Related The refuelling properties of chocolate milkMore and more elite athletes and coaches are reportedly recognising the benefits of refuelling with low fat chocolate milk. Penny Wilson, dietitian for the Ironman Sports Medicine Institute at Memorial Hermann, Texas, makes chocolate milk a staple on the training menu of her athletes. “For athletes that train hard regularly, it’s so important that they recover properly in-between to be able to get the most out of their next workout,” said Wilson.“Elite athletes have been refuelling with chocolate milk for years because of its unique nutrient profile, plus it’s so simple and it tastes great!”Chocolate milk reportedly has the right carb-to-protein ratio scientifically shown to help the body recover, high-quality protein to help repair muscles and fluids and electrolytes to replenish what’s lost in sweat.A growing body of research supports chocolate milk’s recovery benefits after strenuous exercise. For example, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that following an exhausting ride, trained cyclists had significantly more power and rode faster, shaving about six minutes on average from their ride time when they recovered with low fat chocolate milk compared to a carbohydrate sports drink and calorie-free beverage.www.gotchocolatemilk.comwww.ironman.com American football legend Hines Ward may have hung up his helmet and pads but that doesn’t mean he’s stopped pushing the boundaries of his athletic ability. Just one year after ending his 14-year pro football career, Ward will up the ante by switching gears from a 40-yard dash to tackling the demands of Ironman.Ward has teamed up with REFUEL | ‘got chocolate milk?’ to take on the 2013 Ironman World Championship in Hawai’i and is searching for two people to experience this life-changing journey with him.The new program, dubbed BECOME ONE, REFUEL | ‘got chocolate milk?’ is issuing a challenge to individuals who believe they can redefine their personal limits to become an Ironman triathlete. This one-of-a-kind program will send Ward and two contest winners on an epic journey and give them starring roles in an online documentary series.Together, they will receive the tools, training and nutritional know-how to conquer the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i on 12 October 2013.A transformational training journeyBeginning in February 2013, Hines Ward plus the two contest winners will start a seven-month training and recovery regimen with elite professional coaches and sports dieticians that will prepare them for the gruelling race. They’ll learn that what they do after strenuous exercise, such as refuelling with low-fat chocolate milk, can make a dramatic difference in how they feel and perform during their next workout.A growing body of published research suggests the nutrient profile of low fat chocolate milk can help athletes recover after hard workouts so they can perform at their best during the next bout of exercise.“To become an Ironman triathlon finisher in Kona is to take your place among the greatest athletes in all of sports, so it’s no surprise that a competitor like Hines Ward would seek out this challenge,” said Miranda Abney, Senior Marketing Manager of the Milk Processor Education Program, the group behind the ‘got chocolate milk?’ campaign.“BECOME ONE will give Hines and two other lucky people an exclusive opportunity to leave it all on the course and show that anything is possible by crossing the most prestigious finish line in endurance sports.”The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), is funded by the US nation’s milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, through MilkPEP, runs the REFUEL | ‘got chocolate milk?’ campaign, a multi-faceted program designed to educate athletes about the recovery benefits of low-fat chocolate milk after strenuous exercise.“Hines may have been one of the most successful pro football players in history, but when it comes to Ironman triathlons he’ll be a rookie all over again,” said Erik Vervloet, Chief Marketing Officer at Ironman brand owner World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). “But with the right coaching, nutrition and attitude, we’re confident that he’ll show us that ‘Anything is Possible’.”“I may be retired, but I’m certainly not finished as an athlete – and there’s no bigger challenge than taking on the Ironman World Championship,” Ward said. “I’ve got a long road ahead of me, but I’m eager to prove that by training hard with the right experts and refuelling smarter with chocolate milk, I will become an Ironman triathlon finisher.”How everyday athletes can ‘BECOME ONE’Everyday athletes can apply to join this one-in-a-lifetime training journey now through to 30 November at gotchocolatemilk.com. Applicants must be at least 21 years old, and they need to create a short video on YouTube to explain what motivates them, why they want take this challenge, and how Ironman and chocolate milk can help redefine their personal limits. Two winners will be announced in February 2013.As part of the ‘BECOME ONE’ program, cameras will follow Ward and the chosen athletes throughout their training journey. Coached by eight-time Ironman World Championship winner, Paula Newby-Fraser, they will train hard every day, then refuel and recover with lowfat chocolate milk – the Official Refuel Beverage of Ironman. Their compelling journey will play out as online interactive webisodes on gotchocolatemilk.com starting in February 2013.
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‘Love Triathlon – Love Clean Sport’: ITU joins WADA Legacy Outreach…
Related The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Triathlon Union (ITU) have launched the second installment of WADA’s Legacy Outreach Program series at the World Triathlon Grand Final in Chicago, which runs from 15-19 September.The Legacy Outreach Program was created as a way to provide additional support to International Federations (IFs) in order to develop and deliver anti-doping athlete awareness programs, and to provide them with the tools, materials and ideas to carry out effective Outreach Programs in the future.“After the Legacy Outreach Program’s successful start at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships earlier this year, it is hugely promising to see the ITU adopt the Program for the World Triathlon Grand Final in Chicago this week,” said WADA President, Sir Craig Reedie.“This type of initiative – using social media and other communication channels to spread the clean sport message – is one of the best ways to promote clean sport. I have no doubt that the ITU will be effective in carrying forward the message that doping is dangerous, threatens the very integrity of their sport and that clean athletes are pivotal to all they do,” added Reedie.“I’m very proud that ITU has joined this campaign,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. “Education is a key component of ensuring triathlon remains a doping free sport and is something we as an International Federation take very seriously. But more than anything, it is the triathletes that have taken the responsibility to keep triathlon clean in earnest.”The Program, which is jointly run by WADA and the ITU in the Expo Center, has adopted the catchphrase ‘Love Triathlon – Love Clean Sport’. Athletes and volunteers will participate in the program, and in doing so help deliver the clean sport message to competitors and their entourages in an engaging way.The Legacy Outreach team will interact with athletes, coaches and other support personnel on a one-on-one basis, providing them with useful information on all anti-doping matters. As part of the campaign, ITU will launch a social media campaign highlighting the reasons why athletes love clean sport, and why a level playing field is important to them.Athletes will also have the opportunity to showcase their visual support by posing in a Chicago-themed picture frame developed specifically for the campaign. Competitors will also be able to pledge their loyalty to clean sport by signing the Clean Sport Pledge, an initiative that proved popular at the FIS Legacy Outreach event earlier in 2015.“As elite athletes, it’s important for us to know that our competitors and our sport are clean, because it keeps the playing field equal and fair. To have an anti-doping program like this launched at the World Triathlon Series Grand Final and World Championships reaffirms that clean sport is taken seriously by our governing federations, my fellow competitors, and the age-groupers and paratriathletes who will also be here racing for world titles this week,” said 2016 US Olympic qualifier and 2012 Olympian Sarah True.www.wada-ama.orgwww.triathlon.org/anti-doping/
Inclusive play area, new shelters among possible improvements at Strang Park in OP
A portion of the old Strang Interurban Railway remains at the center of Strang Park in Overland Park.Strang Park in northern Overland Park will be next to get a makeover. The city is planning to redo its master plan of the roughly 10-acre park just south of Central Resource Library, with an all-inclusive play area on its list of possible improvements.The City Council approved $98,500 to hire Vireo, a Kansas City landscape architecture firm, to start work on the design of the park at 89th Street and Farley Street.Greg Ruether, director of parks services, said the park is long overdue for improvement. Other than some resurfacing, there hasn’t been any significant work on the park in 30 years, he said.The park has tennis and basketball courts, a loop walkway, shelters and historical signage. The city’s wish list for improvements includes a new restroom, new shelters and upgrades to the loop path along with the inclusive play area.The city is planning to keep the historical panels on the site and potentially add more historical elements.But the city also has asked Vireo to give recommendations about other amenities that incorporate new design trends and complement the neighborhood. The historical panels would be kept, according to city documents. The city’s instructions to Vireo also request historical elements be included.The park is named for William B. Strang, who built the Interurban Railroad connecting cities in the area. There are remnants of the track at the park.The process will involve public input similar to what was done when the city redesigned Santa Fe Commons Park. Vireo will work with a steering committee of park stakeholders and will hold two open-house style public meetings to discuss what will become the new master plan. There will also be an on-line app and dedicated Facebook page for people to voice their opinions.The council approved the initial agreement with Vireo with no discussion. The Strang Park project is already in the city’s five-year plan, with a total cost estimate of $2.2 million.
