In order to combat the Opioid epidemic in Massachusetts, the state legislature passed House Bill 4742. This bill requires that after January 1st, 2020, all prescriptions for Schedule II through Schedule VI controlled substances must be issued an electronic prescription from the person issuing the prescription to a pharmacy. This will help prevent fraud, abuse and waste in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

This is not the first effort by the Massachusetts state legislature to combat the Opioid epidemic. Massachusetts was the first state in the U.S. to limit Opioid prescriptions to a 7-day supply for adults getting their first prescription. This law also placed a 7-day limit on any opiate prescription for minors. The Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) allows prescribers to check and see if patients are receiving prescriptions from multiple doctors, and anytime a doctor is prescribing an opiate the PMP must be checked. 

In the first nine months of 2021, there were 1,211 confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths in the state. The Massachusetts Department of Health estimates that there will be an additional 362 to 441 deaths before the year is over. Other efforts by the Massachusetts state legislature include a mandate for hospitals to administer a substance abuse evaluation to anyone who shows up to the emergency room that is potentially suffering from opioid overdose. Schools also must conduct verbal screenings of students for substance abuse in order to reduce the amount of opioid addicts. 

While these laws are all very effective, there are a few exceptions. Schools, parents and students have the ability to decline the verbal substance abuse screenings. Initial opioid prescriptions for chronic pain, cancer pain and palliative care can also be given for a supply larger than 7 days.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was the first approved dosage in the United States, approved on December 11th, 2020. This vaccine was shown to be 95% effective at preventing symptomatic disease. The logistical difficulty with this brand is that it has required shipping in ultra-cold temperature-controlled units, making it rather fragile and more complex to transport. However, in clinical trials, the vaccine was 100% effective at preventing severe disease alongside its 90% efficacy rate upon full immunization. Similar to the Moderna vaccine which we will discuss next, the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses.

Following the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was the Moderna Vaccine, which was approved on December 18th, 2020. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine can be shipped and kept in long-term storage in standard freezer temperatures, and stored for up to 30 days using normal refrigeration, making it easier to distribute and store over long distances. However, the Moderna vaccine was slightly less effective in clinical trials, yielding about 86% effectiveness in people who are 65 and older, but has 90% effectiveness after full immunization.

Finally, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was granted approval on February 27th, 2021, and works as a carrier vaccine. Scientists engineer a harmless adenovirus (a common virus that, when not inactivated, can cause colds, bronchitis, and other illnesses) as a shell to carry genetic code on the spike proteins to the cells, which then helps train the body to develop immunity. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine rollout was temporarily halted due to rare side-effects, however, since April 23rd the rollout has been resumed. In comparison to the other two vaccine types, Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine is easier to store and only requires a single dose, making it easier to distribute and administer with an overall 72% efficacy rate alongside a 85% effectiveness rate in preventing severe disease after immunization.

Medications provide many healthy benefits, but they can be harmful if they get into the wrong hands. Over-the-Counter (OTC) and prescription medications can both be very dangerous to children. In this article we will discuss some tips on how to keep your medications safe in the New Year. 

Keep Your Medications Out of Reach:

It is always recommended to store your medicines with a child’s field of vision in mind. Consider storing your medicine in a high place that is hidden, such as:

• In the highest kitchen cabinet
• On top of the refrigerator
• On your closet’s highest shelf. 

Wherever you choose to store medicine, you need to keep in mind that warm and damp conditions are not ideal for storing medicine. It is best to avoid those conditions in order to preserve your medications.  

Look at the Storage Requirements on your Medicine Boxes:

This is one of the most important things to check when you are looking to store your medicine. This will help you to understand the temperature range that is necessary to store medications safely. 

• For medicines that need to be refrigerated, you need keep them in the area in your refrigerator where they are not going to freeze. 
• You also need to keep your medications separate from food for enhanced safety.

Reading the instructions on your medicine boxes is a good practice because it will always provide you with accurate information on how to properly store your medications.

Avoid Direct Sunlight:

Most medicines need to be stored at room temperature. To avoid any harmful reactions, it is recommended that you to keep your medicines away from direct sunlight. You should try to keep your medications in a drawer or cabinet so that they will stay cool and protected from the sun. 

