Rotavirus Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know

"One of the Recommended Vaccines

How to Pronounce Rotavirus media icon[MP3]

At a Glance

Rotavirus spreads easily among infants and young children. The virus can cause severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. Children who get rotavirus disease can become dehydrated and may need to be hospitalized.

CDC recommends that infants get rotavirus vaccine to protect against rotavirus disease. Two rotavirus vaccines are currently licensed for infants in the United States. Starting at 2 months old, infants should get two or three doses depending on the brand of rotavirus vaccine.

Who Should Get Rotavirus Vaccine?

Infants should get rotavirus vaccine to protect against rotavirus disease.

There are two rotavirus vaccines licensed for use in infants in the United States:

• RotaTeq® (RV5), which is given in three doses at 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months of age
• Rotarix® (RV1), which is given in two doses at 2 months and 4 months of age

The first dose of rotavirus vaccine should be given before a child is 15 weeks of age. Children should receive all doses of rotavirus vaccine before they turn 8 months of age. Both vaccines are given by putting drops in the infant’s mouth.

Your child’s doctor can help you choose which rotavirus vaccine to use.

For more information, see About the Vaccine..."
Rotavirus vaccination 

Protect Workers This Winter

"With winter around the corner, hazards such as freezing temperatures, downed power lines and icy roads can affect workers, so it is important to prepare for winter storms before they arrive. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has resources for common winter weather hazards to help employers and workers stay safe.

Here are some best practices to remember as you prepare:

1. Train workers. Employers need to identify potential winter hazards and provide necessary training.
2. Prevent cold stress. Be sure to monitor workers’ physical conditions during tasks, especially new workers who may not be used to working in the cold. Train workers on cold stress hazards and prevention, provide engineering controls like radiant heaters, gradually introduce workers to the cold, monitor workers and schedule breaks in warm areas. Find more information on how to prevent cold stress in OSHA’s Cold Stress Safety and Health Guide.
3. Dress appropriately. When cold weather conditions cannot be avoided, wearing the right clothing  can help protect workers from cold stress:
   • Stay dry – wet clothing chills the body quickly.
   • Wear at least three layers of loose-fitting clothing. Layering provides better insulation.
   • Wear hats, insulated gloves, and insulated, waterproof boots.
4. Provide engineering controls or implement safe work practices. Use radiant heaters to warm outdoor workplaces such as security stations or curbside pick-up locations. If possible, employers should shield work areas from drafts or wind to reduce wind chill. Also, safely use aerial lifts or ladders to apply de-icing materials to roofs to protect workers from falling. See OSHA’s winter weather page for more safe work practices.
5. Never use portable generators indoors. Check out OSHA’s guidance on properly working with generators. Safe generator use involves:
   • Placing generators away from doors, windows or ventilation shafts where carbon monoxide can enter and build up with deadly consequences.
   • Inspecting them for damage or loose fuel lines.
   • Keeping them dry.
   • Maintaining and operating generators according to manufacturer instructions.

Learn more about how to prevent injury and illness during a winter storm and find resources in English and Spanish..."
Workers and winter 

Celebrating Native American Heritage Day

"The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. The event culminated an effort by Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfeet Nation who rode across the nation on horseback seeking approval from 24 state governments to have a day to honor American Indians. More than seven decades later, then-President George H.W. Bush in 1990 signed a joint congressional resolution designating the month of November “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994 to recognize what is now called "American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month." This Facts for Features presents statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives, one of the six major race categories defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

The following facts are possible thanks to responses to the U.S. Census Bureau’s surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we continuously measure America’s people, places and economy.

Did You Know?

6.9 million

The nation's American Indian and Alaska Native population alone or in combination with other race groups in 2019.

10.1 million

The projected American Indian and Alaska Native population alone or in combination with other race groups on July 1, 2060. They would constitute 2.5% of the total population.

324

The number of distinct federally recognized American Indian reservations in 2019, including federal reservations and off-reservation trust land. 

