Vaccines are safe, effective, and reduce the risk of severe illness and death related to COVID-19.
Types of Vaccine
- Pfizer-BioNTech: Approved for anyone 12 years or older. 2 vaccines given 3 weeks apart.
- Moderna: Approved for anyone 18 years or older. 2 vaccines given 4 weeks apart.
- Johnson& Johnson/Janssen: Approved for anyone 18 years or older. 1 vaccine.
Vaccines are now widely available in Iowa. If you are interested in receiving your vaccine, you can contact your local pharmacy or primary care physician. Vaccine availability in your area can also be found at: https://vaccinate.iowa.gov/providers/.
Benefits
The biggest motivating factor for receiving a vaccination is to safely get back to doing the activities we enjoy and keeping ourselves and our loved ones healthy.
According to Occupational Medicine Staff Physician, Dr. Margaret Evans, “COVID-19 vaccination is the best tool to help us move out of this pandemic and into a more normal, although different life. I sincerely hope people feel it is in their own and family’s best interest to get vaccinated."
Once fully vaccinated (2 weeks from a 2-dose series or single J&J vaccine) individuals can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except when required by federal, state, local laws including local business and workplace guidance.
Fully vaccinated individuals may also travel domestically without testing or quarantining.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects typically occur within 1-2 days of receiving the vaccine. They are normal signs that your body is building an immune response and should improve within a few days. Possible side effects include;
- Pain, Redness, or Swelling at the injection site
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle Pain
- Chills/Fever
- Nausea
Side effects experienced after the second vaccine may be more intense than the first vaccine. You may take over-the-counter medications if approved by your doctor. Also remember to drink plenty of fluids and rest if needed.
Seek medical advice for side effects that do not improve after a few days.
Although severe reactions to the COVID vaccine are rare and typically occur within the first 15 minutes after vaccination, you should seek immediate medical advice if you believe you are having a severe allergic reaction.
Self-Report to Occ Med
If you have been vaccinated, please report your vaccination status to Occupational Medicine. This is not a requirement and the information is kept confidential and will not be shared outside of the medical department. Reporting aids in understanding the full picture of employee vaccination rates and will help guide leadership in return to campus planning.
What if I choose to not receive a vaccination?
Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are still required to wear a mask in Ames Laboratory buildings. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring mask requirements are followed, and should reach out to Human Resources if assistance is needed.
Please remember that mask use is not always an indicator of vaccination status. Please be respectful of others’ choices and privacy.
As always, we encourage speaking with a trusted healthcare professional about questions or concerns. There are things we are still learning about COVID vaccination and your provider will have the most up to date and reliable information regarding vaccines and recommendations for your personal health.
Many experts believe the pandemic is in retreat. After the last year and a half this progress is cause for genuine excitement and joy. We can continue to build on the progress we’ve made, but we need to remember we can’t get complacent. There are still many people who can’t get vaccinated or are not yet eligible to get vaccinated.
In a post COVID world, we should to take any signs and symptoms of illness seriously. Don’t forget to take a moment to evaluate your health regardless of your vaccination status every day prior to coming to work. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or any other illness you should stay home. Contact Occupational Medicine for further guidance if; you have been ill, recently tested positive for COVID-19 or have been recently exposed to COVID-19. If you become ill while at work you should immediately isolate, notify your supervisor and go home.
We need to use all of our tools to keep our families, coworkers, and community safe. Continue to wear a mask if appropriate, keep workplaces clean and wash your hands often!
Berkeley Lab’s Lambda Alliance employee resource group is hosting virtual activities throughout the month of June in honor of Gay Pride Month. The events are open to all of the national labs to participate. Pride month celebrates sexual orientation and gender minority culture. Fostering unity is a big part of Pride month, and the
theme for this year is "All in this together." A complete list of events has been included at this link. Berkeley Lab Lamda Alliance looks to see participation from all the national labs.
Additional information can also be found on their website: https://lambda.lbl.gov/pride-2021. Berkeley Lab will provide Zoom links to Ames Laboratory Human Resources & Diversity at the start of each week. Email humanresources@ameslab.gov if you wish to participate.
Pride Banner Raising, Tuesday June 1 @ 9:00 AM PST (30 min) | 1st of June marks the beginning of our month-long Pride celebration! Join us (virtually) as we raise the Lambda Banner at Blackberry Gate: proudly on display for every person who enters the lab. The event will also feature an address from Lady Idos - Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Berkeley Lab.
Sexual orientation & Gender Minority Poster Session on Gather, Thursday June 3 @ 1:00 PM PST (1 hour) | This virtual poster session is intended as an educational experience for both presenters and attendees, as well as a celebration of Pride. The event will be focused on experiences of the Sexuality and Gender Minority (SGM) community and other minorities with an emphasis on intersectionality.
Allyship Event, Monday June 7 @ 11:00 AM PST (1 hour) | Allies make up a large portion of the Lambda membership, so we'd like to host an event to talk about ways to practice allyship! This presentation "Putting the 'All' in Allyship" is a great opportunity to learn about how you can participate in creating a safer and more welcoming environment for your SGM colleagues.
Shoebox Pride float crafternoon, Wednesday June 9 @ 4:30 PM PST (1.5 hours) | Don’t feel glum about missing the in-person parade this year - get creative with our second Pride crafternoon! During this event, we’ll be building our floats for the virtual Pride Parade, so get your glam, glitter, and office supplies and join us on zoom to make the float of your dreams with your pals at Lambda.
