Health News:

• Crowded cruises have led to a rise in sick passengers, with 13 norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships in 2023, after just four in all of 2022. (WSJ)
• San Francisco may be the first city that requires every pharmacy to carry Narcan. (AP)
• An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis was linked to a college swimming pool. (CIDRAP)

• Nearly 1.2 million excess deaths may have occurred in the first 2 years of the pandemic. (CIDRAP)
• Wastewater sampling in Canada shows that COVID cases are likely 19x higher than reported. (CIDRAP)

• Bats in the UK harbor novel coronaviruses. (CIDRAP)
• 1 in 30 Europeans have had long COVID. (WHO)
• Deaths linked to xylazine-laced fentanyl are soaring, the CDC found. (Bloomberg)
• Australia is offering MDMA therapy to treat PTSD, one of the first countries in the world to move it from a prohibited to a controlled substance. (Washington Post)
• Healthcare costs are expected to rise 7% in 2024. (Modern Healthcare)
• More states are legalizing the sale of unpasteurized milk, despite public health warnings about E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. (KFF Health)
• The CDC will reduce state funding for child vaccination programs. (KFF Health)
• Florida hospitals that accept Medicaid will now be required to ask patients about their immigration status. Critics say the question will scare people away from seeking care. (Miami Herald)

Mental Health News:

• Wildfire smoke may be having a negative impact on your mental health. (Washington Post)
• More kids and teens are being prescribed anxiety medication without much therapy. (NBC)
• The ACLU is suing Washington, D.C. for sending police to mental health emergencies, citing disability rights. (Huff Post)

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.

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Best Questions

If I haven’t gotten a booster yet, should I wait until the fall?

This is a tough call at this point. By fall, there will be a new monovalent booster customized for the strain that’s dominating in the US right now, so waiting until the fall has the benefit of getting the most up-to-date version. Most recommendations involve waiting at least 4 months before getting another booster, so getting a booster today would mean waiting until well into the fall before getting the new vaccine. Ultimately, this is a personal decision that you should make with your doctor. If you have a high-risk event or travel coming up before the fall, you may choose to get boosted now. If you’re more worried about being protected in the fall, when cases are likely to rise and holiday travel will take place, you may choose to wait.
Source: CDC

Should our company offer RSV along with COVID and flu shots this fall? Can we offer them at the same time?

For the first time, an RSV vaccine is available for older adults, which will save lives. But there’s some debate about whether it’s best to administer them all at the same time to increase uptake or to spread them out to ensure maximum effectiveness. There’s some evidence that the RSV and flu shots are somewhat less effective when given at the same time. But bundling the three life-saving shots into a single appointment might mean more people are likely to get them. If you can, we highly recommend adding RSV and COVID to your annual flu shot program, even if that means offering them all on a single day. Because they’re recommended by the CDC, all three vaccines should be covered under most insurance.
Source: NY Times

What’s going on with cyclospora?

We don’t blame you if you’re having trouble keeping track - there have been three confirmed outbreaks of Cyclospora cayetanensis this season, with a new one just added to the FDA’s official list. The latest is actually the largest, with a current case count of 105 compared to 37 in the other active case. No cause or specific location has been confirmed by the CDC for either active investigation, though there’s an ongoing lawsuit against a taqueria in Colorado that’s linked to cyclospora cases from this spring. The third outbreak, related to imported broccoli, is now closed. On top of all of that, the CDC released a report about an outbreak from last year that was linked to bagged salads from grocery stores. Washing produce properly and ensuring proper holding temps are your best defense against cyclospora. If you hear of any guests or employees diagnosed with cyclospora, don’t hesitate to call Zero Hour Health for support.
Sources: FDA, CDC, Denver Post

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Best Read:

Antibiotic Shortage Could Worsen Syphilis Epidemic - New York Times

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