Note: The Executive Briefing will be back on Dec. 3rd unless anything urgent comes up!
Bird Flu News:
- Egg prices are up 30%, in part due to bird flu affecting poultry layer farms. (YLE)
- More than one out of three dairy cow herds in California have been affected by H5N1, with 62 more dairy herds in the state testing positive this week. (CIDRAP)
Health News:
- 167,000+ pounds of ground beef were recalled due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7, with 15 people sick in Minnesota. (FSIS)
- At least one patient in the E. coli outbreak linked to carrots is suing the producer. (NBC)
- Walking pneumonia continues to rise, especially in young kids and poorer Americans. (USA Today)
- 60% of Americans say they probably won’t get the updated COVID vaccine this year. (Pew)
- Climate change may drive migratory birds farther north, introducing exotic tick-borne diseases from bugs that catch a ride. (CIDRAP)
- CDC expects RSV and COVID to rise in the next few weeks. (Reuters)
- Pennsylvania and New York lead the nation in whooping cough cases. Nationwide, we’re at nearly six times the cases compared to this time last year. (LoHud)
- The WHO authorized a kids’ mpox vaccine for emergency use to help with the outbreak in DRC. (WHO)
- Valley fever cases are up in Arizona by 50%. (USA Today)
Mental Health & Substance Use News:
- The way UnitedHealth has limited mental health coverage puts people’s treatment at risk and has been sanctioned in three states. (ProPublica)
- Less potent pills may be part of why overdose deaths are dropping in the U.S. (CNN)
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call or text 988.
Best Questions:
How can we avoid being the center of an E. coli issue when it’s everywhere right now?
E. coli really does seem to be having its moment right now. Some of this is because of increased testing, but these latest recalls - onions, carrots, and ground beef - were all identified through gumshoe epidemiology because people got sick. You’re not totally at the mercy of these nasty bacteria, though. Here are 4 key things your team can control to avoid being the next headline:
- Check time and temperature: E. coli can be killed when properly heated to 165°F, whether it’s in carrots, ground beef or onions.
- Do all your purchasing via contracted vendors: Vendors are a lifesaver when you’re trying to juggle 6 concurrent recalls. Make sure your team isn’t running to the local wholesale store to buy more onions (or that they’re tracking it when they do) so that you can properly recall any affected products.
- Listen to your guests: Don’t underestimate guest complaints. Make sure you have a way to track them and escalate if you have multiple complaints about one location or product.
- Train managers to escalate quickly: If you can quickly get Zero Hour Health involved, work closely with the health department, and identify the affected product quickly, you can minimize the damage from an outbreak. ZHH is your crisis prevention and response partner - call us early, we can help!
Sources: ZHH, CBS, CDC
I’m sick. Should I bother testing to find out if it’s flu, COVID, or something else?
In general, testing is less important now than it has been in the past for most folks. That’s because the action you’ll need to take when you’re mildly sick is based on your symptoms rather than your diagnosis. You’ll stay home while sick and then can return to work when you start to feel better, and you’re at least 24 hours fever-free without fever-reducing medication. That’s the same advice for flu, COVID, RSV, and any other respiratory illness. And remember: a negative rapid test doesn’t mean much, just that you might have tested too early.
There’s one important reason to test, though, which is getting prompt treatment. If you’re older, immunocompromised, or have a high-risk condition like asthma, pregnancy, or diabetes, knowing what virus you have can help you get the right treatment, which can drastically reduce your chances of getting severely ill or being hospitalized. If it’s COVID, your doctor can start you on Paxlovid. If it's the flu, they can start you on Tamiflu. You may also want to know what you have to help determine the risk you pose to others - you might skip the Thanksgiving dinner with your 92-year-old grandpa if you have confirmed COVID or flu. In the end, part of it is also that we’ve gotten used to knowing what virus we have. We’re all taking calculated risks every day, and especially as the respiratory virus season starts up and the holidays are ahead of us, more info can help us determine what we’re comfortable doing.
Sources: NPR, Medpage Today
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