Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nearly 20,000 Amazon Employees Have Contracted COVID Since March
The Washington Post: Amazon Says 19,816 Employees, Including At Whole Foods, Have Had Coronavirus This Year
Amazon said Thursday that nearly 20,000 of its U.S. employees had tested positive, or had been presumed positive, for the coronavirus since the pandemic started spreading through the country this year. The retailer has faced harsh criticism this year as hundreds of workers and critics have said it hasn’t done enough to keep employees safe as they work in its warehouses amid a surge in demand to send items to shoppers across the country. (Lerman, 10/1)
Reveal: Amazon’s Internal Records Show Its Worker Safety Deception
A new cache of [Amazon] records obtained by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting – including internal safety reports and weekly injury numbers from its nationwide network of fulfillment centers – shows that company officials have profoundly misled the public and lawmakers about its record on worker safety. They reveal a mounting injury crisis at Amazon warehouses, one that is especially acute at robotic facilities and during Prime week and the holiday peak – and one that Amazon has gone to great lengths to conceal. (Evans, 9/29)
In other public health news —
The New York Times: Where You Carry Body Fat May Affect How Long You Live
Being overweight is linked to an increased risk for premature death, but which part of the body carries the added fat could make a big difference. Extra weight in some places may actually lower the risk. Researchers, writing in BMJ, reviewed 72 prospective studies that included more than two and a half million participants with data on body fat and mortality. They found that central adiposity — a large waist — was consistently associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality. In pooled data from 50 studies, each four-inch increase in waist size was associated with an 11 percent increased relative risk for premature death. The association was significant after adjusting for smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption. (Bakalar, 10/1)
ABC News: Salmonella Outbreaks In Multiple States Linked To Pet Hedgehogs, Bearded Dragons
Two salmonella outbreaks affecting dozens of people in multiple states have been linked to pet hedgehogs and bearded dragons, the Centers for Disease and Control said this week. The CDC is investigating an outbreak of the strain Salmonella Typhimurium, with 32 infections in 17 states tied to contact with pet hedgehogs as of Sept. 22. (Deliso, 10/1)
Becker's Hospital Review: Mothers 3 Times More Likely Than Fathers To Have Lost Jobs During Pandemic
Mothers of children under age 12 lost jobs at three times the rate of fathers between February and August in a trend that threatens to reverse decades of progress in gender equity and overall household income gains for the middle class, according to analysis from Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts. (Gamble, 10/1)
Kaiser Health News: Evictions Damage Public Health. The CDC Aims To Curb Them ― For Now.
In August, Robert Pettigrew was working a series of odd jobs. While washing the windows of a cellphone store he saw a sign, one that he believes the “good Lord” placed there for him.“Facing eviction?” the sign read. “You could be eligible for up to $3,000 in rent assistance. Apply today.” (Sable-Smith, Bebinger and Benson, 10/2)