Keep your Medicines Separated:

It is always best to avoid mixing the medications of different family members. You should consider taking multiple containers and storing medicines separately. It is also important to never store your medicines with any household cleaners. We have two medication storage totes that are great for individual medication storage, and they will protect your medicines from the sun. Check out our Shop page to learn more!

Keep Medications in Their Original Container:

Medicine bottles come with usage instructions and other helpful information regarding storage and dosage. In order to avoid any confusion and to ensure safety, it is highly recommended to store your medicines in their original bottles. 

Talk With Your Children:

In addition to considering all of these tips, it is important to take some time and explain the dangers of medicine to your children. You should tell them that only adults should handle and give them medications. You should also not disclose the location of your medications if you believe that your children may get curious. 

In Conclusion:

If you follow these tips, you will be on the right track to keeping your medications safer in 2021! If you’re interested in learning more about our solution to medication storage, check out the rest of our website!

Pfizer and BioNTech have raised hopes for the end of the pandemic…

Preliminary findings have shown that a vaccine against the Coronavirus developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is more than 90% effective. Pfizer and BioNTech were the first to share data from their testing’s final stage. Reaching the final stage is crucial because many experimental vaccines will fail in the early testing stages. The process that Pfizer and BioNTech used involved injecting part of the genetic code of the virus into people. This injection was meant to train the immune system on how to fight off the virus. Approximately 43,000 people were injected and there have yet to be any safety issues with the experimental vaccine. 

When will the vaccine be available?

Pfizer believes that the Coronavirus vaccine will be available in the U.S. for the first 50 million doses by the end of 2020. The United Kingdom should get their first 10 million doses by the end of this year. An estimated 1.3 billion Coronavirus vaccine doses will be available by the end of next year.

Israel has also began vaccine trials…

Israel started Coronavirus vaccine trials on Sunday, as the authorities recently loosened a second lockdown. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has told reporters that they can see “the light at the end of the tunnel.” Israel’s Prime Minister tasked the Israel Institute for Biological Research IIBR with developing a Coronavirus vaccine. Two volunteers received vaccines on Sunday. Israel plans to test its Coronavirus vaccine on 80 people. The trial will then be extended to 980, and then 25,000 in its final stage.

The Coronavirus vaccine trial in Israel is one of 40 vaccine trials being tested worldwide.

Other leading Coronavirus trials are being conducted by:

• Moderna in the US
• Janssen
• Sinovac and Instituto Butantan in Brazil
• Novavax in the US
• Wuhan Institute of Biological Products and Sinopharm in China
• CanSino with the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology in China

Stay tuned for more updates!

Over 60,000 children in the U.S. end up in the emergency room each year because of wrongfully consuming medications. It is very important to keep your medications in a safe place that your children will not be able to access. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you try to keep your children safe from wrongfully consuming medications.

Store Your Medicine Bottles in a Safe Location

Putting your medications in an area that your children will not be able to reach will greatly reduce the chances of your child wrongfully consuming medicine. Placing medicine bottles on top of a refrigerator or cupboard are typically safe options because the medicine will be out of reach. However, make sure your children cannot see the bottles or they may try to climb and could hurt themselves. Placing your medications in a drawer or cabinet will also work, especially if you can lock up your medications. We offer two different locking medication storage bags that can hold either 8 or 12 bottles. Click here to learn more!

Put Up Your Medications After Each Use

After you have taken a medicine bottle out, do not leave it sitting out until you need it again. You should put your medicine bottle back in a safe place immediately after use, and keep it there until you need it again. A little bit of carelessness can cause a huge problem for you and your child.

Talk to Your Guests 

If you have guests at your house who brought medications, make sure to tell them to keep their purse, suitcase, or any other bag with medicine closed. If that is not possible, you should show them a safe area to put their medications.

