By Jun Wang, Intern & UAB Community Health & Human Services Student

Title: CDC: 2 Face Masks Protect Better Than One
Brief Description: With the discovery of new, faster-spreading coronavirus strains in the U.S, it might be time to double down on face masks literally by wearing two at a time. Layering a cloth mask over a disposable medical procedure mask significantly boosts your protection against the coronavirus by ensuring a tighter fit against your face, a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows. The CDC recommends that choose a mask with a nose wire which prevent air from leaking out along the top. The mask should fit snugly over your nose, mouth, and chin. Also consider a KN95 mask but do not wear another with it.
Link to resource: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2021/double-masking-against-covid.html

Title: Substance Use Is a Critical Health and Mental Health Issue for Older Adults
Brief Description: The magnitude of the pandemic’s mental health toll on families and communities has increased. The year’s events underscore the importance of focusing on substance use, a critical health and mental health issue for older adults. Based on recent data, a jump of 11.9 percent from 2012 to 2017 in substance use in adults age 65 and older. The rate of prescription for many medications, including opioids for chronic pain are highest as 26.8 percent for people age 65 and older. In 2020, the frequency of alcohol consumption in adults during the pandemic increased by approximately 14 percent along with report of anxiety and depression.
Link to resource: https://generations.asaging.org/substance-use-critical-health-issue-elders