(NewsUSA) - The data for the safety and effectiveness of the various COVID-19 vaccines continue to rise, and cases continue to fall as more individuals get vaccinated. If you or someone you love has been hesitant to get vaccinated, take the opportunity now to learn more and take action to protect your health and the health of those around you.

The American Heart Association encourages individuals who may have skipped doctor visits for chronic conditions or general checkups during the pandemic to make those appointments, and they can get vaccinated, too.

"It is safe to go to the doctor for wellness exams and for treatment for existing health conditions. Health care professionals have plans to keep you and medical staff safe even during a pandemic," according to Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, M.D., 2021-2022 volunteer president of the American Heart Association.

Individuals with chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease can safely continue with checkups, which are essential to maintaining health. Even for those without chronic conditions, routine doctor visits are important to stay healthy and strong.

An in-person doctor visit is not only safe, it is now an excellent opportunity to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Many doctors' offices are receiving doses of COVID-19 vaccines that can be given quickly and easily in the office setting. Vaccination is especially important for individuals with chronic conditions who are at increased risk for serious complications from COVID-19 if they get sick.

Children ages 12 years and older are now eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and the American Heart Association encourages parents to get their children vaccinated, too. Doing so will help slow the spread of the virus and allow children to resume more of their normal pre-pandemic activities.

For those who still do not feel comfortable with a doctor's office visit, take advantage of the expanded options for online checkups and check-ins via Zoom, FaceTime, or other platforms. The health care community is here to help everyone be well and live their best life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fully-vaccinated individuals can resume most of their pre-pandemic lifestyle and activities, while continuing to follow any local guidance.

For the latest information about how you can get healthy, stay healthy and protect you and your family from COVID-19, visit www.heart.org/pandemic.

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(NewsUSA) - Good housecleaning has never gone out of style, but it has taken on a new priority in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Whether you are spending more time at home or have returned part-time to in-person work or school, smart, effective cleaning strategies can help keep your home and family safe and healthy.

Safe and simple are key criteria for choosing from among the wide variety of today's home cleaning products. However, consumers also want cleaners that are tough and effective, that don't just eliminate stains and spots, but also kill germs, viruses, and bacteria.

To that point, many people want to make cleaning easier, and that includes one-stop shopping.

One such product, all-n-all, tackles cleaning, stain removal and deodorizing in one single step.

The multipurpose cleanser contains ingredients derived from renewable resources, natural products including hydrogen peroxide and plant derived essential oils. It is designed to deliver a tough cleaning punch throughout the home, and the formula kills 99 percent of germs, bacteria, and viruses on hard, porous/non-porous surfaces when used correctly.

"Added surfactants help to break down those stubborn stains, giving you a one-step cleaning solution for your whole home," says Jason Bailey, president of all-n-all.

To that end, all-n-all is engineered to clean the entire house:

• Kitchen: all-n-all can help keep countertops and floors germ-free while tackling kitchen appliance cleaning from the sink, refrigerator, to tough stove top grease and grime.
• Living room: Stain-removal properties can take on challenges such as wine, coffee and pet stains from carpet, clean light switches, remotes, and tables.
• Bathroom: Remove iron deposits, hard water and calcium deposits from faucets and shower fixtures, clean sinks, bathtubs and countertops in one simple step.
• Nursery: It's safe and gentle enough to use on children's highchairs, furniture, toys, and game controllers.

All-n-all contains no dyes, phosphates, bleach, chlorine, or sodium lauryl sulfate, and is manufactured in the USA, with no harsh or abrasive chemicals.

Visit Lowes.com for more information and to purchase all-n-all natural cleaner.

(NewsUSA) - Witnessing a cardiac arrest can be frightening, but don't be afraid to take action -- two simple steps can save a life.

Each year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital or emergency department, according to the American Heart Association. When someone experiences cardiac arrest, immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can make the difference between life and death. In fact, immediate CPR can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival.

Many people still think that effective CPR involves mouth-to-mouth resuscitation as well as chest compressions, and they may be hesitant to perform it, but that is not the case.

Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective as the conventional CPR for cardiac arrests in the home, office, or in public places in the first few minutes until more advanced help arrives.

"By equipping people with Hands-Only CPR training, they learn how easy the technique is and there is a comfort level that will help them overcome concerns that cause hesitation to act in an emergency," say Raina Merchant, Chair, American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care.

Hands-only CPR includes just two simple steps.

- First, call 911.

- Second, push hard and fast in the center of the chest of the individual having a cardiac arrest. How hard to push? At least 2 inches. How fast? That's easy. Use the beat of a familiar song that has 100 to 120 beats per minute. For example, the classic disco hit, "Stayin' Alive" can help you stay on pace, but anything with a similar tempo will do.

