Washington State’s Abortion Pill Stockpile Is Insurance Against Trump Win, Governor Says
Washington state’s first-in-the-nation stockpile of abortion drugs will serve as insurance against future lawsuits seeking to ban the procedure nationwide or a second presidential term for Republican Donald Trump, Governor Jay Inslee said. Last year, with a federal lawsuit seeking to restrict access to abortion medication nationwide, Inslee, a Democrat, ordered the state’s Department of Corrections to use its pharmacy license to purchase 30,000 doses of the abortion drug mifepristone. Reuters.
Free COVID Tests Offered by Government: How You Can Order
At the end of September, American households will be able to order free COVID-19 tests that will detect current variants and be usable until the end of the year, according to officials. In August, public health officials announced that the COVIDtest.gov program will once again be made available ahead of the COVID-19 surge that happens during winter. The respiratory virus peaks twice a year, once in summer and once in winter, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. USAToday.
US Suicides Held Steady In 2023 — At A Very High Level
U.S. suicides last year remained at about the highest level in the nation’s history, preliminary data suggests. A little over 49,300 suicide deaths were reported in 2023, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number that could grow a little as some death investigations are wrapped up and reported. Just under 49,500 were reported in 2022, according to final data released Thursday. The numbers are close enough that the suicide rate for the two years are the same, CDC officials said. AP.
Covid-19: Analysis of Samples From Wuhan’s Huanan Market Supports Its Role As Central Site Of Early Spread Of Virus
After an in-depth analysis of the genetic material from hundreds of swabs taken from the walls, floors, machines and drains inside the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China — a site that’s been described as an epicenter of early spread of Covid-19 — scientists say they now know exactly which species of animals were in the same area where investigators also found the most positive samples the virus that causes Covid-19. CNN.
Parkinson’s Diagnosis Came After Favre Began Struggling with His Right Arm, He Tells TMZ Sports
Brett Favre was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in January after he began having trouble using his right arm and was unable to hold a screwdriver steady, the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback said in an interview with TMZ Sports. … Favre said he suspected something was wrong when his right arm would get “stuck.” He said he didn’t notice a decrease in strength but was unable to hold a screwdriver with one hand. He said he notified his physician about the problem when he struggled to put on a jacket. AP.
Did the Pandemic Break Our Brains?
It’s clear by now that SARS-CoV-2 is not just a respiratory virus, but also one that can affect organs throughout the body—including the brain. Researchers are still learning about why that is, but leading hypotheses suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may cause persistent inflammation in the brain, damage to blood vessels in the brain, immune dysfunction so extreme it affects the brain, or perhaps a combination of all the above. Studies have even found that people’s brains can shrink after having COVID-19, a change potentially associated with cognitive issues…. TIME.
Health Plan Floated By JD Vance Could Weaken Protections For Pregnant People
A health care proposal suggested by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance could gut a popular Affordable Care Act protection, making it legal for companies to charge more for or deny coverage of expensive medical conditions, including pregnancy. 19th.
Nearly 40 percent of Gen Z men don’t have a primary care provider
Millennials and adult Gen Zers were more likely to take care of their mental health than members of Gen X and baby boomers. About 37 percent of Gen Z men in the United States do not have an established primary care provider, according to a recent survey from the Cleveland Clinic. The survey, conducted this summer, involved 1,000 American men 18 or older living in the continental United States. WashPost.
‘We are not testing enough’: new US bird flu cases stoke fears over poor response
Experts worry H5N1 virus is more widespread than is being reported as they call for stricter mandates from USDA. TheGuardian.
The Trace: In Chicago, the Odds of Surviving a Shooting Are Getting Worse
A person shot in Chicago is more likely to die from it today than they would have been 13 years ago. Fatal shootings have made up a steadily larger share of the city’s gun violence statistics, according to a Trace analysis of data from the City of Chicago Violence Reduction Dashboard and studies from the University of Chicago Crime Lab. In 2010, out of every 100 people who were shot in the city, 13 died; by 2023, 19 succumbed to their wounds. In other words: proportionally fewer Chicagoans are surviving. TheTrace.