574

The number of federally recognized Indian tribes in 2020.

142,972

The number of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces in 2019.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Census Bureau's fact sheet on Native American Heritage Day: November 27, 2020 or Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2020..."
Native American Heritage 

Food Banks

[Feeding America]
"Find Your Local Food Bank

The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks secures and distributes 4.3 billion meals each year through food pantries and meal programs throughout the United States and leads the nation to engage in the fight against hunger. Contact your local community food bank to find food or click here to read about public assistance programs..."
Food banks 

Disability and Diabetes Prevention

"It is important for people with disabilities to know their diabetes status to help them make the best decisions for their health. If you have a disability, learn what you can do to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes.

About 1 in 6 people with disabilities (16.7%) in the United States in 2018 had been diagnosed with diabetes, compared to 1 in 14 people without disabilities (7.4%). Differences are also observed across various states, races/ethnicities, and age groups. For example, diabetes is more common among people with disabilities who live in Arkansas (about 1 in 5 or 19.9%) compared to those who live in Colorado (about 1 in 9 or 11.6%).¹

You are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes if you:

• Have prediabetes
• Are overweight
• Are 45 years or older
• Have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
• Are physically active less than 3 times per week
• Have ever had diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes) or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
• Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native (some Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are also at higher risk)

Visit the Disability and Health Data System to learn more about diabetes among people with disabilities in your state and nationwide..."
Disability and diabetes 

COPD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

"Are you often short of breath when doing things such as running errands or climbing stairs? Learn if you are at risk for having COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, makes breathing difficult for the 16 million Americans who have been diagnosed with COPD. Millions more suffer from COPD, but have not been diagnosed and are not being treated. COPD can limit your ability to work or even perform simple daily tasks.

Could you have COPD?

The main cause of COPD is tobacco smoke, so if you smoke or used to smoke, you are at a higher risk of having COPD. Exposure to air pollution in the home or at work, family history, and respiratory infections like pneumonia also increase your risk.

Symptoms of COPD include:

• Frequent coughing or wheezing
• Excess phlegm or sputum
• Shortness of breath
• Trouble taking a deep breath

 

How is COPD diagnosed?

COPD is diagnosed using a simple breathing test called spirometry..."
COPD 

Diabetes and Digestion

"High blood sugar can lead to gastroparesis, a condition that affects how you digest your food. Diabetes is the most common known cause of gastroparesis. Read how you can help prevent it from getting worse.

Nausea, heartburn, or bloating can have many causes, but for people with diabetes, these common digestion issues shouldn’t be ignored. That’s because high blood sugar can lead to gastroparesis, a condition that affects how you digest your food. Diabetes is the most common known cause of gastroparesis.

Managing your diabetes can help you manage gastroparesis. It can also help delay or prevent other serious health problems. Keeping your blood sugar as close to your target range as possible will keep you feeling better today and down the road.

What Is Gastroparesis?

Normally, your stomach muscles tighten to move food through your digestive tract. If you have gastroparesis, nerve damage from high blood sugar can cause those muscles to slow down or not work at all. Your stomach doesn’t empty properly, and your food may take a long time to leave your stomach.

Because gastroparesis affects how fast the body absorbs food, it’s hard to match insulin doses to food portions. It also affects how the body absorbs nutrients, which can lead to malnutrition if left untreated. Another symptom of gastroparesis is frequent vomiting. This is dangerous because it can cause dehydration, or extreme thirst.

Symptoms

Have you ever eaten a large meal and then felt “stuffed” afterward? With gastroparesis, you may have that same “stuffed” feeling, bloating, discomfort, or pain after eating even a small amount of food. This can happen soon after you start eating or long after you finish your meal because gastroparesis slows down stomach emptying.

Other symptoms include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and poor appetite.

