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☆ Dengue Outbreaks on Rise in Brazil as Vaccine Rollout Lags
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

On Tuesday, Sao Paulo's state department of health declared a state of emergency, estimating 300 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants. "We have six million doses this year and 50 million doses over five years," he said. Dengue is now present in 85% of Brazil's municipalities, Kfouri added, spreading into regions where it was never seen before. In some cases, the disease can cause a more severe hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding that can lead to death. The Health Ministry's latest weekly bulletin cited some 1.3 million "possible cases" of dengue nationwide and 299 confirmed deaths related to the disease this year.

Persons: Renato Kfouri, Kfouri, Sebastian Rocandio, Steven Grattan, Bill Berkrot Organizations: SAO PAULO, Reuters, Sao Paulo, Leandra Locations: Brazil, Sao Paulo's, Brazil's municipalities

☆ A man deliberately got 217 Covid shots. Here’s what happened
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Mira Cheng | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The man, who is not named in the correspondence in compliance with German privacy rules, reported receiving 217 Covid shots between June 2021 and November 2023. Raising suspicionsAccording to his immunization history, the man got his first Covid vaccine in June 2021. The adaptive immune system is the subsection of the immune system that learns to recognize and respond to specific pathogens when you encounter them throughout your life, Miller said. Last week, the CDC updated its guidance to recommend an additional dose of the current Covid vaccine for people 65 and older. Less than a quarter of adults and only 13% of children in the US have gotten the most recently recommended Covid vaccine, according to CDC data.

Persons: hypervaccination ”, ”, Emily Happy Miller, ” Miller, “, Dr, Kilian Schober, Friedrich, hypervaccination, ” Schober, Schober, Miller, Hypervaccination, that’s, Johnson, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Alexander University Erlangen, Red Cross, RTL, Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson, Sanofi, CNN Health, Centers for Disease Control, CDC Locations: Magdeburg, Nürnberg, Saxony, Dresden, Eilenburg, United States

☆ Read the open letter Disney heirs wrote to shareholders, defending Bob Iger and slamming activist investors as 'villains'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The heirs backed Iger and his management for being "faithful" to Disney's "magic" and said the CEO has "grown this company in a modern world." Peltz's Trian Fund Management, which owns about $3 billion of Disney stock, has criticized Disney's leadership and is seeking seats on its board. In early February, Iger and Peltz threw jabs at each other following Disney's better-than-expected earnings report. They understand that the longevity of The Walt Disney Company isn't only the result of smart business decisions; it is rooted in the strong emotional connection Disney continues to forge with generations of people from around the globe. To the contrary, their "I alone can fix it" mentality makes clear that they are not interested in preserving the Disney magic, but stripping it to the bone to make a quick profit for themselves.

Persons: Iger, Peltz's, Disney's, Peltz, Roy O, Walt Disney, Walt, Roy, Snow White, Mary Poppins, Bob Iger, Saul Steinberg —, Nelson Peltz —, Roy P, Disney Susan Disney, Abigail E, Disney Tim Disney Organizations: Peltz's Trian Fund Management, Disney, Trian Fund Management, Variety, The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Company, Directors Locations: Iger

☆ CDC updates Covid isolation guidelines for people who test positive
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Erika Edwards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

People who test positive for Covid no longer need to isolate for five days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Many doctors have been urging the CDC to lift isolation guidance for months, saying it did little to stop the spread of Covid. The experiences of California and Oregon, which previously lifted their Covid isolation guidelines, proved that to be true. "Recent data indicate that California and Oregon, where isolation guidance looks more like CDC's updated recommendations, are not experiencing higher Covid-19 emergency department visits or hospitalizations," Jackson said. Changing the Covid isolation to mirror what's recommended for flu and other respiratory illnesses makes sense to Dr. David Margolius, the public health director for the city of Cleveland.

