Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
That Bout With Covid Might Cause Myriad Ailments Later On, Study Finds
The Wall Street Journal: Mini-Strokes, Gut Problems: Scientists See Links to an Old Bout of Covid
Scientists suspect that one culprit behind your new illness might be the infection you got a couple of years ago. The link between new health problems and your past health history appears to be particularly prevalent with Covid. A new Nature Medicine study found that health problems stemming from even mild Covid infections can emerge as many as three years afterward. The study found a greater risk three years later of problems in the gut, brain and lungs, including irritable bowel syndrome, mini-strokes and pulmonary scarring. This is different from what most people think of as “long Covid,” the debilitating chronic condition that can include fatigue, brain fog and racing heartbeat. (Reddy, 7/2)
USA Today: COVID 2024: Current Guidelines On Vaccines, Symptoms, Isolation Period
As cases of COVID-19 are on the rise and with a new variant of the disease emerging this summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending updated vaccines ahead of the fall and winter virus season. "Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season," CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement Thursday. (7/1)
CIDRAP: New ADHD Diagnoses Doubled During COVID-19, Study Suggests
New diagnoses of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Finland doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the largest increase in females aged 13 to 30 years, University of Helsinki researchers report in JAMA Network Open. The team analyzed nationwide data on new ADHD diagnoses, prevalence, and medication use among 5.6 million participants from registries in 2015, 2020), and 2022. The average participant age was 44.1 years, and 50.6% were female. (Van Beusekom, 7/1)
In bird flu updates —
Reuters: Scientists Wary Of Bird Flu Pandemic 'Unfolding In Slow Motion'
Scientists tracking the spread of bird flu are increasingly concerned that gaps in surveillance may keep them several steps behind a new pandemic, according to Reuters interviews with more than a dozen leading disease experts. Many of them have been monitoring the new subtype of H5N1 avian flu in migratory birds since 2020. But the spread of the virus to 129 dairy herds in 12 U.S. states signals a change that could bring it closer to becoming transmissible between humans. Infections also have been found in other mammals, from alpacas to house cats. (Steenhuysen and Rigby, 7/2)
Bloomberg: Bird Flu Shot Hopes Dim As Tracing Woes Undercut Covid Lessons
US scientists haven’t gotten a handle on how to effectively track bird flu, three months after a Texas dairy worker was diagnosed with the virus. That’s impeding the ability to create a vaccine to protect against the spread among people. Bird flu’s health risk to the general public remains low, according to US officials. But if the virus becomes more dangerous, it’s unclear we’ll have a shot that works, according to Kate Broderick, a vaccine developer at Maravai LifeSciences Holdings, who’s helped develop shots against Ebola and Zika. (Smith and Nix, 7/1)
The Colorado Sun: Colorado Has Nation's Worst Outbreak Of Bird Flu Among Dairy Cattle
Colorado’s outbreak of bird flu among dairy cattle is now the worst in the country, with more cases in the past month than any other state, according to the latest state and federal data. (Ingold, 7/2)
