FDA Approves Updated Covid Vaccines As Virus Surges 

Shots To Be Available Within Days

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved updated Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, putting the new shots on track to reach most Americans in the coming days amid a summer surge of the virus. The jabs target a strain called KP.2, a descendant of the highly contagious omicron subvariant JN.1 that began circulating widely in the U.S. earlier this year.CNBC.

HPV Vaccine Coverage Has Dropped Among Teens Since 2020, CDC Report Finds

The percentage of teenagers who were up to date on their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines has fallen dramatically since 2020, according to new federal data released Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends children from ages 11 to 12 receive two doses of the HPV vaccine, given six to 12 months apart, although children can get the vaccine starting at age 9. ABC.

Heat Kills Thousands in the U.S. Every Year. Why Are the Deaths So Hard to Track?

As heat waves become more frequent and intense, researchers and activists say the lack of precise data is leading to needless fatalities.

… In 2023, the agency reported that heat played a role in approximately 2,300 deaths, though this number may be revised as more records are processed. But some researchers say the actual number is far higher. One study that examined data from the late 1990s to the early 2000s concluded that the average number of fatalities annually was roughly 10,000… NYT.

US delivery workers swelter in record heat – many without AC in their vans

Amid rising temperatures last year, unionized UPS workers made heat an issue – but despite a key contract win, workers say little progress has been made

… The company’s dark aluminum package vans can amplify outdoor heat, with workers having recorded temperatures over 120F (49C) in the vehicles. The heat is not merely uncomfortable but also dangerous, with drivers suffering heatstroke on the job each summer and incidents turning fatal in some cases. Guardian.

Whooping Cough Is Coming Back

Cases dropped during the pandemic but are now climbing once more. Here’s what to know.

… So far this year, there have been 10,865 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, nationwide. That’s more than triple the number of cases documented by this time last year, and is also higher than what was seen at this time in 2019. Doctors say these estimates are most likely an undercount, as many people may not realize they have whooping cough and therefore are never tested. The pandemic delayed routine childhood vaccinations, including those that protect against whooping cough, and led to fewer pregnant women getting vaccinated. Those factors have likely contributed to the current uptick in cases … NYT.

World-first lung cancer vaccine trials launched across seven countries

First patient in UK gets dose of jab designed to kill most common form of lung cancer – and stop it coming back

Doctors have begun trialing the world’s first mRNA lung cancer vaccine in patients, as experts hailed its “groundbreaking” potential to save thousands of lives … Known as BNT116 and made by BioNTech, the vaccine is designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of the disease.Guardian.

How to Find the Right Oncologist for You

After a cancer diagnosis, it’s one of the most important decisions you’ll make.

… The National Cancer Institute has given a special designation to 72 cancer centers, which must show they treat patients in accordance with the latest evidence and also conduct research into new therapies. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer has accredited over 1,500 programs that meet certain standards. And the American Society of Clinical Oncology has several certification programs, including a list of 300 practices recognized for their quality and safety … NYT.

Is high school football morally tenable? Three more deaths raise familiar questions

… Now, again, in recent days, three young non-white football players suffered acute medical emergencies resulting in their deaths during summer football activities: Ovet Gomez-Regalado, age 15, in Kansas City; Semaj Wilkins, age 14 in Alabama; and Jayvion Taylor, age 15 in Virginia. Although the precise cause of death has not been disclosed in these cases, they all appear likely to be heat-related. In a fourth incident during the same period, this one in Maryland, Leslie Noble, age 16, also died, with police dispatchers reportedly characterizing it at the time as a “player had a heatstroke.” Guardian.

Thailand confirms Asia’s first known case of new deadlier mpox variant

The department of disease control said tests on a traveller had confirmed he was infected with the Clade 1b strain of mpox

… Mpox cases and deaths are surging in Africa, where outbreaks have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda since July. Sweden also confirmed its first case of the more contagious variant earlier in August and Argentina has quarantined a cargo ship over a suspected case of mpox on board, although it is not known if it is the new faster spreading variant. The disease is caused by a virus transmitted by infected animals but passed from human to human through close physical contact. It causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions. … Guardian.

What Is A Nonverbal Learning Disorder? Tim Walz’s Son Gus’ Condition, Explained

A 2020 study estimated that as many as 2.9 million children and adolescents in North America have nonverbal learning disability, or NVLD, which affects a person’s spatial-visual skills. The number of people who receive a diagnosis is likely much smaller than those living with the disability, said Santhosh Girirajan, the T. Ming Chu professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and professor of genomics at Penn State. NBC.

Can knuckle cracking cause arthritis?

Many people crack their knuckles, which stretches the finger joints

… There are no good quality studies that link cracking and degenerative changes in knuckles, or the metacarpophalangeal joints, experts said. “I usually tell my patients there’s no evidence that it’s harmful,” said Michael Pham, a rheumatologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. WashPost.