Persons: you've, Mandy Cohen, Cohen, Covid, Dr, Brendan Jackson, Jackson, David Margolius, We've, Kristin Englund Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, National Center, CDC, Cleveland Clinic Locations: United States, California, Oregon, Cleveland

☆ Which diseases can pets transmit to their owners?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN: What types of diseases can household pets like cats and dogs transmit to humans? Dr. Leana Wen: Just as humans can transmit diseases to other humans, animals can transmit diseases to others in their own species. Sometimes, animals can transmit diseases to other species, and that includes humans with whom pets have had close contact. These diseases spread when a person is bitten by an infected tick that has fed off an infected animal. It’s not known how the man who died from Alaskapox contracted it, but a possible route is an infected animal biting the individual or exposure of an infected animal to an existing break in the man’s skin.

Persons: Leana Wen, Wen, Lyme, Alaskapox, It’s Organizations: CNN — Health, CNN, George Washington University Locations: Alaska, Oregon, United States

☆ Opinion: What it means to be born Black in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Opinion Josephine Apraku | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

It is hard to group Black Germans — sometimes also referred to as Afro-Germans — under one umbrella; there is no one description that encompasses the diversity of Black people here. The same year I was born, a seminal work about Black Germans, “Showing Our Colors: Afro-German Women Speak Out,” was published. I think that these are precisely the times when Black community, Black alliances and Black spaces are so important. In 2020, the Black Student Union at the University of Bremen renamed February “Black Our Story Month,” and has been holding Black History Month events every year since, creating visibility for the complexity of Black experiences. The Black community in Germany celebrated its first Black History Month in 1990.

Persons: Josephine Apraku, I’m, I’ve, ” Josephine Apraku Dahahm Choi It’s, there’s, ” Josephine Apraku, ”, Christian Mang, Audre Lorde, Lorde, Roma, Sinti, — that’s, Steffi Loos, Schwarzer, George Floyd, Black, — Organizations: African Studies, CNN, Berlin CNN, Black, Africa, Free University of Berlin, CDU, Christian Democratic Union, Black Student Union, University of Bremen, ISD, of Black People, White Locations: Berlin, Germany, Black, East Germany, Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, German, Ghana, Europe, Territories, Namibia, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Cameroon, Togo, ” Josephine Apraku Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, United States, Tiergarten, Black Germans, Deutschland

☆ An act of generosity is one of the 'quickest and easiest ways to get happier'—here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Buying someone a coffee or holding the door open for the person behind you are examples of one of the simplest ways to increase your happiness: generosity. "One of the quickest and easiest ways to get happier is to be generous," Dan Harris said in a recent episode of his podcast, "Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris." In some ways, that's the least interesting part of it," said Chris Anderson, curator of TED who spoke with Harris for his podcast. The scientific explanation behind that is that "we are wired to be generous," Anderson said. It's really, really true now, more so than it has ever been," Anderson said.

Persons: Ruth Gottesman, Gottesman, Dan Harris, Chris Anderson, Harris, Anderson, We've Organizations: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Research, CNBC, Harvard, Nature Communications, TED, Cleveland

☆ Opinion: The unimaginable suffering of Gaza’s children
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Opinion Catherine Russell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Since October, unrelenting war has squeezed people farther and farther south, pushing them to Rafah, the final stretch of Gazan territory before the Egyptian border. Now this small section of Gaza, which already has experienced an abundance of suffering, faces the prospect of additional hardship and heartache. Parties to the conflict have blatantly committed grave violations against children – including killing, maiming, kidnappings, attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of humanitarian access. Injured children are reporting to the few remaining functional hospitals with severe burns, injuries that require amputation, open wounds and other serious traumas. Most of the children in Rafah have already been displaced multiple times by the fighting in Gaza, in direct contravention of international law.

