Seattle, WA. On the website, for the American Cancer Association, new guidelines include ideas on how to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global pandemic of the coronavirus disease, called COVID-19, continues to have a serious impact on many people, including cancer patients, their families, and caregivers. State and local authorities, as well as health officials, continue to adjust their recommendations as the number of COVID-19 cases changes in different parts of the country.
Some cancer patients might be at increased risk of serious illness from an infection because their immune systems can be weakened by cancer and its treatments. Most people who were treated for cancer in the past (especially if it was years ago) are likely to have normal immune function, but each person is different. It’s important that all cancer patients and survivors, whether currently in treatment or not, talk with a doctor who understands their situation and medical history.
It’s also important that both patients and their caregivers take precautions to lower their risk of getting COVID-19. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has specific recommendations for people at risk for serious illness from COVID-19 infection.
While the situation continues to change, knowing some basic facts about what you can do to help protect yourself and others from getting sick can be very empowering.
The COVID-19 pandemic is still fairly new, and doctors are still learning about its possible risks for cancer patients. But they do have a lot of information regarding the risk of infections in general for cancer patients.
Avoiding being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 is especially important for cancer patients, who might be at higher risk for serious illness if they get infected. This is particularly true for patients who are getting chemotherapy or a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant because their immune systems can be severely weakened by the treatment.
The pandemic is also affecting the way many people get medical care, including patients with cancer. Depending on the COVID-19 situation where you live, this may mean a delay in having cancer surgery or care that’s meant to keep cancer from returning. Some people may need to reschedule appointments.
Cancer care teams are doing the best they can to deliver care to those most in need. However, even in these circumstances, it isn’t life as usual. It’s important to keep in contact with your cancer care team to determine the best course of action for you. This may involve talking to your care team virtually (online or over the phone) and not physically going to the clinic.
Many clinics and infusion centers have made changes to allow you to come in safely for an in-person visit as well as treatment. These might include screening for COVID-19 symptoms ahead of your visit, proper spacing of waiting room and infusion chairs, spacing out appointments to limit the number of people in the waiting room at one time, requiring people to wear a face cover, and cleaning all surfaces frequently. It’s important to know who to call to reach your cancer care team to find out how to proceed.
These circumstances will take some time to resolve, and even then, there will likely continue to be changed in the way cancer patients receive their treatment.
In the meantime, doctors need to learn more about cancer patients and COVID-19. Registries such as the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium and studies such as the NCI COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Study are actively collecting data. Early studies from registries in the US and around the world have looked at outcomes for cancer patients who develop COVID-19 with symptoms, as well as if certain anti-cancer treatments change these outcomes. These initial study results are helpful, but it is very important to gather more data and analyze it over a longer time to better understand the effects of COVID-19 on current and former cancer patients. Contact your doctor if you are interested in participating in a registry or study.
How can I protect myself and others from getting COVID-19?
According to the CDC, there are things all of us can do to help lower the risk of being infected (and infecting others):
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds because it’s one of the best ways to kill germs on your hands and prevent the spread of germs to others. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, because if you picked up the virus, you could infect yourself by allowing the virus to enter your body.
Avoid close contact – being within 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) of people who don’t live in your household, and any people who are sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others. (See below for more details.)
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash, or cough or sneeze into your elbow. Then wash your hands right away.
Stay home (except to get medical care) if you are sick.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Always read the directions of the products closely to make sure you are using them correctly. Cleaning and disinfecting products should not be used directly on skin, taken by mouth, or inhaled into the lungs, and bleach should not be used on food.
People with cancer who are getting infusions at the clinic or hospital should talk to their doctor about alternate treatments that might be available, like oral medicines or infusions at home.
It’s important to keep in mind that some people who are infected with the virus might not have symptoms, but they could still spread the virus to others. Because of this, it’s important that everyone follow the CDC’s recommendations on how to protect yourself and others.
Should I wear a face mask?
The CDC recommends that you wear a cloth face cover (something that covers your nose, mouth, and much of your face) or a face mask if you go out in public, especially in places where you might be close to other people.