You should talk with your doctor if you have any of these symptoms so you can manage gastroparesis and keep it from worsening..."
Diabetes and digestion 

Flu & Young Children

"Getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 is more important than ever. Flu vaccination is especially important for children. Children younger than 5 years old–especially those younger than 2– are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications. CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older.

Children younger than 5 years old–especially those younger than 2– are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications. A flu vaccine offers the best defense against flu and its potentially serious consequences and can also reduce the spread of flu to others. Getting vaccinated has been shown to reduce flu illnesses, doctor’s visits, missed work and school days, and reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalization and death in children. Information on this page summarizes vaccine recommendations for children. More information on vaccine benefits is available.

Influenza is dangerous for children

Flu illness is more dangerous than the common cold for children. Each year, millions of children get sick with seasonal flu; thousands of children are hospitalized, and some children die from flu. Children commonly need medical care because of flu, especially children younger than 5 years old.

• Complications from flu among children in this age group can include:
  • Pneumonia: an illness where the lungs get infected and inflamed
  • Dehydration: when a child’s body loses too much water and salts, often because fluid losses are greater than from fluid intake)
  • Worsening of long-term medical problems like heart disease or asthma
  • Brain dysfunction such as encephalopathy
  • Sinus problems and ear infections
  • In rare cases, flu complications can lead to death.
• Flu seasons vary in severity, however every year children are at risk
  • CDC estimates that since 2010, flu-related hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years old have ranged from 7,000 to 26,000 in the United States.
  • While relatively rare, some children die from flu each year. Since 2004-2005, flu-related deaths in children reported to CDC during regular flu seasons have ranged from 37 to 188 deaths. (During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, 358 pediatric flu-related deaths were reported to CDC from April 2009 to September 2010.) It is noteworthy that among reported pediatric deaths, about 80% of those children were not fully vaccinated. Also of note, even though individual flu deaths in children must be reported to CDC, it is likely that not all deaths are captured and that the number of actual deaths is higher. CDC has developed statistical models that account for the underreporting of flu-related deaths in children to estimate the actual number of deaths. During 2017-2018, for example, 188 deaths in children were reported to CDC but statistical modeling suggests approximately 600 deaths may have occurred. More information about pediatric deaths since the 2004-2005 flu season is available in the interactive flu web application..."
    Flu and young children 

Foreign Legal Gazettes

"The Law Library of Congress has been collecting foreign official gazettes since the mid-nineteenth century and maintains one of the largest collections of these sources in the world. Official gazettes are primary sources of law published by national governments to disseminate new legislation, regulations, and decisions of governmental bodies. These publications may also contain other information including the text of international agreements, court decisions, official announcements, and government notices. For countries with civil law systems, the official gazette often serves as the sole source of the authoritative texts of laws until updated codes are published. In most countries, a law enters into force on the date of publication in the official gazette.

For gazettes that are freely available online, please refer to the Law Library's Guide to Law Online..."
Foreign Gazettes 

National Risk Index

"The National Risk Index (The Index) is an online tool to help illustrate the nation’s communities most at risk of natural hazards. It is made possible through a collaboration between FEMA and dozens of partners in academia; local, state and federal government; and private industry.The National Risk Index (The Index) is an online tool to help illustrate the nation’s communities most at risk of natural hazards. It is made possible through a collaboration between FEMA and dozens of partners in academia; local, state and federal government; and private industry.

 The Index leverages best available source data to provide a holistic view of community-level risk nationwide by combining multiple hazards with socioeconomic and built environment factors. It calculates a baseline relative risk measurement for each United States county and census tract for 18 natural hazards, based on Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience.."
National Risk Index 

FDA Releases New Outbreak Investigation Table

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is committed to transparency and keeping the public and stakeholders informed of our work upholding the safety of our food supply. As part of this continued commitment, today we are releasing a new tool to communicate foodborne illness outbreak information frequently and as soon as the FDA begins an outbreak investigation – prior to a public health advisory or recall of a certain food product being issued.