Persons: Catherine Russell, Danielle Deeb, Gazans Organizations: UNICEF, CNN Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, New York City, Washington, Palestinian

☆ Amid Florida’s Measles Outbreak, Surgeon General Goes Against Medical Guidance
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Dani Blum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As a cluster of measles cases grew in an elementary school in southern Florida, the state’s surgeon general sent a letter to parents that contradicted widespread medical guidance about how to keep the disease from spreading. Doctors and health officials typically recommend that children who are not vaccinated for measles isolate for 21 days after they have been exposed at school. However, the state Department of Health “is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance,” the letter, sent to parents at Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, Fla., continued. Dr. Ladapo added that these recommendations might change in the future and stressed that children with measles symptoms should not go to school. As of Friday, there were six confirmed cases at the school, according to Broward County Public Schools.

Persons: Joseph Ladapo, of Health “, Ladapo Organizations: of Health, Manatee Bay Elementary, Broward County Public Schools Locations: Florida, Weston , Fla, Broward

☆ I made $9,450 and erased my credit card debt by joining 2 clinical trials. I just had to agree to get the flu and dysentery.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . My flu clinical trial stay came with free room serviceThe study took place in a 3-star hotel in downtown Baltimore. (Just to be clear: I would never eat in my bed at home — gross — but when living in a hotel room with an extra bed, why not?) I'm lucky that I'm not prone to cabin fever, so the prospect of being stuck, quarantine-like, inside a hotel room didn't faze me. We waited for several days for the researchers to find a proper "donor" who could spread the flu.

Persons: —, Christopher Silva, It's, I'd, Silva, we'd, Shirley Jackson, it's, Hilary Brueck Organizations: Service, University of Maryland, Uno, University of Maryland School of Public, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Health Locations: Pennsylvania, Baltimore, hbrueck@businessinsider.com

☆ Middle East Crisis Israeli Official Expresses Some Optimism Over Cease-Fire Deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Adam Sella | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Image Displaced Palestinians in Rafah, in southern Gaza, as smoke rises over the nearby city of Khan Younis last month. That figure could climb to 66,720 if there were outbreaks of infectious disease such as cholera, their analysis found. Their study considers deaths from traumatic injuries, infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal causes, and noncommunicable diseases for which people can no longer receive medication or treatment, such as dialysis. Dr. Checchi said the analysis made it possible to quantify the potential impact of a cease-fire in lives. The projected 6,500 deaths even with a cease-fire is predicated on the assumption there will not be epidemics of infectious disease.

Persons: Khan Younis, Bassam Masoud, ”, Francesco Checchi, “, ” Dr, Checchi, Paul Spiegel, Spiegel, ” Patrick Ball, haven’t, Ball, Dr Organizations: Johns Hopkins University, London School of Hygiene, Hopkins Center, Humanitarian Health, Human Locations: Rafah, Gaza

☆ Vultures, on the verge of extinction, receive a lifeline in South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Gertrude Kitongo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to four critically endangered species of vulture, and in South Africa, a non-profit conservation and rehabilitation group called VulPro is working to protect these fascinating birds. The operation involved over 50 people, logistics company DHL and WeWild Africa, an NGO specializing in animal rewilding and translocation. It was at that very moment that I actually understood how fragile and misunderstood the species were.”An African White-backed vulture (closest to camera) at the VulPro rehabilitation center near Pretoria, South Africa. Recent efforts have concentrated on the white-headed vulture, with a population of only 3,685 adults continent-wide, according to BirdLife International, and only a small percentage of that figure in South Africa. Poisoning is the most common reason for vultures to require treatment in South Africa, often from ingesting lead in discarded batteries, or bullets in animal carcasses, says Joubert.

