Crush Anxiety and Depression While Boosting Self-Esteem in as Little as 2 Hours
San Francisco, CA, August 26, 2020 - Feeling anxious, helpless and depressed by all the tragedies in the news? Nearly 40 years after his five-million-copy bestselling book, Feeling Good, made a positive difference in the lives of countless people with its uplifting message: When you change the way you THINK, you can change the way you FEEL, and helped cognitive therapy become the most popular and extensively researched form of psychotherapy in the world, critically-acclaimed author and world-renowned clinical psychiatrist David D. Burns, M.D., brings the newest installment to his revolutionary research in Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety.
Now, Dr. David Burns brings us a radical new approach that makesultra-rapid recovery possible, even in a single two-hour, book-therapy session. Feeling Great emerged from 40 years of research on how therapy actually works and is based on this paradoxical idea:Your negative thoughts and feelings are NOT the result of some defect, like a chemical imbalance in your brain or a “mental disorder,” but from what is most beautiful and awesome about you and your core values. And the moment you realize this, recovery will be just a stone’s throw away.
According to the book, and in as little as a two-hour, book-therapy session, Feeling Great will help you:
1. Pinpoint and eliminate the powerful forces that keep you stuck;
2. Learn that your thoughts, and not the circumstances of your life, create all of your
feelings;
3. Discover why depression and anxiety are the world’s oldest cons;
4. Crush the 10 types of distorted thoughts that rob you of happiness and self-esteem;
5. Learn why self-acceptance is the greatest change a human being can make.
Feeling Great is designed like a workbook, with 33 chapters grouped into seven sections, such as “How to Turn Depression and Anxiety into Joy,” "How to Crush Distorted Thoughts,” “Relapse Prevention Training” and more. The book also includes reflective quizzes to track your progress, case studies with anecdotes from real people and even a daily mood journal.
David D. Burns, M.D.,is an Adjunct Clinical Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. More than 50,000 mental health professionals have attended his workshops throughout the United States and Canada. His weekly Feeling Good Podcasts (approaching three million downloads) provide therapists and the general public alike with tips to overcome depression, anxiety, relationship conflicts, and habits and addiction. Dr. Burns lives in the San Francisco Bay area. To learn more, visit www.FeelingGreattheBook.com.
For national interviews, Dr. Burns can provide patients who are willing to participate and support the claims in the book. For interviews, reviews, mentions—or to receive a hard copy of the galley, please contact Justin Loeber, at 212-260-7576 or: justin.loeber@mouthdigitalpr.com.
Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety
PESI Publishing
Release Date: September 2020
Hardcover / $26.99
ISBN: 9781683732884
###
ConsumerMedical Acquires Virtual Second Opinion Innovator InfiniteMD
Combined company streamlines virtual access to second opinions from the world’s top physicians for better medical decision-making
BOSTON— August 26, 2020— Highlighting the healthcare market’s rapid pivot towards virtual care, leading clinical advocacy and decision-support company ConsumerMedical has acquired InfiniteMD (IMD). InfiniteMD is a technology-leading virtual Expert Medical Opinion (EMO) firm recognized for its innovative platform and network of elite providers and specialists.
“This acquisition streamlines the delivery of critical, expert medical guidance that will give our participants facing serious and complex illnesses a more convenient, tech-enabled, and virtual experience,” said David Hines, CEO and Founder of ConsumerMedical. “As our two organizations have worked together for the past two years, InfiniteMD has played a key role in meeting the growing demand by our employer and health plan clients to deliver the highest quality, most impactful, virtual support. Through this acquisition, we are setting a new standard for virtual EMOand clinical advocacy with a global high-tech, high-touch offering designed to help people anywhere in the world when they need expert medical guidance the most.”
“InfiniteMD and ConsumerMedical have forged a successful partnership around innovation, enabling both domestic and global market expansion,” said Babak Movassaghi, PhD, MBA, CEO and Co-Founder of InfiniteMD. “The mission of InfiniteMD has always been to use technology to democratize access to the top physician specialists. Moving forward as one company, we will accelerate the technology roadmap and develop more innovative solutions to address patients with complex health issues and power our expansion efforts both within and outside of the United States.”
