It’s Friday again! It’s time to pull up five recommendations from MCN staff, including plus our “weekly win,” because we all need a little good news every week. Here they are:

Kaethe shared “Association Between Health Care Utilization and Immigration Enforcement Events in San Francisco,” and writes: “This research letter on a study, if replicable, has important implications. It suggests that local communities can do a lot to support their undocumented and immigrant populations to buffer them from the isolation and withdrawal from medical care that seems apparent in other communities during times of upheaval.”

While advances in a COVID-19 vaccine were welcomed, Amy forwarded a new ProPublica article pointing to the hurdles to come in distributing a vaccine in harder-to-reach areas, where many vulnerable populations may be left out: “Most States Aren’t Ready to Distribute the Leading COVID-19 Vaccine.” 

Jillian recommended Hesperian Health’s excellent “A Community Guide to Environmental Health,” available online for free in six languages and in print in many additional languages. 

Claire shared, “Public Charge and Private Dilemmas: Key Challenges and Best Practices for Fighting the Chilling Effect in Texas, 2017-2019,” a new report from the Children’s Defense Fund Texas that doesn’t just give the new data but some moving stories to illustrate why the data matter. 

Double Weekly Win: We have two worker-related COVID-19 wins this week! As PPE shortages again make headlines, Amy shared the good news that some clinicians are getting access to reusable respirators: “FDNY to Switch from Disposable to Reusable Masks.” Another reason to celebrate, from the LA Times: “LA County Approves Program for Workers to Form Public Health Councils to Curb Coronavirus Spread.”

Have a safe and healthy weekend.

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