Health News:

• The global COVAX vaccine program will wind down at the end of the year; models show it prevented 2.7 million people from dying. (CIDRAP)
• US workers are using more cold and allergy medications to mask symptoms at work. (Bloomberg)
• Despite a recent small study showing it increases the chances of rebound, a systematic review by federal agencies found no consistent link between antivirals like Paxlovid and COVID rebound. (CIDRAP)
• States are throwing away massive stockpiles of now-expired masks, gloves, hospital gowns, and other pandemic gear. (AP)
• Persistent daily headaches after COVID may be a common lingering symptom. (CIDRAP)
• A new California rule will allow cities to turn sewage into drinking water. (SF Chronicle)
• The head of CalOSHA unexpectedly stepped down this week, saying the transition from DC was harder than his family expected while CalOSHA is experiencing unprecedented staff vacancies. (Sacramento Bee)
• There are now over 200 cases of lead poisoning from recalled applesauce pouches in 33 states. (CBS)
• Researchers say they’ve found a better way to test new TB vaccines. (STLPR)
• Paxlovid cuts death rates in half when taken on day 0 or day 1 of symptoms. (CIDRAP)
• An E. coli outbreak at a high school in IL earlier this year has been tied to a sick food service worker. (Fox 32 Chicago)
• The FDA approved a test to screen for the risk of opioid abuse. (Web MD)
• There is a vaccine under development that prevents urinary tract infections, which lead to 10.5 million doctor visits and 3 million ER visits per year in the US. (Cleveland 19)
• A large contact tracing investigation is underway at UC Berkeley after a particularly infectious TB case was identified. (Sacramento Bee)
• The FDA has recalled oysters from British Columbia, under the brand Pacific Oyster Fanny Bay, for Campylobacter jejuni contamination. (FDA)

Mental Health & Substance Use News:

• Medicare will add 400,000 new mental health providers on January 1st. (Axios)
• Well-intentioned mental health courts can struggle to live up to their goals. (NPR)
• Spending time outdoors in the winter boosts mental health. (ABC)

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:

Are we experiencing the next surge?

We’re certainly experiencing an uptick in cases of both COVID and other respiratory illnesses like flu and common colds. RSV appears to be peaking, but numbers still remain high. Wastewater testing shows cases of flu and COVID rising exponentially right now, and the holiday gatherings happening this weekend will certainly lead us to see more cases over the next two weeks. Hospitals are already overwhelmed with patients in respiratory distress. We do not expect a massive spike like the Omicron surge from two years ago, though, that could always happen with a new variant (we’re keeping an eye on JN.1). Overall, we think you’ll hear of a lot of employees and your own friends and family getting sick over the next few weeks, and encourage managers to plan accordingly when considering staffing. Last year, the height of the winter peak was on New Year’s Eve, and we think it might be similar this year.
Source: CDC, YLE

We’re hearing about Paxlovid rebound again. Should I take it if I get COVID?

There’s mixed evidence about whether rebound is actually higher after taking Paxlovid. A small and preliminary study recently found that rebound was much more common with Paxlovid than without. But two massive systematic reviews of the current research by federal agencies found no conclusive link between antivirals like Paxlovid and COVID rebound. Generally, the concern is not whether Paxlovid works to reduce the severity of symptoms - it does! The real question is whether the relatively short 5-day dose should be extended. If you are older or at higher risk for severe complications from COVID, you should absolutely take Paxlovid if your doctor recommends it. Paxlovid still slashes your chances of being hospitalized or dying from COVID by a whopping 80%, so don’t let the risk of rebound fool you. We think it’s possible that future research may mean antivirals are a 10-day prescription rather than 5, or that other brands’ antivirals that are still in development may account for this with longer prescription courses.
Source: STAT

Can an employee return to work if they’re past 5 days but still testing COVID positive on a rapid test?

Ultimately, we don’t recommend that an employee return to work if they’re within 10 days from symptom-onset and still testing positive on a rapid test, which means they’re still shedding enough virus that they’re likely infectious. Remember, the 5-day isolation period is a general rule meant to balance the infectiousness of COVID and the need for people to get on with their lives. Generally, testing is not required to return to work after 5 days have passed since symptoms first start, as long as the employee is feeling better. But if they do choose to test and test positive, they should wait until either a negative test result or after Day 10 to return to work, whichever comes first.
Sources: ZHH, CDC

‍

Best Read

Hospitals are already overwhelmed this winter with a variety of respiratory illnesses and many patients struggling to breathe. Nationwide, we’re not in crisis mode yet, but it doesn’t take much to tip our healthcare system beyond its breaking point.

Winter Illness This Year Is a Different Kind of Ugly - The Atlantic

‍

Note: We are off next week, we’ll be back in 2024. If anything urgent happens or a large surge comes, we’ll be sure to keep you updated throughout the week. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!