InfiniteMD was founded by Harvard physicians and MIT engineers with a mission to empower patients by enabling access to the best minds in medicine for guidance on serious and complex conditions. The platform is utilized by top hospital delivery networks and has processed thousands of cases in 40+ countries. They offer access to 2,400 of the top physicians in the U.S. from institutions like Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals and other clinical Centers of Excellence ranking within the Top 20 Hospitals, according to U.S. News and World Report. Their proprietary platform facilitates true 360-degree multidisciplinary collaboration amongst these physicians as a case moves from intake and summarization, to review and rendering of a final virtual opinion via written report or video. Participants and their families have the option to interact with physicians over live video, team-based multidisciplinary video, and asynchronous video— the most modalities available for these services in the industry.
"We launched InfiniteMD with the premise of building the best technology-enabled expert opinion service,” said Christopher Lee, MSE, PhD, COO and Co-Founder of InfiniteMD. “Over the past few years, we have refined the InfiniteMD platform, established formal partnerships with the nation's leading medical centers, and optimized the most user-friendly experience for both patients and expert physicians. By joining forces, we're creating the strongest and most comprehensive offering in the delivery of decision-support via digital health.”
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About ConsumerMedical ConsumerMedical is a leading clinical advocacy, decision support and expert second opinion company serving over four million individuals through some of the nation’s largest employers, health plans and private exchanges. The company has been serving patients and payers for more than 24 years. As a Medical Ally, ConsumerMedical guides participants throughout their healthcare journey with compassionate, high-touch support and deep clinical expertise. ConsumerMedical offers a fully integrated suite of solutions including Medical Decision Support®, Surgery Decision Support®, Expert Medical Opinion, Claims Advocacy and more, helping individuals and families navigate the healthcare system while improving outcomes and reducing costs. ConsumerMedical’s results have been validated continuously by independent actuaries. www.consumermedical.com
About InfiniteMD
InfiniteMD is a virtual expert opinion leader that provides consumers from around the world direct access to the best physicians in the United States via remote video and written consultations using its proprietary platform. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, InfiniteMD works with physicians from institutions like Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals and other clinical centers of excellence that rank within the Top 20 Hospitals, per U.S. News and World Report. A cornerstone of InfiniteMD’s service is support for global consumers, which includes the international collection and translation of medical records, as well as providing medically trained interpreters during video consultations. www.InfiniteMD.com
# # #
Patient Protection Pledge
Lawmakers, Candidates, Constituents Join Together to Show Their Support For Healthcare Price Transparency
A promise to stand with patients and their right to know the price of healthcare services before receiving care
Washington, D.C.— Today, Independent Women’s Voice (IWV) announced the launch of the Patient Protection Pledge, a promise to stand with patients and their right to know the price of healthcare services before receiving care. The pledge was designed to let constituents know which lawmakers and candidates are committed in their support for any bill that would require upfront genuine healthcare price transparency and cash prices for all medical products, procedures, providers, and services.
There is no issue that more dramatically pits the business-as-usual DC swamp against the interests of ordinary Americans. President Donald Trump recently called transparency, “the biggest thing ever done having to do with costs in health care.”
The Pledge endorses full price transparency in health care, an issue which nearly 90% of Americans say is important to them. A whopping 98% of women age 40 and under support it, a critical cohort for Republicans and Democrats. Yet, efforts to make price transparency a reality have been clouded by healthcare lobbyists and special interest groups—like PBMs and PhRMA—who want to keep patients in the dark.
America’s current healthcare system is opaque, keeping consumers price-blind. It is wrong and unacceptable that Americans are not able to see healthcare prices in advance. We would never agree to buy anything else without knowing how much it is going to cost. Prices in health care should work the same way.
“Economists estimate that making healthcare prices transparent could drop healthcare costs for individuals and businesses down to the prices that cash-paying patients pay today, which average 40% lower than negotiated rates,” said Heather R. Higgins, CEO of IWV. “Leaders in Washington should support price transparency in health care—taking a stand for patients and against the dominant healthcare lobby enticing them to vote otherwise.”
