falling apart as soon as the warrantee expires. Instead, the waning should be gradual, meaning that getting vaccinated now should still leave you with a fair amount of protection for at least the next four to six months or so, as the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates.
White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha speaks at the daily press briefing at the … [+] White House on October 11, 2022 in Washington, DC. Jha spoke on the new COVID-19 Bivalent vaccine boosters and urged all Americans to take it. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Getty Images
If you are really worried about what may happen after six months, think about where you may be by then. It will be the Springtime when the weather should be warmer and more humid again with people moving activities back outside once more. That’s all assuming that a nuclear Armageddon hasn’t yet occurred, which certainly is always possible but may not be that likely. Meanwhile, no one can say for sure what variants and subvariants may be circulating by the Spring 2023. Chances are they will be different from the BA.4 and BA.5. So the real prime usefulness of the current bivalent boosters should be over the next six months.
On top of all that, our world could be in a very different situation come April and May. The Winter of 2022-2023 could potentially see the last one or two big Covid-19 surges before the pandemic is no longer considered to be a pandemic and instead has transitioned to a seasonal virus situation. So you might as well “hold on” in the words of Wilson Phillips and get up-to-date with your Covid-19 vaccinations now for what could be the Covid-19 pandemic’s last stand.
The three possible exceptions are if you’ve just gotten a previous version of the vaccine such as the older booster, just had Covid-19, or have been told by your medical doctor to hold off on getting vaccinated for some reason. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indeed stipulated that before getting this new bivalent booster you should be at least two months out of previous Covid-19 vaccination such as getting the old booster. So if you are trying to get the bivalent too close to your last booster, the pharmacist may say, “bye Felicia” or “bye” whatever your name is and ask you to come back later.
If you’ve recently had Covid-19, the CDC is recommending that you wait at least three months before getting the bivalent booster, as I covered for Forbes on October 7. That’s because it may take your immune system a little while to recover from fighting Covid-19. And you want your immune system to be ready for the vaccine and ready to generate a proper full response. As I reported in that previous Forbes article, a study has suggested that waiting six months may give your immune system the full amount of time to recover from Covid-19, but it’s still unclear whether such a wait would necessarily be better.
Getting the bivalent booster alone will not offer 100% protection against Covid-19. As Winter … [+] approaches, it is still a good idea to wear face masks when you might be in close contact with others indoors, regardless of how up-to-date on vaccination you may be. (Photo by Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
So what do you do if you last got Covid-19 say in mid-June? It may seem like you are currently in the gray zone, being longer than three months out but not quite past the six-month mark. The challenge is that you can’t be sure what kind of immune protection you may have gotten from your last bout of Covid-19. It could be fairly strong. Or it could be relatively weak. Therefore, if you want to make sure that you are protected for a starting-in-November surge, it may be better to just get the bivalent booster right now.
Of course, there are situations where your doctor may tell you to wait for it, wait for it, wait to get your booster. For example, you may be getting some type of treatment that may be suppressing your immune system. Or you may be one of those rare individuals who has an actual ongoing medical reason not to get the vaccine. In any case, make sure that you are getting advice from a real medical doctor first. Your medical doctor should also give a clear scientific rationale for holding off on the Covid-19 vaccine. If the words “microchip”, “5G”, or “they’re coming to get you,” enter his or her explanation, you may want to find another doctor.
As a reminder, getting the bivalent booster alone won’t mean that you are completely protected from getting Covid-19. It won’t mean that you don’t have to maintain other Covid-19 precautions such as face mask wearing while in public indoors to avoid getting infected. That would be like assuming that wearing pants alone would be enough for a date or a job interview. Your interviewer or your date may say something like, “umm, where is your shirt?” As long as the pandemic continues, which certainly won’t be forever, consider vaccination to be only one layer of protection no matter when you time your vaccinatations.
Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting
Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.
In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.
“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.
There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.
Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.
Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.
In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.
Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.
New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.
The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.
Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.
Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.
“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”
McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.
But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.
The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.
He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.
“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.
“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.
McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”
McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.
He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.
“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