Keep Your Medications Safe While Traveling

When traveling, make sure that you keep your medicines in a safe place. If you are in a car, keep your medicines in a locked bag or in the glove box. When staying at someone’s house, ask them to show you a place to put your medications that children will not be able to access. If you are staying at a hotel, use the hotel’s safe as a medicine storage area. If there is not a safe in the hotel, the bathroom cabinets are also a safe place for keeping medicine. Our locking medication tote bags are perfect for travel, and you can learn more about them here!

Talk to Your Children

Children older than five will likely know the difference between right and wrong. Talk to your children and explain how wrongfully consuming medicine can be harmful or even fatal. You should tell them that only adults are allowed to handle medications, and you should not show your children where the medication storage areas are in your home. Children tend to forget things quickly, so it is important to regularly remind your children not to mess with medicine bottles. 

In Case of Emergency

If your child happens to consume medicine after you have taken these precautionary measures, you need to be prepared. Immediately call the local poison control center at (800) 222-1222 and try to give them information about the medicine consumed by your child. 

In Conclusion: 

Children can end up in the hospital after wrongfully consuming medicine, which is why it is extremely important to follow the precautionary measures discussed in this article. If you are interested in learning more about our locking medication tote bags, get in touch with us! 

With schools opening up for students this fall, it is important that students are educated properly on how to stay healthy and reduce the spread of Covid-19. People are afraid that the virus might start spreading uncontrollably once schools are opened, but opening educational institutions is necessary. Below are a few of the most important things that you should do if you are returning to school this fall. 

• Social Distance

Social distancing is the process of staying at least 6 feet from other people so that you can reduce the spread of Covid-19. Infected people can transmit the virus through their breath or cough, so it is important to keep your distance. If you eat lunch with other students, you should never share food or drinks. You should also avoid sharing other classroom items such as pencils and paper.

• Wear a Mask

Wearing a mask is one of the most important things that you can do while at school. Wearing a mask will not only save you from getting the disease, but it will also reduce the spread of Covid-19 if you are infected. Even if you are practicing social distancing, you should still keep your mask on until you return to your dorm room or leave campus to go home.

• Sanitize Regularly

If you happen to touch a contaminated object, your hands can pick up the virus from it and spread the virus. If you touch your mouth or nose, you could get infected after touching a contaminated object. It is important to sanitize your hands regularly. Going to the bathroom to wash your hands a lot might not be possible, so it is important to keep hand sanitizer with you at all times. Alcohol-based sanitizers are the most effective, so try and buy that kind of hand sanitizer if possible.

Watch Out for Symptoms 

Taking safety precautions is not enough to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Monitor your health daily and look out for any indication of symptoms of the disease, and if you notice any symptoms, contact your professor(s) and a doctor and do not go to class. It is also important to get tested for the disease, so that you will know for sure that you are not carrying Covid-19.  

Practice Safety Measures at Home 

The risk of getting Covid-19 is not only high for students, but it is also high for families. If you are a parent, make sure your children wash their hands and change clothes as soon as they come home. We also recommend keeping hand sanitizer near the door of your house, so that family members can sanitize their hands when they get home or leave the house. 

Final Thoughts

The risk of Covid-19 is real, but the world cannot sustain itself in a state of lock-down forever. It is absolutely necessary to open up schools, markets, and offices. While there’s no cure for the disease, taking safety measures is the only thing that we can do if we want to reduce the spread of the virus. Follow the tips mentioned in this article, and contact your school’s medical office to make sure that you follow all of the Covid-19 policies at your school. 

COVID-19, or the Coronavirus, is an international health emergency that has affected the lives of everyone. While the importance of taking precautionary measures is important, we can’t avoid human interaction. As businesses start to open up, it is very important to take precautionary measures in order to stay healthy and reduce the spread of harmful bacteria. We put together a list of some helpful tips for you, so that you can stay healthy! 

• Wash your hands frequently

The main way that Covid-19 is spread is through close contact with someone who is infected. The virus can cling to and stay on your hands for hours. In order to make sure that you are not spreading the virus, it is important to wash your hands. The correct way to wash your hands is to wash them with clean water and soap for at least twenty seconds. Wash your hands regularly: after you get out of the restroom, before you eat, and especially after you come home from being outside.