Black officers in JoCo ‘get it from both sides’ amid national debate over race and policing
It’s been a trying summer for Black police officers in Johnson County.Sparked by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black people at the hands of police, a nationwide reckoning with racial justice and police accountability is at the forefront of protests, rallies and calls for change.In Johnson County, amid a global pandemic, protesters in recent months have rallied for justice and equity, clashing with police on at least one occasion. In September, Black men at a panel discussion in Overland Park declared that racism is still prevalent, and county commissioners urged leadership to acknowledge the county’s racist past.Black police officers sit at the heart of this strife and division.“We’ve been pulling each other aside and asking are you OK? Because we’ve been getting it from both sides,” said John Lacy, a police officer for 27 years in Overland Park. “Our Black friends ask how could you put on your uniform every single day? It wears and tears on you. There’s only one other person you can talk to: another Black police officer.”Maj. Byron Roberson, deputy chief of the Prairie Village Police Department, agrees, saying he feels caught in a similar bind.“I have had that conversation with friends and family — I counter it with, if I don’t do it, who will?” said Roberson, who has served in Prairie Village since 1995. “If you want things to change, how do you do it from the outside? The best way to do it is from the inside.”Lacy always knew he wanted to be a police officer. But an encounter with a racist St. Louis cop in the spring of 1989 rattled him. He had just dropped off a friend at home, and the officer who pulled him over asked why he was in a neighborhood where no Black people lived. He told him to get out of the area.Lacy was angry. He was ready to give up his dream career.“My father said, ‘You’re going to let one incident change what you’ve always wanted to be since you were in second grade? You think about that,’ and then he left the room,” Lacy said. “And I did, I said, ‘Well, I’ve got to change this. I don’t want someone to feel the same way I felt.”‘I see both sides of it’“I speak for a lot of officers that are around here. When they see an officer with excess force, it’s a black eye on all of us, for not only that police department but any police officer across the United States that’s wearing a badge,” said Officer John Lacy. Above, Lacy participates in a radio segment in an undated photo. Photo courtesy John Lacy.As Black officers, Roberson said they look at things from a police perspective, but when they take off the uniforms, they are still Black men who deal with things that their white counterparts don’t have to consider.“There’s no way that a white police officer can understand completely what it is to be Black while driving or Black while stopped by a white police officer,” Roberson said. He said he has to have talks with his teenage sons about how to conduct themselves around police because he doesn’t want them to become “one of those statistics.”“No police officer wakes up and says I want to kill a Black person today,” Roberson added. “But the situation, sometimes, unravels so quickly.”Being a Black police officer can be an isolating career. Lacys says he has lost friends, especially this summer, because he’s in law enforcement. Watching the videos of an ex-Minneapolis police officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck was also “unnerving,” he said, adding that Overland Park hasn’t had that policy since 1986.“I speak for a lot of officers that are around here,” Lacy said. “When they see an officer with excess force, it’s a black eye on all of us, for not only that police department but any police officer across the United States that’s wearing a badge.”Roberson and Lacy are frustrated that people on social media keep grouping all police shootings into one.“All of these things happen in a split second, and we have to always be 100% right as police officers, and that’s impossible,” Roberson said. “That’s what America’s missing. I think most Americans know that.”Lacy echoed those comments.“Get the whole story first before you make a decision,” he said. “A lot of times, people jump to conclusions real quick. A lot of people have their pre-biases, is what I say.”‘Johnson County wasn’t ready’“I was told at one time, after taking the sergeant’s test a couple of times and couldn’t figure out how come I could never make sergeant, that Johnson County wasn’t ready for a Black sergeant giving white people orders,” said Jay Holbert of his attempts to gain rank. In his 31 years at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Holbert was never promoted above master deputy. Above, protestors demonstrate in front of Shawnee City Hall in June. File photo.Jay Holbert is also Black and a retired Johnson County Sheriff’s deputy, who now lives in Olathe.Holbert became a deputy in Johnson County in 1976. He retired as a detective and master deputy after 31 years. He never climbed the ranks as he’d hoped, but he watched as his white counterparts were promoted.“I was told at one time, after taking the sergeant’s test a couple of times and couldn’t figure out how come I could never make sergeant, that Johnson County wasn’t ready for a Black sergeant giving white people orders,” Holbert said.Holbert remembers a blatant kind of racism: deputies racially profiling minorities, officers following him home to try to catch him acting out. Back in the 1980s, he said, he was once pulled over in his unmarked detective’s vehicle by an Overland Park police officer for no apparent reason.A captain at the sheriff’s office would make “stupid jokes” about Black people in front of him, Holbert recalls. Most times, he stuck up for himself, but another deputy and a sergeant would also come to his defense.“Sometimes, I would have to calm them down, because they’d really jump up,” Holbert said.Even though they stuck up for him, they weren’t really friends, Holbert said. It was an isolating career.