16 minute read
HEALTH & WELLNESS
What You Should Know About COVID-19 From a Pulmonologist
Provided by Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center M eet Behnam Goudarzi, MD, FCCP. He’s Board Certified in Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Goudarzi is the president of the medical staff at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.
What are your thoughts as a physician working during a pandemic?
During this devastating pandemic, as a physician, I'd like to urge everyone to stand as one and follow strict social distancing and healthy hygiene guidelines. We have all seen what happens otherwise. This virus spreads fast.
We are in an evolving scenario. Now is the time for mitigation. Every person's concern should be to try to decrease the number of people who are affected in a short period of time. This way, we can get more and more prepared in terms of PPEs, testing, treatment and vaccination.
What are your concerns as a pulmonologist?
Patients with certain chronic diseases are at higher risk, despite their age. The hallmark of this disease is respiratory failure due to lung inflammation, a type of pneumonia. Chronic respiratory illnesses put patients at a disadvantage. Patients who suffer from respiratory illnesses should be extra careful to avoid contracting the virus.
Though it’s still early, what are the potential lasting effects of COVID-19 on both patients with and without existing lung conditions?
Currently, there is no evidence that this kind of pneumonia has any different long-term effects than other types of pneumonias. In general, every time somebody catches pneumonia, varying degrees of scars can develop in lungs. There are no proven curing treatments at this time, though certain long-existing medications have shown some promising effects.
What do you want patients and the community to know about COVID-19?
Information and knowledge about COVID-19 is increasing by the moment. Recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the “maximum transmission distance of SARS-CoV-2 aerosol” could be up to 13 feet. Coronavirus does not walk or fly. It is spread by humans, so let's defeat it by not spreading it.
To learn more about COVID-19, visit: sentaraupdates.com.
lifelong learning
Educational Activities to Keep Your Kids Entertained This Summer
By Gianna Jirak
It’s summertime, and, this year, your kids have already been home for months. We imagine you’ve heard “I’m bored” multiple times this week — maybe even just since this morning. With all this extra unscheduled time, kids often need direction in their days and ongoing opportunities to prevent that summer slide.
COVID-19 and its accompanying restrictions and concerns will certainly make some favorite activities less accessible this year, but that doesn't leave your children with nothing to do. From museums tours to classes, here are our suggestions for safe, virtual fun.
Smithsonian Museums Virtual Tours
You no longer have to take the Metro to get off at Smithsonian Station. Some of D.C.’s biggest tourist destinations, the Smithsonian Museums, are offering virtual tours of their buildings and exhibits.
The National Museum of Natural History offers a tour of its entire facility, allowing you to search through fossils and mummies as well as admire the Hope Diamond, and the Butterfly Pavilion, all for free.
Those more interested in art and culture can do virtual tours of the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Museum of Asian Art. While viewing the art from a computer screen may not feel like a similar experience, it does allow for the viewer to spend more time contemplating the picture, something a visitor to a crowded art museum may not be able to have.
If art and sciencearen't what you are looking for, the Smithsonian also offers virtual tours of the Smithsonian castle crypt, the Enid A. Haupt Garden, the Smithsonian Marine Station Wet Laboratory and the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center. Find more information on these tours at si.edu/museums.
Online High School Courses
Prince William County Public Schools, as well as the Virginia Department of Education, allows high school students of all grade levels to take online courses. The courses can be taken to graduate early, to retake a class for a higher grade or to simply get a class out of the way for the upcoming school year. William County School’s virtual education system, opens on May 15 and ends June 15, with classes lasting from June 22 to July 31. The tuition fee per course is $470 for PWCS students and $705 for non-PWCS students. Find more information on Virtual Prince William at virtualhs.pwcs.edu.
The registration for Virtual Virginia, the Virginia Department of Education’s virtual education system, begins on April 1 and ends June 17, with classes lasting from June 17 to July 28. The tuition fee per course is $375. Visit virtualvirginia.org for more information on Virtual Virginia.
Virtual Arts and Crafts Classes
While embroidery, quilting and watercolor may sound difficult, they can be made easy through practice on Creativebug. Creativebug is a website that offers a large variety of virtual arts and crafts classes for all different skill levels and interests, as well as downloadable patterns, templates and recipes. The website offers a subset of classes specifically dedicated to teaching kids things they are interested in, such as how to make slime, masks/costumes and puppets. For older kids, they offer crocheting, knitting, sewing and other more advanced subjects. To access the courses, sign up for a free trial membership at creativebug.com.
