MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — Chanele Hellwege has been named the grand marshal for the 2024 Middletown Days parade.
Known for her unwavering dedication to family and community, event organizers said Hellwege epitomizes the spirit of Middletown, making her a fitting choice for this honor.
“Chanele Hellwege represents the heart and soul of Middletown,” the Middletown Days Committee said in its announcement about her selection. “Her dedication to her family, her business, and her community is truly inspiring. We are thrilled to honor her as our grand marshal.”
She is a young mother of six children and the life partner of Dan Knudsen. The couple share their dream home on a stunning 56-acre ranch in Anderson Springs, lovingly built by Dan.
Their bustling household is filled with joy, hard work, and the satisfaction of creating a nurturing environment for their children.
Over the past five years, Chanele Hellwege has transformed a small shipping venture into a thriving business, Middletown Mail & More.
Catering to the diverse needs of Middletown and Lake County residents, her business has become an essential local hub.
Hellwege’s entrepreneurial journey began under the mentorship of Margaret Greenley, whose guidance helped her turn a simple idea into a successful enterprise. Hellwege saw a need and filled it.
She is deeply embedded in the community fabric, actively participating in the Middletown Area Merchants Association. This group is instrumental in organizing cherished local events such as Christmas in Middletown, Movie in the Park and Career Day at the high school.
Hellwege's commitment to these activities underscores her belief in community involvement. “If everyone does one thing for our community, it will continue to be a better place,” she said, emphasizing her philosophy of collective effort.
Her dedication extends to local education initiatives as well. She and Dan played pivotal roles in starting the school garden at Minnie Cannon Elementary and were instrumental in building the school’s playground. These contributions reflect their deep-seated belief in improving community resources and fostering a nurturing environment for future generations. Raised in a family with a strong work ethic, Hellwege's roots in Lake County run deep.
She is one of five siblings, all of whom were brought up in the well drilling business — a family tradition that her brother, Khrom Hellwege of JAK, continues today.
Chanele Hellwege, a graduate of Kelseyville High School, has always valued the importance of hard work and community spirit, principles instilled in her from a young age.
As grand marshal, Hellwege will lead the Middletown Days parade, an event that brings together residents and visitors to celebrate local heritage and community spirit.
Organizers said her selection as grand marshal is a testament to her impactful contributions and the admiration she has garnered from her fellow residents.
Hellwege’s guiding philosophy, "You get more out of life by saying 'Yes'," continues to inspire those around her.
Her story is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved with dedication, hard work and a commitment to community.
“As she leads the parade, Chanele stands as a beacon of the values that make Middletown a wonderful place to live and thrive,” the Middletown Days Committee said in its announcement.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College is expected to soon have a new dean.
The Yuba Community College Board will consider approving the hire of Korinda Ebenhack when it meets this week.
The open session of the board’s regular meeting will take place beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 13, at Yuba College, 2088 N. Beale Road, Building 300-Flavors, Marysville.
The meeting also will be available via Zoom. The link is here; the meeting ID is 841 8345 5774 and the call-in number is 669-900-6833.
On the agenda under board action is the board’s proposed acceptance of Ebenhack’s employment as Lake County Campus dean.
The job has been filled on an interim basis by Patricia Barba since November, following the departure of Dean Ingrid Larsen, who left to take a position at Mendocino College in September.
Ebenhack is an independent education consultant from Grants Pass, Oregon. She previously served for 25 years as vice president of student affairs at Rogue Community College, also located in Grants Pass, according to her LinkedIn profile.
At Rogue Community College, Ebenhack’s LinkedIn profile said she oversaw all aspects of the student services division at the rural, multi-campus community college, which reportedly provides educational services to 18,000 Southern Oregon students annually.
The board agenda said Ebenhack’s base yearly rate will be $142,330, with additional health and welfare benefits. As of Monday night, the full contract was not yet posted on the district website.
The dean’s job is considered key to the future of the Lake County Campus in Clearlake, which has served the community for 52 years.
There have been rising concerns over the last several years from community leaders, and college staff and students about how the Yuba Community College District and Woodland Community College have treated the Lake County Campus, which has languished due to reduced resources and support.
However, Chancellor Dr. Shouan Pan and new Woodland Community College President Dr. Lizette Navarette have made repeated visits to the campus to speak with community members and pledge to help the campus’ situation improve, with a focus on getting a new dean in place.