“Less than 10% of healthcare spending is on emergencies. 90% should be shoppable. Patients deserve the right to know the price of healthcare services before receiving care, including real cash prices and negotiated rates with health plans, so they can make informed choices when shopping for care and coverage.”
Healthcare price transparency would allow patients to plan ahead for how to pay and shop among providers. It would open the door for Americans to make informed, value-driven decisions about their care.
Early signers of the Pledge include:
Senator Mike Braun (R-IN)
Rep. Mike Burgess (R-TX)
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
Newt Gingrich, Former. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Dr. Art Laffer, American economist and former member of President Ronald Reagan's Economic Policy Advisory Board
Larry Van Horn, Executive Director of Health Affairs at Vanderbilt University
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC)
Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX)
The Patient Protection Pledge is a project of IWV. Co-sponsors of the Pledge include Free2Care and Patients for Real Prices.
Independent Women’s Voice fights for women and families by effectively expanding support among women, independents, and millennials for policy solutions that aren’t just well intended, but actually enhance people’s freedom, choices, and opportunities.
It's been hard working from home hasn't it? Working Den is here to change that
Launching at a time when the world is going remote, Working Den aims to serve the growing community of remote workers and businesses globally by offering a holistic solution to help members create a healthier, motivating and sustainable work environment. With more and more businesses turning to remote working options, it is the best time to look at ways to ensure the wellbeing of virtual workers, as it is directly linked to their productivity and overall health. Working Den is affordable and easy to use software, offering a tailored and science-based service based on your profile, provided by a team of top professionals including psychologists, human resource and workplace leaders. The platform is founded by Upwork’s top freelance talent Daniel Hall who has vast experience in remote working and has invested time in building the ideal virtual work environment. Led by the physical and mental problems he experienced in his 8 years working from home, Daniel hired a team of health and scientific experts to come up with solutions for Working Den. Together the features have created a go-to platform for wellbeing and mental health issues linked to remote working. Working Den aims to improve physical and mental health via expert guidance, tests and ongoing support. Once the user signs up, he or she then takes a DSE assessment (Display Screen Assessment) which is a legal requirement in the UK, in order to establish what issues there are with the home working setup. It then provides solutions to the problems users have to ensure that they know how to have the 'perfect' home set up. This goes far beyond just a suitable chair and desk. Working Den service includes the Pomodoro timer built for productivity, a gratitude diary to help with depression, a depression assessment and an eye strain push notifications every 20 minutes to stop eye strain. The solution that Working Den provides, apart from being affordable thanks to its SaaS nature, is a unique and competitive tool for individuals, virtual companies and companies who work with remote workers and virtual members. The project serves as a successful case study for the UK Government's Business Bounce Back loans scheme. Daniel’s advertising business was adversely affected during lockdown due to companies pausing their advertising internationally. To “bounce back” Daniel saw a gap in the market to help the masses of people who were working remotely for the first time with not much consideration given to their health. And the Bounce Back loan that Daniel borrowed is what has funded the business. In Daniel’s words: “Working from home has nearly been the death of me. The loneliness of hardly ever seeing anyone, the constant long hours because you are always by a computer and the burn out that followed. Lots of people who have started working from home since Covid will have experienced this and lots more will experience it as time goes on. I want to teach people there is a healthier way of doing things. What we have launched is only the start, we already have more features in development and I’ll do everything I can to improve the lives of people who are working from home.”