The face cover is meant to help protect other people because you could spread the virus if you are infected and don’t have symptoms. At the same time, when someone else wears a face cover, it can protect you, too. Together, this can help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Many other authorities and businesses are also recommending face covers, and some are now requiring them.
It’s important to understand that wearing a face cover or mask is not a substitute for social distancing. It’s still very important to stay at least 6 feet away from others, even while wearing a face cover or mask, and to continue to wash your hands frequently.
Remember to wash your hands before putting on your face cover, to not touch your face while wearing the cover, and to wash your hands right after taking it off.
The CDC does not recommend that people in the general public wear surgical or N95 masks. These are in short supply in many areas and should be saved for healthcare workers who need them when caring for people who are sick. It is also best to check with your local authorities to see if your area has specific guidelines about wearing a face-covering in public.Are there different recommendations for cancer patients and caregivers?
The CDC does not have specific recommendations on masks for people who have or have had cancer and their caregivers. But for many people being treated for cancer, especially with treatments like chemotherapy or stem cell (bone marrow) transplants that can weaken the immune system, doctors often recommend patients wear a mask to help lower exposure to germs that might cause infections. If you’re not sure if you or your caregiver should be wearing a mask, contact your doctor or another member of your cancer care team.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19, which may appear 2-14 days after being infected, are:
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
Chills
Muscle aches and pains
Sore throat
New loss of smell or taste
Feeling very tired
Headache
Diarrhea
Nausea or vomiting
Runny nose
Contact your doctor or local health department if you have any of these symptoms.
If you or the person you’re caring for has any of the following serious signs and symptoms of COVID-19, get medical attention right away:
Trouble breathing
Constant pain or heaviness in the chest
New confusion or being hard to wake up
Bluish lips or face
Some people with COVID-19 might have signs or symptoms of blood clots such as bluish toes (also referred to as “COVID toes”), swelling of the lower leg, chest pain, shortness of breath, or stroke symptoms (slurred speech, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg). The reasons for this are being still studied, but it’s important to tell your doctor right away if you are having any of these symptoms.
Children, in particular, might have fewer symptoms from COVID-19. However, there have been recent reports of children with symptoms such as a fever and rash similar to Kawasaki disease, as well as severe body inflammation, which might be related to the coronavirus. The CDC is keeping track of this syndrome, called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), to learn more about it and its relationship to the coronavirus infection.
It’s important to know that some people who are infected with the virus might not have symptoms, but they could still spread the virus to others. Because of this, it’s important that everyone follow the CDC’s recommendations on how to protect yourself and others.
From American Cancer Society:
The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 by 10 doctors and 5 laypeople in New York City. It was called the American Society for the Control of Cancer (ASCC). At that time, a cancer diagnosis meant near-certain death. Rarely mentioned in public, this disease was steeped in fear and denial. Doctors sometimes did not tell their patients they had cancer, and patients often did not tell their friends and families that they had been diagnosed with it.
The Society’s founders knew they had to raise public awareness about cancer if progress was to be made against this disease. Despite the enormity of their task, our founders and their colleagues set about writing articles for popular magazines and professional journals; publishing Campaign Notes, a monthly bulletin of cancer information; and recruiting doctors throughout the country to help educate the public.
It was in these early years that the Society first used its now-iconic Sword of Hope symbol, which today is part of the organization’s logo. The sword came from a 1928 nationwide poster contest sponsored by the ASCC and the New York City Cancer Committee. George E. Durant of Brooklyn won the contest, receiving a first prize of $500. He selected the sword to express the crusading spirit of the cancer control movement. The twin-serpent caduceus, which forms the handle of the sword, emphasizes the medical and scientific nature of the Society’s work. Classically, twined serpents represent healing of the sick and creativity of the healthy.
Over the past 100 years, the logo has changed many times. The current American Cancer Society logo presents a contemporary, powerful, and cohesive entity. The trapezoidal shape with the angled edge suggests forward movement, aspiration, and growth. The overall design creates the image of a flag being carried forth toward victory. This symbol is intended to unite people in the common goal to save lives from cancer.
