Protecting workers against mosquito-borne diseases, the decline of flu vaccine, and the start of a busy state fair season...
July 30, 2024
Bird Flu News:
New York’s preparations for bird flu rely solely on stockpiling Tamiflu. (NY Times)
The WHO is working to develop human mRNA vaccines for bird flu. (ABC)
Hundreds of state fairs will happen in the next two months, but vets and experts are unclear what impact the H5N1 outbreak will have on animals or humans. (CIDRAP)
Health News:
COVID activity is continuing at a brisk pace across the U.S. (CIDRAP)
The WHO says a polio outbreak is “very likely” in Gaza and has sent a million doses of vaccines to try to help. (US News)
Public health professionals are actively promoting back-to-school vaccinations to try and catch up on shots missed during the pandemic years. (Immunize.org)
Global measles cases spiked 140% in 2019 amid falling childhood vaccination rates in many nations. (CIDRAP)
5 attendees of the Lightning in a Bottle music festival in California have been diagnosed with Valley Fever, a respiratory disease spread via dust. (LA Times)
NY reports an increase in carfentanil in illicit drugs, which is 100x more powerful than fentanyl and may require multiple Narcan doses to reverse an overdose. (NYS DOH)
The final line of the Barbie movie mentioned visiting her gynecologist; it generated lots of Google searches but not an uptick in actual appointments or pap smears. (JAMA Network)
WA state has launched a new Foodborne illness reporting system for the public to create a single funnel for gathering accurate illness information. (King 5)
A norovirus outbreak was reported in Zion National Park. (8 News)
Mental Health & Substance Use News:
Mental health among athletes has become a major topic at the Olympics, and the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee is planning to support athletes after the games. (NY Times)
Reuters bought everything needed to make $3 million of fentanyl with just $3,600 and a web browser. (Reuters)
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call or text 988.
Best Questions:
Our employees who work outdoors are complaining about bugs. Do we need to be concerned?
Mosquito and tick-borne diseases are major issues that are only getting worse in the U.S. each year as temperatures heat up, especially in the summer. Last year, we saw locally acquired malaria cases for the first time in decades. Dengue already spreads in the U.S. regularly (with a recent CDC alert as cases rise), and other illnesses like Zika, chikungunya, and even tropical parasites are already problems. Employers should practice good mosquito control - eliminate standing water and add screens on windows and doors. You should also protect employees who work outdoors from insect bites, whether with physical barriers like screened-in booths, insect repellant, or with appropriate uniforms that cover arms and legs (while still cool enough for hot summer days). This is especially true in Florida, where we tend to see more mosquito-borne diseases due to the tropical climate.
If an employee tests positive for COVID but has no symptoms, can they work?
If an employee is completely symptom-free and just tested because others in their household are sick, for example, they can generally continue to work but should wear a mask at work for five days to stop the spread. We’ve found that this is rare - most people have mild symptoms right now when they’re getting COVID, and very few are taking a test if they don’t have any symptoms at all. It’s more common for employees to have mild symptoms, stay home for a few days (this is usually when they test positive), and then return to work once they’re feeling better and have been fever-free for at least 24 hours.
