Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Doctors Warn New Covid Strain Could Cause Surge Due To Waning Immunity
NBC News: A New Covid Variant Could Drive Up Summer Cases: Here's What You Should Know
The World Health Organization announced last week that it was monitoring the variant, NB.1.8.1, following a rise in cases in several parts of the world, including Europe, Southeast Asia and North and South America. The variant appears to be more transmissible than the dominant strain worldwide, LP.8.1, meaning it has the potential to drive up cases this summer. But it does not seem to be much better than LP.8.1 at evading protection from vaccines or a prior infection. (Bendix, 5/29)
CIDRAP: Prior COVID Vaccination Produces Immune Response Against New SARS-CoV-2 Strains, Study Finds
Receiving a prior COVID-19 vaccine did not prevent the immune system from producing protective responses to either Delta or Omicron virus strains, according to a new study in Nature Immunology. The findings are promising and suggest that, despite a drop in antibodies for mutated parts of the virus, vaccination offers ongoing protection from severe disease. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and their US colleagues, could help better inform booster strategies in the face of an ever-changing virus, the authors said. (Soucheray, 5/29)
ABC News: Why Healthy Children May Need Vaccination As RFK Jr. Cuts COVID Shot Recommendation For Some Kids
Earlier this week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a video posted on X that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would no longer be recommending COVID-19 vaccines for "healthy children and pregnant people." In the video, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said there is no evidence that healthy children "need" the vaccine. National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya also appeared in the video. Public health experts said they were surprised by the way the decision was announced. (Kekatos, 5/29)
Measles updates —
Kansas City Star: Measles Cases Rise To 64 In Kansas, Pawnee Affected
The number of counties reporting positive cases of measles expanded to 11 over the weekend and comes as the number of cases in the state continue to grow, according the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (Cronkleton, 5/29)
San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Resident With Measles May Have Exposed Others To The Virus
A Bay Area resident with measles may have exposed others to the virus this month, health officials from Alameda and Santa Clara counties said Thursday. The person, an adult, tested positive for measles after returning from international travel and passing through a U.S airport where they may have been exposed. Officials did not specify which airport. The person was not hospitalized and is recovering at home. The last time a Santa Clara County resident reported measles was in 2019. (Ho, 5/29)
CBS News: Colorado Health Officials Confirm Seventh Measles Case, On Flight With Others Infected
Colorado health officials have confirmed a seventh case of measles in the state after a vaccinated adult who recently traveled internationally tested positive. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the infected adult is a resident of Arapahoe County. They were recently a passenger on Turkish Airlines flight 201 into Denver International Airport on May 13. Two additional cases of measles were confirmed in other passengers on this flight: one out-of-state traveler who was infectious on the flight and an Arapahoe County child under age five. (Swanson, 5/29)
Climate and health —
AP: 4 Billion People Endured Extra Month Of Extreme Heat Due To Climate Change, Experts Say
Scientists say 4 billion people, about half the world’s population, experienced at least one extra month of extreme heat because of human-caused climate change from May 2024 to May 2025.The extreme heat caused illness, death, crop losses, and strained energy and health care systems, according to the analysis from World Weather Attribution, Climate Central and the Red Cross. “Although floods and cyclones often dominate headlines, heat is arguably the deadliest extreme event,” the report said. Many heat-related deaths are unreported or are mislabeled by other conditions like heart disease or kidney failure. (O'Malley, 5/30)
Bloomberg: Extreme Heat Warning Hits California As Temperatures To Soar Above 100F
A short-lived heat wave will send temperatures soaring across California and the US West through the weekend, elevating power demand and raising the risk of health impacts. At least 26 daily records may be broken or tied across the West on Friday and Saturday, with temperatures forecast to reach 102F (39C) in California’s capital of Sacramento and 105F in Fresno to the south, the National Weather Service said. (Sullivan, 5/29)
AP: Wrongful Death Lawsuit Says Big Oil Contributed To Heat Wave And Woman's Death
In one of the nation’s first wrongful-death claims seeking to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its role in the changing climate, a Washington state woman is suing seven oil and gas companies, saying they contributed to an extraordinarily hot day that led to her mother’s fatal hyperthermia. The lawsuit filed in state court this week says the companies knew that their products have altered the climate, including contributing to a 2021 heat wave in the Pacific Northwest that killed 65-year-old Juliana Leon, and that they failed to warn the public of such risks. (St. John, 5/30)
Regarding the food supply —
CBS News: Hormel Recalls 256,000 Pounds Of Canned Beef Stew Over Wood Fragments
Hormel Foods Corporation is recalling over 256,000 pounds of canned beef stew nationwide due to potential contamination with wood fragments, according to federal health officials. In a recall notice posted Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said the 20-oz. metal cans containing "Dinty Moore Beef Stew" were shipped to retail locations nationwide. (Moniuszko, 5/29)
CBS News: Fish Caught In Some New York Waters Unsafe To Eat Due To Elevated PFOS, Health Officials Warn
Some fish caught in New York lakes and rivers may be unsafe to eat due to elevated levels of chemicals known as PFAS, state health officials announced Thursday. Starting earlier this year, the state implemented new guidelines to update the public about exposure to PFOS, the most common type of PFAS found in fish. ... Health officials urge people not to eat any fish caught at Fallkill Lake and Creek. (Anderson, 5/29)
CNN: Kids’ Breakfast Cereal Has Gotten Unhealthier, A New Study Finds
We all know that breakfast is an important meal, and even more so for children. Abundant research has demonstrated the benefit of nutritious breakfasts on children’s health, well-being and academic performance. Ready-to-eat cereals are the predominant breakfast choice among American children, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Hetter, 5/29)
Also —
The Baltimore Sun: Tick-Borne Illness Moving South To Maryland, Study Says
A tick-borne illness typically found in the Northeast is moving farther south, and the Baltimore region is one of Maryland’s hot spots, according to a study released last month. Cases of babesiosis, a rare disease most commonly spread by bites from deer ticks, are growing in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region, according to a study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, and so is the range of ticks infected with the parasite that causes the disease. (Jones, 5/29)