Also on Thursday, the college board will consider confirming other key hires, including Dr. King Xiong as dean of student development at Yuba College and Carrie Melhert as director of health and medical career programs and nursing at Yuba College, and will discuss a proposed revision to the 2023-24 budget and the tentative 2024-25 budget.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LUCERNE, Calif. — A Saturday evening ATV crash in the Lucerne area killed a West Sacramento man and left his teenage son injured.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported that the crash occurred at around 7:20 p.m. Saturday.
The agency did not release the name of the 41-year-old man pending the notification of next of kin.
The CHP said the crash happened on Bartlett Springs Road near Forest Route 15.
CHP Sgt. Joel Skeen said the man and his 13-year-old son were riding an ATV on Bartlett Springs Road when the ATV rolled off the roadway, ejecting both of them.
The father died of his injuries shortly after the crash, Skeen said.
Skeen said the teenager suffered minor injuries and was able to walk along Bartlett Springs Road until a passerby stopped to assist.
The CHP’s online incident logs and radio reports indicated that the boy was picked up shortly after 9 p.m.
There were initial radio reports that included requests for both rescue and medical helicopters, with the rescue copter not being available.
Skeen said officers were able to find the crash from the road. The incident logs stated the ATV’s lights were on and it was down an embankment.
Radio traffic stated the teenager was transported to an out of county hospital via air ambulance, which Skeen confirmed.
Skeen said the father and son had most likely been camping in the area where the crash took place.
“Alcohol was believed to be a factor,” Skeen said of the crash’s cause.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors made another key department head appointment, this time selecting the new director of Water Resources.
Pawan Upadhyay, PhD, will take over the position on July 1, the county of Lake reported.
“I am excited to get started, and grateful for the support of the Board of Supervisors,” said Upadhyay. “Clear Lake is Lake County’s defining feature, and it must be thoughtfully managed. Further, few communities present similar opportunities to deepen our collective understanding of how water resources contribute and respond to broader ecological trends. This is a special opportunity, and I look forward to contributing as Water Resources director.”
Dr. Upadhyay most recently served as Water Resources director for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes in Owyhee, Nevada.
There, he managed a $10 million annual budget and supervised 24 staff, while providing executive-level oversight of water resources, including management of irrigation water data, water supply assessment and projection of future water demand.
Prior to that leadership position, Upadhyay held research, data modeling and geographic information systems-focused roles with the University of Kansas, Mississippi State University and Iowa State University.
The county said multi-disciplinary scholarly works to which he has contributed have become influential, garnering hundreds of citations.
“We trust that Dr. Upadhyay has the ability to bring the data-driven leadership necessary to assess and respond to our water needs and challenges in Lake County,” said Bruno Sabatier, chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “With the depth of his expertise in water related issues, including water quality, we are grateful he has chosen Lake County as his next step in his career joining a team with tremendous strengths and passions for everything water.”
Upadhyay succeeds Scott De Leon, who has concurrently served as Public Works and Water Resources director, and is retiring following nearly 23 total years of county service, including 14 years in director-level roles.
Last month, the board hired Glen March for the Public Works director job, as Lake County News has reported.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — Cowboys and cowgirls are gearing up for a busy Father’s Day weekend of fun and competition as the annual Middletown Days celebration returns.
The event will begin on Friday evening, continuing through a full day of activities on Saturday and through the day Sunday, ending with a ride and race at dusk.
Stage entertainment and vendors will be available on both Saturday and Sunday.
• 6 p.m.: Team Roping. Prizes include saddles and spurs.
Saturday, June 15:
• 10 a.m.: Parade downtown.
Central Park events:
• All day: Silent auction at the Lions building. • Noon: Famous barbecue at Greenwade barbecue area. Menu: Tri-tip, chicken, corn, garlic bread and more. • Noon: Kids playday at the arena. Activities include the three-legged race, watermelon eating contest, water fight brigade and more. • 1 p.m.: Cornhole tournament begins in front of the Lions Building. • 1 p.m.: Free line dancing lessons in front of the Obie Sanders Stage Area. • 2 p.m.: Junior/senior rodeo and mutton busting at the arena. Activities include barrels, poles, breakaway and goat tying. • 2 p.m.: Third annual cutest cowgirl and cowboy contest at the Obie Sanders Stage Area. Age categories: 5 and under, 6 to 10. • 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Dance Under the Stars with "Breaker One 9" at the Obie Sanders Stage Area.
Sunday, June 16:
• 8 to 11 a.m.: Father's Day breakfast at the Lions building. • 9 a.m.: Cowboy church at Obie Sanders Stage. • Noon: Bloody Mary Horseshoe Contest and Gymkhana. Sign up at the horseshoe pits • Dusk: Hide Ride & Rescue Race.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the coming week forecasters are predicting heightened heat risk across a swath of Northern California.