• Avoid Interaction with people showing the symptoms 

Covid-19 is a contagious disease that spreads by contact with affected people. Do not come close to someone who is suspected to have the disease. If contact cannot be avoided, it is best to wear a mask and avoid physical contact. Wash or sanitize your hands immediately after coming in contact with anyone who might have the disease.

• Try not to go to crowded places 

Covid-19 spreads at exponential rates in crowded areas. It has been repeatedly advised by medical professionals that you should avoid crowded places as much as you can. These places include schools, offices, malls, markets, and big gatherings like funerals or marriages. If you do have to visit a crowded place, wear a mask and try not to touch anything and never shake hands or hug anyone.

• Disinfect everything 

Covid-19 can live on surfaces for a very long period of time. To make sure there’s no imminent threat in your close vicinity, sanitize your furniture, the inside of your car, and any other things that might be hosting the virus. We recommend that you use an alcohol-based sanitizer to disinfect things around you every few hours. 

• Avoid touching your face 

Covid-19 enters your body via mouth and nose, and it gets there from your hands. If you touch something or someone with the virus, the virus gets transferred to your hand, and if you touch your nose or mouth without washing your hands, it can transfer the virus to your body. So, try to avoid touching your face, especially your mouth and nose, as much as you can.

• Eat Healthy 

There is no cure for Covid-19 currently. The only thing that can safeguard you against this deadly disease is your immune system, and your immune system is only as good as the healthy food that you eat. Eat a balanced and nutrition-rich diet and try to increase your protein intake, as protein will help your immune system make antibodies that in turn protect you from the disease. Also, remember to keep your body adequately hydrated at all times. 

• Exercise Regularly 

Exercise is generally important for good health. In the context of Covid-19, it is particularly more important because exercise leads to the release of hormones in the body that help to boost the immune system. When working out, it is best to do so in your home or outside, instead of going into crowded gyms. 

• Get Enough Sleep 

Another important factor in having a strong immune system is getting enough sleep. Disturbed sleep patterns and inadequate sleep are major factors that weaken the immune system and can make a person more prone to viral diseases. Make sure that you’re getting at least eight hours of sleep per night. 

• Keep Calm

When you are stressed, your body secretes a hormone called cortisone. While low levels of cortisol in the blood do increase the body’s ability to fight diseases, higher levels can actually hinder the proper functioning of the immune system. Do not panic, remain calm, and try to keep yourself busy with healthy activities.

• Keep sanitizer with you

When you go out, make sure that you have an alcohol-based sanitizer in your pocket. Every time you shake hands (which should be avoided in the first place) or touch something, sanitize your hands to avoid the possibility of transferring the virus to your body or the things around you. 

In Conclusion: 

The only way to survive this pandemic is by being careful. If you follow the tips above, you will be on the right track to staying healthy and reducing the spread of Covid-19.

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has jolted the entire world, as there are currently not any cures for the disease. Countries are still struggling to make a stronghold of the situation. However, there are a few action plans from WHO and CDE that can help stop the spread and defeat the disease in the long run.

China is where the first case of this previously unknown disease was reported. Starting with a few instances in Wuhan, this disease has made its way around the world. John Hopkins University has stated this disease has been spread across more than 150 countries all over the world. Within China, there are at least 80,778 people infected. Travelers from other countries who went to China became the vessel for the virus and carried it along with them back to their home countries.

Coronavirus

According to WHO, Coronavirus is a family that is notorious for causing common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), or the more dangerous Middle East respiratory syndrome (MARS). Many strains of Coronavirus are circulating in animals, but according to reports, COVID- 19 is the seventh strain of the disease and it is the one that has infected humans.

Common Symptoms of Coronavirus

People infected may have a severe to low cough, difficulty breathing, and a fever. According to many scientists, the incubation period is between 1 to 14 days. However, the disease is contagious even before the symptoms appear.

Necessary Precautions

There is no prescribed medication to treat the disease, but one can prevent COVID-19 infection by taking small precautions and measures.

• Wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and water more often
• Use a sanitizer containing a minimum of 60 to 70% alcohol
• Cover your mouth with the elbow in case you are sneezing or use tissues and dump it in the trash after use
• Avoid touching your face, mouth or eyes with dirty hands
• Keep a safe distance from people (three feet) especially from those who have a fever or cough
• Restrict your travel to the affected countries or regions

In case you develop any symptoms, immediately seek medical help, and stay away from public gatherings and social venues.

By taking these safety measures and precautions, we can free ourselves from the firm clutch of Coronavirus. Moreover, by staying well informed and keeping ourselves away from fake news and rumors, we can fight the disease in a well-organized manner.

Drug addiction does not always involve illegal drugs such as heroin or cocaine. It can also involve prescription drugs. Prescription drug addiction is dangerous because of how easy it can be to access certain prescription drugs. Addiction levels have been increasing over the past few years, and in this article we would like to shed some light on the dangers of drug addiction. According to a report, misuse of opioids affects around 15 million people worldwide every year. Increased numbers of diseases and stressful lifestyles leads to a greater number of people becoming dependent on drugs to live through a tough life.

Opioids: What Is So Addicting?

Many people wonder how someone can become addicted to opioids. The answer lies in the fact that opioids relieve pain and induce a sense of euphoria. This causes the longing for higher doses of the drug every time. In terms of physiology, opioids affect the receptors in the brain that respond to pain and stress levels. Long term use induces changes in the brain that leads to an uncontrollable urge to have the drug.

Fentanyl is the most potent opioid used to relieve pain. More potent than morphine and heroin, fentanyl has a high rate of addiction and overdose, which leads to frequent hospitalizations and even death. Other than opioids, a commonly abused prescription drug is alprazolam. This drug is prescribed to help people sleep, and it can be very addicting. 

Causes of Drug Abuse

In this era of rapid production, many prescription drugs are produced in abundance and they are available in many forms. Prescription drugs are also easy to transport and consume. The availability of prescription drugs in pharmacies worldwide leads to teens and young adults consuming these drugs even without prescriptions. The number of addicts and deaths due to substance abuse has hit new peaks over the past few years, and doctors should start to weigh the risks and benefits when prescribing medicine.

It is the start of the New Year, and now is a great time to take a good look at yourself and make positive changes.   The holidays are over and the winter time blues may have set in.  Why not take the extra time you have to implement some positive changes in your health?  It’s best to set small, attainable goals, once you achieve them you can move on to bigger goals.  This is the best way to not get discouraged.   Here are a few small changes you can make that will make a huge difference in your overall health and quality of life.

Get more exercise!  This can be tricky in the winter months, as it can be too cold to get outside.  It is also hard to find the time to fit exercise into your already busy schedule.  If you already exercise daily, try to change up your workout by adding extra cardio or adding weight training if you aren’t already doing it.  If you don’t currently have an exercise routine, start small!  Don’t rush into a intense workout regimen that will be hard to stick to.  Start by adding extra movement, like using the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking a walk.  There are many fitness apps that have short workouts you can download daily, so you don’t even have to leave your house and some only take 5 minutes!  Remember, anything extra is better than doing nothing!

Reducing your caloric intake and adding more water is also a good goal.  Again, try to reduce your calories slowly, so that your body had time to get used to it, and it won’t seem hard at all! An easy way to start is to reduce portions.  Try to pick lean meats and fish over fattier options can also be a way to eat healthier.  Try to eat more grains and nuts instead of processed foods.  Keeping hydrated is important for overall health and can also help your immune system.

Get more sleep!  This can sometimes be the hardest thing to do.  We all have busy and bustling schedules, but the more sleep you get, the more successful you will be.  When you are well rested you can make decisions easier, your judgement is better and your immune system is healthier.   There are a few things you can do to get yourself on a good sleep schedule.   Set a normal bedtime and wake time.  Getting the same amount of sleep and going to bed at the same time and waking at the same time makes a person well rested.  Turn off the screen 2 hours before bedtime, and don’t sleep with your phone!  Take a warm bath or shower before bed that can relax you and make you drift off to sleep.

These three little resolutions can go a long way to a better, healthier you!  Remember, start small, and it will be easier to stick to these resolutions.