COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared, but the way we protect against it is shifting.

In late August, the FDA made an unusual move: it narrowed its approval for the COVID-19 vaccine to just two groups.

• Approved: Adults 65+

• Approved: Anyone 6 months and older with a high-risk condition

That’s a big change from previous years when nearly everyone over six months old was encouraged to get vaccinated.

This shift has caused confusion not only in the public but also within the medical community. Groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continue to recommend broader use, including for pregnant women and young children. Other organizations, like the Infectious Diseases Society of America, have strongly opposed the FDA’s narrower label. Typically, the FDA, medical societies, and public health groups are in alignment, so this kind of disconnect is rare — and it’s leading to mixed messages for the public.

At TotalWellness, we know that our success depends on the incredible contractors who bring health services to workplaces across the country. You are the face of our events, the ones making real connections with employees, and the reason we can deliver high-quality wellness experiences.

That’s why we wanted to hear directly from you! We recently conducted a Contractor Experience Survey, and an incredible 421 of you shared your thoughts. From what you love about working with us to areas where we can improve, your feedback gives us a clear picture of how we can better support you.

So, what did we learn? Overall, most of you have had positive experiences, feel well-prepared, and appreciate the flexibility our work offers. At the same time, we heard your concerns — especially about event availability, scheduling challenges, and compensation.

We’re breaking down the survey results to show you exactly what we heard and, more importantly, what we’re doing about it.

It’s that time of year for influenza vaccines! We've had a busy September - with over 33,000 flu shots ordered during the month. We are gearing up for our busiest month of the year - October. Please check out some important information regarding flu shot events this season. 

We are excited to announce that Malia Pearson, RN, BSN, is the new Director of Nursing for TotalWellness.

She has a bachelor's degree in business and nursing. Malia has worked in a variety of health care settings, including inpatient, home infusion, and medical devices. Malia also assisted with COVID-19 shots and COVID-19 testing for our Omaha clients during this past year.  

In a short Q&A, Malia shares her background and thoughts on joining the TotalWellness team.

There’s a lot of debate about the state of the healthcare system in our country. No matter where you sit, it’s obvious that improvements can always be made.

Each year, TotalWellness collects extensive data to better understand the health status of U.S. employees. In 2018 alone, we conducted over 100,000 biometric screenings across workplaces in the United States.

Our standard biometric screening consist of a variety of health measures including:  

• Cholesterol
• Blood sugar
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Blood pressure
• Waist circumference

These screenings offer pertinent insight to the well-being and health of employees. Once the results are finalized, we share a report with each company’s wellness team to better support employees through wellness programming.

Now, we want to share the nationwide results with you.

As a wellness professional, you need to interact with all types of people in all stages of life at your wellness events. That includes pregnant women.

It’s a great thing to come across pregnant participants at wellness events. These women should be more in tune with their health than the average person because the healthier they are, the better their pregnancy will be. Attending a wellness event is a great step for a pregnant woman to learn more about her health, and how her pregnancy is impacting her health.

At our flu shot events, we use the VanishPoint® syringes. These syringes have automated needle retraction to help reduce your risk for exposure to the contaminated needle. They’re a single-use syringe that can only be used with the attached needle. 

We send 1mL, 1-inch needle VanishPoint® safety syringes and 3mL, 1 1/2-inch needle VanishPoint® safety syringes to events with multi-dose vials of vaccine. You can easily tell the difference between the two sizes of VanishPoint® syringes by looking at the end of the plunger. The 1mL, 1-inch needle VanishPoint®safety syringe plunger ends are clear. The 3mL, 1 1/2-inch needle VanishPoint® safety syringe plunger ends are orange. When manufacturer filled syringes are used, we send 1-inch and 1 1/2-inch safety needles. 

For the most part, VanishPoint® syringes work like any other syringe you’ve used. We thought we’d give you a little overview, though, so you know exactly what to expect.

The easiest way to ensure you’ll show up at a wellness event with effective, non-damaged flu vaccine is to store it properly the entire time it’s in your possession. Remember that the primary contractor is responsible for receiving vaccine shipments, storing vaccine and transporting vaccine to events.

You could be a primary contractor with multiple other secondary contractors. But you could also be a primary contractor if you’re the only contractor working your flu event.

There are a few things to keep in mind when storing vaccine for your next flu event. Check them out here, but make sure you also read through the details in the “Flu Event Procedures” section of the TotalWellness Contractor Manual (which is found in the Scheduling System).

                Watch this five-minute video to learn more about working your first flu shot event.

Flu season is most definitely our busiest time of year. That means it’s probably your busiest time of year when it comes to working TotalWellness events.

Because flu season can get crazy, you might feel overwhelmed. If you’re a new independent contractor or if you haven’t worked an event in a while, we just want to ease your mind about working flu shot events.