Today our FDA investigation team, the Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) Network, is starting the ongoing publication of a new investigation table that will include information on all foodborne outbreaks for which the FDA has initiated an investigation. The table, which will be updated on a weekly basis, will include information about each stage of an outbreak investigation. Currently, a public health advisory or recall is issued for any outbreak investigation that results in specific, actionable steps consumers can take to protect themselves such as a recommendation to not eat a certain type of food or recalled food product. This practice will remain the same..."
FDA investigation tool 

COVID-19: Government Resources for RealTime Economic Indicators

"This CRS Insight presents select real-time economic indicators that attempt to measure the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the U.S. economy. Created by select federal government agencies, these new or unique indicators attempt to measure the demographic, social, and economic impacts of COVID-19 in real-time, or on a weekly or monthly basis, rather than quarterly or annually.
 
For more on traditional economic indicators, please see CRS Report R43295, Resources for Key Economic Indicators.

United States Census Bureau

The U.S. Census Bureau developed multiple experimental data products that attempt to measure the impact of COVID-19 on households and businesses in the United States. Two of those products are described below.

Household Pulse Survey

The Census Bureau was authorized to collect data on a variety of social and economic factors affecting households during the pandemic. Data were collected in two phases, each lasting three months, from April to July and then from August to October 2020. The first phase measured education, employment, food availability, health, housing payments, and stimulus payment use. The second phase was expanded to include questions about spending patterns and transportation use.
 

 Data are available at the national and state levels, as well as for the largest metro areas in the country. Interactive data are also available (best viewed with Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome).

Small Business Pulse Survey

Census sent a 20-question survey to small business owners to capture any challenges COVID-19 made to their business. It included questions about the effect of COVID-19 on the business, including receipts, Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11521 Congressional Research Service 2 employment change, hours worked, availability of telework for employees, closures, supplier or producer delays, business capacity, loan payments, and federal financial assistance programs.

Data are available by sector and state for the 50 most populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Interactive data are also available (best viewed with Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome).

For more on the Census response to COVID-19, and Small Business Assistance, see CRS In Focus IF11594, New Census Bureau Products Track COVID-19’s Effects, and CRS Insight IN11301, Small Businesses and COVID-19: Relief and Assistance Resources..."
COVID-19 and Economic Indicators 

State Elections 2020

"Voters in 44 states chose nearly 6,000 state legislators on Nov. 3, although votes are still being counted. Click on the partisan control, statewide ballot measures and election administration tabs below for post election analysis..."
State Elections 

Biden-Harris Transition Releases Code of Ethical Conduct and Ethics Plan

" Today, the Biden-Harris Transition published its Transition Code of Ethical Conduct and Transition Ethics Plan that will guide transition activities. The Presidential Transition Act directs the transition team to develop a Transition Code of Ethical Conduct and Ethics Plan to ensure the transition team members are held to clear and enforceable ethics standards. Consistent with Vice President Biden’s long-standing commitment to honest government, the Biden-Harris Code and Plan go beyond the requirements of the Presidential Transition Act.

Vice President Biden has said that the charge facing the president who follows Donald Trump is as big as it is essential: restoring faith in American government. The next administration must demonstrate with their actions that public servants serve all Americans, not themselves or narrow special interests.

“The Biden-Harris Transition prioritizes integrity and the highest ethical standards to serve the American people,” said Senator Ted Kaufman, Co-Chair, Biden-Harris Transition. “Our ethics code and plan demonstrate the values that would be part of a Biden-Harris Administration and promote accountability to garner trust from the American people at every stage.”.."
Biden-Harris Transition 

