UPDATES FROM FALLON HEALTH
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Study: Staying at home prevented millions of COVID-19 infections
While acknowledging the difficulty of shelter-in-place orders, travel restrictions and business and school closures, a new study published in the journal Nature found that such measures prevented at least 60 million coronavirus infections in the U.S. in the period from January through April 6 alone.

Although infection rates in Massachusetts continue to decline during a phased reopening plan, more than a dozen states are currently experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases after removing restrictions.

The authors—researchers from the University of California Berkeley—looked beyond the U.S. for this peer-reviewed study. They evaluated 1,717 policies implemented in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France and the U.S. during that time period. They found that these interventions averted approximately 530 million COVID-19 infections in the six nations.

“It’s as if the roof was about to fall in, but we caught it before it crushed everyone,” said lead author Solomon Hsiang in a statement . “It was difficult and exhausting, and we are still holding it up. But by coming together, we did something as a society that nobody could have done alone and which has never been done before.”
Celebrate the 4th with Fallon Health
Fallon Health is proud to continue our longstanding tradition of sponsoring Worcester’s Independence Day Celebration, even as the event becomes a virtual one for this year.

On Wednesday, July 1, the celebration will begin at 7 p.m. and feature:

  • Greetings from local business leaders, elected officials and special guests




  • Fireworks finale

You can participate in the celebration as it livestreams on the City of Worcester’s website and official Facebook page on July 1 .
Health and wellness
How to disinfect home and work spaces safely
COVID-19 has made it more important to clean and disinfect our home and work environments effectively to prevent infection . With more frequent cleaning, it’s also essential to protect ourselves, families, coworkers and pets from unintentional exposure to potentially harmful chemicals in some cleaning products.
 
Here are some tips for reducing risk of adverse reactions to cleaning products:

  • Follow instructions on cleaners to make sure you use the product correctly. Pay attention to any measurements, warnings and proper disposal.

  • Understand the terms and definitions found on product labels.

  • "Caution" indicates the lowest level of potential harm.

  • "Warning" indicates a higher level of potential harm, meaning someone could be seriously ill or injured.

  • "Danger" indicates the highest level of potential harm: tissue damage to skin, blindness, death or damage to the mouth, throat or stomach if swallowed.

  • Keep all chemicals, household cleaners, medicines and potentially poisonous substances in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children and pets.

  • Always use chemical cleaners in a well-ventilated area.

  • Even cleaners that are not commonly known to have dangerous fumes can have strong, potentially irritating odors.

  • Open the windows or turn on a fan to circulate the air and remove as much odor as possible.

  • Avoid direct exposure by wearing protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, goggles, masks, gloves as necessary. Recognize that natural cleaners can also be harmful.

  • Check the label to see how to properly dispose of the cleaner; some cleaners could be dangerous additions to the water supply and harm the environment. This is often how many people unintentionally mix chemicals. If you are pouring cleaners down the sink, make sure to run water in between disposing of different chemicals.

  • Mixing household cleaners can be very dangerous or even deadly. Never mix bleach or any bleach-containing product with any cleaner containing ammonia, vinegar or rubbing alcohol. The gases created from this combination can lead to chronic breathing problems and even death.

If you suspect any type of poisoning from chemicals:



If you or someone in your household is sick with COVID-19, use the CDC’s cleaning and disinfecting guidelines .

Fallon’s website offers additional  health and wellness information , including a library of  wellness flyers .
In case you missed it …
Visit our website for previous COVID-19-related messages for employers. We’ve posted PDF versions of the messages for you there.