Measles News:
- Two recent airport measles exposures at Boston Logan and Newark highlight how common it’s becoming for major travel hubs. (CBS)
- Newer genomic testing methods suggest significant silent spread of measles in the U.S. The Utah/Arizona outbreak could be 6.5x larger than reported cases. (CNN)
Health News:
- The flu vaccine is no longer mandated for U.S. troops (and a fun fact: the military instituted its first vaccination program in 1777). (AP)
- Moderna launched a large-scale trial of an mRNA bird flu vaccine for humans, despite millions of dollars in federal funding being cancelled for the research. (Washington Post)
- Lyme disease cases in Michigan jumped to 3,400 last year, compared to under 2,300 in the previous three years. (CBS)
- MAHA influence is showing up in grocery stores with familiar processed food products packed with protein, fiber, and natural dyes, though they’re not always healthier, per se. (STAT)
- The USDA created a new Office of Seafood, and announced a reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). A new National Food Safety Center will be established in Iowa. (USDA, QA Magazine)
- More California marine mammals have tested positive for H5N1 bird flu, but commercial detections are (thankfully) dropping so far in April. (CIDRAP)
- The CDC will not publish a report, which cleared its scientific-review process, showing that COVID shots cut the likelihood of hospital visits. (Washington Post)
- Nearly half of U.S. children are breathing dangerous levels of air pollution, a new report warns. (Guardian)
Good News:
- Regeneron won FDA approval for the first gene therapy to restore hearing in deaf children with a specific genetic condition, and will give it away for free. (Quartz)
- The 988 crisis hotline worked better than expected to prevent youth suicides, with rates 11% below projections. States with more 988 calls answered had fewer deaths. (NY Times)
Best Question:
I heard tick bites are skyrocketing. What should we do?
It’s true. Last week, ER visits for tick bites hit a 10-year high for this point in the season (it’s very early), at over double the usual rate.
Tick bites are happening earlier and later in the season, and in a much larger range than they used to. What was once a problem really only in the Northeast is now a problem for most of the country. Chalk it up to warmer winters (it needs to stay very cold for days in a row for ticks to die, so more survive each year).
Ticks are important to remove, and tick bites are important to treat quickly, because there are many tick-borne diseases that can have a real impact on your life. It’s not just Lyme disease, with its tell-tale bullseye rash, but also things like alpha-gal syndrome (which causes a red meat allergy), Powassan virus, babeosis, and others that can be dangerous. So it’s key to avoid tick bites when you can, remove ticks immediately if you find one, and get treatment ASAP if you have symptoms like fever, headache, or rash after a bite.
Here’s the basic advice for avoiding tick bites, which is still our best individual defense:
- Wear long pants tucked into high socks.
- Use bug spray with DEET or picaridin on your bare skin. Treat your clothes with permethrin, which lasts for several washes.
- Shower within two hours of coming inside. Dry your clothes on high heat to kill any ticks you missed on your clothes.
- Check your whole body for ticks - armpits, hair, behind ears and knees, etc. Check your pets, too!
If you find one, keep the tick for testing, especially if you have symptoms like rash, fever, or headache. (Seek medical attention quickly if that’s the case - better safe than sorry!)
On a structural level, the U.S. still really undercounts tick-borne diseases, and more surveillance and awareness is needed as each season becomes more severe than the last. For businesses: if you have outdoor workers, keep your grass trimmed, treat the area, provide bug spray for workers, and consider long sleeves and pants for your uniforms.
Sources: Dr. Céline Gounder, CDC, Johns Hopkins
Best Watch:
This week, the federal government reclassified state-level medical marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 (like Tylenol with codeine) to allow more research. This quick 4 min watch covers why that matters.