About the team: Working Den is founded by Daniel Hall. The growing team of experts includesDr Margarida Rafael, Psychologist with her own private practice and experience in both hospitals and the US prison system who has worked on a number of projects for MindOnly with Dan Brown, a psychologist and professor at Harvard University, Aylen Gomez Ovejero, Organisational Psychologist & Wellness Coach, SofijaVojvodic, Research Psychologist & Behavioural Neuroscientist, Adel Lawson, HSE Expert and one of Airsweb’s “Top HSE Influencers of 2018” and Jeff Caulfield, qualified Physio and Exercise Physiologist specialising in injury prevention for NSW Health. Dan Hall Dan has been working from home since 2012. In this time, he has become a ‘Top Rated Freelancer’ on Upwork, earning of over $1 million and, subsequently, he has written the book The Million Dollar Freelancer. Whilst Dan earned good money and outwardly appeared to be living ‘The Good Life’, this wasn’t quite the reality. The long hours took their toll and led to several cases of burnout and severe depression. Dan has made just about every possible physical and mental health mistake whilst working from home. In early 2019, he set about finding solutions to improve his work and life balance. What he learnt inspired several of the features in Working Den, and it’s his mission to continue working with scientists and health professional to find new ways that working from home can be made healthier and sustainable. Further information & Social profiles:
True Story of Survival Opens Minds and Dialogues about Mental Health
New York NY, August 24, 2020 — Mark Henick stood precariously on the wrong side of the railing on a crumbling, concrete overpass. The bridge spanned two realities and, for Henick, had become a symbol of escape — in one form or another. A voice behind him tried to help. A crowd gathered. Siren lights flashed in his peripheral vision. Surrounded but still alone, Henick let go.
So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience from Mark Henick is a vital and triumphant story of perseverance and recovery by one of North America’s foremost advocates for mental health.
Henick’s near-death experience on the overpass that night would alter his emotional orbit just enough that his exit from a psychiatric ward following that suicide attempt in 2003 would be his last. His transformation didn’t happen overnight — it was a gradual process punctuated with new challenges and setbacks — but slowly, his patterns reversed and he began a profound, “upward” spiral toward recovery.
So-Called Normal chronicles Henick’s youth and the events that led to that fateful night on the bridge and the experiences and transformation that followed. It is a vivid and personal account of a boy who had to deal with the breakdown of his parents’ marriage, an abusive stepfather, bullying and trauma — all while trying to navigate his progressively worsening mental health. In the backdrop is a community that didn’t talk about mental illness, one where silence and maintaining the comforts of “normal” was paramount.
So-Called Normal is not a “misery memoir” about suicide — it’s a gripping, inspirational story of survival that has already touched the hearts of many, including television personality Rosie O’Donnell.
“Mark Henick is a powerful storyteller. His vivid account of his early years as a depressed, suicidal teenager is a page-turner. So-Called Normal is beautifully written, heart-wrenching, and hopeful. Necessary reading for anyone who wants a peek inside the mind of someone who journeyed through mental illness and found hope on the other side,” O’Donnell said.
Author Mark Henick’s TEDx talk about being saved from death by a stranger is one of the most watched in the world and has been viewed millions of times. His search for “the man in the brown jacket” whose bravery and strong arms kept him from falling to his death went viral around the world (and was successful!). Henick has been on television and radio and has written many articles on mental health. He has hosted more than 60 intimate conversations about mental health with notable public figures and celebrities on his podcast, So-Called Normal, and has executive produced and hosted the Living Well podcast for Morneau Shepell. Henick has served on the board of directors for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and was the president of a provincial division of the Canadian Mental Health Association — the youngest person in either role. He has worked as a frontline clinician, a program manager and the national director of strategic initiatives for CMHA. Currently the CEO and principal strategist for Strategic Mental Health Consulting, Mark Henick is in high demand as an international keynote speaker on mental health recovery.
Dr. Michael T. Cohen elected President of the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA)
OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 24, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) is pleased to announce the election of Dr. Michael Cohen as President of the Association.
An experienced family physician in the community of Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador, Dr. Cohen has worked in numerous leadership and governance roles while supporting physicians in providing safe medical care. He is an active staff member at the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre, where he has served both as Chief of Staff and as President of Medical Staff. First elected to CMPA Council in 2000, Dr. Cohen provides guidance and leadership to several Council Committees and is dedicated to improving healthcare for Canadian physicians and patients.
"I'm excited to take on this two-year journey as the next CMPA President," said Dr. Cohen on his new role. "I'm honoured to be in a position to support Canadian physicians; and I look forward to working with our dynamic Council and talented Management team, to protect the professional integrity of physicians and to enhance safe medical care across this country."
