Archives: Morning Breakouts

In the state with the highest measles outbreak this year, a new law prevents religious exemptions. More than 25,000 New York children had religious exemptions in 2018. One parent says "our only option is home schooling.'' While hundreds of parents are joining Facebook groups and going to seminars to learn how to homeschool their children, public health officials push for vaccinations and better public health eduction. In other public health news: inaccessible technology for blind and deaf people, genetic testing for newborns, dangers of giving reflux drugs to children, green ways to lowering carbon, being pregnant during the "sober-curious" movement, lessons for safe swimming, pets enriching teens emotional lives, and hunger's twisted impact on one family, as well.

President Donald Trump's aversion to germs is well-known. But as he begins to launch his reelection campaign, will he be successful in his attempts to avoid contagions that are an inherent part of travelling and touching others' hands? Meanwhile, concern over superbugs continue to grow, but the funding on how to stop them hasn't followed suit.

The company gets much of its advertising organically these days through young people's social media accounts. "We're at a point where young people are doing Juul's job for them," says Elizabeth Hair, a study co-author and senior vice president at the Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute. Meanwhile, Netflix has vowed to curb smoking depictions going forward following criticism of "Stranger Things."

In 2015, 600,000 Americans died of cancer. Compounding the losses to loved ones, the country's economy also took a hit from the estimated $94.4 billion in lost earnings that year. In other cancer-related news: scientists aim to use "nanobodies" as a potential new treatment against the disease; and new physical activity guidelines for breast cancer survivors.

Scientists created a map of the roundworm's brain, a goal that many researchers aspire to with humans, as well. Experts say maps such as these could help explain the biology of mental disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.