Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed

CIDRAP: Investigators Dig Deep To Solve Melioidosis Mystery
The mystery behind the outbreak began with the disease itself. Melioidosis is incredibly rare in the United States, with only 12 cases reported annually. And because the symptoms it causes—cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea—are nonspecific, it's often confused with other respiratory ailments. (Dall, 12/13)

The New York Times: Why More Kids Aren’t Getting The HPV Vaccine
Vaccine hesitancy is hardly limited to shots against Covid-19. Even the HPV vaccine, which can prevent as many as 90 percent of six potentially lethal cancers, is meeting with rising resistance from parents who must give their approval before their adolescent children can receive it. The Food and Drug Administration licensed this lifesaving vaccine in 2006 to protect against sexually transmitted infection by HPV, the human papillomavirus. Most of us will get infected with HPV during our lifetimes, certain strains of which can lead to cancers of the cervix, vagina and vulva in women; cancers of the anus and back-of-the-throat in both women and men; and penile cancer in men. HPV can also cause genital warts. (Brody, 12/13)

The New York Times: Where The Despairing Log On, And Learn Ways To Die 
Most suicide websites are about prevention. This one — started in March 2018 by two shadowy figures calling themselves Marquis and Serge — provides explicit directions on how to die. ... Participants routinely nudge one another along as they share suicide plans, posting reassuring messages, thumbs-up and heart emojis, and praise for those who follow through: “brave,” “a legend,” “a hero.” (Twohey and Dance, 12/9)

The New York Times: How Exercise Affects Metabolism And Weight Loss
Many of us remember “The Biggest Loser,” the somewhat notorious reality television show that ran for more than a decade starting in 2004, in which contestants competed feverishly to drop massive amounts of weight over a short period of time. One of the biggest lessons of the show appeared to be that extreme exercise, along with draconian calorie restriction, would lead to enormous weight loss. ... Now a new scientific analysis of the show and its aftermath, published last month in the journal Obesity, suggests many beliefs about “The Biggest Loser” may be misconceptions. (Reynolds, 12/15)

The New York Times: On Syria’s Ruins, A Drug Empire Flourishes
Built on the ashes of 10 years of war in Syria, an illegal drug industry run by powerful associates and relatives of President Bashar al-Assad has grown into a multibillion-dollar operation, eclipsing Syria’s legal exports and turning the country into the world’s newest narcostate. Its flagship product is captagon, an illegal, addictive amphetamine popular in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. Its operations stretch across Syria, including workshops that manufacture the pills, packing plants where they are concealed for export and smuggling networks to spirit them to markets abroad. (Hubbard and Saad, 12/5)

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The Washington Post: A Greek Alphabet Crash Course, One Covid Variant At A Time 
The 15th letter of the Greek alphabet had been a fairly innocuous entity for 2,500 years. But in just two weeks, it became notorious. Omicron moved beyond classical philosophy texts, beyond the realm of the 13 million or so people who speak Greek as natives, and exploded into use in urgent scientific reports, breaking news headlines and social media feeds around the world. (Harlan, 12/14)

Los Angeles Times: Young Latinos Are Dying Of COVID At High Rates In California
Every morning, Sergio Ayala combed his daughters’ hair into twin braids, dropped them off at school and headed to work. He loved his job as a field supervisor at his brother-in-law’s pest control company. But he wanted to own a business and was studying to become a barber. He hoped to start a college savings fund for his three girls and toddler son. In January, that dream was cut short. His family believes he contracted the coronavirus while practicing his barbering skills in people’s homes. (Reyes-Velarde, 12/9)

NPR: Portugal Has A High Vaccination Rate But It Isn't Taking Chances With Omicron
The week the omicron variant hit Portugal, Violante Rocha — 80 years old and triple-vaccinated — masked up and went to the theater. "Everyone else wore a mask too, of course," she says. "We understand that life is too good to lose. This is how we live with COVID." Portugal has one of the world's highest vaccination rates against the coronavirus and almost all its adults are fully vaccinated. The shots protect people from serious illness but not from catching the virus. Daily infections have been rising again in Portugal and across Europe. Scientists are watching how Portugal and other highly vaccinated countries will fare against the coronavirus' new omicron variant. (Kakissis, 12/15)