Study: Fake Cures, Poor Medical Advice Spread On Social Media
Postings pose significant risk to the consumer, according to researchers at the University Of California medical school. Public health news on the pandemic is on over-night camps, hair salons, homeless essential workers, and more
CIDRAP:
Fraudulent COVID-19 Posts On Social Media Sites Rise In Pandemic
A study yesterday in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) Public Health and Surveillance shows that fraudulent posts advertising fake cures, questionable medical advice, and unapproved testing kits for COVID-19, have flourished on Twitter and Instagram in the last several months. Researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine identified 1,271 tweets and 596 Instagram postings that included fraudulent COVID-19 product, testing, and other scams from February through May. All the postings were deemed as having significant risk to the consumer and were identified using big data and machine learning. (8/26)
The Washington Post:
Maine Sleep-Away Camps Prevented Coronavirus Spread Among More Than 1,000 People, CDC Report Finds
As school and public health officials look for ways to reopen classrooms safely throughout the country, a potential road map emerges from the experience of four sleep-away camps and the extensive measures they adopted to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus among more than 1,000 campers and staff members. Their experience, described in a federal study published Wednesday, shows the measures necessary to keep the virus at bay. The four camps in Maine conducted virus testing before and after campers arrived and made them quarantine. Campers and counselors were kept in the same groups while at the camp. Face masks and physical distancing were employed, extensive cleaning and disinfection were frequent, and activities were conducted outdoors as much as possible, according to the study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Sun, 8/26)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Go Outside. Stay Indoors. Alameda County’s Health Advice Perplexes Businesses
Alicia Orabella wanted action from her government. Instead, the Oakland hair salon owner got a riddle. Starting Friday, she and other Alameda County businesses could start serving customers outdoors. As long as they stayed inside. On that day, many in the beauty industry can resume operations, but only outside. This includes hair salons and barbershops, nail salons, waxing services, skin care and non-medical massages, but not tattoos, piercings, electrolysis or anything that involves removing a face covering. (Simmons, 8/26)
ABC News:
Homeless Essential Workers Face Greater Risk Of COVID-19
At the beginning of the pandemic, Tiffany Cordaway’s biggest struggle was finding a place to shower. She worked two jobs in northern California, disinfecting medical equipment during the day and caring for an elderly couple overnight. When she finally clocked out, she just wanted to clean off. But she had nowhere to do that. Cordaway, 47, was homeless, sleeping in a friend’s car between her two eight-hour shifts. (Lupo, Abdaladze, Bohannon, Garg, Fields and Surma, 8/26)
Kaiser Health News:
Another COVID Mystery: Patients Survive Ventilator, But Linger In A Coma
Leslie Cutitta said yes, twice, when clinicians from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston called asking whether she wanted them to take — and then continue — extreme measures to keep her husband, Frank Cutitta, alive. The first conversation, in late March, was about whether to let Frank go or to try some experimental drugs and treatments for COVID-19. The second call was just a few days later. Hospital visits were banned, so Leslie couldn’t be with her husband or discuss his wishes with the medical team in person. So she used stories to try to describe Frank’s zest for life. (Bebinger, 8/27)
Also —
The Washington Post:
Child-Care Center In Maryland With Covid-19 Case Closes For Two Weeks
A child-care center in Prince George’s County closed for two weeks following notice that a staff member tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Officials at Georgetown Hill Early School at Greenwood said in a letter to parents Tuesday that while they could not identify the positive employee because of health privacy laws, it was best to “assume that all staff and children have had some form of exposure.” (St. George, 8/26)
Kaiser Health News:
They Cared For Some Of New York’s Most Vulnerable Communities. Then 12 Died.
Dr. Reza Chowdhury didn’t charge copays when his patients were low on cash. He gave them his home phone number and answered their medical questions at all hours. Once, when Chowdhury’s daughter, Nikita Rahman, struck up a conversation with a New York taxi driver, it turned out that he was from Bangladesh and knew her dad: “Dr. Reza? He’s my doctor — he’s the best doctor!” she recalled. (Renwick, 8/27)
Explore The 'Lost On The Frontline' Interactive Database: Over 1,400 U.S. health care workers have died fighting COVID-19. KHN and The Guardian count them and investigate why.