To help promote the lifesaving value of Hands-Only CPR, the American Heart Association has partnered with the Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc., in a public service campaign, "The Power is in Your Hands," to encourage everyone to learn Hands-Only CPR.

"Approximately 70 percent of cardiac arrests happen at home, and CPR can double or even triple chances of survival if performed immediately," said Shantanu Agrawal, M.D., Chief Health Officer at Anthem, Inc. "Together with the American Heart Association, the Anthem Foundation remains focused on working to increase the number of people who learn Hands-Only CPR. By providing greater access to training we can help increase the number of people who are prepared to respond in case of an emergency and for some, that could mean saving the life of someone they love."

The American Heart Association offers a 90-second livestream instructional video demonstration of Hands-Only CPR, as well as a new CPR first-aid app that anyone can download onto a phone.

Visit heart.org/handsonlycpr for more information.

(NewsUSA) -Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) has been advocating for accessibility for Veterans and all people with disabilities for decades, and now, as part of their 75th anniversary, they're asking for the public's help with a common problem.

In a recent survey of 4,000 Americans with disabilities, 95% said that accessible parking was key to their independence, and 85% said they had trouble finding accessible parking in their communities. More than half (52%) reported having to turn back from an errand or appointment because they were unable to find an open handicapped accessible parking space. Some of the biggest problems were spots taken by people who don't really need them, but make an excuse, and the misuse or borrowing of handicapped placards.

PVA was founded by injured Veterans who returned home from World War II but found barriers to independent living that prevented them from finding jobs or using public transportation. Since then, the organization has worked to create a more accessible America. Sadly, for many with disabilities, daily struggles still exist, particularly when it comes to accessible parking.

"People with disabilities deserve better," says David Zurfluh, U.S. Air Force Veteran and PVA national president. PVA has just launched the Honor the Spot campaign to encourage all Americans to be part of the solution.

"It is about educating the public, who may not realize the impact that misusing these spaces, even for a minute, can have on people with disabilities. We want all Americans to join PVA in protecting the freedom and independence of people with disabilities, who may not be able to shop or go to an appointment if the accessible parking is blocked or misused," says Zurfluh.

Issues with handicapped parking are one of PVA members' biggest complaints, and millions of Americans with mobility disabilities are also affected.

To be part of the solution, the PVA suggests people take these steps:

• Don't park in a handicapped spot for any reason, no matter the excuse.
• Don't share or borrow handicap placards.
• Post using #HonorTheSpot to encourage others.

To learn more and pledge to be part of the solution, visit pva.org/HonorTheSpot.

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How One Company Is Doing Right For the Planet

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Not that long ago, "sustainability" in the business world was defined as being able to stay afloat even in trying economic times. But these days, when Greta Thunberg may be the most famous Swede since Ingrid Bergman, it's taken on a whole different meaning - what the Harvard Business School describes as efforts to "positively impact the environment and/or society."

Of course, some businesses, like Whirlpool Corporation, have been ahead of the game, and are now setting even higher new targets to tackle climate change.

"We established our first office for sustainability over 50 years ago," said Marc Bitzer, the company's chairman and CEO.

1. Achieving Net-Zero Carbon Emissions in Plants and Operations By 2030

That's the updated commitment to environmental sustainability that the world's leading kitchen and laundry appliance company just announced this month.

To get there, the company has been installing even more wind turbines and solar panels to help power its sites and distribution centers with renewable energy. (It's already one of the Fortune 500's largest U.S. on-site users of wind energy.)

And it's improving efficiency across more than 30 of its manufacturing sites and distribution centers around the world though retrofits.

2. Greening Homes Through VPPAs

That's Virtual Power Purchase Agreements for the uninitiated. Or in other words, agreements signed with energy companies to help fund wind and solar farms to generate renewable energy for the grid.

Whirlpool Corporation's first VPPA project broke ground in Texas in early January. It promises to be the first of many such projects helping to cleanly power not just its own sites but also local homes.

That's right, ordinary people's homes.

3.Innovative Household Products

It shouldn't surprise anyone that U.S. News & World Report named four innovative Whirlpool brand products among the best refrigerators, dryers and washing machines of 2021. Yes, they look great. But they're also designed to be extremely energy and water efficient.

In fact, Whirlpool Corporation has already reduced the emissions linked to its products in use by 60 percent since 2005 and has committed to lowering them by an additional 20 percent by 2030 from a 2016 baseline.

One fun fact for you: Dishwashers save three to four times the water compared to hand washing your dishes. And, hey, they save you about 30 minutes each time too.

4.Helping Even You Reduce Waste Material

Not content that more than 70 percent of its manufacturing sites are already zero waste to landfill, the company aims to make that 100 percent by 2022.

Plus, to tackle other environmental challenges like plastic pollution, it's ramping up the use of recycled or reused materials in its appliances. And guess what? Those high-performance recycled plastics Whirlpool Corporation started to employ in its products means it's making use of you own waste.