Seattle, WA. The Seattle Aquarium is open with timed ticketing and limited attendance, which means you’ll get up close to the animals and not other visitors. Seattle Aquarium staffers have worked closely with local health experts to provide a safe and fun experience.
There’s plenty of space to maintain distance as you stroll the wide sidewalk along Alaskan Way, taking in views of Elliott Bay and enjoying the sights and sounds of Seattle’s historic waterfront.
There are some changes you need to know about before visiting:
ONLINE TICKETS MUST BE RESERVED IN ADVANCE for all guests, whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time member.
YOUR TIMED TICKET indicates your arrival window. There is no limit to how long you can spend at the Aquarium.
FACE COVERINGS/MASKS ARE REQUIRED during your visit. Exemptions to this order include babies/toddlers under age 2; anyone with a disability that makes it hard for them to wear or remove a face covering; anyone who is deaf and moves their face and mouth to communicate; and anyone who has been advised by a medical professional to not wear a face-covering because of personal health issues.
A ONE-WAY PATHWAY with clear physical distance markers will guide you through the Aquarium and help protect everyone’s health.
Here’s a video with more information:
Opened in 1977, the Seattle Aquarium was owned and operated by the City of Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation until 2010, when the nonprofit Seattle Aquarium Society assumed its management—a model used by most leading zoos and aquariums across the country.
From the Seattle Aquarium: The Seattle Aquarium is one of Washington state’s leading environmental education and stewardship institutions, and the region’s gathering place for discussion and sharing information about marine conservation. It maintains a number of research initiatives in cooperation with federal, state, zoological and university partners. The Aquarium is located on Pier 59, at 1483 Alaskan Way.
Seattle, WA. The Seattle Foundation has launched a fund in hopes of creating a collective hub for efforts to eradicate poverty, build generational wealth, preserve Black Culture, and celebrate the incredible resilience of the Black community. It aims to uplift the Black community across Washington through intentional investments in areas such as health, housing, education, art, criminal justice reform, and civic engagement. The purpose of the Black Future Co-op Fund is to acknowledge the harm that systemic racism has done to the Black community in our state.
Here’s information about the new fund:
On Tuesday, May 28, 2020, the video of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for eight minutes and 46 seconds was viewed across America. That image will forever be engrained in the soul of this nation along with the cries of slaves, lynched people, and others who have died at the hands of another human being, due to the color of their skin. We all heard Mr. Floyd’s cry.
George Floyd’s murder moved people of all races to raise their voices in solidarity calling for justice. The Black Future Co-op Fund was formed in recognition of this powerful moment and the opportunity for transformational change. Its architects are four Black women leaders with long histories working to support the Black community across Washington state: Michelle Merriweather (Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle), Andrea Caupain (Byrd Barr Place), Angela Jones (Washington STEM), and T’wina Nobles (Tacoma Urban League).
The Fund will also invest in technical assistance, “back-of-house” support, and administrative support to the under resourced nonprofit and community-based organizations that have worked for decades in support of the Black community, providing the infrastructure they need to sustain their critical efforts. It will invest in future generations of Black children born in Washington state—so that they may have an opportunity to not only survive but to thrive.
In the months ahead, the Fund’s leadership plans to visit and listen to Black communities around the state to understand their needs and craft the Fund’s grant making approach, supported by a $150,000 capacity grant from Seattle Foundation. The first grants will likely be made in early 2021. While the Black Future Co-op Fund came together in a specific moment of history, its architects intend for it to provide ongoing support statewide for years to come.
Support the Black Future Co-op Fund: By supporting the Black Future Co-op Fund, housed by Seattle Foundation, donors have the opportunity to invest in both the hope of the present and the promise of the future for the Black community in Washington state. Thanks to a partnership with the All In WA campaign and with generous support from Jeff Bezos, donations to the Black Future Co-op Fund are eligible to be matched dollar for dollar, up to $1 million per unique donation.
Initial Supporters & Donors: The Fund aims to raise $25 million, with over $2.5 million secured to date, including support from corporations and philanthropic institutions such as Microsoft Corporation, Seattle Seahawks Charitable Foundation, The Ballmer Group, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Puget Sound Energy, Zillow Group, The Starbucks Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Virginia Mason Health System, and Laird Norton Family Foundation.
