NB.1.8.1, a new subvariant of COVID, seems to be fueling a surge of cases and hospitalizations in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It’s certainly something to pay attention to – Hong Kong has its highest number of cases in a year. And it’s actually already here in the United States. Airport testing found this new strain in international travelers arriving in Washington, Virginia, New York and California as far back as March.
But there’s good news: there’s no evidence that it causes more severe illness or requires different precautions than previous strains. Like other subvariants, NB.1.8.1 is slightly better at spreading or dodging immunity, but symptoms are largely the same—cough, sore throat, fatigue, and sometimes fever—and most cases are still mild.
There’s no NB.1.8.1-specific booster, but the current vaccines still offer some protection against this strain, especially against severe outcomes. That said, they may be harder to come by for those who don’t meet the more limited recommendation groups rolled out last week.
At the end of the day, there’s no need for employers to update protocols or panic. Encourage sick employees to stay home, even if they just have respiratory symptoms. Wash hands, continue your basic sanitizing procedures, and hang in there.
Sources: CBS, Forbes, SF Chronicle
The short answer: not enough to panic, but enough to think twice about your tools. A recent NPR article highlighted concerns about aging plastic kitchenware, like cutting boards and spatulas, shedding microplastics during use. When these tools get scratched or heated, they can release tiny plastic fragments that may end up in food. Some studies suggest these particles can cross into human tissue and may be linked to health issues ranging from inflammation to hormone disruption. (You may remember a recent study that said we all have the equivalent of a 🥄 plastic spoon in our brains!)
The FDA doesn’t currently limit microplastics in food, and there’s no formal guidance about restaurant tools—yet. But some scientists say it’s worth replacing well-worn plastic items, especially those used with heat or sharp edges, like tongs or spatulas in a hot sauté pan. But the reality is that alternatives that are great for avoiding microplastics – like wood cutting boards – might sacrifice food safety if they’re not dishwasher safe. That said, there may be some low-hanging fruit actions you can take, like not reusing deli containers by putting them through the dishwasher.
While microplastics aren’t a food code violation or an urgent safety issue, it's something to keep on your radar, without jeopardizing your sanitation practices.
The food safety world has been abuzz about a recent E. coli outbreak, which a Feb. 11 internal FDA memo linked to a single lettuce processor and ranch as the source of the contamination. In a break with common practice, officials never issued public communications after the investigation or identified the grower who produced the lettuce, because the risk to the public was no longer ongoing, they said.