“I did not have, what do they call, drinking buddies, all that,” Holbert said. “I’d take off my badge, put on my civilian clothes, the Black society knew I was a police officer. I could mingle with them, play basketball or whatever. But I had no friends.”Holbert likens Black police officers to soldiers who served in Vietnam: when they returned from the war, they were often not welcomed.“Black officers try to keep people safe; they try to do their job,” Holbert said. “But yet when something comes up, they don’t get support from their white officers, nor from the Black public.”“The Black public feels like they ought to be out marching with them when they get orders to do something else. When you’re ordered to stand a line, you stand a line. You don’t break line to go march with the people, whether you agree with them or not.”Things got better toward the end of Holbert’s career, he says. In the early 2000s, he noticed new county leadership started to make things better, with the sheriff at the time “weeding out” bad officers, for example. Now a member of the Johnson County NAACP, Holbert serves on the Community Advisory Relations Board for the sheriff’s office.‘Clandestine’ racismMaj. Byron Roberson (far left) suits up in tactical gear with other Prairie Village police officers. Photo courtesy Byron Roberson.When Lacy and Roberson first became police officers, they say their fellow officers were welcoming, and neither reported facing racism within the department. But outside the police stations was a different story.Every three months or so, someone Lacy arrested would tell him to go “back to Africa.” Others would say he’s “a credit” to his race — a patronizing slight towards people of color. Roberson and Lacy say they both got called racial slurs.One white woman called the police on a group of Black people driving a trailer in an Overland Park neighborhood. After investigating, Lacy found that a Black family was moving into a new house they had bought.The Black family put up a “For Sale” sign a week later.Another woman wouldn’t open her door for Lacy after she called 911 and waited to talk with a white officer who arrived later. Lacy said she never made eye contact with him.A undated but earlier image of Officer John Lacy earlier in his career with Overland Park Police. Photo courtesy John Lacy.“That was pure racism right there, it was nonchalant,” Lacy said. “I still remember where I was and how it made me feel, and it made me feel, ‘OK, it’s 1994 and we’re still dealing with this.’ Then again it’s 2020, and we still see some people in the community that have racial issues. There are biases.”Roberson agreed, calling it “more of a clandestine type of racism” where people use the police as a proxy to check on people of other races who they think don’t belong in their neighborhood.Lacy remembers someone calling to say he was surprised the Overland Park Police Department picked a Black man to be public information officer for a “predominantly white community.” That was in 2016.“They said to choose wisely and that’s why I was chosen,” Lacy recalled telling the caller. “They picked me because I was qualified.”Roberson cautioned that racism can become “rampant” within a police department if it has poor leadership. But he said he has been fortunate that Prairie Village gave him a “fair shake or equal opportunity” to climb the ranks. In fact, two of Prairie Village’s three highest-ranking police officers are now Black.However, Roberson and Lacy believe that, in general, Black officers have to try harder than their white counterparts to reach the same achievements and climb the ranks in law enforcement.“My grandfather told me, ‘You can’t just be good, you’ve got to go the extra mile, you’re going to have to put in a little effort, you’re going to be watched, make sure you do your job right,’” Lacy said. “I didn’t understand what he was saying. Now I understand what he was saying.”Holbert, the retired sheriff’s deputy, agreed.“It’s just like anything else: The darker your skin, the more you have to try,” Holbert said. “I believe it’s going to be that way for a long time, until the administration from the top all the way down starts changing and looking at people for what they can do and not for what they look like.”A way forward“I’m not saying it’s a good thing that George Floyd died, but… it has increased the communication and the narrative that’s going on about problems that are out there that people don’t want to talk about or ashamed to talk about,” said Deputy Chief Byron Roberson. Above, Roberson (left) embraces Miriam Russell, a former coworker who had retired from the Prairie Village Police Department after 27 years. Photo courtesy Byron Roberson.Holbert and Roberson said they’re encouraged by the new wave of dialogue and calls for reform, because it opens the door for communication and mutual trust between police officers and the communities they serve.“It has increased the communication and the narrative that’s going on about problems that are out there that people don’t want to talk about or ashamed to talk about,” Roberson said. “Because it’s real.”Holbert wants to see law enforcement agencies recruit more Black people and minorities to become officers, but he’s worried teens would be too discouraged if they’ve experienced racial profiling. Law enforcement is still a predominantly white, male profession, particularly in the command structures of most police departments.Roberson said three of Prairie Village’s 45 officers are Black. In Overland Park, the number is 17 of 255 commissioned officers. The sheriff’s office reports having nearly 500 deputies, 26 of whom were Black, in its 2018 statistics.Officer John Lacy on the scene for a press briefing in an undated photo. Photo courtesy John Lacy.A member of Prairie Village’s diversity task force, Roberson believes that a diverse makeup will strengthen a police department by adding racial and ethnic representation and contributing different cultural values.