There is an impressive and growing list of individual philanthropists who pledged their support as well, including (listed alphabetically): Robert W. Andrade Jr., Paula Boggs, Randee Fox and Jada Boggs, Adriane and Darryl Brown, Phyllis Campbell, Ray and Katie Conner, Garret and Nikki Daggett, Craig Dawson, Trish Dziko, Nick and Leslie Hanauer, Bruce & Joann Harrell, Latisha and Eric Hill, Shaunta and Al Hyde, Angela Jones, Mary Knell, Gary Locke, Regina Malveaux, Susan Mullaney and Shari Kauls, Gordon McHenry, Jr., Leslie Harper-Miles and Nate Miles, Julie and Erik Nordstrom, Roger Nyhus, Hyeok Kim and Michael Parham, Diana Birkett Rakow and Jeff Rakow, Constance and Norm Rice, Mary Pugh and Michael Scoggins, Jill and Rajeev Singh, Marilyn Strickland, Brad and Danielle Tilden, H.S. Wright III and Jessie Woolley-Wilson.
Seattle, WA. The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator donors and partners announced the formation of the International COVID-19 Data Research Alliance to accelerate clinical research on COVID-19. Composed of academic institutions, research organizations, life sciences and technology companies, and philanthropies, the International Alliance was created to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, but with the promise for use across other health conditions, including readiness for future pandemics.
Accelerator donors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Mastercard, Minderoo Foundation, and Wellcome, will be founding members of the International Alliance. It will be managed by Health Data Research UK, a national institute for health data science with expertise in harnessing data at scale to improve people’s lives, working in partnership with alliance partners from life science companies, academic institutions and clinical research organizations from around the world. The announcement came on June 26th.
In May at the Coronavirus Global Response Summit, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a commitment of $125 million towards the international collective effort to develop and equitably distribute COVID-19 diagnostics, therapies, and vaccines. This includes $50 million of new funding to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and $75 million of previously announced funding for therapeutics and diagnostics.
The current pandemic has prompted a great deal of research, but there are few environments where data sets generated by previous studies and trials can be accessed to inform research and development efforts. These data sets could address key questions about the course of COVID-19, how it impacts the body, and what treatments might be effective. In many cases, relevant data sets exist, but researchers cannot easily access or link them for integrated analysis. The International Alliance will provide a variety of ways for researchers to collaborate on data—from pooled to federated analyses—for trustworthy, privacy-protected, and ethical research as determined by a governance board of global specialists in the field.
“In a pandemic, the pathogen has the upper hand. We know very little about it, so access to information becomes an important commodity,” said Trevor Mundel, president of global health at the Gates Foundation. “By entering into agreements on data sharing up front, we can avoid wasting time going down blind alleys, ultimately saving lives by getting definitive answers to key questions more quickly. This grant to form an international data alliance will accelerate efforts and provide a legacy for future collaboration on pandemics. We encourage others to join us and the other founding partners in this important initiative.”
Answering Research Questions About COVID-19
The Therapeutics Accelerator has also funded the development of a COVID-19 Workbench to support the International Alliance by creating a trusted research environment for access to global multidimensional data sets. This will enable researchers to work with the data to answer questions of high importance to the community. These questions, formed into driver projects, will address two key challenges for COVID-19 clinical care, as a start.
Understanding who is at highest and lowest risk and what they can expect from the disease is of paramount importance. The Workbench will enable the use of state-of-the-art techniques to explore characteristics that influence disease progression and impact treatment outcome in patients. It will also work to establish which drug treatments are most likely to be effective and when to administer each treatment during the course of care.
According to the Global Coronavirus COVID-19 Clinical Trial Tracker, there are currently 1,570 ongoing trials studying more than 50 drug interventions. Bringing data from these trials together with this federated workbench provides researchers with a more complete understanding of each intervention’s safety and efficacy. The International Alliance will first focus on creating summaries of the trial data (e.g., overall results, patient subgroups, specific endpoints) and use meta-analysis methods to provide side-by-side assessments of the drugs being studied. This way, researchers will have access to insights from all the available trials at once rather than relying on insights from a single trial at a time. As the International Alliance secures more data, additional research questions will be assessed.
