Author: Claudinne Miller
Avian flu outbreaks hit more commercial farms in 7 states
CIDRAP The steady pace of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks at commercial poultry farms and in backyard flocks continues, with the virus striking 11 more commercial farms across seven states, according to updates over the past few days from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Affected premises include two broiler […]
Dec 5, 2023
Belgium reports bird flu outbreak on farm near French border
Retuers Belgium has reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, on a poultry farm in the northwestern part of the country, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Monday. The outbreak, which would be the first this season, was detected in Diksmuide, not far from France. It […]
Dec 5, 2023
Two N95 Companies Shut Down, as an Era Ends
NYT Two mask companies are shutting down as a once sought-after item becomes an afterthought. Two face mask providers say they are closing, as the slow and steady decline of what was once a much-sought-after item continues. Project N95, a nonprofit that helped people buy protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic, said Monday it would stop […]
Dec 5, 2023
Is It Too Late to Get a Flu Shot?
NYT Influenza season goes until spring, so getting the vaccine late can still give you some protection. In the United States, annual flu vaccine campaigns begin in early September, before temperatures start to cool down and the cycle of people catching and spreading virus commences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that most people get […]
Dec 5, 2023
How the New Outbreak in China Is Hitting Clinics Elsewhere
Medscape The social media images from China are a heart-rending déjà vu with photos of young children connected to intravenous lines receiving fluids from overcrowded hospital waiting rooms. For a world still reeling from the recent coronavirus pandemic, news from China about a sudden rise in respiratory ailments has prompted understandable concern. Just 4 years […]
Dec 5, 2023
Why your mood could affect your flu shot
Washington Post Silly cat videos could be good for your health — at least if you are about to get one of the seasonal vaccines. For instance, when people who were in a positive mood got a flu shot that day, they produced higher levels of antibodies to help them fight the disease, according to […]
Dec 5, 2023
Get Your Updated COVID Vaccine!
by James Lawler, MD, MPH, FIDSA According to CDC survey data, over 80% of US adults have not received an updated (XBB) COVID-19 vaccine this year. While I believe the proportion of abstainers is likely much smaller in our highly intelligent and educated population of Transmission consumers, I would be willing to bet that many […]
Dec 5, 2023
New Jersey’s funny traffic signs are back this holiday season
Fox 29 If you ever drive in New Jersey, you might’ve seen a few signs that have been popping up along major roadways featuring a play on words to remind drivers to obey the rules of the road. Similar signs were taken down by the Federal Highway Administration this time last year after it said […]
Nov 29, 2023
What To Know About Rapidly Spreading ‘Pirola’ Covid Variant BA.2.86—And If Vaccines Offer Protection
Forbes Pirola, or BA.2.86, is the third most prevalent Covid strain in the U.S., and although there may be concerns the new monovalent vaccines—which protect against the XBB lineage that Pirola isn’t a part of—don’t offer protection against Pirola and its subvariants, drugmakers and the CDC are sure the vaccines offer defense. Pirola made up 8.8% of […]
Nov 29, 2023
New CDC life expectancy data shows painfully slow rebound from covid
Washington Post Newly published data on life expectancy in the United States shows a partial rebound from the worst phase of the coronavirus pandemic, but drug overdoses, homicides and chronic illnesses such as heart disease continue to drive a long-term mortality crisis that has made this country an outlier in longevity among wealthy nations. Life […]
Nov 29, 2023