“We are the face of the community,” Roberson said. “So if they see our faces as diverse and as culturally melting pot as we are, then I think that that bodes well for the city as far as attracting people to come here.”For Lacy’s part, he believes most police officers just try to answer the call and offer the best service, without thinking about a person’s race. He says that Overland Park gets rid of racist police officers who “shame the badge,” he added.Lacy wants to encourage kindness and anti-racism. He urges allies of the Black community — and especially other police officers — to speak up against injustice when they see it.Black communities and police officers share a history of mistrust with each generation. Sometimes progress feels like two steps forward and eight steps back, after one police officer “sneaks in the back door” and commits a crime, Lacy said.“We’re going to keep trying,” he said. “I tell the guys to stay positive.”Roberson, Holbert and Lacy stuck with their careers — serving a combined 85 years — because they say they care about keeping their communities safe, saving lives and helping others, no matter their skin color.Roberson knows it’s a cliche, but he wanted to make a difference.“We have to defend ourselves — sometimes against those things that our own community says — because we are doing what we think is right,” Roberson said. “We are doing a job that we think is noble and needed and helping the community. We don’t do it for the appreciation. We do it because we believe in it.”
Barco Goes Greener, Reaches 2020 Sustainability Target
Barco just told rAVe that the company has actually reached its 2020 sustainability target on reducing the carbon footprint of its operations in the fiscal year 2019 — one year in advance.In 2016, Barco first set several five-year sustainability goals to be established by 2020 (compared to 2015). The primary targets were reducing the carbon footprint of its operations by 20%, reducing the energy footprint of its products by 25% and ensuring that at least 25% of new product releases received the Barco ECO label. The first of these goals was reached in fiscal year 2019. Next to progress in the logistical footprint in the first years, strongly reduced business travel and a move of production activities to a more energy-efficient plant were the main drivers of 2019’s strong results.Barco assigned an internal task force and partnered with an (external) carbon footprinting expert to create a roadmap for the coming years. A first focus on logistics, resulting in a shift of transportation by boat instead of airplane, led to reducing Barco’s carbon footprint. In subsequent years, also the mobility and infrastructure pillars were tackled.In 2019, Barco not only achieved substantial business results but managed to do this while strongly reducing its carbon emissions in mobility and infrastructure, with a year-on-year reduction of 13% and 12%, respectively, compared to 2018. The main drivers are the reduction of business travel and the centralization of manufacturing activities (including the relocation of production activities to the state-of-the-art factory in Kortrijk).2019 vs 2018 vs 2015Logistics — -1%, -21%Mobility — -13%, -19%Infrastructure — -12%, -19%Total — -5%, -20%In 2019, Barco set the focus again on the mod and long terms and set new targets for 2023. The objective is to improve sustainability across the board. Meanwhile, Barco also decided to commit Science Based Targets to solidify its sustainability goals further. Barco is joining the global movement of leading companies aligning their business with the most ambitious aim of the Paris Agreement, to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the best chance of avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.See related Barco Projectors Take Guinness World Record Title for Largest Projection of a Video Game“The good results achieved in recent years for sure is a great way forward in this process,” said Jan De Witte, CEO of Barco. “It clearly shows our ambition to reach our targets and establishes our leading role in the switch to sustainable business conduct. Sustainability is now an integral part of the Barco DNA.”In order to allow evaluating the ecological footprint of its products in a quantifiable and objective manner, Barco has developed a tool that grades its products according to its eco-design performance. This gives customers an overview of environmental performance and encourages developers in Barco to make sustainable choices. The framework that has been used to validate the eco-scoring is defined in the ISO 14021 standard.Products that are at the top of the ranking and thus have a lower environmental footprint can be marked with the “Barco Eco Product label.” The first products with this Eco Product label are already being shipped, including the 6MP diagnostic display, some ClickShare solutions and the Series 4 Projectors. According to Barco, it is the company’s ambition that by 2023, 70% of its revenues will come from products with this Eco Product label — and 75% of products launched have this label:
Studies spotlight high COVID-19 infection rate in US prisons
