Bird Flu News:

• Washington State reported 4 suspected cases of bird flu in poultry workers. (CIDRAP)
• Avian flu was circulating in Texas wastewater two weeks before the first cases were reported in cattle. (CIDRAP)
• CA’s H5N1 outbreak may have started after cows were sent to Idaho, which had multiple outbreaks, but the shipment was rejected and returned to CA. (LA Times)

Health News: 

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• A mass food poisoning incident left 46 people hospitalized in Maryland. Dozens of people fell ill simultaneously at a fish wholesaler. (Newsweek)
• Green onions from Church Brothers, also sold under Imperial Fresh and Trader Joe’s brands, were recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination. (FDA)
• Serious infections including flu, herpes, and other respiratory illnesses are linked to increased dementia risk, a new study shows. (Washington Post)
• Rwanda’s marburg outbreak likely came from a single spillover event, according to their health ministry’s genetic research. (CIDRAP)
• Wastewater data for norovirus is accurate, and can provide timely, localized and actionable data for public health authorities. (CDC)
• FL has seen a surge of flesh-eating bacteria cases after flooding from hurricanes. (USA Today)
• Conditions have improved across Western NC after Helene, but clean water remains an issue. (NC Health News)
• TX hospitals will start asking patients about their immigration status beginning on November 1st. (Texas Tribune)

Mental Health & Substance Use News:

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• ‘Pink cocaine’ is rising in popularity in the club scene; it’s a mix that can include ketamine, meth, and Ecstasy, but rarely cocaine itself. (NY Times)
• Over 2,000 Kaiser mental health workers are on strike in Southern California over staffing and workloads. (AP)
• The Vessel, a popular NYC sculpture, was closed due to a series of suicides, but has reopened with new safety features like mesh barriers. (AP)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call or text 988.

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Best Questions:

I’m getting ads for new combination COVID & flu rapid tests. Do they actually work?

Yes, they do! Earlier this month, the FDA approved the first rapid, at-home flu and COVID combo test outside of emergency use, meaning it’s fully authorized. There are dozens of other brands of combo tests authorized for emergency use, many of which are available over-the-counter at pharmacies. These combo tests are comparable to all other rapid, at-home COVID tests in terms of accuracy for SARS-COV-2, flu A and flu B viruses. Like all rapid tests, there’s a chance for false negatives, but it’s very rare to get a false positive. So, if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness and receive a negative result on this combo test, it doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have COVID or flu - instead, you should wait 24-48 hours and re-test. 

Source: FDA

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Does getting flu and COVID shots at the same time make side effects worse?

There are pros and cons to getting your shots together. First, it’s safe to get them at the same time. It’s more convenient, and there’s actually some evidence that getting flu and COVID shots together offers higher levels of antibodies. But there’s also some evidence that getting both flu and mRNA COVID shots together leads to more (but mild) side effects, most commonly fatigue, headaches and muscle aches. Novavax’s traditional protein-based COVID shot tends to have slightly lower risk of these mild side effects on its own, but we weren’t able to find specific data showing the risk of side effects for Novavax when given at the same time as flu. Long story short, if you’re seriously worried about the mild side effects because your last COVID or flu shot laid you out for a day or two, you can always get them separately. But if convenience is more important to you, we recommend scheduling your shots together just before a day off, so that if you’re feeling under the weather for 24 hours or so, you can rest up. We promise, it’s a lot better to feel it for a day than to actually be hospitalized for flu or COVID! Now is the time to get your shots, and we recommend at least scheduling your appointment by Halloween. 

Sources: Guardian, CIDRAP, CDC

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Best Read:

Why Do Mental Health Conditions Lead to More Severe Covid? - The New York Times

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