It’s Time to Get Flu and Covid-19 Shots
Respiratory virus season has arrived in the United States and health officials say that October is a prime time to get vaccinated. Vaccines for Covid-19, flu and RSV are available now. While the respiratory virus season tends to peak between December and March, getting vaccinated in the fall can help provide protection throughout the season. CNN.
Condoms Aren’t a Fact of Life for Young Americans. They’re an Afterthought
Condom use is down among sexually active teens and young adults. The decline in condom use is due to a combination of medical advancements like long-term birth control options and drugs that prevent sexually transmitted infections, a fading fear of contracting HIV and widely varying levels of sex ed. AP.
US CDC Warns of Overdose Risk from Fake Prescription Medicines Online The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday alerted public health officials and clinicians about the potential risk for drug overdose among individuals ordering counterfeit prescription medicines from online pharmacies. The counterfeit pills sold through illegal internet-based pharmacies frequently contain fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is the leading cause of drug overdoses in the United States, the health agency said. Reuters.
US School-Entry Vaccination Rates Fall as Exemptions Keep Rising
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates dipped last year and the proportion of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Wednesday. The share of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 3.3%, up from 3% the year before. Meanwhile, 92.7% of kindergartners got their required shots, which is a little lower than the previous two years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic the vaccination rate was 95%, the coverage level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak. The changes may seem slight but are significant, translating to about 80,000 kids not getting vaccinated, health officials say. AP.
Marburg Virus Outbreak in Rwanda Draws Concern over Possibility of Spread
A large outbreak of Marburg virus in Rwanda is drawing international concern about the possibility of spread beyond the country’s borders. The number of cases detected so far, 27, already makes the outbreak one of the biggest involving Marburg on record. Nine of those individuals have died. There are currently no licensed vaccines to combat the disease. In a statement issued late Monday, the World Health Organization categorized the risk of spread to neighboring countries as high. It also suggested there is a risk of spread beyond East Africa. STAT.
Human-To-Human Bird Flu Spread in Missouri Is Unlikely, CDC Says
Chances are low that human-to-human spread of bird flu occurred in a group of people who were exposed to a patient infected with the virus in Missouri, US health authorities said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is assisting Missouri health officials in its investigation of seven people who began experiencing symptoms after contact with the H5N1-infected patient. Bloomberg.
Study Reveals Thousands of Long-Term Deaths from Hurricanes
Hurricanes and tropical storms have long-term health consequences, generating 7,000 to 11,000 excess deaths over the 15 years following the event, a new study finds. Until recently, most of the attention has been focused on direct causes of death, such as drownings from floodwaters, rather than the complex cascade of events that can elevate mortality long after a storm fizzles. Axios.
