Health News:

• The USDA confirmed cow-to-cow transmission of bird flu, as suspected. (Reuters)
• A WHO official said that the raw milk from sick dairy cows has tested positive for bird flu. (Barron’s)
• An asymptomatic herd of cows in South Carolina has tested positive for avian flu. (NY Times)
• A public health alert by FSIS warns against serving or eating E. coli contaminated ground beef. (USDA)
• A new study shows thousands of excess deaths tied to wildfire smoke. (NPR)
• Extreme heat caused more emergency room visits last year, especially among men. (MMWR)
• A new weather-forecasting tool can help employers determine when it’s too hot for outdoor work. (NPR)
• A man in Vietnam who had close contact with poultry is hospitalized with severe avian flu. It’s H9N2, not the H5N1 variant that’s been in the news. (WHO)
• For some medical providers, the Change Healthcare cyberattack was “more devastating than COVID.” (KFF Health News)
• The U.S. could vaccinate only about 1 in 5 adults in a bird flu emergency. (Barron’s)
• An eclipse watch-party at an Indiana children’s museum may have been a measles-spreading event. (ABC)
• WV has its first measles case in 15 years. (WV Metro News)‍
• CDC issued a health advisory this afternoon about counterfeit or mishandled botulinum toxin (Botox) injections that have hospitalized 11 people. (CDC)

Mental Health & Substance Use News:

• Guns are killing more Americans, and shooting survivors can face lifelong physical and mental health issues. (NPR)
• Working late and volatile work schedules were linked to depression and health issues by middle age, a new study shows. (NPR)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call 988 or message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. 

Best Questions:

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Is there a vaccine for the bird flu? Should we stock it? 

There is a vaccine for the H5N1 bird flu, which is the main one that’s circulating in birds, wild mammals, and now dairy cows in the U.S. It’s been licensed in the U.S. since way back in 2007, and at least three different companies manufacture versions of the vaccine. Some experts and most flu vaccine manufacturers say it’s too early to really start a national stockpile since we don’t know when we’d really need it, in part because it might disrupt seasonal flu vaccine production. Right now, though, the U.S. only has enough bird flu vaccine for about one in five eligible adults. Some public health experts are calling for the government and manufacturers to prepare for ramped-up production. For individual businesses, there’s not really a way to stockpile the H5N1 vaccine right now, given the very limited supply. Vaccines would most likely be distributed through federal programs and local health departments in the event of a bird flu public health emergency. 

Sources: Medpage Today, Barron’s

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How can we better prepare for extreme heat this summer? 

First, create strong procedures for high-temperature days that include more frequent breaks and access to shade and cold water. As you plan, remember that heat-related illness happens more frequently when people aren’t accustomed to high temperatures, so the first hot day in May is more likely to cause problems than a hot day in the middle of August. Use the new HeatRisk tool from the CDC and National Weather Service to help managers determine whether to implement your heat plan. If you’re in a state with a heat standard (CA, CO, MN, NV, OR, or WA), be sure to work with your legal and compliance teams to ensure you’re meeting state regulations, as well. 

Sources: NPR, HeatRisk

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Best Read:

Toxic: How the search for the origins of COVID-19 turned politically poisonous | AP

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