Specialists, ER Doctors Sound Alarm About Steady Flow Into Hospitals Of Severely Abused, Neglected Infants, Children
At the same, a dramatic drop in child-abuse reports has occurred as teachers, day-care workers and others who are required by law to flag abuse are no longer routinely around children. Public health news is on sewers jammed with wipes, masks; a push for safer driving speeds; fliers who aren't wearing masks; stress causing unusual physical symptoms; shortages of anxiety, antidepressant drugs; searching for answers after losing a mother; struggling with decision-making; stocking your medicine cabinet; protecting mental health; canine therapy; adoption plans; navigating public restrooms; and commuting, as well.
The Wall Street Journal:
Child-Abuse Reports Are Falling, And That’s Bad News For Children
Sitting inside the San Diego children’s hospital, Shalon Nienow said she was awestruck recently as she watched a parent re-enact the abuse that sent an infant to the emergency room—shaking, punching, slapping and slamming the child against a piece of furniture. “It was the most violent force I’ve watched somebody demonstrate,” said Dr. Nienow, medical clinical director at the Chadwick Center at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. (Paul and Elinson, 6/4)
The Associated Press:
Epidemic Of Wipes And Masks Plague Sewers, Storm Drains
Mayor Jim Kenney kicked off a recent briefing on Philadelphia’s coronavirus response with an unusual request for residents: Be careful what you flush. Between mid-March, when the city’s stay-at-home order was issued, and the end of April, most of the 19 sewer and storm water pumping stations in Philadelphia had experienced clogs from face masks, gloves and wipes residents had pitched into the potty, Kenney said. (Lauer and Flesher, 6/4)
The New York Times:
Pandemic Lockdowns Lead To Less Traffic And Better Air
As we now know, the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown has been a silver lining for another global crisis: climate change. Sharp decreases in traffic and better air quality have been reported around the world, and hundreds of jurisdictions from Berlin to Bogotá are reallocating space to make it easier for walkers and cyclists with permanent and emergency solutions, like “pop-up” bike routes. “We are at a moment of change that we have not seen since World War II when cities needed to reinvent themselves,” said Claudia Adriazola-Steil, global director for the health and road safety program at the World Resources Institute’s Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. (Mohn, 6/4)
The New York Times:
Airlines Say Everybody Onboard Must Wear A Mask. So Why Aren’t They?
As airlines try to convince Americans to fly again, they have touted their policies for keeping passengers safe, including the requirement that everyone onboard a plane wear a mask. But travelers on recent flights said the rules are not being enforced. And flight attendants said they have been told not to confront passengers who opt to not follow them. Drusilla Lawton flew from South Carolina to Wyoming in May on two American Airlines flights and said the mask rule wasn’t being enforced during boarding or on the plane. (Mzezewa, 6/4)
The New York Times:
The Pandemic Is Stressing Your Body In New Ways
If you are feeling a bit off in ways you are pretty sure are not a result of having Covid-19, you are not alone. That’s because living during a pandemic is doing a number to your body. Toni Goodykoontz, assistant professor and section chief of psychiatry for WVU Medicine, has seen just about everything since the Covid-19 outbreak started. “Adults complain of things like headaches, fatigue, just a general feeling of unwellness,” Dr. Goodykoontz said. (Miller, 6/4)
NBC News:
Antidepressant Zoloft And Generic Version In Short Supply, FDA Says
A spike in demand for anxiety and depression drugs has led to shortages of some forms of the commonly used antidepressant Zoloft and its generic, sertraline. Reports of the shortage, posted Friday on the Food and Drug Administration's website, come as a new survey published Wednesday from the Johns Hopkins University shows a major increase in the feelings of distress and despair among adults in the United States. (Edwards, 6/3)
The New York Times:
When Their Mother Died At A Nursing Home, 2 Detectives Wanted Answers
A little after 1 in the afternoon, Aida Pabey got the call from the nursing home: Her mother was not going to make it. It was April 6, nearly four weeks after the state had barred all visitors to nursing homes, and Aida and her sister, Haydee, had been struggling to get even the most basic information about their mother. Was she eating? Had the coronavirus reached her part of the home? Now this dire call. Just the day before, the sisters had been assured by an aide that their mother was “fine.” They were both detectives in the New York Police Department, 20-year veterans. (Leland, 6/4)
CNN:
How To Make Good Decisions When You're Paralyzed By The Stress Of Protests And The Pandemic
Do you find it tough to make decisions these days? What used to be no-brainers, stopping at the grocery for bread and milk, making a pit stop at the gas station or meeting friends for dinner and drinks are now fraught with dangers. (LaMotte, 6/4)
CNN:
Stock Your Medicine Cabinet For The Pandemic
It could be a cabinet behind your mirror, a kitchen drawer or a first aid kit you carry in a backpack or in the car. Your medicine cabinet is your first go-to in times of illness, and sometimes it gets a little bare. But we're in the midst of a global health crisis. And whether you get Covid-19 or not, it's important to be prepared. (Prior, 6/4)
Kaiser Health News:
In Hard-Hit Areas, COVID’s Ripple Effects Strain Mental Health Care Systems
In late March, Marcell’s girlfriend took him to the emergency room at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, about 11 miles south of Detroit. “I had [acute] paranoia and depression off the roof,” said Marcell, 46, who asked to be identified only by his first name because he wanted to maintain confidentiality about some aspects of his illness. Marcell’s depression was so profound, he said, he didn’t want to move and was considering suicide. (Platzman and Weinstock, 6/4)
The Washington Post:
A Blind Therapy Dog Brings Joy To Assisted-Living Residents With Visits Through The Window
As Pat Ward drifts from one window to another, she holds a sign to the glass, hoping the residents will notice her arrival rather than startling them with a knock. The poster features a red heart with a smiling face and closed eyes, an homage to the four-legged star of these visits. Baby, an 8-year-old therapy dog, is blind and had her eyes removed long ago. She doesn’t hear well, either. (Giambalvo, 6/3)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Has Delayed Families' Adoption Plans For Months
Finalizing the adoption of Stephanie Rivero and Ryan Cameron’s two foster sons meant more than providing closure for the Merced family. The couple would finally be able to make medical decisions for the 5-year-old, who has a life-threatening genetic condition and is scheduled for surgery this summer. But the procedure may have to be delayed as family courts across the state have largely closed because of the coronavirus crisis. (Mehta, 6/3)
Las Vegas Review-Journal:
As Public Restrooms Reopen, How Safe Are They From The Coronavirus?
Public bathrooms are rarely a picnic. But fecal matter and COVID-19 being carried about by aerosolized toilet water? That’s the sort of thing Ian Ziering should be fighting with a chainsaw. Before you start hoarding adult diapers and swearing off those facilities for good, though, take heart. (Lawrence, 6/3)
The Wall Street Journal:
Safety Advice On Commuting To The Office—And Reducing Your Risks Once You’re There
As many states continue their gradual reopening from coronavirus lockdowns, office employees are beginning to venture back to their workplaces. People are likely to see many changes, from spaced out cubicles to mask-required meetings. Some businesses are planning to bring back only a portion of workers to the office or are instituting shifts to allow for social distancing. (Petersen, 6/3)