Parts of the northern Sacramento Valley are under an excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service while a heat advisory has been issued for the San Joaquin Valleys and portions of the Bay Area through Wednesday.
Lake County is forecast to have moderate heat risk, with daytime temperatures peaking in the mid-90s in much of the county on Tuesday and Wednesday, and topping 100 degrees both days in south Lake County.
Nighttime temperatures will peak in the mid-60s on Monday and Tuesday.
Temperatures will drop into the 80s from midweek into the weekend, with nighttime temperatures reaching the high 50s during that same time period.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the West Sacramento man killed in a Saturday evening ATV wreck that also injured his son.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Lauren Berlinn identified the man who died as a result of the crash as Yan Gilmeev, 41.
At around 7:20 p.m. Saturday Gilmeev was riding an ATV along Bartlett Springs Road near Forest Route 15 with his 13-year-old son when the ATV rolled off the roadway, the CHP said.
The CHP said both Gilmeev and his son were thrown from the ATV, and Gilmeev died of his injuries.
Gilmeev’s son was injured but managed to walk to the road, where he was picked up shortly after 9 p.m.
The teen was later flown out of the county for treatment of his injuries, the CHP said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Area Town Hall, or MATH, will meet this week to get an update on their south county district.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 13, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.
To join the meeting via Zoom click on this link; the meeting ID is 869-1824-5695, pass code is 808449. Call in at 669-900-6833.
The main item on the Thursday agenda is the mid-year “State of the County” update from District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon.
MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will present more proclamations and consider approving the plans for a Northshore dredging project.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 11, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
At 9:05 a.m., the board will present a proclamation designating June 2024 as Elder and Adult Dependent Abuse Awareness Month.
That will be followed at 9:10 a.m. by the presentation of proclamation designating June 15, 2024, to honor Indian Child Welfare Act Day.
Under the consent agenda, the long-running Lucerne Harbor dredging project’s plans and specifications will be up for approval and Public Services will begin to advertise for bids.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve Amendment #2 to the Agreement for professional services between the county of Lake and Lake County PEG-TV.
5.2: Adopt proclamation designating June 15, 2024, to honor Indian Child Welfare Act Day.
5.3: Approve continuation of local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the 2024 late January, early February winter storms.
5.4: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.
5.5: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.6: Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the county of Lake.
5.7: Approve amendment to the existing agreement between the county of Lake and Community Development Services for the CDBG Microenterprise Technical Assistance Program to utilize program income not to exceed $372,232 and extend the term of service to May 1, 2027, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.8: Adopt resolution approving agreement with California Department of Food Agriculture for Certified Farmers Market Program Investigation and Enforcement Agreement # 24-0021-000-SA for $944.00 for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
5.9: Approve resolution of the City Council of the city of Lakeport calling for and providing for and giving notice of the general municipal election to be held in the city of Lakeport, county of Lake, state of California, on Nov. 5, 2024, for the purpose of electing four City Council members, three to hold office for a term of four years, and one to hold office for a term of two years, or until their successors are elected and qualified, requesting consolidation of that election with the state general election and requesting approval of the Lake County Board of Supervisors for Election Services to be Provided by the Lake County Registrar of Voters.
5.10: Approve request to accept MEHKO AB 178 grant in the amount of $36,122.64 and authorize the department head to sign the acceptance agreement.
5.11: Adopt resolution authorizing the submission to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, Cal Recycle for Local Enforcement Agency Grant for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2029.
5.12: Approve Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between county of Lake and Health Management Associates Inc. for support services for consulting services in the amount of $49,551.00 for fiscal year 2023-2024 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.13: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and Crackerjack Cleaning for janitorial services from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, not to exceed $35,000 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.14: Approve the plans and specifications for the Lucerne Harbor Dredging Project, and authorize the Public Services director to advertise for bids.
5.15: Authorize the closure of all Public Works and Water Resources facilities for employee development, appreciation and team building on Thursday, June 13, 2024, from the hours of noon to 5 p.m.
5.16: Adopt resolution establishing county-maintained mileage for 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.17: Adopt proclamation designating June 2024 as Elder and Adult Dependent Abuse Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.18: Adopt proclamation commending John Harper for 32 years of service and dedication to the agricultural community.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:05 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating June 2024 as Elder and Adult Dependent Abuse Awareness Month in Lake County.
6.4, 9:07 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending John Harper for 32 years of service and dedication to the agricultural community.
6.5, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating June 15, 2024, to honor Indian Child Welfare Act Day.
