Health News:

• Norovirus is continuing to climb across the US, especially in the Northeast, though there are hotspots all over - including California, Rhode Island, Virginia, and many more. (CNN)
• Measles cases continue to rise in FL, now up to nine and spreading to Central Florida from South Florida. (Fox)
• New measles cases were also reported in Michigan and Minnesota (Local4, MPR)
• An estimated 134,000 cancer diagnoses were likely missed during 2020 when medical care was delayed. (CIDRAP)
• More than half of Americans don’t know that drinking increases their risk of colorectal cancer. (The Hill)
• A cruise ship was delayed from docking in Mauritius due to concerns that the 15+ sick passengers on board might have cholera, but no samples tested positive. (Reuters)
• Minnesota will now screen newborns for Krabbe disease, a genetic disorder that can cause neurological problems or death, but early stem cell transplants can help. (CBS)
• The first cases of bird flu on mainland Antarctica have been confirmed. (Guardian)
• Peru declared a health emergency as dengue cases skyrocket there. (AP)

Mental Health & Substance Use News:

• After a leader at Lincoln University died by suicide, the community is renewing focus on the importance of mental health support. (STLPR)
• People in their 20s are more likely to be out of work due to mental health issues than people in their early 40s, a new British study found. (Guardian)
• Philadelphia city workers and health advocates are going door to door with naloxone overdose kits to help address the opioid epidemic there. (NPR)

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:

Should we offer measles vaccines to our employees?

First of all, it’s important to note that most of your workers are already vaccinated against measles. The MMR vaccine, which includes protection against measles, mumps, and rubella, has been a standard childhood vaccination for over 50 years and is required to attend childcare or public school in all 50 states. So you aren’t likely to need a widespread vaccination campaign for your staff. Instead, you may choose to make the MMR vaccine free and easily accessible for any unvaccinated staff members who are open to getting the vaccine to protect themselves and their families. Most health insurances will cover MMR vaccines, regardless of age. It’s a good idea to create some resources to educate about the dangers of measles and direct employees to information about how to get vaccinated if they’re not already.  You can distribute that now but also have it on hand for more targeted distribution if there are local cases or direct exposure at a specific location.

Sources: Immunize.org, OSHA

Do vaccine mandates work to get more people vaccinated?

A recent analysis of CDC data suggests that state vaccine mandates didn’t actually significantly increase vaccine uptake, at least in the few months after implementation of the mandate. In fact, an unintended consequence was that states with mandates ended up having lower voluntary shot uptake for boosters and flu shots than states that banned vaccine mandates. Granted, this was a small study that looked just at the two months before and after state vaccine requirements, but it is an important lesson about the complicated challenges of public health, especially with the politicization of vaccination during this pandemic. We hope that public health will invest in research about how to build trust within communities so that we’re better prepared for the next pandemic.

Sources: PNAS, CIDRAP

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Why is raw or unpasteurized dairy so much more likely to spread foodborne illness?

Raw milk (or cheese, as in the case of the latest E. coli recall) is unpasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating raw milk hot enough and for long enough that it kills harmful bacteria, including E. coli, campylobacter, salmonella, and listeria, among many others. At least 75 outbreaks were linked to raw milk in a 5 year period from 2013-2018. Many believe raw milk tastes better, which is part of why it remains popular despite the risk. Some claim that raw milk is more nutritious, but studies show that pasteurization doesn’t affect nutritional value in any significant way. Raw milk is legal in some states, but the FDA doesn’t allow it to cross state lines in final packaged form. The CDC’s stance on raw milk is clear: no raw milk is safe.

Source: Consumer Reports, Eater, CDC

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Best Read:

Florida’s recommendations give room for measles to spread - Your Local Epidemiologist

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