An Analytical Workbench for Scientific Inquiry
The Workbench will connect to regional and national data infrastructures used by International Alliance members, such as data generated by Therapeutics Accelerator-funded trials, pharmaceutical industry partners, the national BREATHE health data research hub in the United Kingdom, SAIL Databank and others to be confirmed in the coming months. The Workbench, developed by Aridhia Informatics, will enable the discovery of data relevant for answering priority questions from its own repository and federated repositories, and will provide a secure location where analysts can work collectively on a target research hypothesis. Data access and use will be conducted in accordance with the governance requirements of individual data controllers from countries around the world, in a transparent and ethical manner. Authorized users will be able to bring their data to the Workbench and collaborate with others in a secure environment. The Workbench will be designed to encourage and enable responsible data use, including transparency, ethical review, privacy, and data protection.
“The UK has established a robust infrastructure for uniting, improving, and using health data for research and innovation. We are excited to build on this experience of our community and partners to support this vital global effort against COVID-19 and future outbreaks,” said Graham Spittle, chair of Health Data Research UK. “Recent controversies about the safety and effectiveness of new treatments in the treatment of COVID-19 highlight the need for the international community to work in partnership to analyze rapidly the results of multiple clinical trials at scale. The International Alliance aims to enable this in a trustworthy way. We look forward to working in partnership with, and learning from, colleagues internationally.”
About the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator
The Therapeutics Accelerator is an initiative launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and Mastercard to speed up the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying, assessing, developing, and scaling up treatments. Its partners are committed to equitable access, including making products available and affordable in low-resource settings. The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will play a catalytic role by accelerating and evaluating new and repurposed drugs and biologics to treat patients with COVID-19 in the immediate term, and other viral pathogens in the longer term.
About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
Seattle, WA. An impressive group of performers joined forces for a virtual concert on June 24th. It was the “All In WA: A Concert for COVID-19 Relief” event and viewers pledged over $45 Million to Washington State COVID relief fund during the broadcast. Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, and his wife Ciara also spoke during the broadcast. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for All In WA)
Dave Matthews performs during All In WA: A Concert For COVID-19 Relief. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for All In WA)
Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Courteney Cox, and Tatum Dahl speak during the concert For COVID-19 relief. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for All In WA)
Sir Mix-a-Lot performs during All In WA. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for All In WA)
Bill Gates joined the broadcast.
The extensive lineup of entertainers also included Dave Matthews, Macklemore, Pearl Jam, Ciara, Allen Stone, Ben Gibbard, The Black Tones, Joel McHale, Mary Lambert, Pete Carroll, Bill Nye, Candice Wilson, Chad Charlie, Courteney Cox, Dove Cameron, Edouardo Jordan, The Head and the Heart, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Jessica Dobson, Prometheus Brown, Joshua Karp, Ken Griffey Jr., Mark Diamond, Mimi Jung, Nancy Wilson, Noah Gundersen, Rainn Wilson, Ryan Lewis, Sleater-Kinney, and Travis Thompson. Presented by Amazon and produced by Anonymous Content and Done + Dusted, the All In WA: A Concert for COVID-19 Relief was streamed on Amazon Music’s Twitch channel (www.twitch.tv/amazonmusic and through www.AllInWA.org.
From All In WA:
All In WA hopes to help all Washingtonians find a way to give back. You can support the All In WA fund, created to fill the gaps in funding across the state and governed by an advisory board you can see here. You can also support a Cause Fund, focused on issues of most need, or donate to a Community Fund near you to support a place you love, or use the PowerOf tool.
Please donate today and join us in celebrating the strength of this state by tuning in to All In WA: A Concert for COVID-19 Relief by Presenting Sponsor Amazon, a virtual event to bring attention to our state’s needs and resilience. This concert will be broadcast live here and on Twitch, KREM, KING 5, KONG, and KSKN. Sign up to learn more.
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