Indigenous Law Web Archive

"The Law Library collects and preserves legal materials for American law, foreign law, and sovereign Indigenous nations. Many governments, including Indigenous national, tribal and community governments, are transitioning from print to solely digital formats for publishing their laws. The Law Library is working to collect and preserve these materials. To further these collection and preservation aims, the Library has created the Indigenous Law Web Archive, a collection of constitutions, codes, executive orders, and court forms and information of sovereign Indigenous governments and courts of 578 federally recognized nations, communities, and tribes in the United States, as well as some Indigenous legal information from Canada, published online. The Library attempts to acquire the most comprehensive collection possible. Collected resources are embargoed for a year prior to release, and so the collection was launched this summer. It’s a useful starting point for comparative research, and we hope that this tool will assist practitioners and scholars of Indigenous law in their work.,.."
Indigenous law archive 

Gettysburg Address

"Perhaps the most famous battle of the Civil War took place at Gettysburg, PA, July 1 to July 3, 1863. At the end of the battle, the Union�s Army of the Potomac had successfully repelled the second invasion of the North by the Confederacy�s Army of Northern Virginia. Several months later, on November 19, 1863, President Lincoln went to Gettysburg to speak at the dedication of the cemetery for the Union war dead. Speaking of a "new birth of freedom," he delivered one of the most memorable speeches in U.S. history..."
Gettysburg Address 

World COPD Day - November 18th

"The 19th annual World COPD Dayexternal icon takes place on November 18, 2020 and has the goal of raising awareness and presenting new knowledge about this disease. This year’s theme for World COPD Day is “Living Well With COPD – Everybody, Everywhere.” While there is no cure for COPD, there are ways to help current patients live well and actions that can prevent new cases.  COPD – which stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – includes the chronic lung conditions of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which are characterized by airflow obstruction and breathing-related problems. COPD is a major cause of illness, with an estimated 300 million cases worldwide, and is the 3^rd leading cause of death globally.

The leading preventable cause of COPD is cigarette smoking, and prevention efforts have focused on limiting this exposure. Controlling exposure to other harmful agents can also help reduce the number of COPD cases. Occupational exposures are important causes of COPD, contributing to an estimated 14% of all cases and 31% of cases among never smokers (Blanc 2019).

Workplace agents associated with COPD include:

• mineral dusts (coal mine dust, silica, asbestos),
• organic dusts (cotton, wood, grains),
• metal/welding fumes (cadmium),
• diesel/engine exhaust fumes,
• asphalt/tar fumes or vapors in road and roofing operations,
• smoke from fires, and
• other chemical gases or vapors.

Various actions can minimize exposures to these work-related COPD agents and prevent the onset of new cases and worsening of existing cases..."
COPD 

Presidential Transition Act: Provisions and Funding

"The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 (PTA) authorizes funding for the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide suitable office space, staff compensation, and other services associated with the presidential transition process (3 U.S.C. §102 note). The act has since been amended in response to evolving understandings of the role of the government in the transition process. From enactment of the PTA in 1964 through the presidential transition of 2008-2009, most PTA-authorized support was provided after the election of the incoming President and Vice President. In the years since, Congress has expanded support for the presidential transition process to include authorization and funding for pre-election activities and support. Most recently, the act was amended by the Presidential Transition Enhancement Act of 2019 (P.L. 116-121), enacted on March 3, 2020.

 As amended, the PTA directs the President and the incumbent Administration to establish a specified transition-related infrastructure, with some features ongoing and others active during a presidential election year only. It also authorizes the provision by the incumbent Administration of certain pre-election transition support for eligible candidates. In addition, the PTA authorizes eligible candidates to fund pre-election transition activities through their campaigns. The statute also directs agencies to establish transition period succession plans for senior political positions and to ensure career officials are prepared to lead federal agencies on an interim basis during the transition process. It further provides for the negotiation, before the election, of memoranda of understanding (MOU) between the incumbent President and eligible candidates that specify the terms of access by transition staff to executive branch employees, facilities, and documents. These MOUs are to include an ethics plan, with specified provisions, pertaining to the members of the transition team.