Virtual Dance Classes
Random dance parties are a great cure for boredom, but these virtual dance classes will have kids dancing like professionals. Tippi Toes Dance, a dance company founded in 1999, offers virtual dance classes aimed at children ages 2 to 8. In the classes, students learn dance terms and receive high-energy lessons each week that are suitable for both experienced and amateur dancers. Each virtual class is 30 minutes long, teaches students six dances, two specific dance step breakdowns and a review of the dance steps at the end of the class. Tippi Toes boasts more than simply its dance instruction. Students will also gain the added benefits of “confidence and the development of positive connections between activity, healthy habits, education and dance,” according to their website. To begin the classes, sign up for a seven-day free trial at tippitoesdance.com.
Gianna Jirak is an intern at Prince William Living with aspirations of becoming an international and political reporter. She is currently a junior at Hylton High School and the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper.
taking care of business
By Amy Falkofske
Leadership Prince William is comprised of leaders from businesses, government, the nonprofit sector and community affairs in Greater Prince William. The goal of the organization is to make Prince William County, the City of Manassas and the City of Manassas Park better places through collaborative leadership and by engaging and inspiring individuals, organizations and alumni.
The centerpiece of LPW is the 10-month Signature Program. This program began in 2007 with the goal of connecting community leaders and resources to help them become more effective in their professional roles and serving the community through connection and leadership.
Jacqueline (Jackie) Krick graduated from the Signature Program in 2015. She is now the chair of LPW and has served in that role since June 2019.
“I fell in love with the class. I fell in love with the program. I became very passionate and a strong believer in what the organization does for people, how it brings folks together, what we learn about the county, all of the resources that the county has to offer and the opportunity it gave me to connect with other organizations and businesses and make friends along the way,” said Krick.
Krick is the founder of ECU Communications, a digital communications firm. “We specialize in working with the federal government to provide digital innovation and recruitment advertising,” she said.
Jackie Krick ’15 with her husband Ken Krick ‘16
As program chair, Krick believes that one of her greatest successes has been providing more transparency for the organization and to its Board of Regents. “My goal is to make sure that we foster a
healthy organization through collaboration, diversity and out-ofthe-box thinking for immediate and future opportunities to grow,” she said.
LPW is a private, non-profit organization governed by a Board of Regents, which consists of Signature Program alumni and other leaders in the community, who oversee the policy and financial stability of the organization.
In addition to the Signature Program, LPW also offers the Summer Youth Academy, an annual two-week camp in July. It seeks to help rising seventh through ninth graders develop leadership skills and connect with the community. “It teaches kids critical thinking, cooperation, teamwork and they have a lot of fun,” said Krick.
Rising 10th thorough 12th graders can participate in Leaders in Training by serving as role models for those in the Summer Youth Program.
One of Krick’s goals is to start a new program in 2021 that offers a stepping stone for developing leaders to take their leadership skills to the next level. “Fundamentally, the emerging leader program will offer a path to knowledge, self-assessment and skills development. It will be slightly different from the signature class. It will target those who are early in their leadership journey and have demonstrated an interest in furthering their careers by enhancing their leadership knowledge and capabilities,” she said.
In the Signature Program, participants, usually about 36 people, meet once a month for 10 months from October through June. The sessions are held in locations throughout Prince William with each day session filled with group discussions, expert panels and tours based on topics like healthcare, education, economic development, history and government, environment and open space.
The class also participates in the annual Comcast Cares Day with a project of their choice tailored to give back to our community. Projects vary from year to year. Last year’s class came together and rounded up more than 250 volunteers to support The Arc of Greater Prince William, with several large projects that benefited children and families with special needs.
“LPW, through its membership, benefits the community all around. For example, we have members of nonprofit organizations,” said Krick.
used furniture distribution system and homeless shelters in local churches. “[LPW] helps organizations become more aware of nonprofit organizations where they might need board members and trusted leadership support, they might need funding or sponsorships, or they might need volunteers,” Krick said.
Participants in LPW’s Signature Program come from all over and make up large and small businesses, state and local government agencies and nonprofits. For that reason, Krick said that each class that goes through the Signature Program is a snapshot of the county, and that’s what makes the program special. “It creates a unique environment, and that’s what makes it so rare and so wonderful, because you’re not just with one group of folks, you are with a community,” she said.
Krick pointed out that another benefit of the program is that you get to know Greater Prince William through a different lens. “The county is big, so you learn what’s in different parts of the county. You can see each one of those corners of the county and appreciate the different flavors each has to offer,” she said.