About the CMPA
The CMPA delivers efficient, high-quality physician-to-physician advice and assistance in medical-legal matters, including the provision of appropriate compensation to patients injured by negligent medical care. Our evidence-based products and services enhance the safety of medical care, with the goal of reducing harm and costs. As Canada's largest physician organization and with the support of our over 100,000 physician members, the CMPA collaborates, advocates, and effects positive change on important healthcare and medical-legal issues. The Association is governed by an elected council of physicians.
SOURCE Canadian Medical Protective Association
CMPA hosts expert panel -- Lessons in virtual care from the COVID-19 pandemic
OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 24, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) hosted its first "virtual" Education Session titled Virtual Care in Canada: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic today. CMPA members and stakeholders from across Canada heard from digital health professionals, medical regulators, physicians, and medical-legal experts as they explored and shared their perspectives on this rapidly evolving practice environment.
"The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly changed the healthcare landscape, unexpectedly driving physicians and patients to adopt virtual care," said Dr. Lisa Calder, incoming CEO at the CMPA. "As the uptake of virtual care continues to surge, it is crucial that physicians learn how to leverage the opportunities virtual care provides and navigate the challenges to ensure a safe virtual care experience for patients."
A distinguished panel of experts outlined and leveraged their different viewpoints to explore appropriate use of virtual care, telehealth, and digital platforms. During his keynote address, Mr. Seamus Blackmore, Atlantic Canada Health Consulting Leader at Deloitte, explored the barriers to the implementation of virtual care in Canada prior to the pandemic, and outlined how this crisis propelled virtual care forward in Canada.
"The pandemic has progressed the adoption of virtual care by a decade in six months. Barriers that have long stood in the way such as fee codes, privacy and security concerns, and technology have proven to be bubbles," said Mr. Blackmore during his keynote. "Virtual care has become the de facto way to access healthcare and that won't likely change in a post pandemic world. The genie is out of the bottle and has granted the wish for an easily accessible, convenient healthcare system."
"Virtual care is here to stay, yet it will not be replacing all in person visits. As healthcare continues to evolve, training, resource allocations, technological advances and changing patient needs will influence the safe integration of telemedicine," stated Dr. Guylaine Lefebvre, Managing Director of Safe Medical Care at the CMPA and Moderator for the session. "The CMPA will continue to guide Canadian physicians as this model of medicine expands and evolves, helping them navigate issues of consent, privacy, and standards of care so that they can continue to provide the best care possible to patients across the country."
Featuring Dr. Heidi Oetter, Registrar and CEO, College of Physicians & Surgeons of BC; Dr. Darren Larsen, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD; and Mr. Daniel Boivin, CMPA General Counsel and Partner at Gowling WLG, panelists engaged the audience by providing advice and insights into various aspects of the appropriate use of virtual care, both its opportunities and potential pitfalls. The event was rounded out by an in depth Q&A session for CMPA member physicians.
About the CMPA
The CMPA delivers efficient, high quality physician-to-physician advice and assistance in medical-legal matters, including the provision of appropriate compensation to patients injured by negligent medical care (fault in Québec). Our evidence-based products and services enhance the safety of medical care, reducing unnecessary harm and costs.
As Canada's largest physician organization and with the support of our over 100,000 physician members, the CMPA collaborates, advocates, and effects positive change on important healthcare and medical-legal issues. The Association is governed by an elected Council of physicians.
SOURCE Canadian Medical Protective Association
Seapoint Farms Unveils a New Healthy Superhero Snack with the Debut of Mighty Lil’ Lentils
Fueled by Plant Based Protein, New Artisan Snacks Are Deliciously Nutritious & Amazingly Versatile
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA., AUGUST 15, 2020 - Ready to have your taste buds wowed?
We’re so excited to share Seapoint Farms’ (seapointfarms.com) latest innovation! Mighty Lil’ Lentils…a bold new plant powered artisan crafted snack that comes in four delicious flavors.
The launch of Mighty Lil’ Lentils marks the latest product innovation from Seapoint Farms. The new launch follows the introduction of the company’s popular Organic Edamame Pasta and Riced Veggie lines.