6.6, 9:45 a.m.: Consideration of grant funding $50,000 to 1Team 1Dream for their 2024 Annual Lake County business competition.
6.7, 11 a.m.: TEFRA public hearing - consideration of conduit financing for the Caritas Affordable Housing Project.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of agreement for professional services between the county of Lake and Lake County PEG-TV for 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27 for a maximum not to exceed $10,000 per fiscal year.
7.3: Consideration and discussion of an agreement with Black Dog DESIGNS for a trails website, for an amount not to exceed $31,559.97 and authorize the chair to sign.
7.4: Consideration of an update to the 2024 Board of Supervisors meeting calendar, adjourning the currently scheduled July 2, 2024 meeting.
7.5: Consideration of Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Vista Pacifica Enterprises Inc. for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services in the amount of $400,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024.
7.6: Consideration of Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between county of Lake and Santa Rosa Behavioral Healthcare Hospital for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalization in the amount of $200,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b) (1): Interviews for Water Resources director; appointment of Water Resources director.
8.2: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b) (1): Appointment of interim Animal Control director.
8.3: Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer Susan Parker.
8.4: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) – FERC Project No. 77, Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. — The series of “Senior Days” events at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park continue on Saturday, June 15, with a fascinating day of learning planned.
The morning program will feature Chris Watt, a geologist who has worked as an interpretive ranger with the National Park Service at the Grand Canyon and as Field Naturalist with the United States Geological Survey.
Watt will give an entertaining presentation about what he calls the "active geology" of Lake County — its volcanoes, landslides and geysers. There are a few places left for this program, so use the link below to register if you wish to attend.
In the afternoon, Greg Giusti, a local biologist who specializes in trees and forest management, will lead a discussion and “Q&A” session about the trees we see as we drive around Lake County, which trees to plant and how to take care of your trees at home.
Giusti is forests and wildland ecology advisor emeritus for the University of California Division of Natural Resources Cooperative Extension.
Giusti will present a talk with lots of time for questions and answers. There will be the chance to ask any questions you may have about trees you see in the wild, home landscaping, or garden tree care.
So, if you have questions about the trees around you, tree disease or how to deal with an unruly tree in your garden, this is the perfect opportunity to get them answered by an expert.
To register for one or both of the June 15 events, or any other future Senior Days events, visit AMIA's website.
Time will be available between the morning and afternoon sessions to bring and enjoy a picnic lunch under the big Valley Oak in the picnic area.
For more information about Senior Days, the park or AMIA, visit https://andersonmarsh.org/ or contact AMIA at 707-995-2658.
Monica Swahn, Kennesaw State University and Ritu Aneja, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Did you know that casual drinks with friends or having a “wine mom” moment to unwind could actually be nudging up your risk for breast cancer? It sounds like a buzzkill. But it’s a truth that many might not know: Alcohol actually causes breast cancer.
For our recently published research, we asked more than 5,000 women ages 18 and older across the U.S. in 2021 about whether they were aware of the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. We also asked them about their drinking habits and other health and background factors.
We were surprised to find that only 1 in 4 of these women knew that alcohol is a risk factor for breast cancer. Even more concerning, 35% didn’t think there’s any link at all. Another 40% were sitting on the fence about it.
We also saw a knowledge gap based on age, education and race.
Younger, more educated women and those facing alcohol-related issues were more in the know about the link between alcohol and breast cancer risk than older, less educated women and those who have not drank in the past year. Black women were also less aware of the risk between alcohol and breast cancer compared to white women.
Drinking less lowers breast cancer risk
Despite the attempts of alcohol researchers, health officials and advocates to inform women about alcohol’s risks and its connection to breast cancer, our findings show that this message isn’t getting across to most people.
A comprehensive communication approach to increase awareness of alcohol’s harms and its link to cancer can help support and encourage women to make healthier choices regarding alcohol use.
Educational campaigns can help inform people from diverse backgrounds about alcohol and breast cancer risk.
Policy changes with respect to alcohol marketing, access and availability can also make a difference in people’s drinking patterns.
These policies may also address the “feminization” of alcohol marketing, which intentionally entices women to drink and purchase alcohol by normalizing or glamorizing heavy alcohol use and ignoring the health risks and harm caused. The World Health Organization recommends stricter rules on alcohol advertising and marketing along with higher taxes on alcohol to reduce alcohol-related harm.
But cutting down on alcohol is something that can make a difference in breast cancer risk. Stepping back and thinking about alcohol’s effects on your health can help you make informed choices about whether to drink or not.
