Deb Balzer (@DebBalzer)
Deb Balzer is a Senior Communications Specialist at Mayo Clinic. She began her career as a TV news producer in Rochester, NY, before joining CONUS Communications, a pioneering national news satellite organization. She also field produced for ABC, CNN, the Rachael Ray Show and Farmers’ Almanac TV. Joining Mayo Clinic in 2015, Deb writes, produces and collaborates on medical stories with Mayo Clinic’s leading experts, providing trusted health and medical information to help patients.
For patients with severe heart failure that cannot be controlled with medicine, a pacemaker or other treatments, a ventricular assist device can be an option. Dr. Robert Scott, a Mayo[...]
Pregnant women are at an increased risk for serious illness from COVID-19. "Compared to nonpregnant women who have the same health and age, a COVID-infected woman is about 1.3[...]
Obesity increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and other health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers. "One of the most prevalent conditions in this country[...]
If you are unsure about whether you'll be vaccinated for COVID-19, you are not alone. It's natural to have reservations about something so new. Dr.[...]
Note: This information was written by the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 Vaccine Work Group. Mayo Clinic continues to follow federal and state guidelines in distributing the[...]
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been updated to include, for the first time, recommendations across the lifespan. Dr. Donald Hensrud, director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, says the[...]
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affects everyone, particularly older adults who are more susceptible to disease, negative effect of health decline and loss of connectivity, according to Dr. Christina[...]
2020 has been filled with unprecedented uncertainty for people around the globe, and many are eager to see what the new year brings. The COVID-19[...]
UPDATE 12/21/2020: Mayo Clinic Health System is vaccinating Southeast Minnesota Region staff with the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine beginning the week of Monday, Dec. 21. Albert[...]
The COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool to help stop the ongoing pandemic, along with masking and physical distancing. Mayo Clinic's COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation and[...]
Teams at Mayo Clinic are preparing for the anticipated arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, following federal approval. Different vaccines have different storage requirements. For instance, the[...]
As health care organizations begin planning for distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, many questions are being asked about their safety and efficacy. Dr. Andrew Badley, an infectious diseases physician[...]