How to stay safe during the latest COVID wave

COVID: After two years, 90 million cases and over one million deaths, COVID-19 continues to evolve, reinfect and spread across the country. As the latest COVID wave has made it clear,?the pandemic?is not over.?BA.5, a COVID subvariant of Omicron, is now responsible for nearly 80% of cases in the U.S., according to the CDC, which predicts that the daily case count will rise from 3,200 to 13,800 by August. And while hospitalizations have not reached last winter’s numbers, the U.S. is seeing hospitalization rates increase by 11% within just a single week of July.?

Dr. Stanley Schwartz, president and CEO of WellOK, the Oklahoma Business Coalition on Health, shares how people can protect themselves, when it's time to get another booster, and what employers can do to ensure the safety of their workers as the pandemic persists.

Read: Your likelihood of getting COVID has increased’: Here’s what employers should know

RETIREMENT: Research from the TIAA Institute found that women have 30% less retirement savings than men, and separate research from AARP found that a quarter of women nearing retirement age don’t feel confident they’ll have enough money to support themselves.?One glaring reason for the gap in retirement savings is the gap in wages: women still make 83 cents to every dollar a man makes, which adds up to half a million dollars in lost wages over the course of a woman’s career. But it can't be up to women alone to reach their retirement goals, says Anne Ollen, TIAA Institute’s managing director. She shares best practices for employers, and her hopes for potential legislation that will help women get ahead.

Read: TIAA warns that women are unprepared for retirement

SLEEP HEALTH: Between talks of a recession and an ever-evolving, contagious virus, there’s a lot that might be keeping people up at night. In fact, anyone fighting to get sleep these days is far from alone.?A survey from data management firm Harmony Healthcare IT found that nine out of 10 people struggle to fall asleep, and more than half reported struggling to sleep at all at least once a week. Constant lack of sleep does not bode well for?personal health?or professional performance — sleep deficiency can weaken one’s immunity, increase the risk for blood pressure and heart disease, lead to anxiety and depression and cause cognitive impairment.?Here's how to improve your sleep habits before they take a toll on your health:

Read: 6 facts about sleep deprivation that will keep employers up at night

HIRING: Just graduated and looking for a job? Healthcare, IT and accounting and finance are all industries with a high number of job openings, according to employment website Adzuna. Check out which industries made the list, and where it'll be easier to find open roles:

Read: Just graduated? These 10 industries have the most job vacancies