Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Experts Weigh In On How To Protect Your Lungs From Wildfire Smoke
San Francisco Chronicle: When Is It OK To Go Outside If It’s Smoky In The Bay Area? How To Assess Your Air Quality Risk
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, people were told to shelter inside. Slowly, outdoor activities were encouraged and became a source of sanity for many Californians. But now with wildfires burning across the Bay Area and beyond, plumes of smoke have spread everywhere, making outdoor activities difficult and even dangerous at times. Even people without preexisting health conditions might wonder what really is safe for them to do outside at any given time. (Hwang, 8/26)
Kaiser Health News and Politifact HealthCheck: Drug Overdose Deaths Showed A One-Year Decline In 2018. But There’s More To The Story.
Detective Ryan Holets, whose personal story includes the adoption of an infant born to a drug-addicted mother, addressed the Republican National Convention on its second night. He praised President Donald Trump’s efforts in addressing drug and opioid abuse and noted “drug overdose deaths decreased in 2018 for the first time in 30 years.” (Appleby, 8/27)
Dallas Morning News: Shingle Mountain Still Stands, But Activists Are Adding Pressure As Residents’ Health Continues To Decline
More than a year after a judge ordered the removal of Shingle Mountain, Marsha Jackson is still coughing up black “gunk.” She can’t let her granddaughter play outside. She sees a pulmonologist and has to wear long sleeves in the hot Dallas summers because walking the dog leaves rashes on her skin. The dumping ground remains behind her home of 25 years on Choate Street in southeastern Dallas, despite what appeared to be progress on its removal in March. (Tatum, 8/26)