At the start of the pandemic, many people living with diabetes were wondering what COVID-19 meant for them. Diabetes was already known to put people at higher risks from other infectious diseases, including flu. Would it be the same with COVID-19? At the time, all scientists could do was make educated guesses.
COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared, however, and for the more than 400 million people living with diabetes worldwide, very real risks and impacts from the pandemic remain.
I specialize in drawing on and combining existing evidence to inform health policy across a range of areas. I’ve been studying COVID-19 and diabetessince the start of the pandemic and have experienced firsthand some of the many ways in which COVID-19 has affected people with diabetes. I’ve lived with Type 1 diabetes for the past 30 years. And at the start of the pandemic, I had a lot of questions about what COVID-19 meant for me.
Diabetes types defined
Diabetes is characterized by having higher than normal blood sugars. Different types of diabetes create this condition in varying ways.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body attacks the cells that produce insulin.
Insulin is the hormone that converts sugar into energy – without it, sugar remains in the blood, and the body is deprived of the energy it needs. Type 1 diabetes can be treated only by injecting insulin and is irreversible. If left untreated, Type 1 diabetes is fatal. There is no cure. No one knows for sure why some people get Type 1 diabetes and others don’t.
By contrast, in Type 2 diabetes – by far the most common type – your body is still producing insulin but is less able to use it. People are more likely to get Type 2 diabetes if they are living with obesity. But people who aren’t obese can also get Type 2 diabetes, and many people living with obesity never get diabetes.
There are other types of diabetes, too. Gestational diabetes develops in pregnancy and goes away after giving birth. As with Type 2 diabetes, the body is still making insulin but is less able to use it.
In general, diabetes is on the rise, with most of this being driven by Type 2. By 2050, it’s estimated that 1.3 billion people will be living with diabetes worldwide.
Diabetes can damage many parts of your body, including your eyes, heart, blood vessels, nervous system, feet and kidneys. Blood sugar management and regular checkups can help reduce these risks.
Diabetes and COVID-19
In a 2023 study, my colleagues and I reviewed a wide body of literature to examine the extent to which people with diabetes were at increased risk from COVID-19, and whether some people with diabetes were at greater risk than others.
Overall, we found that people with diabetes were about twice as likely to get seriously sick with COVID-19 than people without diabetes. Evidence also consistently showed that people with diabetes were more likely to die from COVID-19 than people without diabetes.
There are several potential explanations. We know that having higher blood sugar levels makes it harder for people’s bodies to fight infections. On average, blood sugar levels are higher in people with Type 1 than Type 2 diabetes. Infection can make blood sugar levels harder to manage.
People with Type 1 diabetes also tend to have lived with diabetes longer than people with Type 2 diabetes, and that might mean their bodies are less able to fight COVID-19 because of diabetes complications – for example, damage to their heart and kidneys.
Pandemic disruptions
The pandemic triggered wide-scale disruptions for people living with diabetes. Many found it harder to make appointments with their health care providers. Some found it harder to access their medications. For many people, diet and physical activity were disrupted, too.
We did a wide-ranging, systematic review of 139 studies in more than a million people to examine the impact of pandemic disruptions on people with diabetes. Evidence showed that people were more likely to die from diabetes during the pandemic than before it and were more likely to lose sight because of diabetes during the pandemic than before. People with diabetes need regular eye checkups to help protect their sight; these checkups often didn’t happen during the pandemic, and people’s vision suffered as a result.
We also found that young people with diabetes fared particularly badly. Children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes were more likely to be admitted to the hospital with a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, which is when your blood turns toxic because you don’t have enough insulin in your body.
Admissions to pediatric intensive care units for diabetes were higher during the pandemic than prior. It might be that people delayed seeking care, or were unable to access care, because of pandemic disruptions. That could mean that by the time young people with diabetes made it to a hospital, they were already really, really sick.
There are also developments in diabetes care. Improved diabetes management, whether it be through technologies such as insulin pumps or continuous glucose monitors, behavior changes or medications, can help reduce risk from COVID-19 and other infections.
Time will tell what the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic will be. Diabetes complications can often develop many years down the line, so researchers like me may see more people suffering complications from diabetes five to 10 years from now as a result of challenges with diabetes management during the pandemic.
Regular monitoring, particularly of the groups most affected by the pandemic, is likely to help. Caught early, many diabetes complications can be successfully treated.
My team found that among people living with diabetes, women, young people and people from racial and ethnic minority groups were most likely to suffer ill effects from the pandemic. These are groups who may be more likely to struggle to access care, with insulin prices and access remaining a particularly critical issue.
Efforts to make insulin and health care more accessible can help improve diabetes outcomes before, during and after pandemics.