Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Majority Of States Fail To Keep Lead Out Of School Drinking Water
Fox News: Most US States Failing To Protect Schools' Water From Lead Contaminants, Study Finds
Could drinking from the school’s water fountain put your child’s health at risk? The odds are higher than parents might think, according to a new report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center in Denver, Colorado, called "Get the Lead Out." (Rudy, 2/23)
Politico: 27 States Earn F For Lead In School Drinking Water
While a number of states have significantly reduced child lead exposure through infrastructure upgrades and water treatment efforts in recent years, major exposure risks remain. Released Thursday by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund along with the Environment America Research & Policy Center, the new analysis found that children are still widely at risk when they consume drinking water at school, due largely to policy gaps. (Crunden, 2/23)
On other public health developments —
AP: US Ending Extra Help For Groceries That Started During COVID
Nearly 30 million Americans who got extra government help with grocery bills during the pandemic will soon see that aid shrink — and there’s a big push to make sure they’re not surprised. Officials in 32 states and other jurisdictions have been using texts, voicemails, snail mail, flyers and social media posts — all in multiple languages — to let recipients know that their extra food stamps end after February’s payments. (Aleccia, 2/23)
Axios: Medicaid For Food Pilot Programs Draw Mixed Reviews
Advocates, analysts and policymakers are giving mixed reviews to the Biden administration's move to let states use Medicaid funds for food. Some are glad that Medicaid will be available as an additional tool to address food insecurity and diet-related health conditions, but others see expanding programs like SNAP as the priority ahead of a looming hunger cliff. (Horn-Muller, 2/24)
Fox News: Ozempic Is A ‘Band-Aid’ On The Root Of Childhood Obesity: Toxic Food, Former Pharma Consultant Says
A former Coca-Cola and pharmaceutical consultant said the push to put kids on weight-loss drugs ignores what he calls the root issue behind obesity — added sugars and processed food — and will fail to prevent more people from developing the disease. The American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) released guidelines last month encouraging pediatricians to be more proactive in fighting childhood obesity, with treatments including rigorous lifestyle changes or even weight loss drugs, or in some cases, surgery for children as young as 12. Calley Means, who co-founded a company that promotes food as medicine, blamed added sugar that food manufacturers put in products to increase flavor or extend shelf life for the rise in obesity along with other chronic diseases. (Sahakian, 2/23)
The Washington Post: Wild Swings In Weather Can Take A Health Toll
Lily Pien, an allergist at the Cleveland Clinic, drove to work earlier this week in snow and hail. The next day it was 65 degrees and sunny. This weather whiplash had her bracing for an influx of patients seeking relief for their suddenly suffering noses. “My schedule is filled up,” she said. “As the weather changes, so does my patient load and their nasal symptoms.” (Cimons, 2/23)
CNN: Sleep This Way To Add Years To Your Life
Want to live longer? Then prioritize sleep in your life: Following five good sleep habits added nearly five years to a man’s life expectancy and almost 2.5 years to a woman’s life, a new study found. “If people have all these ideal sleep behaviors, they are more likely to live longer,” said study coauthor Dr. Frank Qian, a clinical fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School and internal medicine resident physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. (LaMotte, 2/24)
In news about influenza —
Philadelphia Inquirer: Flu Vaccines Helped Reduce Children's Risk Of Hospitalization By About 75% This Year, CDC Studies Show
Children who were received the latest flu vaccines were less likely to get sick enough to end up in a hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday, underscoring the value of vaccines after this year’s cold weather season saw local children’s hospital ERs overwhelmed by a “tridemic” wave of respiratory illnesses. This year’s flu vaccines were particularly effective for children, reducing their risk of hospitalization and emergency department visits, the CDC found in new data released this week. (Whelan, 2/23)
Reuters: Flu Experts Gather With H5N1 Risk On The Agenda
The world's leading experts on influenza met this week to discuss the threat posed to humans by a strain of H5N1 avian flu that has caused record numbers of bird deaths around the world in recent months. The group of scientists, regulators and vaccine manufacturers meets twice a year to decide which strain of seasonal flu to include in the vaccine for the upcoming winter season, in this case for the northern hemisphere. (Rigby, 2/24)