Persons: VulPro, ”, Kerri Wolter, Gertrude Kitongo, “, Johan Joubert, Joubert, Wolter, – Organizations: CNN, Reserve, DHL, WeWild, BirdLife International, Shamari Locations: Saharan Africa, South Africa, Eastern Cape, WeWild Africa, African, Pretoria, Africa, West Africa, KwaZulu, Natal, South

☆ War and Illness Could Kill 85,000 Gazans in 6 Months
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Stephanie Nolen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An escalation of the war in Gaza could lead to the deaths of 85,000 Palestinians from injuries and disease over the next six months, in the worst of three scenarios that prominent epidemiologists have modeled in an effort to understand the potential future death toll of the conflict. These fatalities would be in addition to the more than 29,000 deaths in Gaza that local authorities have attributed to the conflict since it began in October. The estimate represents “excess deaths,” above what would have been expected had there been no war. In a second scenario, assuming no change in the current level of fighting or humanitarian access, there could be an additional 58,260 deaths in the enclave over the next six months, according to the researchers, from Johns Hopkins University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. That figure could climb to 66,720 if there were outbreaks of infectious disease such as cholera, their analysis found.

Organizations: Johns Hopkins University, London School of Hygiene Locations: Gaza

☆ Renters facing eviction have a higher risk of death, and mortality surged during Covid-19 pandemic, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The general population also experienced excess mortality during this time, but the risk started higher for renters and rose exponentially for those threatened with eviction. From January 2020 through August 2021, the risk of death for renters facing eviction was 2.6 times greater than it was in the general population, the study found. During the baseline period of 2010 to 2016, the mortality rate was 1.4 times higher for renters facing eviction than it was for the general population. Another study from December explored the risk between rising rent costs and mortality risk. Eviction filings were down 45% during the first two years of the pandemic, according to the new study.

Persons: ”, Nick Graetz, it’s, It’s, Jack Tsai, ” Graetz, Katie Derrick, Jesse Tree, Derrick, Tsai, moratoriums –, Jesse, “, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Steven Furr, we’re, Furr, what’s, ” Tsai Organizations: CNN, Census, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, US Department of Veterans Affairs ’, Homelessness, ”, CNN Health, American Academy of Family Physicians, “ Locations: Princeton, United States, Boise , Idaho, Jesse Tree, Idaho, Alabama

☆ While officials consider new Covid isolation guidance, here's what an immunologist recommends you do if you test positive
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

By April, there may be a new isolation period recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for people who test positive for Covid-19. Currently, the CDC says that people who test positive for the coronavirus should stay home for five days and isolate from the people that they live with. The length of isolation for those with a positive Covid test may now be based on an individual approach. The new recommendation hasn't been approved yet, but if it will be, here's what Parikh suggests for people who test positive for Covid. Here's what a doctor suggests if you test positive for Covid

Persons: they've, CDC hasn't, Purvi Parikh, Purvi, they're, Michael T, hasn't Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, CDC, The Washington Post, NBC, Allergy, Asthma Network, University of Minnesota, Washington Post

☆ 580 courses in 365 days: How crushing a world record changed one golfer’s perspective on life and America
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Don Riddell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Patrick Koenig played golf – a lot of golf. By the time he finished his golfing trek, Koenig had played in the USA, Finland, and Sweden, completing 580 different courses in 365 days. Assuming his record application – which typically take up to 12 weeks to review, according to the Guinness World Record website – is accepted, he will have smashed the previous best total by 131 courses. As well as playing an awful lot of golf, the experience has changed Koenig’s perspective on the world. Some days I wanted to sleep because I was tired, but I was like, ‘Oh, I can get up and play golf.

Persons: Patrick Koenig, Koenig, –, ”, “, Jonathan, Cathie Weaver, I’m, spatters Koenig, I’d, Royal New Kent –, ” Koenig, I’ve, ’, Rachel Alcone, he’d, Patrick Koenig ‘, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Guinness, North, Monarch Beach, “, Royal New Locations: USA, Finland, Sweden, Canadian, California, Colorado, South Carolina, Pebble, Royal New Kent, Virginia, Royal, Sand Hills, Nebraska, Washington, Florida, Vermont, Texas, America

The case heads to court separately from another federal lawsuit filed in October by LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocates over the aggravated prostitution law. The Republican-carried legislation would only remove the requirement that those convicted of aggravated prostitution must register as a violent sex offender. Court documents in the other federal lawsuit say that more than 80 people are registered for aggravated prostitution in Tennessee. Because she had to register as a sex offender, the woman has experienced periods of homelessness while struggling to find safe housing compliant with sex-registry requirements. Tennessee law also bars her from changing her legal name to match her gender identity, the lawsuit states.

