Bird Flu News:
- The USDA announced a $1 billion plan to combat bird flu, and increase egg imports to reduce prices. (Reuters)
- The U.S. is reconsidering a $590 million contract that the Biden administration awarded to Moderna for a human bird flu vaccine. (Bloomberg)
- The CDC shared that two severe human H5N1 cases had notable mutations that allowed more efficient replication in mammal cells, but neither would impact effectiveness of vaccine or treatment. (CIDRAP)
- A toddler in Cambodia died of H5N1 after contact with sick chickens. (CIDRAP)
Measles News:
- An otherwise healthy, unvaccinated child in West Texas has died from the measles. It’s the first U.S. measles death in a decade. (CNN)
- The TX measles outbreak has grown to 146 cases with 20 hospitalizations. (TX DSHS)
- In Texas, parents who previously chose not to vaccinate their kids are taking them to be vaccinated as their risk assessments change. (NBC)
- An infant from Orange County, CA traveled through LAX earlier this month, potentially exposing people there from 1-4pm on February 19th. (CBS)
Health News:
- CDC is investigating five hospitalizations in people who recently received the chikungunya vaccine; it’s too early to know if there’s a link. (CNN)
- The FDA cancelled the meeting where they were set to select the flu strains for next season’s shots. (NBC)
- …But the WHO announced their recommendations for the composition of northern hemisphere flu shots. (WHO)
- USAID’s initiatives to fight Ebola have been gutted, agency officials say, despite Elon Musk’s comments at a White House Cabinet meeting saying that the program was restored with no interruptions. (Washington Post)
- Testing in the mysterious illness clusters in DR Congo found that half of the samples were positive for malaria, and more tests are being done for meningitis or water contamination. (WHO)
- Meanwhile, the WHO extended an mpox emergency as a more transmissible variant is spreading in DR Congo. (CIDRAP)
Mental Health & Substance Use News:
- There was a nearly 24% decline in drug overdose deaths in the U.S. from fall 2023 to fall 2024, a massive drop of over 27,000 deaths. (CDC)
- 42% of Americans on a major NAMI survey worry their career would be negatively impacted if they talked about mental health concerns in the workplace. (NAMI)
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call or text 988.
Best Questions:
Is there anything we should be doing differently at our West Texas locations right now during the measles outbreak?
The measles outbreak in West Texas (and parts of nearby New Mexico) is growing rapidly, with well over 100 cases. As it grows, so too does the risk that you either (A) are visited by a guest who is contagious or (B) have an employee with measles.
Here are some things you can do to be prepared:
- Share accurate, proactive information about measles with your employees.
- Communicate early and often.
- We shared a draft of employee talking points in last week’s newsletter that you’re welcome to use, or DM us for an updated version!
- Expect health departments to move fast.
- If an employee or guest visited your business while they were infectious, the health department will move to go public with that information ASAP to help area doctors quickly identify cases. Since the virus can stay in the air for hours, even a quick visit can end up with your business in the national news headlines.
- ZHH can support and liaise with health departments - make sure managers know that any mention of measles means they should pick up the phone and call the crisis team immediately!
- Focus on the basics.
- The first symptoms of measles are normal flu symptoms before the rash shows up. Make sure sick employees stay home!
- Even though measles is incredibly contagious, the basics are still key: wash your hands frequently with soap and water, avoid sharing cups and utensils, and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.
- Consider voluntarily tracking vaccination status if there are nearby cases.
- Some employers may also choose to collect employee vaccination status from those who voluntarily share that information.
- Some health departments prohibit employees who have been exposed to the virus from coming to work for up to 21 days unless they can prove that they have immunity.
- While it’s a bit of a politically fraught topic right now, gathering vaccination status in advance can be the difference-maker between whether you have to temporarily shut down or not.
Sources: ZHH, CDC
Do adults need a measles booster?
As the West Texas measles outbreak continues to grow and new cases crop up across the country, more people may be exposed to the measles virus. Most people in the U.S. are well protected.
There’s likely no need for a booster if:
- You were born before 1957. You probably had the measles during childhood, and therefore, you’re considered protected for life because of natural immunity.
- You’ve had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine. This has been standard for most kids in the U.S. for 30+ years and prevents about 97% of measles cases.
You may need a booster if:
- You were born after 1957 but vaccinated before 1968. The early vaccine used a different method of inoculation, and the newer version is more effective.
- You only got one dose. If you were vaccinated before 1989, you probably just got one dose. That alone provides strong protection, but if you’re high risk - like you work in health care, travel internationally, or if there’s a measles outbreak in your community.
If you’re not sure of your vaccination status, there’s no harm in getting an extra shot. In fact, adults are more likely overall than kids to develop complications from measles. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about whether a booster dose makes sense for you.
Sources: NPR, CDC
Best Read:
Personal stories are more persuasive than facts alone in addressing vaccine skepticism. We think this article, about parents who ultimately decided to get their kids caught up on vaccines, is a great one to read this weekend: