Nurses’ Corner

With Halloween and Día de los Muertos just around the corner, all are encouraged to avoid high-risk activities and celebrate the holidays safely. San Mateo County Health has shared a few do's and don'ts to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Visit their website to learn more.

Safer Alternatives for Halloween:

• Create a haunted house or candy scavenger hunt in your home for members of your household, rather than going house-to-house.
• Hold a scary movie night or Halloween-themed activities (pumpkin carving, face painting) at home.
• Participate in online parties or contests (e.g., costume or pumpkin carving).
• Dress up homes and yards with Halloween-themed decorations.
• Participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt in your neighborhood and look for Halloween-related objects (e.g. witches, spiderwebs, black cats) while maintaining social distance from people from outside your household.
• Participate in a car parade that complies with public health guidance for vehicle-based parades.

Safer Alternatives for Día de los Muertos:

• Decorate your home with images and objects to honor your deceased loved ones.
• Prepare traditional family recipes.
• Play music in your home that your deceased loved ones enjoyed.
• Make and decorate masks or make an altar for the deceased.
• Join a virtual get-together celebration.
• Visit and decorate graves of loved ones with household members only and keeping more than six feet away from others who may be in the area.

Californians are increasingly stressed and anxious due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires, which can lead to changes in sleep patterns, headaches, mood swings, and changes in appetite. 

Manage your stress by exercising, getting proper nutrition, practicing mindfulness, getting adequate sleep, and, if needed, connecting to suicide prevention or intimate partner violence support services. To help, California recently launched California HOPE (CalHOPE) to deliver crisis support for communities across the state. It includes a warm line (833-317-HOPE) where callers can speak to peer counselors and get emotional support and coping tricks. The site also has resources for managing stress and a link to the Surgeon General's Stress Relief Playbook for Caregivers and Kids. Additional resources are shared through the California for All, Together for Wellness, and Wellness Together websites.

Reminder on Face Coverings

One of the most effective tools to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 is a face covering, one of the Four Pillars in the San Mateo County Pandemic Recovery Framework. A face covering refers to a covering made of cloth, fabric, or other soft or permeable material, without holes.

Please follow these steps to properly wear face coverings at SMCOE.

• Face coverings are required at all times while at work. Staff may take it off while on a break, at lunch, or in a private office space.
• Face coverings should cover the nose and mouth and surrounding areas of the lower face without gaps. Take the time to find face coverings that fit your face to protect yourself and others.
• Wear a freshly laundered face covering or new disposable face covering each day.
• Face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing. Staff should try to maintain at least six feet distance between themselves and others as much as practicable.
• Face coverings should not have one-way valves or vents, which do not prevent the person wearing the mask from transmitting COVID-19 to others, or be a medical-grade mask.

San Mateo County Moves to the Red Tier

The State of California announced this week that San Mateo County moved into the second stage (red) of the state's four-tiered, color-coded reopening system beginning Tuesday, September 22. If San Mateo County stays in the Red Tier for two consecutive weeks, then schools can incrementally bring students on campus for in-person learning if they are able to implement the Four Pillars and have a COVID-19 testing plan in place for staff. Learn more in this media release from the County of San Mateo.

Thank you for doing your part in following the Four Pillars and helping Bay Area counties move to less restrictive tiers. Remember, your actions save lives. Please continue to wear face coverings, wash your hands, keep your distance from those outside of your household, and avoid large gatherings. Read more in a statement from San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow.

Get Your Flu Vaccination

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses like the flu this fall and winter. All persons older than six months who do not have contraindications are recommended to receive a routine annual influenza vaccination. The flu vaccine is available now, and ideally should be administered before the end of October.

Flu and COVID-19 are both serious respiratory illnesses that could result in hospitalization or death. There currently is no vaccine for COVID-19, but you can do your part to reduce respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus by getting your flu vaccine soon.

The Science of Yoga

Many of us know that it feels good to do yoga, and some of us wonder what yoga is all about. There are many benefits, including decreasing stress, relieving anxiety, improving heart health, and reducing chronic pain. Learn more about the science of yoga. Affordable yoga classes, both in-person (following the Four Pillars) and online, are available throughout the Bay Area. The San Mateo County Community College District, for example, offers a yoga class for $85 per semester.

Candy-Flavored Tobacco Products

This week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 793 (Hill, D-San Mateo) to end the sale of candy-flavored tobacco products. With this legislation in place, California will have one of the nation's strongest protections against businesses that market deadly tobacco products to children and youth, especially those in low-income communities. Learn more about the harmful effects of flavored tobacco products have on children and youth on the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' website.