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Vaccine coverage levels for diseases such as measles fell below the target of 95%, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Causes include people cutting back on medical appointments during the height of the pandemic and a spillover of covid vaccine hesitancy into attitudes toward routine immunizations.
The CDC issued a nationwide health alert Thursday over 9 cases among kids ages 1 to 6 that the agency are investigating with the Alabama Department of Public Health, telling doctors to be on the look out for others. North Carolina reports that it may have two more. There have also been cases in the U.K., Europe and Israel.
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers tackle these public health issues.
Opinion writers examine covid transmission and mask mandates.
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Separately, in Florida, the Department of Health advised that minors seeking transgender care should not receive such medical aid. In Alabama, parents try to overturn a law denying care to their trans children. Media outlets cover other transgender issues, including controversial sports bans.
Louisiana accused them of overcharging the state's Medicaid department by billions of dollars through inflated prescription drug prices. Meanwhile, a report from CBS News says that many Americans are often forced to pay medical bills that don't belong to them.
Also: Health and Human Services Department data on health care consolidation; five ways CMS' proposed hospital rule could impact patient safety; Humana is planning to sell its hospice business; Texas omitted a key group when issuing pay support for health workers; and more.
William Husel had been accused of "wildly" over-prescribing fentanyl and killing 14 patients. Lawyers note Husel is still facing civil suits. A surge in food bank use and a bill to end coroner investigations of miscarriages in California, abortion access in South Dakota and more are also in the news.
Meanwhile, CNN reports on why we shouldn't compliment people losing weight. Also: a story about a man desperately dieting to get a Taco Bell menu item back, expanding complaints of sickness from Lucky Charms, meat allergy illness from tic bites, and the "gut healing" trend on TikTok.
Media outlets cover the risk of lingering particles from bong smoke — including to pets and children — "copycat" food packaging used by marijuana edibles, pet poisonings from accidental edible ingestions, and various political and legal maneuvers relating to legalization.
A new study has identified five types of bacteria in samples from men with the illness, and though the link is not proved to be causal, it raises hopes that treatments may be developed later. A separate study has found higher numbers of mutations in brain cells of Alzheimer's disease sufferers.
The American Lung Association's annual "State of the Air" report looked at Americans' exposure to smog and soot, which can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer and other health problems — possibly even a positive covid test.
And a new study that was done before the omicron variant hit suggests that natural immunity from a covid infection may offer longer-lasting protection than an mRNA vaccine. Even so, the study's authors stressed that "vaccination is a considerably safer way to acquire that immunity."
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met Wednesday to discuss recommendations on future doses of covid vaccine. Some members leaned toward advising that people under 50 years old wait for the next generation of shots.
The decision was based on a determination by the CDC that masking on public transit "remains necessary to protect the public health." Based on other pandemic-related rulings, court watchers say the Biden administration move could be an uphill climb.
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers examine these various public health topics.
Opinion writers weigh in on these covid issues.
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