A public health administrator and Side Effects Media managing editor discuss best masking practices and the current state of the pandemic.

With COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations spiking around the country, changing guidance on isolation and testing, and schools restarting for the spring semester, we decided to dive into the best ways to stay safe as the omicron variant spreads. To help us understand more about best testing practices, omicron transmission, and the CDC’s latest guidelines, we were joined by two virologists. 

Binge drinkers are twice as likely to misuse opioids compared to non-drinkers, according to new research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Looking at data from 2012 to 2014, researchers found alcohol was involved in 1 in 5 deaths involving prescription opioids. 

Jessica Barnes of Urbana is the mother of Peyton, 5, who is undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia. The treatments wipe out her immune system, which makes her highly susceptible to illness. Barnes is joining public health officials in urging everyone to get the measles vaccine if they haven’t yet.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds the suicide rate in Illinois increased more than 20 percent over the past two decades. Across the U.S., suicide rates have risen an average of 30 percent in that same time period.