Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Multistate Listeria Outbreak Linked To Cheese
USA Today: Cheese Warning: CDC Says Listeria Outbreak Could Be Tied To Queso
A listeria outbreak possibly linked to fresh and soft cheeses has sickened seven people in four states, according to federal health officials. In an investigation notice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said officials were investigating a multistate outbreak of listeria monocytogenes infections linked to soft cheeses, which are made from pasteurized milk. The CDC says a specific type or brand hasn’t been identified but says people at higher risk for severe listeria illnesses shouldn’t eat queso fresco, queso blanco and queso panela until the agency learns more. A recall hasn't been announced. (Tyko, 2/15)
CNN: Kids Are Going Without Dental Care During The Pandemic
Children are missing out on preventative dental care including teeth cleaning and checkups during the pandemic, according to a new survey. Covid-19 is a barrier to getting kids the dental care they need, said a third of parents responding to the survey released by C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. (Smith, 2/15)
In updates on flu and colds —
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Flu Cases Have All But Disappeared, Likely Due To COVID-19 Precautions
Wisconsin had 1,215 hospitalizations from flu and 26 deaths by this point last year. This year?Just 11 flu hospitalizations and no deaths. At a time when the nation is weary from a year of pandemic, when U.S. deaths from COVID-19 are still averaging well over 2,000 a day, the lack of influenza hospitalizations and fatalities has been a welcome relief. Hospital workers have not had to divert staff from treating patients with COVID-19 to treat others with severe influenza. "I think it is surprising. We didn't think we'd see quite the absence of flu that we've seen," said Nasia Safdar, director of infection control at UW Health in Madison. "Obviously we are very happy about it." (Johnson, 2/12)
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Sees Little Flu This Season As Researchers Wonder If Flu Vaccine Staves Off COVID-19
February is typically the cruelest month for the flu with thousands of infections, hundreds hospitalized and some dying in Maryland. Not this year. (Cohn, 2/16)
Consumer Reports: Why You Can Get A Cold Even While Masking And Taking Other Covid-19 Precautions
Even people taking a vast array of precautions to stay safe from covid-19 might find themselves battling a more familiar foe: the common cold. During a winter where the slightest cough can prompt a panicked trip to a coronavirus testing site, it’s important to understand how both of these infections work — and why you might find yourself with one even if you are relatively protected from the other. (2/15)
In other public health news —
CIDRAP: Non-COVID Kids' Hospital Cases Nearly Halved Early In Pandemic
US pediatric non–COVID-19 hospitalizations fell up to 45.4% amid the pandemic and related lockdowns compared with previous years, a study published late last week in JAMA Network Open finds. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of the Pediatric Health Information Systems database of 5,424,688 admissions of 3,372,839 children to 49 hospitals from Jan 1, 2010, to Jun 30, 2020. (Van Beusekom, 2/15)
The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Educator Leads Candid Conversations About Sexual Health With Women Of Color
Vanessa Geffrard, who has degrees in community health and public health, opened her Edmondson Village rowhouse for women to have courageous conversations after she noticed reluctance among friends from her inner circle and professional life to speak openly about sex. (Garcia, 2/15)
NPR: What's In Tattoo Ink? Scientists Explore Safety Of 2 Pigments After EU Ban
Tattoo artists in Europe are fighting a new ban on two commonly-used green and blue pigments, saying that losing these ink ingredients would be a disaster for their industry and their art. Meanwhile, in the United States, where about a third of Americans have a tattoo, tattoo ink is almost completely unregulated and there's little known about what's in tattoo ink. Some artists here say the European restrictions don't make any sense. (Greenfieldboyce, 2/13)