Persons: ”, Kristen Clarke, general's Organizations: U.S . Justice, Justice Department, Republican, Justice Department’s Civil Rights, for Disease Control, The Justice Department Locations: Tenn, Tennessee, United States, Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Shelby County, Memphis

☆ South Korean researchers develop beef-infused rice as sustainable meat alternative
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Imagine eating a delicious, nourishing bowl of beef rice. No, not beef on rice – beef rice. That’s what a team of South Korean researchers are hoping to plate up with their newly developed hybrid rice, grown in a lab with cow muscle and fat cells inside the rice grains. The meat cells then grow on the surface of the rice grain and inside the grain itself. Lean beef currently costs about $14.88 per kilogram, and rice costs $2.2 per kilogram – whereas the beef rice, if commercialized, could cost just $2.23.

Persons: Sohyeon Park, “ Rice, Park, ”, ” Neil Ward, “ Organizations: CNN, South, University of East Locations: University of East Anglia

☆ A rabid coyote likely attacked 2 Rhode Islanders just a day apart in neighboring towns
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Dalia Faheid | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A single rabid coyote in Rhode Island is believed to have attacked two people in neighboring towns in the span of two days, state environmental officials said this week. The same animal likely attacked another person on Thursday in Scituate, about 11 miles away, officials said in a Monday news release. There has not been a human case of rabies in Rhode Island since 1940. Rabies is endemic in Rhode Island and the state has had terrestrial rabies since 1994. If someone is bitten or scratched by a wild animal, they should contact a health professional right away, the health department said.

Persons: Scott Marshall, Marshall Organizations: CNN, Johnston Police Department, Rhode Island Department of Health, Coyotes Locations: Rhode Island, Belfield, Johnston, Scituate, “

☆ Shipping CEO Angela Chao, sister of former Cabinet member Elaine Chao, dies in car crash
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Angela Chao, CEO of the shipping company the Foremost Group and sister of former US cabinet secretary Elaine Chao, was killed in a car crash in Texas on Sunday, according to a spokesperson for her company. Angela Chao, 50, had been CEO of the shipping company since 2018, assuming the role from her father, James S.C. Chao, who had founded it in 1964. “Angela Chao was a formidable executive and shipping industry leader, as well as a proud and loving daughter, sister, aunt, wife and mother. She was also a precocious youngster, learning about the shipping industry at an early age,” said the companies’ statement. Elaine Chao is the wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Persons: Angela Chao, Elaine Chao, James S.C, Chao, Michael Lee, Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley, “ Angela Chao, ”, TradeWinds, “ Angela, Presisdent George W, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell Organizations: New, New York CNN, Foremost, Harvard, American Bureau of Shipping Council, Harvard Business School’s, Dean’s Advisors, Metropolitan Opera, Chairman’s, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai Mulan Education, Asian American Foundation, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders Locations: New York, Texas, Austin , Texas, Los Angeles, Shanghai

☆ Romantic kissing’s earliest record dates to 4,500 years ago, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Romantic kisses have long been celebrated in songs, poems and stories, commemorated in art and film. Modern scholars therefore concluded that romantic kisses likely originated in India. Across thousands of cuneiform tablets kissing isn’t the most mentioned topic, “but it is attested regularly,” he said. But Arbøll and Rasmussen suspected that romantic kissing became accepted in Bronze Age Europe, and not because of migration alone. Even today, many cultures shun romantic kissing, Arbøll and Rasmussen reported.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Guy de Maupassant, Troels Pank, Assyriology, Justin R, Garcia, ” Garcia, de Maupassant, Arbøll, Dr, Sophie Lund Rasmussen, ” Arbøll, “, primatologist Frans B.M, De, Rasmussen, isn’t, It’s, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, University of Copenhagen, Indiana University, Kinsey Institute, Oxford University, Emory University, Scientific Locations: Mesopotamia, Bloomington, India, De Waal, Atlanta, Europe, Russia