A trio of new studies is highlighting the burden of COVID-19 in the nation’s prison population and shedding light on how prisons might be able to reduce transmission.Nationwide, federal and state prisons have been among the congregate facilities that have been hit hard by the coronavirus. According to the Marshall Project, which has been tracking data on COVID-19 infections in state and federal prisons with the Associated Press, at least 102,494 prisoners have tested positive as of Aug 14, and 889 have died. Those figures do not include correctional facility staff.Preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in correctional facilities is difficult because of the crowded living conditions, limited ability to isolate or practice distancing, and inadequate hygiene. In such settings, the virus spreads easily. In addition, the virus is has been repeatedly brought in to prisons from the community by staff members, visitors, and new prisoners.Alarmingly high infection ratesAs a study today in JAMA Network Open shows, these factors are contributing to a much higher infection rate among incarcerated people than is seen in the general public.The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, examined data from 16 Massachusetts Department of Corrections (MA DOC) facilities and 13 county-level systems from Apr 5 through Jul 8. The data showed 1,032 confirmed COVID cases in prisoners (664) and staff (368) out of 14,987 prisoners in the facilities—or a rate of 6.9% among inmates and staff.The COVID-19 infection rate was 4.4% among prisoners, which is 2.91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.69 to 3.14) times higher than the population of Massachusetts and 4.8 (95% CI, 4.45 to 5.18) times higher than the US population.The study also found that prison systems that had higher testing rates and released fewer prisoners to prevent disease spread had higher COVID-19 incidence. In the MA DOC facilities, where the testing rate was 1,093 per 1,000 persons, the case rate was 5.2%. In the county jails, the testing rate was 254 per 1,000 persons and the case rate 3.6%. But the MA DOC reduced their population by only 9%, compared with the county jails, which released 35% of their prisoners and decreased their population by 21%.”Rates of COVID-19 in Massachusetts jails and prisons are alarmingly high and require urgent action,” the study’s authors wrote. “Access to testing without coercion, decarceration, and contact tracing are necessary to decrease harm from COVID-19 to incarcerated people and their communities.”Mass testingThe role of testing was also highlighted in a study of US prisons published today in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).To better understand the SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in these settings, a research team led by the CDC requested data on mass testing events in prisons from 15 US jurisdictions, along with cases identified at the prisons before mass testing. Six of the jurisdictions provided data for 16 facilities (11 state prisons, 3 federal prisons, and 2 county jails). All 16 facilities had identified at least one case through symptom-based testing prior to mass testing.Mass testing was conducted at the 16 facilities from Apr 11 to May 20, with a total of 16,161 prisoners offered testing and 7,597 testing positive. In the 16 facilities, SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among prisoners ranged from 0% to 86.8% (median 23.9%). Mass testing increased the total known cases from 642 before mass testing to 8,239 after, representing a median 12.1-fold increase in the number of known infections.In 12 of the 16 facilities, mass testing data from 85 housing units showed that SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was more than three times higher in dormitory-based units (median, 42.6%) than in cell-based units (median, 14.6%).In two of the federal prisons, prisoners who tested negative and were then quarantined as close contacts of those who tested positive were re-tested after 7 days, with 26.8% testing positive in one of the prisons and 20.5% testing positive in the other.The jurisdictions that provided mass testing data said the results helped them medically isolate prisoners who tested positive and quarantine close contacts to prevent continued transmission. In addition, the results informed targeted testing strategies in facilities where mass testing had not taken place.”This analysis demonstrates that mass testing irrespective of symptoms, combined with periodic retesting, can identify infections and support prevention of widespread transmission in correctional and detention environments,” the authors of the study wrote.They say the results indicate prison staff should also be tested at regular intervals, regardless of symptoms, and that housing configuration may be contributing to transmission.Intake screening for new inmatesIn another paper today in MMWR, researchers from the CDC and the Puerto Rico Department of Health suggest that a new protocol for diagnosing and managing COVID-19 in newly incarcerated prisoners might also help reduce coronavirus spread in prisons.As of Aug 17, only two COVID-19 cases have been identified among people incarcerated in Puerto Rico prisons, and no deaths. This follows the implementation in mid-March of a wide range of measures by the Puerto Rico Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.The measures include conducting all new prisoner intake at a single location, performing reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on all new prisoners regardless of symptoms, and cohorting new prisoners in the intake area in groups of no more than 20 while they await test results. If everyone in the group tests negative and all remain asymptomatic during 14-day quarantine, they are released into the general population. Prisoners who test positive are isolated.The Department of Correction and Rehabilitation also separates the prison population into groups of 40 to 75 prisoners that do not share common areas. If any group member exhibits symptoms, that person is isolated and the entire group quarantined until the symptomatic person tests negative.Prisoners who leave prison grounds for any reason must go through the intake process again.Of the 1,340 who entered prisons in Puerto Rico from Mar 16 to Jul 31, only 2 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.”Efforts to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including rigorous intake screening and cohorting, likely have helped prevent an outbreak in the state prison population,” the authors said. “Puerto Rico’s measures to protect incarcerated persons from COVID-19 can serve as a case study in the successful implementation of CDC’s guidelines for correctional facilities, particularly the prevention practices for incarcerated or detained persons.”