When asked what advice she would give to someone who might be considering going through the Signature Program, Krick said that people tend to hesitate because of the time commitment, but once they make the commitment, they find that’s it’s well worth it.
“Every class that I’ve been in touch with since I graduated misses not having that once-a-month encounter with LPW, and members also tell stories about how they apply what they’ve learned daily,” she said.
Program participants and alumni come together for monthly continued conversations and an opportunity to connect with other members. Future meeting dates are typically established at the conclusion of each class.
LPW is currently accepting applications for the class of 2021, which begins in October. For more information or to apply, visit their website at leadershipprincewilliam.org. Click on Programs and then Signature Program. You can also learn about the 2020 Summer Youth Program set to take place July 13 to 24.
Amy Falkofske is a freelance writer and photographer. She has a Master’s degree in Film-TV with a concentration in screenwriting. She lives in Bristow with her husband, two boys and two Beagle dogs. You can reach her at afalkofske@princewilliamliving.com.
family fun
5 Ideas for Backyard Fun
By Jennifer Halter
It’s June and that means the summer season officially kicks off this month! Longer, warmer days offer the opportunity to spend more time outdoors, whether it’s exploring or simply relaxing. Here are five ideas to create a fun space in your own backyard!
Tin Can Bowling
This is a great activity to tap into the spirit of recycling! You will need 10 cans that have been washed and have had the labels removed. For safety, be sure to supervise this activity due to the sharp edges of the cans. To protect curious fingers from getting cut, you can cover the edges of the can with a strong tape, such as duct tape. Once the cans have been cleaned, get the family involved with painting and decorating them! Get creative with paint colors and embellishments. When everyone has completed their masterpieces, simply stack the cans in a pyramid formation, grab a ball and let the good times roll!
Pool Noodle Ring Toss
For this activity, you will need two standard pool noodles. (You can grab these from the dollar store.) Cut them each in half. Use two of the halves to create the rings and the other two will be your pegs. To create the rings, bend the noodle into a circle and use duct tape to connect the ends. For the pegs, you will need two pencils pushed at least one inch into the ground and approximately one foot apart from each other. Put the remaining pool noodle halves on the pencils through the hole, one on each pencil. Have players stand a distance apart from the pegs and take turns tossing the rings onto the pegs.
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Glowing Bubbles
This is another inexpensive activity where all supplies can be purchased from a dollar store, and it will make for a fun time on a summer’s night. You will need standard
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size bottles of bubbles, glowsticks (approximately five to six per bottle of bubbles), scissors and protective gloves. To begin, open your bottle of bubbles. Select five to six glowsticks of the same color. If you want a brighter, more vibrant color, use more glow sticks. While wearing protective gloves, snip the end of each stick and squeeze the liquid into the bottle of bubbles. Please note that since the glowsticks do contain chemicals, only adults should be handling them once they have been snipped open. Replace the lid on the bubble bottle and shake gently to combine the liquids.
Blow bubbles just as you normally would and watch them glow! The bubbles will glow for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, so you may want to have several extra glowsticks on hand to extend the fun. You can also add a small amount of glow-in-the-dark paint to the bubbles for an added effect.
Stargazing in Style
On a clear night, there’s nothing more beautiful than staring up at the starry sky. You can always do this by laying on a blanket, but to make things a bit comfier, try an inflatable pool (without water of course). Using an inflated two-ring kiddie pool, place soft blankets, pillows and stuffed animals inside to create a cozy outdoor bed. Have each member of the family talk about what they see. You can even use this as a time to share your favorite stories to make the transition to bedtime a bit easier.
Backyard Campout
You don’t have to go far to have a night of camping fun! If you have a tent, set it up in your backyard. No tent? No problem! You can always partake in the fun activities, but plan to sleep inside. If you have the space to safely build a campfire or if you have a firepit, use it to cook hotdogs or make s’mores. If you don’t have the ability to cook outside, you can always have a backyard dinner picnic instead. Use this fun family time to tell stories, sing songs and play games (including those listed above). Use flashlights to explore the yard at night or even play flashlight tag.
Depending on the time of day, be sure to wear sunscreen or bug spray to stay protected. Sunburn and mosquitoes can quickly put a damper on your fun! Most importantly, enjoy the beginning of sweet summertime.
Jennifer Halter is publisher of Macaroni Kid Woodbridge and Macaroni Kid Gainesville/Manassas.
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