Avian flu resources

Bald Eagle - N. Carlson

The latest strain of highly pathogenic Avian influenza has affected raptors and other birds in the spring of 2022. The Minnesota Raptor Center provides an Avian Flu resource page with helpful information. 

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in 2022 by Dr. Janice Mladonicky -24 min. 

Filtration and ventilation fact sheets

 

Air filtration calculation from Professor David Pui at the University of Minnesota

School IAQ ventilation fact sheets from US Green Building Council

ASHRAE Covid ventilation website - American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Enginers

Covid data sites for Minnesota

 

The following websites are useful for making public health decisions with respect to the risk of covid infections. 

Minnesota Covid Waste water dashboard

Mayo Clinic Covid case map

Johns Hopkins Minnesota Data

APMresearchlab Covid in Minnesota

For advice on where we go from here please see the March 1, 2022 report on the Getting to and Sustaining the Next Normal: A Roadmap for Living with COVID  The authors suggest that we will reach the point where COVID becomes like the seasonal flu when daily death rates average 165/day.  

As of March 8, 2022, the daily death rate averaged over seven days in the US was 1,414/day.  Update information is available from the NY Times COVID in the US

Researchers search for the perfect face mask fit

A team of researchers at the U of Minnesota has been working on designing masks hoping to achieve fit factors approaching an N-95 respirator. They are also working on 3D modeling of faces to aid in customizing the fit of respirators/masks. Below is a report by WCCO TVs Jennifer Mayerle. (3/22/2021)

       

Jennifer Mayerle WCCO TV - Finding the perfect face mask fit - 3:04

Minnesota Covid Aware app

 

One method of slowing the transmission of COVID 19 is to download the Minnesota COVID Aware App.  This app will notify you anonymously if someone that you have interacted with for more than 15 minutes has tested positive for COVID -19. It was fairly easy to download and is available for both Apple and Android phones. 

Why you should download the Covid aware app. - 4 min. 

Broad Pro Mask instruction video

 

Video on Broad Pro Mask

Broad Pro Mask instruction video

Dashboard for Minnesota school models

 

MDE Dashboard on district learning models

COVID Contract Tracing guidelines

MDH - Return to work

MDH - What to do when you are sick for coronavirus? 

MDH - Waiting for coronavirus test results

Coursera: COVID-19 Contact Tracing - Johns Hopkins University

CDC: Contract tracing 

What is contact tracing? - approx. 2 minutes 

Origins of COVID and other Zoonotic diseases

U of Minnesota Origins of COVID and other Zoonotic Diseases


This webinar covers the origin of HIV via the SIV in primates in Africa.  Other wildlife based or zoonotic diseases are also covered. 

Use of Face Shields to Protect Against Transmission of COVID-19

Medical Xpress - Could Face Shields replace masks in preventing COVID-19. 

CDC - Efficacy of Face Shields - CDC report that face shields are protective for health care workers from initial large droplets but provide very little protection over longer periods. 

CDC - Care and use of face shields

MDH - Best practices for masks and face shields for persons with disabilities. - Information on masks with clear openings for lip reading and when face shields are appropriate as sole protection. 

JAMA ...Face Shields and the Containment of COVID-19. The authors suggest that using face shields to prevent COVID-19 transmission would be easy to implement. Data suggest that they may protect the person wearing it from large aerosol transmission. They will not protect against small aerosol transmission. 

Contagion Live - Interview with an author of the JAMA paper. Encouraging the universal use of face shields could reduce the r naught to below one. The use is based on similar diseases but not specifically on COVID-19. 

PMC - Safety Guidelines for Sterility of Face Shields for the COVID-19 outbreak - They list specifications for the design and cleaning of face shields. The chemical list is rather limited. 

Lancet - Physical Distancing, Face Masks, and Eye Protection ... Distances of 2 meters or greater are recommended to reduce transmission. All three of these measures can combine to potentially reduce exposure but not eliminate it. There is a need form more specific COVID - 19 data. 

FDA - Emergency Use Authorization for the production of face shields - The authorization lists the specific approved methods for the production of face shields. 

Interview with Michael B. Edmund on the use of face sheilds - 11:30 min.