Two-spirit event, Friday June 11 @ 3:00 PM PST (1 hour) | For many of us at the Lab, most of our experience in SGM culture comes from a Euro-centric perspective. In this joint event the Latin American and Native American ERG and members of the Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits (BAAITS) organization, we'll have the privilege of hearing about gender identity from a native perspective. Come and join the Lambda Alliance for an exciting and informative talk and discussion with our Bay Area neighbors.
SGM TED Talks, Thursday June 17 @ 3:30 PM PST (1 hour) | Pride is both a chance to celebrate the spectrum of sexual orientations and genders in our communities and also an opportunity to reach out and hear from demographics we may not be as well acquainted with. In this event, we'll be hearing first-hand from members of our community from a variety of perspectives. Join us for a showcase of some TED talks on the Kosmi platform.
Game night, Monday June 21 @ 5:00 PM PST (1.5 hours) | In this special edition of our monthly game night, we'll be shaking things up a bit with Jackbox Games! All you need to participate are a cell phone and your computer to join the call. Hold onto your hats, this game night does not hold back!
Family Pride Night, Wednesday June 23 @ 4:30 PM PST (1.5 hours) | Are you a member of the sexual orientation or gender minority (SGM) community and raising a family? Or is someone in your family an SGM? Then bring your loved ones along to our Family Pride Night for a Q&A with our panel and games for everyone!
Pride shoebox-float parade, Friday June 25 @ 3:00 PM (1 hour) | Our crowning event for June is the virtual Pride Float Parade! Join us for a spectacular whirlwind of color and creativity where lab members from Berkeley and other National Labs will showcase their homemade, bite-size floats. If you can't make the parade but you want to show your float, please submit videos & photos here: https://form.jotform.com/211294562056050. Come and meet your familiar pals from Lambda - and some new faces too!
Book club, Monday June 28 @ 4:00 PM (1 hour) | Are you a huge fan of literature written by or about people in the Sexual-orientation and Gender Minority (SGM) community? Perhaps you've recently read an excellent opEd or memoir you'd like to share? Or maybe you just want to get some tips for the best new tomes for your Summer reads? Then come join us at this very special one-off book club! We'll be goin around and sharing snippets and recommendations of the best work by and about SGM folk. Bring your recommendations and your banter!
Pride Banner Lowering, Wednesday June 30 @ 1:00 PM (30 min) | After a fantastic month of activities please join us (virtually) to lower the Lambda banner inside Blackberry gate and reflect on the brightest, most joyful month of the year! This event will also feature a special address by the Lambda Alliance executive sponsor: Mary Maxon, Associate Lab Director to the Biosciences area.
Charting Your Course: A financial guide for Women, June 15 at 12 p.m. (ET) '
Lifetime Income: Market proof Your Retirement, June 15 at 3 p.m. (ET)
You’ve worked hard to save for retirement. TIAA can help you understand how to create a diversified retirement income plan that protects you against key retirement risks.
An Introduction to Alternative Investments: Real Estate, June 16 at 12 p.m. (ET)
Well-Rounded Retirement – An Overview, June 16 at 3 p.m. (ET)
Financial Housekeeping for now and later, June 17 at 12 p.m. (ET)
Within Reach: Transitioning from career to retirement, June 17 at 3 p.m. (ET)
I scream, you scream, we all scream for sunscreen
While barbecuing, lakeside lounging, golfing or doing other outdoor activities for the first time in the 
new summer season, we often forget about the dreaded sunburn that comes with being outdoors for a long period of time. According to the U.S. Surgeon's Office, one out of every three adults reports getting sunburned each year, even though it is well known that controlling our exposure to the sun’s rays is one of the best ways we can prevent skin cancer. Even so, some may find it overwhelming when entering a store and seeing the over-abundance of sunscreen products. Which do we choose and how do we know which will better protect your skin? Below are tips for buying and applying sunscreen for the best protection. Remember that sunscreen needs to be reapplied approximately every two hours, especially after swimming or sweating.
Buying and applying sunscreen 101
No sunscreen provides complete protection, so never rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin.
Make sure its broad spectrum and carries a UVA symbol (or if it has a star rating, use a minimum of 4 stars).
Practice the 5 S’s of sun safety
- SLIP on a t-shirt
- SLOP on SPF of at least 30 UVA sunscreen (preferably water resistant)
- SLAP on a broad brimmed hat
- SLIDE on quality sunglasses
- SHADE from the sun whenever possible
Store in an accessible, cool place and remember to check the expiration date!
ANNOUNCEMENT & EVENTS
Ames Laboratory now has a professional development book club and there is one open seat. Our first book is The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White. If you're interested and available to meet at noon on the second Tuesday of the month to discuss ~30 pages of reading then join us! Please email training@ameslab.gov to claim your spot.
Come join fellow Ames Lab employees and not talk about work. We have done Trivia and 'Name that Tune' but are you ready to be a spy? Come join us as we play an online game of Codenames.
Next session is Thursday, June 17 at 11 a.m.
Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/kvy-xsoq-inv
The new Skill Series article is published for May and it's about Project Management. Review the basics, watch recommended LinkedIn Learning videos, and apply your new skills. You can read the article here in the Learning & Development Knowledge Base.
Did you know you can find a current list of employment opportunities at Ames Laboratory on the Job Opportunities page at www.ameslab.gov? Share with friends and colleagues, or apply yourself! You can also find the page linked on the Employee Dashboard.
