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Answering patient questions about measles

As multiple outbreaks of the measles have popped up across the United States, so too have the number of internet searches about the measles virus. When it comes to your health and the health of your loved ones, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Here are a few frequently asked questions about the measles, with answers from Avera experts: How contagious is measles? Measles is one of the most contagious of any known viral infection. It is more contagious than smallpox, tuberculosis or Ebola. It has an attack rate of 90%, meaning about nine out of 10 susceptible people can ...

A festival of sail

My wife and I knew we were in the right place because embossed on our hotel room’s throw pillows were the words, “I like big boats and cannot lie.” As if to drive that message home, a mighty air horn blared outside our hotel. Even though it was a quarter of a mile away, the horn was loud enough to loosen your toenails. I watched in awe as a 1,000-foot-long ore boat slid beneath the aerial lift bridge at a speed that could be nautically described as “super-duper slow.” Big boats indeed! And that was just an appetizer. We were in Duluth, Minnesota recently for the city’s ...

‘The centre cannot hold’

I have friends who say they try not to pay attention to the news, for their own sanity. I am a news addict, so I can’t do that. Somedays I enjoy being informed. Then there are days that are overwhelming and make me want to crawl in a hole. June 14 was one of those. We were months into the chaos fueled by the election of a man who relishes disruption and anger. The military had been called to confront American citizens in Los Angeles, a step fraught with dangerous precedent. Masked agents were abducting people off the streets in something that felt more like 1930s Germany than ...

Summer activities for kids provide local learning opportunities

We’re almost halfway through the summer, and are nearing the time when we think about going back to school. One of the concerns that often gets raised relates to how some young people lose knowledge during the summer months. They might be performing at grade level in the spring and then be behind when they get back in the fall. It might be because they don’t get time on task with reading and math. They aren’t sitting at their desks doing work sheets or skill building exercises. Even so, I don’t think year-round school is the answer. Children need a break in the action, ...

There’s a Bill in Congress to make voting harder for everyone

Under current US law, it is illegal for non-citizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Additionally, we have robust processes already in place to ensure that only eligible voters are casting ballots. However, Congress is about to vote on a bill that requires all eligible voters to provide citizenship documentation to register to vote.  This bill is called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, and despite its innocuous name, it would do far more harm than good. This law would be both unjust and unnecessary. It is unjust, because it would deprive ...

In praise of radishes

Of all the root crops known to humankind — and I’m including rutabagas and cattail rhizomes here — my favorite is the humble radish. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C, minerals, and bad breath. But their benefits don’t end there. They don’t even begin there. Radishes also provide a fast and easy win for the home gardener. Under the right conditions, radish seeds can sprout in as little as a few days. A couple of weeks later you can be munching on the subterranean fruits of your labor. This quick reward is key if you’re trying to get a child interested in ...