Tagged With "COVID-19"

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has been fighting to save lives for nearly 70 years. With your support, we provide education, conduct patient-centered research and advocate for protections for our food allergy community. Our experience and strong community ties allowed us to take prompt action on the COVID-19 crisis . (Kids With Food Allergies is a division of AAFA.) Thanks to your generous support, we are leading the fight against COVID-19 for families managing food...

I didn't see monosodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast, torula yeast extract, titanium dioxide or turkey listed. Those will directly affect my family. I was glad to see soy and shellfish listed. It's scary to think that our allergens may or may not be listed or masked as something else. I am diligent about checking to make sure food is safe to eat. If in doubt, I don't risk it. I look forward to a day when the food industry has to be more thorough and completely honest about what is in the food.

On May 28, 2020, AAFA met with the FDA to talk about how these temporary guidelines will affect the food allergy community. After the meeting, we organized a joint letter with other advocacy groups to send to the FDA. In our letter, we have asked the FDA to clarify these guidelines. We are also asking that the FDA require manufacturers to publicly post any substitutions they make. We will keep you updated on this issue. Read our joint letter to the FDA.

Thanks for your questions...we are continuing the get more answers and clarity. We'll add those to the list.

Hi thank you for all you are doing. I have a question still...their use of and definition of “should” concerns me that top 8 can be subbed without a label change..as they say they “should be” and not “must be” before describing the safety paragraph on top 8 etc.. can you look at the highlighted usage in the two attachments please? also, in the paragraph describing what it means “ They are not allowed to substitute the top 8 food allergens (egg, milk, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nut, fish and...

Update: We are pleased to announce that on June 18, 2020, the FDA responded to our joint letter on their temporary labeling guidelines. They released a list of FAQs to help clear up confusion. The FDA is making it clear that: Any substitution that involves a top 8 allergen recognized by law and those identified as “priority allergens” by other countries including sesame, celery, lupin, buckwheat, molluscan shellfish and mustard must require a label change by manufacturers and vendors The...

Thanks for your feedback, Steph and Ellen! When schools follow guidelines to prevent allergic reactions, it reduces the likelihood of a severe reaction. If one does occur, there will be multiple signs...and if those signs are the under the mask, it is likely that the student would be uncomfortable enough to touch/remove the mask. It's important for caregivers to empower students to alert an adult if they are not feeling well. The risk assessment at this time is that the risk of coronavirus...

I CAN'T wear a face covering. It is a seizure trigger for me. Just as there should not be a one-size-fits-all 504 plan, so too there should not be a one-size-fits-all cloth face covering plan. I am frustrated with the "recommendations" and the "guidance" I get from officials. I am frustrated with quite frankly, blatantly discriminatory practices put in place "for the greater good" which deny reasonable accommodations for me and my children, as well as access to services. It is really...

Hi Ellen - there are people who cannot wear a face covering and there are exceptions for that. For others, it may take experimenting with different fabrics and masks styles to find something that will work for short periods of time in high-risk situations. Unfortunately, the recommendations and guidelines (federal, state and local) are not very clear and that is frustrating. If you and your kids can wear a face shield, that sounds like a good option. I recently saw a notice in PA that...

I disagree with the statement that wearing a face covering shouldn't impact food allergy management. Do any kids with food allergies develop visible perioral hives with exposure? Or redness, lip swelling? Do any of the above kids develop these telltale signs without awareness? In other words, an observer (like a teacher, or fellow student) might be the first to say, "Hey, why is your mouth red?!) How will this happen when the child is wearing a mask?

My FAK has both food allergies and asthma, and I'm trying to get his 504 plan to allow him NOT to wear a cloth face covering. The way the governor's executive order reads, that means he has to wear a face shield instead. Wearing a cloth over his mouth and nose for 7 hours is not a good idea. A face shield should allow a teacher to see any hives or facial swelling, should they occur, should allow him better air flow, and won't attract dust mites on the cloth for concentrated breathing. We...

On July 16, 2020, we updated this blog post to include information on how long the temporary guidelines may remain in effect, as well as a chart to help you better understand the guidelines.