New Mexico COVID-19 Cases At 9,845 With 5 More Deaths And 4,160 Patients Recovered
STATE News:SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials have announced this afternoon 132 additional positive tests for COVID-19.Los Alamos County remains at 7 cases that have tested positive for COVID-19.Today’s update includes 5 additional deaths reported in New Mexico related to COVID-19.The New Mexico Department of Health reported today the most recent cases: 13 new cases in Bernalillo County1 new case in Cibola County1 new case in Colfax County3 new cases in Curry County1 new case in Doña Ana County17 new cases in Hidalgo County2 new cases in Lea County1 new case in Luna County25 new cases in McKinley County1 new case in Otero County8 new cases in Sandoval County26 new cases in San Juan County3 new cases in Santa Fe County1 new case in Taos County29 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Otero County Prison FacilityThe 5 additional deaths in New Mexico reported today include:A male in his 60s from McKinley County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.A male in his 70s from McKinley County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. The individual was a patient at the Canyon Transitional Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque.A female in her 90s from McKinley County. The individual was a resident of Red Rocks Care Center in Gallup.A female in her 60s from Roosevelt County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.A male in his 90s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.The number of deaths of New Mexico residents related to COVID-19 is now 440.Previously reported numbers included five cases that have been identified as duplicates (one in Doña Ana County, one in McKinley County, three in Sandoval County); four cases that were not lab confirmed (two in Bernalillo County, one in Curry County, one in San Juan County); and one case in Sandoval County that was determined to be an out-of-state resident – these have now been corrected. Including the above newly reported cases, New Mexico has now had a total of 9,845 positive tests for COVID-19:Bernalillo County: 1,705Catron County: 2Chaves County: 59Cibola County: 185Colfax County: 8Curry County: 83Doña Ana County: 657Eddy County: 47Grant County: 16Guadalupe County: 20Harding County: 1Hidalgo County: 20Lea County: 44Lincoln County: 6Los Alamos County: 7Luna County: 29McKinley County: 2,936Otero County: 30Quay County: 4Rio Arriba County: 59Roosevelt County: 53Sandoval County: 634San Juan County: 2,123San Miguel County: 16Santa Fe County: 173Sierra County: 4Socorro County: 55Taos County: 33Torrance County: 34Union County: 5Valencia County: 89County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.The Department of Health currently reports the following numbers of COVID-19 cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the following facilities:Cibola County Correctional Center: 2Luna County Detention Center: 1Otero County Prison Facility: 275Otero County Processing Center: 108Torrance County Detention Facility: 24The Department of Health currently reports the following numbers of COVID-19 cases among individuals held by the New Mexico Corrections Department at the following facilities:Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County: 1Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 1Otero County Prison Facility: 295Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 1As of today, there are 161 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state.As of today, there are 4,160 COVID-19 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.The Department of Health has identified at least one positive COVID-19 case in residents and/or staff in the past 28 days at the following long-term care and acute care facilities:Advanced Health Care of Albuquerque in AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in AlbuquerqueArtesia Healthcare and Rehabilitation in ArtesiaAvamere Rehab at Fiesta Park in AlbuquerqueAztec Health Care in AztecBear Canyon Nursing and Rehab Center in AlbuquerqueBeehive Homes in FarmingtonBelen Meadows in BelenBonney Family Home in GallupBrookdale Tramway Ridge in AlbuquerqueBrookdale Santa Fe in Santa FeCamino Healthcare in AlbuquerqueCamino Retirement Apartments in AlbuquerqueCasa De Oro Center in Las CrucesCasa Del Sol Center in Las CrucesCasa Maria Health Care Center in RoswellCedar Ridge Inn in FarmingtonCentral Desert Behavioral Health in AlbuquerqueClayton Nursing and Rehab in ClaytonDungarvin New Mexico, LLC in GallupGenesis Uptown Rehabilitation CenterGood Samaritan Society in GrantsHeartland Continuing Care Center in PortalesThe Jim Wood Home in HatchLaguna Rainbow Elderly Care in Casa BlancaLa Vida Llena in AlbuquerqueLegacy Santa Fe in Santa FeLife Care Center of Farmington in FarmingtonLittle Sisters of the Poor in GallupMcKinley Care Center in GallupMission Arch Center in RoswellMorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Santa Fe in Santa FePacifica Senior Living Center Santa Fe in Santa FePrime Care Assisted Living in AlbuquerqueRed Rocks Care Center in GallupRetirement Ranches, Inc. in ClovisRobin House Assisted Living Center in