Health News:

• Half of Americans are interested in getting an updated COVID vaccine. (Reuters)
• There’s a Shigella outbreak among guests who attended a union delegates’ conference at a hotel in downtown LA.  (ACPHD)
• A person’s death from a rare brain-eating amoeba was linked to a splash pad at a country club. (AP)
• CDC estimates that hospitalizations for RSV, flu, and COVID will still be higher this year than pre-pandemic levels. (Reuters)
• Wastewater surveillance can be used to track flu and RSV. (CDC)
• Hospital staffing shortages are leading to longer ER stays for patients. (Axios)
• The Florida Surgeon General again rejected the FDA and CDC’s guidance by urging people under 65 not to get a booster. The CDC and FDA encourage everyone over 6 months to get an updated vaccine. (Politico)/
• An outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala, India has led to two deaths and five total cases. Past outbreaks have been linked to pigs and bats or bat droppings. (CIDRAP)
• A new study shows that COVID’s incubation period - the time between being exposed and getting sick - has gotten shorter and is down to as little as two to three days. (Huff Post)
• The Canadian daycare E. coli outbreak has risen to 337 lab-confirmed cases as of Friday, plus 26 secondary cases of transmission in households with sick kids. (CBC)

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Mental Health & Substance Use News:

• Even while opioid prescriptions declined, overdoses skyrocketed. (Washington  Post)
• A ‘4th wave’ of the overdose crisis is being driven by fentanyl mixed with cocaine or meth. (NPR)
• More than 30,000 doses of Narcan were available for free yesterday as part of “Appalachian Save a Life Day” in 13 states. (AP)
• MDMA, a psychedelic drug, was a safe and effective treatment for PTSD in a study that paves the way for possible US approval. (AP)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call 988 or message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Best Questions:

How much will the new COVID shot cost?

COVID vaccines (and flu vaccines, for that matter) will remain free for most people with private or public health insurance as long as you go to an in-network provider to get the shot. Uninsured people will need to seek out free doses at community health centers or wait for more information from vaccine manufacturers and the government, who are likely to offer free vaccines this year through a “bridge program.” Out of pocket, the vaccine could cost hundreds of dollars, but we don’t expect that anyone will have to pay full price (or hopefully at all) this year if they’re willing to wait a bit or go to a different location for their shot.

Source: NY Times

Can you get the COVID and flu shots at the same time? What about RSV?

Yes, it’s safe to get COVID and flu vaccines together. Some good news is that recent studies show that flu and COVID shots are just as effective when given together, so not only are they safe, but they work well, too.  It’s also safe to get the RSV vaccine (for older adults) and flu vaccines at the same time. RSV and COVID haven’t yet been tested together since they’re both too new to have those results back. If you’re low on time, it’s best to do whatever it takes to get the shots you need - COVID and flu for almost everyone, and RSV for those over 60. If you are definitely going to get each shot no matter what, you may choose to time them more carefully to maximize coverage. We recommend discussing it with your primary care doctor if you can!

Source: CIDRAP, YLE, NYT

Is the upcoming flu season expected to be a bad one? Will flu shots work well?

We base our predictions for the upcoming flu season on the one that took place in the Southern Hemisphere, during our summer and their winter. This year, their flu shot, which is very similar to ours, prevented over half of hospitalizations from the flu. That means we can expect a similar level of protection. Their flu season peaked a little earlier than normal, which may or may not happen here but is something to look out for. Last year’s US flu season also started early, increasing from the beginning of October and peaking in early December. The CDC (and the team here at ZHH!) recommends getting your flu shot by Halloween to slash your chances of serious illness from the flu.

Sources: CDC, MMWR

Best Read:

A New Covid Booster Is Here. Will Those at Greatest Risk Get It? - KFF Health News

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