Update – July 16, 2020: The FDA's temporary labeling guidance will remain in effect for the length of the public health emergency (PHE) due to the spread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). A PHE is determined and declared by the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The PHE remains in place during the emergency or 90 days, but may be extended by the secretary. Though the current PHE is set to expire on July 25, 2020, HHS Secretary Azar has said he will extend the...

School staff and parents are dealing with many challenges this school year because of COVID-19 . Policies and procedures may affect students and staff with food allergies and asthma. Join the MedicAlert Foundation and Kenneth Mendez, CEO and president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) , for a webinar on how parents and school staff can prepare for the new school year. (Kids With Food Allergies is a division of AAFA.) RSVP now to join us for the MedicAlert LIVE Healthy...

We know we can expect physical distancing, extra hand-washing , face masks or coverings , and other policies this school year due to the new coronavirus . As a parent of a child with food allergies, you may also need to make changes to your child’s school health care plan. What Is a School Health Care Plan? A school health care plan is a document (or set of documents) that outlines your child’s food allergy and how it should be managed while at school. A school health care plan can help...

The one thing that's not stated here is children that are seriously allergic to red dye that is in almost all foods, I have kids that are seriously allergic to red dye and made many trips to the emergency room cause of it, I found that really only organic and all natural foods don't have it and that can be really expensive to buy all the time so making your own foods is best for that one.

Welcome, @Crazy dragon mama ! You're right that it's really hard to deal with a food allergy to an ingredient that's in many foods. We have other folks who deal with "non Top 8" allergies like your family's on our forums ... why not hop over to our Food and Cooking forum and start a topic to share some of your tips and tricks? I'd definitely be interested in comparing notes!

You have daily food allergy management down pat.   Two epinephrine auto-injectors go everywhere. The allergist is on speed dial. You know the best local stores and restaurants for safe foods. You've trained babysitters and the staff at school....

Cleaning your hands often is one of the easiest and best ways to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 . It can also help reduce the spread of the flu, colds and other respiratory infections . It can also help you prevent foodborne illnesses while cooking, such as salmonella. Handwashing can also reduce the chance of food allergy reactions from cross-contact on surfaces. The average person touches their face about 23 times an hour. 1 Your hands come in contact with...

The MedicAlert Foundation and Kenneth Mendez, CEO and president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) , hosted a webinar on how parents and school staff can prepare for the new school year. They answered questions and shared resources on how to create a school that is food allergy and asthma friendly while preventing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 . Watch on YouTube Resources Food Allergies Keeping Students With Food Allergies Safe at School COVID-19 Guidelines...

Update – Aug. 21, 2020 Sixteen leading food allergy experts, including some of our medical advisors , released school guidelines addressing food allergies in light of COVID-19. We have added those recommendations to this blog post. Schools face major challenges as they reopen for the 2020-2021 school year. To help reduce the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 among staff and students, schools will follow new policies and practices. This causes many parents to wonder how this...

Updated to include a new find, Bo & Ty Sweets Gummy worms, Gummy bears, Sour worms and Sour bears .

Thank you for this info!! I seem to recall Skittles and Starburst being on this list in years past. Has something changed with them, or am I mistaken?

Hi, @sarymary715 . Thank you for asking about Skittles and Starburst. We were able to re-verify that Skittles and Starbursts are free of the top eight food allergens and have added them back to the list.

Thank you so much! You guys are awesome!

Halloween will look different this year with changes to classroom parties, festivals and trick-or-treating due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). But while you celebrate on a smaller scale or at home, you may still want to have allergy-friendly Halloween candy on hand. If you are looking for allergy-friendly treats, here are some top 8 free Halloween candy ideas. These candies are free of peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, egg, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization classified COVID-19 as a global pandemic. This fall and winter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes flu viruses and the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 will spread at the same time. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) * wants to hear about the experiences, perceptions and needs of people with allergies and asthma as they relate to COVID-19 and the flu. We hope to better serve the allergy and asthma...