Who you Calling Lil’?
Sometimes bigger isn’t better. Behold – the Mighty Lil’ Lentil, everyone’s Superhero snack. Seapoint Farms has taken this nutritional powerhouse and created a variety of artisan-crafted lentils that are truly rich in flavor and loaded with wholesome goodness.
These crispy Lentils are fueled by plant-based protein, packed with nutrients, and bursting with flavor. Enjoy them on their own, pair them with your favorite beverage (wink wink), or add a crunch to your salads and trail mixes. How do you Lentil?
Crunchy, remarkably tasty, and distinct from just about every packaged snack on the market, Mighty Lil’ Lentils are ready to be enjoyed at home, at work or on the go. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and Non GMO project verified, Mighty Lil’ Lentils are also rich in nutrients, vitamins and fiber, free of trans fat and cholesterol and naturally sustainable. In addition, two flavors (Falafel and Pink Himalayan Salt) are vegan. Are you ready to hop on the lentil train?
Availability?
Mighty Lil’ Lentils can be purchased online at Amazon and iHerb. In-store retail availability will follow later this year.
A World of Flavor
Mighty Lil’ Lentils are available in four irresistible flavors:
Pink Himalayan Salt – Dusted with the perfect amount of salt (vegan and gluten-free)
Barbeque – Smokey, sweet, and savory (gluten-free)
Falafel – Exotic and mildly spicy (vegan and gluten-free)
Cinnamon Sugar – Slightly sweet and sassy (gluten-free)
Comments
Commenting on the new product launch, Philip Siegel, COO of Seapoint Farms, said, “While Mighty Lil’ Lentils are wholly consistent with Seapoint Farms’ commitment to exceptional nutritional quality and delicious flavor, these fun and versatile little snacks are unlike anything we’ve manufactured before. We wanted our first lentil-based item to be a perfect snack option not only for natural food devotees but also for the tens of millions of mainstream consumers out there who are ready to cut back on high-calorie, low-protein staples such as chips and pretzels. We’re heartened by the overwhelmingly positive response Mighty Lil’ Lentils have received from the public and from members of the natural food industry and are looking forward to their continued success for many years to come.”
About Seapoint Farms
Seapoint Farms is committed and passionate about creating a variety of great tasting healthy products. Based in Huntington Beach, California, Seapoint Farms is the largest importer and manufacturer of edamame products in America, offering a diverse array of premium-quality, great-tasting products and snacks. In addition to Mighty Lil’ Lentils, Seapoint Farms’ growing range of products includes Dry Roasted Edamame, a variety of Frozen Edamame, Riced Veggies, Riced Veggie Cuisine, Organic Edamame Pasta, and Seaweed Snacks. For more information follow Seapoint Farms on social media @seapointfarms and visit seapointfarms.com.
New study shows innovative Ecological™ alcohol-free hand sanitizer is an effective alternative to alcohol sanitizers
Guest amenities expert Hunter Amenities pivots business model to produce microbial locally-produced, alcohol-free and paraben-free hand sanitizer
TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2020 /CNW/ - A study has shown that Hunter Amenities' innovative new line of Ecological™ and Ecossential™ non-alcohol, paraben-free, and vegan sanitizers are capable of killing 99.999% of germs1, making them an effective alternative to alcohol sanitizers. Both Ecological and Ecossential sanitizers are scent free and do not cause dryness of the skin, two common consumer complaints about alcohol-based sanitizer.
The study examined the efficacy of Ecological Hand Sanitizer with Conditioning Aloe (active ingredient: 0.15% Benzethonium Chloride) and Ecossential Hand Sanitizer (active ingredient: 0.13% Benzalkonium Chloride). The study tested 25 different microorganisms most commonly present on human hands including Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia Coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Hominis, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus epidermis and Candida Albicans. These are some of the most common sources of contamination and epidemic breakouts. The Canadian produced hand sanitizer is non-irritant, hypo-allergenic and tested under Dermatological control.
Hunter Amenities new line of sanitizers for both the Canadian and USA markets represents an innovative pivot for the company, one of the world's largest manufacturers of guest amenities.
