Covering the most noteworthy news stories in the health and wellness industry for the Filipino community.
CEDARS-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles is spearheading a research program into the Filipino American community’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward cancer and prevention. The survey, entitled “Survey of Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors in the Filipino Community,” seeks participants to answer questions about what they know about cancer, prevention, and access to health care….
By Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services SAN FRANCISCO — The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the plight of U.S. seniors, who have been disproportionately infected and killed by the disease. Eight out of 10 COVID deaths in the U.S. are seniors, aged 65 or older, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. Up to…
SINCE the first COVID-19 case was detected and confirmed on January 20, 2020 (144 days ago) in the United States (in the State of Washington) in a man who returned from Wuhan, Hubei, China, on January 15, 2020, and the official declaration by WHO of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has had around 2.1…
Over 123,000 Californians have enrolled for health care coverage through Covered California since the COVID-19 pandemic crisis began in March. Erik Wolford enrolled in early-April, and he got covered just in time. Wolford, 49, is a cinematographer in Hollywood, enrolled right after coming back from filming a documentary in Africa. A few days after his…
Quit smoking while staying at home For many of us, the coronavirus means staying at home for an extended period of time. While it may be disappointing to hear that events are being cancelled, these measures are necessary to help slow down the spread of the outbreak. At the same time, being at home gives…
By Elisa Tong, MD, MS, Associate professor of internal medicine, University of California, Davis Doctors like me and many other health professionals are working to treat sick patients for the COVID-19 virus. The best ways for you to help are to stay home, wash your hands, and not smoke or vape. Here are three good…
by Carmen Heredia Rodriguez IT was evident that the fever, nausea and loss of appetite Vlastimil Gajdoš felt on his wedding day was not a mere case of cold feet. Gajdoš, 65, fell ill in Honolulu in March after arriving with his bride-to-be from the Czech Republic. He and Sylva Di Sandro, 58, intended to…
by Momar G. Visaya and Christina M. Oriel In honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the World Health Organization declared 2020 as the “International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.” The American Nurses Association followed suit by adopting the same observance for this year. Wednesday, May 6 marks National Nurses Day, the annual…
by Judith Graham Older adults with COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, have several “atypical” symptoms, complicating efforts to ensure they get timely and appropriate treatment, according to physicians. COVID-19 is typically signaled by three symptoms: a fever, an insistent cough and shortness of breath. But older adults — the age group most at…
By Elisa Tong, MD, MS, Associate professor of internal medicine, University of California, Davis DOCTORS like me and many other health professionals are working to treat sick patients for the COVID-19 virus. The best ways for you to help are to stay home, wash your hands, and not smoke or vape. Here are three good…
Any Los Angeles County resident exhibiting symptoms of the novel coronavirus can now be tested for free, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Monday, April 7. The previous guidelines limited testing to residents over 65 years old, individuals who are immunocompromised, or those who were subjected to a 14-day quarantine because of exposure to a confirmed…
by Carmen Heredia Rodriguez WHEN David Vega fell ill with the novel coronavirus in mid-March, fever, chills and nausea left the 27-year-old Indiana medical student curled up in bed for days. After a test confirmed he had COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, his doctor advised Vega to isolate himself at home for an…
Written by Jessica H., an acute care registered nurse in Orange County I found the usual path too hectic. The walk from the parking structure to the main hospital building was brief, but I preferred to take the back route. It was quieter, with less frenzy from the hurried feet scurrying by. The walk was…
THE Department of Science and Technology on Monday, March 30, announced that at least 120,000 locally-developed test kits for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) will be rolled out this week. According to the agency, its priority is the production of 26,000 test kits for field implementation and distribution to certain hospitals that can do the testing…
As International Women’s Month comes to an end, WorldRemit wants to recognize and honor the incredible Filipino women who offer their selfless service as doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, emergency medical personnel and caregivers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that many Filipino women will be working tirelessly to support victims of the virus amid…
99 RANCH Market, via a public announcement signed by CEO Alice Chen, recently shared a public announcement on how the company and its stores are addressing shoppers’ needs during the coronavirus crisis. Here’s the announcement in full: To our valued customers and the 99 Ranch Market community: As we continue to monitor the novel coronavirus…
ONLY two hospitals in the city of Los Angeles received the highest five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) this past January — and one of them is in the heart of Historic Filipinotown and is run by a Filipina American. Formerly known as the Silver Lake Medical Center, the Los…
As the world continues to fight the new coronavirus, the global Asian and Pacific Islander community pushes back on hate, discrimination There are fewer global phenomena that make a bigger impact than a viral pandemic. As told by history, the emergence of a new, deadly pathogen — especially one for which there is no known…
The number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines has risen to 49, days after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a state of public health emergency in the country. The country’s Department of Health (DOH) confirmed 16 new cases as of Wednesday, March 11. Ten of the new patients have no history of travel or…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte this week declared a state of public health emergency in the country as the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continues to rise. As of Tuesday, March 10, 33 cases have been confirmed as the country’s Department of Health (DOH) announced nine additional cases following Duterte’s proclamation the night before. The…
[Editor’s note: This article was first published on March 7, 2020, but has since been updated to reflect new data.] By Antonio Moya, MD, MPH and Nico Cabrera, MD FILIPINOS globally are struggling to make sense of the flood of information coming from social media and news outlets regarding the novel coronavirus disease (named COVID-19)…
While the rest of the world is exploring ways to combat the viral spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) within their respective countries, there has been a second confirmed case of the severe infection in California. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Wednesday, February 26 that an individual in California has…
THE Los Angeles Department of Public Health encourages residents to understand the facts about the novel coronavirus (2019 nCoV), now named COVID-19, and take the necessary steps to reduce their risk. As of press time, there is currently one case of novel coronavirus in L.A. County in a non-resident traveler from Wuhan City, and there…
New special-enrollment period announced SACRAMENTO — Covered California announced that 418,052 people had newly selected a health plan for 2020 during the most recent open-enrollment period. The total is more than 122,000, or 41 percent, higher than last year’s figure of 295,980. The increase comes after the state of California instituted two key policies designed…
MOST of us will think of roses and sweets on celebrate Valentine’s Day. This Valentine’s Day, Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL) and Asian Smokers’ Quitline (ASQ) encourage Asian American community members to surprise their significant others by attempting to quit smoking and/or making a committment to quit for good if possible….
With lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, there is still a stigma around the disease that prevents patients, especially in the Asian American community, from receiving proper support. A report from the American Cancer Society in January said that the cancer death rate in the U.S. dropped 29%…
Groups condemn anti-API ‘racism and hate’ AS the global medical community continues to try to mitigate the threat of the severe coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) and leading social media giants are working to combat another epidemic of a different nature: the dissemination of misinformation. Since the news of the coronavirus — a novel…
by Lauren Weber THE more than $34,000 in medical bills that contributed to Darla and Andy Markley’s bankruptcy and loss of their home in Beloit, Wisconsin, grew out of what felt like a broken promise. Darla Markley, 53, said her insurer had sent her a letter preapproving her to have a battery of tests at…
Representatives of the Philippine Department of Health and the World Health Organization on Monday, February 3, expressed optimism that the country can prevent the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from further spreading. During the Senate hearing on the government’s response to and preparedness for the new virus, Senators Nancy Binay, Risa Hontiveros and Joel Villanueva asked whether…
World Health Organization declares outbreak a ‘global emergency’ THE first case of the novel coronavirus (nCov) has been confirmed in the Philippines, the Department of Health said on Thursday, January 30. “Today the DOH is confirming that a Chinese female patient under investigation is positive for novel coronavirus 2019 after her lab results arrived from…
