Polio, Covid, And More Could Surge In Ukraine Invasion

The Washington Post: Ukraine Conflict Could Spark Surges Of Covid, Polio, Other Diseases, Say Experts
For these Ukrainians, the focus is escaping the Russian invasion bearing down on their country — not on dodging diseases such as covid-19. But as more than half a million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, global health officials fear that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be the latest reminder of a grim lesson — that war and disease are close companions, and the humanitarian and refugee crises now unfolding in Eastern Europe will lead to long-lasting health consequences, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. As Russia’s military campaign accelerates, Ukraine’s hospitals are running out of critical medical supplies as travel is increasingly choked off by the conflict. The country’s health workers and patients are relocating to makeshift shelters, seeking to escape explosions. Meanwhile, officials at the World Health Organization, United Nations, U.S. State Department and other organizations warn of rising civilian casualties and new pressures on the region’s fragile health-care systems. (Morris and Diamond, 3/1)

People: Ukrainian Babies Born In Bomb Shelters During Russia Invasion
As Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, many in the country are seeking shelter, leaving some pregnant women hiding out in hospital basements and bomb shelters where their babies are now being welcomed to the world in an increasingly dangerous situation. One photo — shared by Ukrainian politician and former lawmaker Hanna Hopko to Facebook last week — showed a newborn girl born in a bomb shelter just as Russian troops began to move in to the country. "Life does not stop," Hopko wrote on Facebook, along with a photo of the baby in her mother's arms. "Hiding in a bomb shelter, a woman in Kyiv gave birth to a baby girl named Mia." (Chamlee, 3/1)

The Atlantic: Ukraine’s Surrogacy Industry Has Put Women In Impossible Positions 
Nothing crystallizes the “her body, my baby” conundrum of surrogacy quite like a war. Should a surrogate be tucked away somewhere safe, to protect the child she’s growing for someone else? Or should she be with her own family, or in her hometown, or even out on the streets defending her nation? That is a live question in Ukraine right now. Ukraine is an international surrogacy hub, one of only a handful of countries in the world that allows foreigners to enter into surrogacy arrangements. That means people from the United States or China or Germany or Australia can go there and hire a local woman to gestate their child. There are conditions—the parents have to be straight and married and have a medical reason for needing a surrogate—but surrogates are plentiful, paying them is legal, and establishing legal parenthood for the intended parents is uncomplicated. (Motluk, 3/1)

Also —

CNN: How To Talk To Your Kids About Ukraine, According To Psychologists
Russia's attack on Ukraine has caused international outrage, and people around the world are feeling the stress and fear of watching the violence and wondering what will come next. That includes your children. With so many images of violence and so few answers, your kids likely are aware of the fighting even if it's far away -- and they are probably terrified. It can be daunting to talk to kids, especially younger ones, about war, and it may feel better to preserve your little ones' bliss by keeping the topic out of their awareness. (Holcombe, 3/2)

And more on the Russian invasion of Ukraine —

The Boston Globe: ‘I Personally Think He’s Unhinged’: Analysts Question Putin’s Mental State After Ukraine Invasion
Less than a week before Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, world leaders gathering at a luxurious German hotel to talk global security indulged in a familiar pastime: discussing what they saw as the Russian president’s odd behavior. “We met with Chancellor Olaf Sholz, and he was telling us about his meeting that he had with Putin,” said Representative Bill Keating of Massachusetts, who attended the Munich Security Conference, where the new German chancellor complained about Putin’s unusual COVID protocols. “He wanted his own government’s health people to examine him before they would meet — it’s the chancellor of Germany!” Keating said. “And of course, he refused, but he thought that was something out of the norm.” (Bidgood, 3/1)

ABC News: Seizure Of Chernobyl By Russian Troops Sparks Health Concerns For People Near The Nuclear Plant
"Conventional war and nuclear power are not a good combination," Dr. Kate Brown, a professor of science, technology and society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who has been studying Chernobyl for more than 15 years, told ABC News. "Nuclear power requires security, stability and peace. It's a tall order." If any military activity sparks a fire, it could release radioactivity from the wooded areas of the exclusion zone, which could then spread, she said. "There's been hotter, drier weather with climate change in Ukraine and elsewhere," said Brown. "From 2017 to 2020, they've had pretty serious forest fires in the contaminated areas, and they've released a great deal of radioactivity that's stored in the leaf litter, in pine needles, in the wood itself and, when those burn, they volatilize and become ash and smoke and can travel long distances." (Kekatos, 2/26)

Medical Economics: Health Care Organizations Warned To Guard Against Additional Cyberattacks Because Of War In Ukraine
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency of the U.S. government is warning all organizations, including those in health care, to be extra vigilant against cyber threats due to the war in Ukraine. Russia has launched cyberattacks against Ukraine, and the impacts may stretch beyond the region, especially as the United States implements sanctions against Russia. Every organization must be prepared to respond to disruptive cyber activity, according to CISA, which also asks that all cyber incidents be reported as soon as possible. (Shryock, 3/1)