Flu Shot’s Protection Wanes Over Time, Studies Warn
But some scientists caution that more information is needed before changing any guidelines. In other public health news: HPV vaccinations, PTSD on the job, Zika, and stress in preschoolers.
Stat:
Can A Flu Shot Wear Off If You Get It Too Early? Perhaps
It can be jarring to see placards advertising “Flu Shots Today” in late July or early August in 80-degree weather. But those signs may be more than just an unwelcome reminder that summer’s days are numbered. Mounting scientific evidence is raising questions about whether vaccinating people that early may actually be undermining the effectiveness of the nation’s massive flu vaccination program. (Branswell, 1/12)
Columbus Dispatch:
Feds, Cancer Centers Aim To Boost HPV Vaccinations
Faced with getting her daughter the HPV vaccine, which helps protect against cervical and other cancers, Anaraquel Sanguinetti paused.The human papillomavirus is spread through sexual contact, and the Westerville mom didn’t want her now-18-year-old daughter to think she was promoting promiscuity. So Sanguinetti did some research. And she had a long talk with her daughter, and another with her doctor. (Viviano, 1/11)
Sacramento Bee:
Forced To Watch Child Porn For Their Job, Microsoft Employees Developed PTSD, They Say
As part of their job, moderators for social websites have to view some of the most disturbing videos and photos on the internet. Once the employees have determined that the images violate the company’s community standards and the law, they delete the accounts of the people who posted them and report the incidents to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, per federal law. Unsurprisingly, having to watch upsetting content like that every day takes a toll on moderators. But two Microsoft employees say their company, one of the largest in the world, failed to provide them with proper support as their mental health deteriorated and they began showing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. (Hadley, 1/11)
Miami Herald:
Zika Virus: UM Doctors Publish Study Of Miami Zika Pregnancy Case
In the aftermath of Miami-Dade’s Zika outbreak, a team of physicians from the University of Miami Health System has published a case study detailing the country's first locally transmitted case of the mosquito-borne illness in a local pregnant woman. In the study that appears Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the multi-disciplinary team describe a skin rash that appeared on the 23-year-old Miami-Dade woman’s chest, arms, legs, palms and soles. This rash, along with a fever that preceded it and joint pain that followed it, ultimately led the woman to seek medical help in July when she was 23 weeks pregnant. (Veciana-Suarez, 1/11)
Boston Globe:
Preschoolers Could Have Less Stress If They Get Positive One-On-One Time With Teachers
Children who engaged with teachers in one-on-one play sessions designed to foster warm, caring relationships showed reduced stress levels during the day as compared to children who did not participate in the activity. The findings, published recently in the journal Prevention Science, show that even small, positive interactions can have a valuable impact on a child’s well-being. (Scudellari, 1/11)
