Mayo Clinic Health Matters

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidelines for defining close contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19. Previously, close contact was defined as occurring when someone was within 6 feet of an infectious person for 15 consecutive minutes. Now close contact includes people who were within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period, as the CDC now advises that repeated, brief encounters also carry a risk of transmission.On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, discusses the updated information from the CDC and the latest information from the Food and Drug Administration on COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

As most of America prepares to “fall back” and end daylight saving time, many people welcome the extra hour of sleep. But how do time changes affect the body and sleep patterns? On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Lois Krahn, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, discusses daylight saving time and offers sleep hygiene tips for dealing with time and season changes Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Halloween is just around the corner. Usually, this means trick-or-treating, fall parties, and lots of candy and treats for children and families. But this year is different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Halloween festivities need to be adapted to protect those who are most vulnerable and slow the spread of COVID-19. This special edition of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast features an #AskMayoMom episode, which is hosted by Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Children's Center. Joining Dr. Mattke to discuss safe Halloween activities during the pandemic are Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Kelsey Klaas, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

As the COVID pandemic continues and flu season begins, staying healthy and finding ways to improve your immunity is important. "A resilient immune system is not just preventing, but constantly eliminating our exposures to background infections or inflammatory agents," says Dr. Anjali Bhagra, a Mayo Clinic integrative medicine specialist. "It allows your body to keep healing from inflammatory or infective triggers." In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast Dr. Bhagra, whose research focuses on resilience, talks about the ways to build your immune system and how resiliency practices can help you cope with illnesses this winter. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The race to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments continues, with multiple clinical trials now in the final stages of testing. While the research is moving rapidly, it’s not without challenges. Two different trials were paused recently over potential safety concerns.On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, discusses current COVID-19 clinical trials. Dr. Poland also covers the possibility of reinfection with COVID-19, and the importance of getting a flu vaccination to protect yourself from influenza during the pandemic.Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is an early form of a non-invasive breast cancer that begins as abnormal cells inside the milk ducts in the breast. It typically doesn't show signs or symptoms and it's estimated that up to 40% of cases eventually become invasive if not treated. The current standard treatment is to perform a lumpectomy or a mastectomy in more extreme cases. Clinical trials are underway to determine if some patients with ductal carcinoma in situ might be able to avoid surgery. "In addition to considering proton therapy to target the cancer, Mayo Clinic is conducting a clinical trial that involves a vaccine that could boost immunity against the HER2 receptor," says Dr. Amy Degnim, a surgeon with the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. "HER2 is a protein that in some cases is on the outside of cancer cells and for women with ductal carcinoma in situ, these receptors are present in about 50% to 60% of the cases." In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast Dr. Degnim, and one of her patients, Helen Gagoud, discuss receiving a ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis and determining treatment, as well as the hopeful vaccine research at Mayo Clinic. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

As cases of COVID-19 rise in many areas of the U.S., it's important for people to have up-to-date information to protect themselves and their loved ones. Mayo Clinic has a tracking tool that features the latest COVID-19 data for every county in all 50 states, and Washington, D.C. The tool also features Mayo Clinic insight on how to assess risk and plan accordingly. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Henry Ting, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist and health services researcher, discusses the COVID-19 tracking tool and other COVID-19 resources available from Mayo Clinic. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mayo Clinic recently performed the first-ever shoulder arthroplasty procedure that used mixed reality technology in the United States. This technology provides surgeons with a 3D holographic view of the patient's preoperative plan, allowing the surgeon to visualize, rotate and interact with a surgical plan during the procedure. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon, explains how mixed reality technology helps put the surgical plan into action. Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo and Mayo Clinic have a financial interest in Wright Medical Group N.V., which developed the mixed reality technology. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

After COVID-19 patients have recovered from the infection, some continue to have lingering effects from the disease, known as post-COVID syndrome. To help these patients, Mayo Clinic has launched the COVID-19 Activity Rehabilitation Program. This program takes a multidisciplinary approach, including specialists in occupational medicine, pulmonary medicine, psychiatry and infectious diseases to treat persistent symptoms and help patients return to daily activities and work. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn, a Mayo Clinic preventive, occupational and aerospace medicine specialist who leads the program, discusses the symptoms of post-COVID syndrome and explains how the COVID-19 Activity Rehabilitation Program helps people return to normal activity. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Severe lung damage has been a serious outcome for COVID-19 patients who survive and face recovery from the disease. "As we know, lungs are one of the major organs that are involved with COVID infection," says Dr. Sadia Shah, a Mayo Clinic transplant pulmonologist and critical care physician. "In severe cases, the patient's lungs can be significantly inflamed from the disease, leading to pneumonia and scarring of the lungs, also known as pulmonary fibrosis." She says that, in the future, these are the patients who may need a lung transplant. In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Shah talks about COVID-19 lung damage, the speculation there will be an increased need for lung transplants, and what improvements are being made in the field of lung transplantation. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy