Measles News:

• The U.S. passed 1,000 measles cases so far this year, putting us on track for the worst year since 2000. (CNN)
• A leading immunologist warned of a “post-herd-immunity world” as measles outbreaks pummel Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. (Guardian)
• Four North Dakota students attended school while infectious with measles, and per state law, unvaccinated students and staff will need to isolate for 21 days. (ND HHS)
• Canada’s outbreak is growing quickly, with nearly 1,400 cases in Ontario and now possible community spread in neighboring Manitoba province. (CIDRAP)

Bird Flu News:

• H5N1 cases have slowed in both animals and people... (MedPage Today)
• …but a spike in cases in house cats is creating concerns over potential human spillover. (CIDRAP)

Health News:

• FDA is investigating a new Hep A outbreak with 5 cases, not yet linked to a known product. (FDA)
• A restaurant in San Diego voluntarily closed after reports of 19 guests with Salmonella infection who dined over a two-day period. (ABC 10)
• ICE raided dozens of restaurants and bars in Washington, D.C. this week, asking to see I-9 forms for all workers. (ABC)
• Undocumented workers and migrants are skipping medical care for fear of ICE, doctors say. (NY Times)
• CDC’s disease detectives have been exempted from the hiring freeze, averting a huge cut to the selective 2-year program. (CBS)
• Utah’s statewide fluoride ban in public water systems went into effect this week, while Florida’s governor confirmed he’ll sign theirs into law. (Health News FL, AP)
• At least 216 children died in the first high-severity US flu season in seven years. (Guardian)
• Moderna’s combo COVID and flu mRNA vaccine outperformed both current standalone vaccines in a large clinical trial. (NBC)
• Personal doctors remain by far the most trusted source of vaccine information. 59% trust the CDC and fewer than half trust the President or RFK Jr. (KFF)
  
  

Best Questions:

What’s going on with loosening vaccine rules? Can health departments still require vaccination for things like Hep A?

Short answer: Yes, in many cases, health departments can still require vaccinations for specific outbreaks like Hepatitis A. However, there's a growing trend of states enacting laws that limit public health authorities' ability to mandate vaccines, even amidst rising outbreaks, like measles.

What’s changing: In the past, most states required routine childhood vaccinations for enrollment in childcare or schools, but now many are passing laws allowing for religious and philosophical exemptions, not just medical. Some are going even farther, and proposing bills that limit the power of health departments to mandate treatment or even quarantine for infectious people with contagious (and dangerous) diseases like tuberculosis.

What’s still allowed: Despite the loosening vaccination rules, most U.S. health departments can still require vaccinations in response to specific outbreaks. Whether they actually will is another story. On the ground, we’re seeing less contact tracing and fewer mandates from health departments, at least with measles.

Bottom line: While most health departments can still mandate vaccinations in specific outbreak scenarios, the evolving legal and political landscape means their authority is increasingly subject to state-specific laws. Employers should stay informed about local regulations and be prepared to implement internal policies to ensure the health and safety of their employees and guests.

Sources: Politico, PBS, Idaho Capital Sun

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We have locations in Canada and Mexico - should we be worried about measles there?

Unfortunately, yes. Canada’s measles outbreak is even larger than the one in West Texas, with over 1,500 confirmed cases across the country. These are mostly centered in Ontario, where there were nearly 200 new measles cases last week. Much like the outbreak in Texas, the Canadian outbreak started at a large gathering in the Mennonite community and spread from there. Mexico’s outbreak is effectively a continuation of the West Texas outbreak. It’s centered in Chihuahua state with 844 cases there as of last week. It’s a border state, so there’s lots of back-and-forth between the affected area of Texas, plus it has extremely low vaccination rates in certain age groups - some as low as 21.2%! If you have locations in Chihuahua, Mexico or Ontario, Canada, you’re at about as high a risk of a measles-positive employee or guest as you are if you have locations in Gaines County, TX. That said, public health responses can be quite different based on location, even within the United States. North Dakota, for example, is keeping unvaccinated students and staff at home for 21 days after exposure, while many other places—both in the U.S. and Canada—are just recommending self-monitoring after exposure.

Sources: Yale SPH, Globe and Mail

Best Watch:

The FDA’s oversight of food additives is much weaker than its oversight of drugs. Companies can evaluate the safety of their own products, and use broad terms like “artificial flavors” rather than listing individual ingredients. This short video from KFF Health News covers this loophole and the pushback against it at the highest levels of the FDA right now.

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3-minute Watch: How the FDA Opens the Door to Risky Chemicals in America's Food Supply - KFF Health News

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