Jan 14 Trump promises to change pandemic defenses created by Biden health officials By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press During the campaign last year, Trump told Time magazine that he would disband the White House office focused on pandemic preparedness, calling it "a very expensive solution to something that won’t work."… Continue reading
Jan 12 Watch 5:00 What to know about this winter’s surge of viral illnesses across the country By John Yang, Kaisha Young According to the CDC, the number of people going to doctors with illnesses the flu, RSV and COVID is surging. Epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina joins John Yang to discuss why this year’s sick season is hitting Americans hard and what to… Continue watching
Jan 12 Watch 6:46 As recovering addicts age, many struggle to get care for long-term health issues By Ali Rogin, Andrew Corkery The graying of America is being reflected in the nation’s drug crisis. Even as overdose deaths drop, millions of aging former drug users are living with long-term health challenges exacerbated by their previous substance use. We hear from a number… Continue watching
Jan 12 Two cats in California died after drinking raw milk recalled for bird flu, their owner says By JoNel Aleccia, Associated Press The cats drank unpasteurized milk from lots recalled by Raw Farm, of Fresno, whose dairy products were pulled from California store shelves in December after health officials found the virus in milk for sale, the owner said. Continue reading
Jan 11 Watch 3:35 How to protect yourself from the health hazards of wildfire smoke By Ali Rogin, Claire Mufson, Andrew Corkery Vast plumes of smoke and ash from the California wildfires are threatening the health of people miles away, and has led both the Biden administration and Los Angeles County to declare public health emergencies. Ali Rogin speaks with Dr. Russell… Continue watching
Jan 11 Watch 5:39 Formaldehyde is everywhere, but poses dangers to our health. Here’s what to know By John Yang, Harry Zahn The chemical formaldehyde is found just about everywhere, including in composite lumber, plastics, paints and glues used in many homes and offices. This past week, an EPA evaluation said it poses “an unreasonable risk” to human health. A ProPublica investigation… Continue watching
Jan 11 Wildfires can contaminate drinking water with harmful chemicals. Here’s what to know By Andrew J. Whelton, The Conversation Fires like the ones burning in the Los Angeles area can make drinking water, and the water pipes and tanks themselves, unsafe. A researcher who has worked with communities after several wildfires explains why, and what to do. Continue reading
Jan 09 Wildfire smoke inside homes can cause lingering health risks. Here are some tips for cleaning and staying safe By Colleen E. Reid, The Conversation Research shows that the mix of chemicals released when human-made materials like these burn is different from what is emitted during a vegetation fire and is potentially more toxic. Continue reading
Jan 06 Louisiana patient is the first to die of bird flu in the U.S., health officials say By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Louisiana officials say they are not aware of any other cases in their state, and U.S. officials have said they do not have any evidence that the virus is spreading from person to person. Continue reading
Jan 06 Fewer than 0.1 percent of U.S. adolescents receive gender-affirming medications, report finds By Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press From 2018 through 2022, only 926 adolescents with a gender-related diagnosis received puberty blockers and 1,927 received hormones, suggesting that fewer than 0.1 percent of all youth in the database received these medications. Continue reading