Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cameroon Is First In World To Roll Out Malaria Vaccine
The Guardian: World First: Malaria Vaccine Rollout Begins In Cameroon
The rollout of the world’s first malaria vaccine began in Cameroon on Monday, which is said to be a “transformative chapter in Africa’s public health history”. The RTS,S vaccine – 662,000 doses of it – will be administered to children in the west African country, the first to be vaccinated after successful trials of the drug in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi between 2019 and 2021. It marks a scaling up of the fight against malaria in Africa, where 95% of deaths from the disease occur, most among children under five. (Ahmed and Kouagheu, 1/22)
In news about the measles —
AP: Millions In The UK Are Being Urged To Get Vaccinations During A Surge In Measles Cases
U.K. health officials on Monday urged millions of parents to book their children for missed measles, mumps and rubella shots during a sharp increase in the number of measles cases and the lowest vaccination rates in a decade. The National Health Service is launching a publicity campaign after figures showed there were about 250 confirmed measles cases in parts of England last year. Most cases were in children under 10 years old. (1/22)
More health and wellness news —
CBS News: Cantaloupe-Linked Salmonella Outbreak That Killed 6 People Is Over, CDC Says
A deadly salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes has ended, the CDC said. The statement comes after health officials in recent weeks issued a flurry of warnings and recalls over the melons. The CDC said on Friday that cantaloupes recalled in connection with the bacteria outbreak had passed their use-by-dates and were no longer for sale. Sweeping recalls of whole and pre-sliced cantaloupes from brands such as Malichita and Rudy began last November, with major grocers such as Kroger, Trader Joe's and Walmart also pulling melons from their shelves, according to the CDC. (Napolitano, 1/22)
The Washington Post: Weighted Baby Blanket Are Unsafe, Pediatricians Warn
Weighted blankets have become popular with adults suffering from insomnia or anxiety, who say the product’s comforting pressure makes sleep come more easily. But some companies, including Nested Bean and Dreamland Baby, are now marketing weighted sleep products — including wearable blankets and swaddles — for babies, even newborns. That’s raising alarm among pediatricians and many product safety experts, including those at Consumer Reports, who say that these products are being sold with no safety standards in place and little to no evidence that they’re safe. (Kirchner, 1/22)
WUFT: Preventing Cognitive Decline May Start With Treating Hearing Loss
Myra Kinnnie, an Ocoee resident, uses hearing aids. Every morning, she toasts a plain bagel from a local shop in her kitchen, and watches TV. However, hearing loss has stripped away the enjoyment of these activities. She can no longer hear the toaster oven or TV. Kinnie says her family has dealt with hearing loss for generations. (Mason, 1/22)
Stat: Reconstructing Family Trees Of Blood Cells May Help Predict Disease
The human blood system is in a constant state of turnover. First-line immune defenders, like neutrophils, need to be replaced after just four to eight hours, platelets can last a week, red blood cells up to four months, and some white blood cells, like memory B cells, live for decades. The heroic task of constantly replenishing these ranks, and making sure the balance of different types of blood cells is right, falls to a primitive reserve of stem cells that reside deep in the bone marrow. (Molteni, 1/22)
Bloomberg: Samsung Races Apple On No-Prick Glucose, Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices
Samsung Electronics Co. is exploring the development of noninvasive glucose monitoring and continuous blood pressure checking, setting its sights on ambitious health-care goals in a race with Apple Inc. and other tech giants. The work is part of a broader push to put health features in a range of devices, including its just-announced Galaxy Ring, said Samsung executive Hon Pak, who is overseeing the effort. The company aims to eventually give consumers a complete picture of their well-being via sensors on different parts of the body and around the home. (Gurman and Lee, 1/22)
