Tag: illness

Measles, Childhood Immunizations, and Washington State

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

Overview:

  • Increasing outbreaks of measles are happening in Washington State and across the country, due to fewer people being vaccinated against measles
  • Measles is not only a childhood disease. Adults can also get measles
  • Complications from measles are dangerous and can lead to long-term illness, disability, and even death
  • Families need to know about measles complications and that vaccines protect not only their family but other people.

Full Article:

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, Washington State experienced several large outbreaks of measles. Why is that an issue? Measles is a virus that is preventable through immunization (getting a vaccine) and was almost completely eliminated in the United States by 2000. This changed when a social movement popularized the idea that immunizations were not needed and that requiring them restricted people’s choices. Because measles and other viruses had been mostly eliminated, younger families were not aware of the medical risks of so-called “childhood” illnesses, especially on the adults in their lives.

Measles is highly contagious, even more so than COVID, and can quickly sweep through a school or a community space such as a daycare center, a church, or a social event. Unvaccinated people at these places or events have a high chance of getting measles. Why is this a problem? While most individuals recover from measles with little to no health impact, complications may cause severe long-term illness, disability, and even death. Some of those conditions include hearing loss, encephalitis (fluid pockets and pressure buildup on the brain), and pneumonia. If you have a child or family member who is already at high risk for a virus or disease, the fact that viruses like measles, mumps, and whooping cough are on the rise again can be very concerning.

The COVID shutdown disrupted a lot of things, and one of these was routine childhood wellness checks and immunizations. Some families have not caught up on what was missed during the shutdown. For many families, there has been a lot of confusion around vaccinations, coverage, and where to go so their children are not vaccinated against viruses like measles.

Measles vaccinations are typically done with the first dose at 12 to 15 months and the second between ages 4 and 6. If your child or family members have not been fully vaccinated, it is easy to request vaccination. Most clinics have it on hand, and it is covered through most insurance plans, even for adults because of the potential health impacts. If you are an adult and have a question about coverage, call your insurer to check. If you are on Medicare, Part D covers this vaccine. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage, it’s a good idea to check with your insurer on coverage. This can be one way to stay ahead of the game by keeping yourself and those around you healthy and strong. For families as we go into the new school year, immunizations, including measles, are still required unless you have an exemption. There are many options available if you don’t have access to a pediatric clinic for your child, and the Washington State Department of Health has made it easy to find places to get the coverage you need for your family.

The Washington State Department of Health has a link to the CDC’s easy-to-understand chart of immunizations by age in well-baby or child checkups, with a list of diseases preventable by vaccines. If your family does not have access to well-child care or you are new to the United States, Community Health Centers, your county Department of Health, or even pharmacies where you can get flu and COVID shots can let you know where you can go to ask about getting up to date on measles and other vaccinations. Below are the links to the Department of Health vaccination and immunization resources.

Video Transcript

One of the most important decisions that you can make as a parent is deciding on if you’re going to vaccinate your child or not.

By vaccinating your child, you also protect those who have a weakened immune system or who are unable to get vaccinated due to being too young, too old, or certain medical conditions.

These diseases take on a greater concern if your child has a chronic healthcare need or disability. These concerns include more complex and long-lasting health impacts, risk of lifelong health or developmental disability, or even risk of death in some cases.

Diseases such as whooping cough, flu, measles, and mumps still occur in our country. When fewer people get vaccinated against these diseases, outbreaks may happen.

For more information, go to wpave.org and type in the search bar the word vaccinate for useful links and information.

How to Afford Family Caregiving, Part 1: Paid Leave and Job-protecting Unpaid Leave in WA State

Posted on by Barb Koumjian

Being a family caregiver can be financially stressful. In addition to taking on the costs of caring for a close friend or family member, caregiving may make it difficult to work at a full time job. Caregivers may struggle to stay employed and be financially stable. This tip sheet is Part 1 of a series with information to help family caregivers with the financial side of caregiving.

Get paid while taking WA State Family & Medical Leave

 WA State Family & Medical Leave

  • This is not the same program as the Federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which is a job-protection program and is unpaid leave.
  • The State of Washington can grant you up to 90 percent of your average weekly wage. The number of weeks you can get paid for depends on whether you are taking medical leave, family leave, or a combination. Visit the Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave website for details about medical leave and family leave.
  • To see if you are eligible for paid leave, take the “quiz” on the Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave site.
  • To apply, on the Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave website, click on the small arrow on the “Individuals and Families” tab on the top of the website page. Click on items 1-5, in order to learn about the process, what paperwork you will need, and apply.

Unpaid leave job protection

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a federal law, protects the rights of employees to take unpaid leave without the threat of job loss for certain situations.

Every year employees are allowed up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for:

  • A child being born and/or care for child within a year of birth
  • A child being adopted or put into foster care in the employee’s care
  • Care for a seriously ill child, spouse, or parent
  • Employee’s serious health condition that makes them unable to work
  • for qualifying exigencies arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status as a member of the National Guard, Reserves, or Regular Armed Forces.
  • Military service personnel are entitled to 26 work weeks of leave within a year to care for a spouse, child, parent or next of kin.

These benefits apply to most employees who have worked at the same employer for a year or more, if

  • The company has at least 50 employees
  • The employer is a school or part of the local, state, or federal government.
  • Use the US Department of Labor’s guidelines to see if you are eligible for FMLA. View or download this fact sheet on the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Important to Know:

  • Employers are allowed to require an employee to first use up their time-off benefits (vacation, sick time, etc.) as part of the FMLA time, BUT when paid leave is used for FMLA-covered reasons, the leave (and the employee’s job protections) are protected under FMLA.
  • On return from FMLA leave (whether after a block of leave or an instance of intermittent leave), the FMLA requires that the employer return the employee to the same job, or one that is nearly identical (equivalent). See the FMLA Factsheet above for details on what makes a job equivalent.
  • An employee does not need to take FMLA leave all at once. The law says leave can be used in several blocks of time (“intermittently”) or used to reduce an employee’s regular hours.
  • Using FMLA does not reduce your allowed Washington State Paid Leave benefit, so you can use both types of leave. It’s important to note that Paid Leave and FMLA usually run at the same time, since many Paid Leave events also qualify for FMLA.

For both types of leave:

Employers are allowed to ask for information to support reasons for the leave. Employees can provide this required information in several formats, including letters that are from a healthcare provider written on official letterhead, documents issued by a branch of the military, or on a Certification Form that can be found on the Department of Labor site or the Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave site.