☆ Watch what you say about Taylor Swift around your kids. Why it’s important
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Analysis Dr. Katie Hurley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Rapper Eminem stands on the field before the January 14 game between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams. Kevin Mazur/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementOwn your narrativeDespite near-constant media scrutiny and rumors, Swift continues to own her narrative. This is a great lesson for young girls and women of all ages who can feel judged and criticized by others. There’s not a single reason to take that away from the many young fans who look up to her. She is the author of five books, including “No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong, Confident, and Compassionate Girls.”

Persons: CNN —, Eminem, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce’s, Kevin Sabitus, Kelce, I’ve, tween, Swift’s, shouldn’t, Swift, David Eulitt, It’s, Lana Del Rey, Valerie Macon, Kevin Mazur, doesn’t, Katie Hurley, Strong, ” Organizations: CNN, San Francisco 49ers, NFC, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Super, Denver Broncos, Getty, Mutual, Teen, MetLife, Management, Compassionate Locations: AFP, East Rutherford , New Jersey

Viking announced Thursday that Fauci's “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service” will be published in June 18. Millions regarded Fauci, with his raspy voice and plainspoken style, as the government's trusted point man during the heights of the pandemic. In the 1980s, the activist group ACT UP condemned Fauci for what it called his indifferent response to the spread of AIDS. During President George W. Bush's administration, Fauci helped develop PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He was represented by Washington attorney Robert Barnett, whose clients have included Bush, and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Persons: Dr, Anthony Fauci, Fauci, ” Fauci, Joe Biden's, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump's, Trump, Sen, Rand, Robert F, Kennedy Jr's, George W, Bush, Robert Barnett, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton Organizations: Viking, Service, National Institute of Allergy, National Institutes of Health, ACT, ACT UP, AIDS Relief Locations: Washington

Vending machines offering tests for sexually transmitted infections hold promise as a way to reach people with sexual health services, according to a study that comes on the heels of recent increases in STIs in both the U.S. and England. For the study, published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, researchers analyzed data associated with nearly a dozen vending machines in two regions of England that were stocked with free kits to help detect chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. Approximately 6% of the STI tests were positive for chlamydia, while 2.5% tested positive for gonorrhea, according to the study. A total of four samples tested positive for HIV, though they were from people already known to be HIV positive, and three tests came back positive for syphilis antibodies. Previous research suggests vending machines that offer self-tests for HIV can lead to increased uptake in testing among men who have sex with men, and the latest study adds to those findings.

Persons: “, what’s, ”, Aaron Glatt, Glatt Organizations: U.S, World Health Organization, The Washington Post, Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Society of America Locations: STIs, England, Black, U.S, Mount Sinai South Nassau, New York

And yet, an antiviral treatment proven to lessen the chances of severe outcomes is going underused. The drug, Paxlovid, is lauded by experts as a powerful tool that can prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19. One Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that Paxlovid can decrease hospitalization risks among adults by 51%. The study by Harvard researchers found that Paxlovid was disproportionately given to Medicare patients with lower risk of severe infection. “There are very few medications and very few patients whose potential medication interaction with Paxlovid is so severe that they’re better off not taking Paxlovid,” he said.

Persons: they’ve, ”, Amesh, Paxlovid, Kurt Proctor, Celise Ballow, Ballow, “ I’m, I’m, … I’m, ” Ballow, ’ ”, Sarah George, Michael Barnett, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Johns Hopkins University, Disease Control, Pfizer, National Community Pharmacists Association, St, Louis University, Harvard, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: COVID, U.S, Junction , Utah, Paxlovid, Harvard

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