COVID-19 Update: February 14th, 2022

Menstrual cycles, no longer an emergency, and fake testing sites.

1. Given the divisive nature of this one, I wanted to make sure you had some info on it. Europe has decided to study the impact of mRNA vaccines on the menstrual cycle. You may recall a study recently published findings showing that the mRNA vaccines could cause a slight change in your cycle for a short time after vaccination. Primarily they reported a heavier flow and a 1-day increase in your cycle. So if you had a 28-day cycle you would see a 29-day cycle. If you got both shots in the same month, you could see a 30-day cycle. Their findings suggested it was short-lived and did not impact fertility. Now Europe is going to study it too. Also, worth noting is that we do know that contracting COVID does seem to have an impact on male fertility.

2. Some members of Congress have requested COVID no longer be designated as a public health emergency. You can read more about who declares a PHE and what it all means here.

3. People have set up fake testing sites all over the country. Why? Who really knows, but part of it may be to steal people's identities. So if you go to a drive-up testing site make sure it is associated with a legitimate organization.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It's Valentine's Day, everyone's favorite holiday to hate. But today, I would like to recommend that we view this day as a time to remember we should love each other and show love to each other. Not romantic love (of course romance is wonderful) but the kind of love that we dig deep to show when we don't really feel like it. The kind of love that requires us to be bigger than the situation, to take the high road and turn the proverbial other cheek. The kind of love we show to those who do not deserve it or to those who do but we just don't want to. And that can only happen when we first love ourselves. So today, buy yourself flowers, a special coffee, chocolates, whatever....and then spread some love around the world because we need it.