Once the President-elect and Vice President-elect have been ascertained by the GSA Administrator, the PTA authorizes the Administrator to provide them with services and resources in addition to those that were provided to them as candidates. GSA’s transition support is authorized to continue after the new President and Vice President take office.."
Presidential Transition 

Bills, Resolutions, Nominations, and Treaties: Characteristics and Examples of Use

"In each chamber of Congress, four forms of legislative measures may be introduced (or, in the case of resolutions, submitted) and acted on: bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and resolutions of one house (“simple resolutions”). In addition, under the U.S. Constitution, the Senate acts on two forms of executive business: nominations and treaties. This report provides a comparison of the formal characteristics and uses of these six different types of business.

When Congress seeks to pass a law, it uses a bill or joint resolution, which must be passed by both houses in identical form and then presented to the President for the executive’s approval or disapproval. To regulate its own internal affairs, or for other purposes where authority of law is not necessary, Congress uses a concurrent resolution (requiring adoption by both houses) or a simple resolution (requiring action only in the house of origin).

Bills are commonly used for lawmaking purposes such as authorizing programs, appropriating funds, raising or lowering revenues, and other major policy enactments. Joint resolutions are used chiefly for secondary, symbolic, or declaratory legislation but also for such matters as continuing appropriations, declarations of war, and proposing constitutional amendments. Concurrent resolutions are used for matters affecting both chambers, such as recesses, adjournments, and the congressional budget resolution. Simple resolutions are used for adopting chamber rules, committee assignments, discipline of Members, expressions of sentiment, and other housekeeping purposes in each chamber.

The Senate also considers nominations and treaties. This “executive business” is so called because it is transmitted by the President, who must obtain the advice and consent of the Senate before the nomination or treaty becomes effective..."
Bills, Resolutions, Nominations, Treaties 

Uncontrolled Epilepsy

"Four Ways to Get Better Seizure Control

Many people with epilepsy continue to have seizures even though they are taking medicine. Learn four ways to help you get better control of epilepsy and seizures.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. About 3.4 million people in the United States have active epilepsy – that means a doctor has told them they have epilepsy and they are currently taking medicine for it or that they have had at least one seizure in the last year.¹ Sometimes epilepsy can be hard to treat and can lead to continued seizures. In fact, more than half (54%) of adults treated for epilepsy still have seizures. ² Uncontrolled seizures may harm health, affect quality of life, and increase health care costs.²

If you’re someone with epilepsy who is still having seizures despite treatment, or are caring for someone who is, here are some things you can do to help:

1. Take medicine as prescribed.

Prescribing medicine is usually the first thing doctors do to stop seizures. It is important to take it on time and at the dose prescribed so the doctor can tell if it’s helping. Sometimes you may need to try a few different medicines before finding the right one, or the right combination, that stops the seizures. If you’re having side effects that interfere with your daily life, talk to your doctor. Sometimes different medicines can be used that might help you feel better.

 2. Learn new ways to manage epilepsy.  

Self-management is all the things you do to take care of yourself and your health. Managing epilepsyexternal icon means understanding your condition, getting enough sleep, lowering stress, eating a healthy diet, and other activities. This checklist can help you get started.

CDC also supports self-management programs through our Managing Epilepsy Well Network and the Epilepsy Foundation. Learn about programsexternal icon that might be available in your area.

3. See an epilepsy specialist.

Doctors who specialize in treating epilepsy and seizures are called epileptologists. They work in epilepsy centersexternal icon, along with other experts such as neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, specialized nurses and social workers. Epilepsy centers use a team approach to help people with epilepsy who are having trouble managing their condition. There are more than 230 epilepsy centers across the United States. Visit the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) to find an epilepsy centerexternal icon near you.

4. Find support. 

Epilepsy can be hard to manage, but the good news is that many places offer help. CDC supports the Epilepsy Foundation’s 24/7 Helplineexternal icon, which has trained information specialists to answer your questions and link you to support groups, programs, and other resources in your community. Visit CDC’s Find Support page for more ways to get help..."
Epilepsy