"The hospitality industry was the first and hardest hit as COVID-19 travel restrictions came into effect and social distancing was introduced – for the first time in Hunter Amenities' history, no one was travelling and staying at hotels," says John Hunter. "Unprecedented situations call for innovative ideas and for us, that meant producing a hand sanitizer that fits the values of quality and sustainability that we've built our business on while keeping Canadians safe."
"Hand sanitizer is new territory for Hunter Amenities but developing thoughtful products isn't," says John Hunter. "It's that attention to detail which has enabled Hunter to become a key partner for four, five and six-star hospitality corporations, boutique hotels, spas and cruise lines for more than 39 years."
The company has secured business with major retail players such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmaprix, Loblaws, including Fortinos, No Frills, Zehrs, Atlantic Superstore, Provigo, Maxi, RCSS, Your Independent Grocer, Valumart, Extra Foods and Wholesale Club, London Drugs, Rexall, Amazon, walmart.ca, Grand & Toy, Staples Canada, and many convenience and gas stations across North America. Ecological hand sanitizer is also being provided to passengers flying with Air Canada.
Hunter Amenities has also received approval for its other global manufacturing locations to produce 70% alcohol sanitizer.
1 Kill Study #QL341589 dated July 29, 2020 by Q Laboratories, Cincinnati, OH
About Hunter Amenities Hunter Amenities is a global manufacturer of consumer goods products in the personal care, home care categories for the hospitality, airline, cruise line and retail industries, with offices and manufacturing plants in 4 countries and more than 20 distribution locations around the world with $200 million in reported revenue globally. Hunter's corporate office is in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and employs more than 1,500 people across Canada, Australia, Malaysia, China and India. For more information, please visit www.hunteramenities.com.
SOURCE Hunter Amenities International Ltd.
Wearing face masks can adversely affect attitudes towards social distancing, new research shows
Wearing face masks can adversely affect attitudes towards social distancing, a new study shows.
People felt comfortable sitting or standing closer to others while wearing a mask, a team of behavioural scientists at Warwick Business School found.
They also indicated that they would maintain a smaller distance from others who wore masks.
Those who believed face masks were effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 were more likely to relax the distance, if they or the other person were wearing a mask.
That could make it harder to re-establish social distancing measures if they are required to help control the virus in the event of a second wave of cases.
The findings are revealed in a new pre-print paper, Risk compensation during COVID-19: The impact of face mask usage on social distancing.
Ashley Luckman, a research fellow at Warwick Business School and lead author of the study, said: “Our findings appear to be a classic case of risk compensation.
“Wearing masks brings down the overall risk of spreading COVID-19, so people feel safer and are more willing to take other risks, such as decreasing the physical distance between them and others.
“If the government’s aim is to minimise transmission of the virus, its guidelines must be clear enough to prevent this trade-off, emphasising that masks are not an alternative to social distancing.”
The researchers showed 800 participants in the UK pictures of people sitting, standing, or walking and asked them to indicate how close they would be willing to stand in different scenarios.
These included indoor and outdoor settings and whether both people, just one, or neither wore a mask.
In each scenario, people were more likely to tolerate a reduced distance if they or the other person wore a mask. On average, participants wearing a mask felt comfortable standing 1.8 metres from another person. Without a mask they preferred to remain more than 2 metres apart.
This contradicted expectations that people would politely keep a greater distance from others who wore masks.
Those with the strongest belief that masks prevented them catching COVID-19 were prepared to stand closer to others if they wore masks, while those who believed they were at the greatest risk of being hospitalised by the virus were more likely to keep a larger distance.
Daniel Read, Professor of Behavioural Science at Warwick Business School, said: “Our results could be particularly relevant for countries where mask usage is now high, but social distancing guidelines have been relaxed.
“If countries need to return to greater levels of physical distancing due to a second wave of cases, that may be harder to implement than it was when mask use was low at the start of the pandemic.
"We need more evidence to determine at what point the risks of reducing physical distance outweigh the benefits of wearing a mask.
“Clearly, the greatest benefit results from using masks to complement social distancing, rather than replacing it."
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