Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Polio Circulates In New York, Doctors Tell Parents: Vaccinate
The New York Times: Polio Is Worrying Parents. Doctors Say Vaccination Is the Answer
The news that the poliovirus has been found circulating in New York City wastewater fueled a wide range of reactions in city parents on Monday. Some were unfazed. Others were terrified. Public health officials, however, had a simple message for them: Get your children vaccinated. If they are vaccinated, they are safe. (Otterman and Schweber, 8/15)
The New York Times: Polio May Have Been Spreading In New York Since April
Changes in the genome of the virus suggest that this version has been circulating, somewhere in the world, for up to a year. Genetically similar versions of the virus were detected in Israel in March and in Britain in June. (Anthes, 8/16)
NBC News: Polio Vaccine Coverage Is As Low As 37% In N.Y. County Where Paralysis Case Was Found
Low polio vaccination rates plus the presence of the virus in wastewater in a New York county suggest that others are at risk following a case of paralysis from polio in a young adult this summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. (Edwards, 8/16)
In other public health news, baby formula supplies improve —
Reuters: Baby Formula Supplies Improving, Say U.S. Retailers Walmart And Target
Two big U.S. retailers Walmart Inc (WMT.N) and Target Corp (TGT.N) said on Tuesday that supplies of baby formula were improving, months after the country faced acute shortages that had caused a panic among parents. Considering the still-existing supply constraints, Target said it will continue with the purchase restrictions both at its stores and online. (8/16)
On curbing overdoses —
KHN: Public Health Agencies Adapt Covid Lessons To Curb Overdoses, STDs, And Gun Violence
Shannan Piccolo walked into a hotel with a tote bag full of Narcan and a speech about how easy it is to use the medicine that can reverse opioid overdoses. “Hopefully your business would never have to respond to an overdose, but we’d rather have you have some Narcan on hand just in case,” Piccolo, director of Park City-County Health Department, said to the hotel manager. (Houghton, 8/17)
Also —
KHN: Shelter Sickness: Migrants See Health Problems Linger And Worsen While Waiting At The Border
Two days after arriving at a temporary migrant shelter at the border with the U.S. in June, Rosa Viridiana Ceron Alpizar’s 9-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son fell ill. Most of the kids in the converted gym had stomach issues after being served a meal of sausage and beans, she recalled. Alpizar’s daughter quickly got better, but her son didn’t. José had a fever and diarrhea and was throwing up. When the shelter nurses couldn’t help, Alpizar sought out a private doctor, who prescribed antibiotics. (Rayasam, 8/17)