AlbuquerqueSan Juan Center in FarmingtonSouth Valley Care Center in AlbuquerqueSpanish Trails Rehabilitation Suites in AlbuquerqueSundance Care Home in GallupTohatchi Area Opportunity Services (TAOS) in TohatchiThe Village at Alameda in AlbuquerqueThe Village at Northrise in Las CrucesWellbrook Transitional Rehabilitation Center in FarmingtonThe Department of Health has detected community spread in the state of New Mexico and is investigating cases with no known exposure. The agency reports that given the infectious nature of the virus it is likely other residents are infected but yet to be tested or confirmed positive. To that end, all New Mexicans have been instructed to stay home except for outings absolutely necessary for health, safety and welfare. These additional restrictions have been enacted to aggressively minimize person-to-person contact and ensure spread is mitigated. New Mexicans are strongly urged to limit travel to only what is necessary for health, safety and welfare.The New Mexico Department of Health has active investigations into the positive patients, which includes contact-tracing and swabs of symptomatic individuals who have had contact with the positive cases.Every New Mexican must work together to stem the spread of COVID-19. Get tested. Stay home, especially if you are sick. Wear a mask or face covering when in public and around others.New Mexicans who report symptoms of COVID-19 infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and/or loss of taste or smell should call their health care provider or the NMDOH COVID-19 hotline immediately (1-855-600-3453).Thanks to increased statewide testing capacity, the following people may now be considered for COVID-19 testing: Asymptomatic people who are close contacts or household members of New Mexico residents who have already tested positive for the coronavirus;Asymptomatic residents in nursing homes;Asymptomatic people in congregate settings such as homeless shelters, group homes, detention centers;Asymptomatic people who are currently working; andSymptomatic people displaying the COVID-19 symptoms of cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and/or loss of taste or smell.New Mexicans who have non-health-related questions or concerns can also call 833-551-0518 or visit newmexico.gov, which is being updated regularly as a one-stop source for information for families, workers and others affected by and seeking more information about COVID-19.
BOC launches new gas detector range
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Bureau Veritas Issues Underwater Radiated Noise Notation
International classification society Bureau Veritas has developed a voluntary notation intended to assist shipbuilders and operators reduce underwater noise radiating from ships.The comprehensive set of standards and measuring services is grouped as NR614 Underwater Radiated Noise (URN). It aims to control and limit the environmental impact on marine fauna of all self-propelled ships and provide a standard and a system to assess compliance with specific vessel requirements for underwater radiated noise.It covers both shallow and deep water conditions, sets out a dedicated comprehensive measurement procedure, explains how to manage measurement uncertainties and sets specific underwater noise level requirementsJean-Francois Segretain, technical director, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore Division, says, “Underwater noise radiating from ships is acoustic pollution, and there is no doubt that it will be the next big area to be tackled by regulators.This notation, backed by careful research with an extensive network of partners, means we can help designers, yards and operators to be ahead of regulation. And it makes commercial sense. Reducing underwater noise directly contributes to reduced noise and vibration levels on board, which improves passenger and crew comfort. There is also a strong link between fuel efficiency and noise. Quieter ships burn less, and we can help make ships quieter and so more efficient.”One of the main drivers of the notation is to aid European stakeholders in fulfilling the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. This aims to improve the environmental state of European waters by proposing mitigation solutions to be put in place by 2016, with their efficiency proved by 2020.The BV notation has been issued in parallel with the European research project AQUO, which is focused on underwater noise, and includes the work of 13 partners – shipyards, hydrodynamics research institutes and bio-acoustic experts – from eight countries, and an end user committee has been built to review the project, including BV’s notation.Several new expedition cruise projects have underwater noise reduction in their specifications and other passenger ship operators are discussing BV’s URN notation and its services and technical assistance for implementing noise reduction solutions. Bureau Veritas has signed a collaboration agreement with TSI S.L. a Spanish company that specialises in Dynamic and Acoustical design of quiet ships as well as noise and vibration measurements.Press Release
Just cool it
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