Public health leaders push back against Gavin Newsom's budget cuts: 'We cannot go back'
Proposed cuts to California's state and local health departments are described as 'devastating' and 'a step backwards' by public health leaders. [ more ]
COVID-19 Radically' Changed the Leading Causes of Death
COVID-19 is the second leading cause of death globally after being declared a pandemic, displacing stroke as a top killer.
Global life expectancy increased by 6.2 years since 1990 due to reduced deaths from diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and heart disease. [ more ]
TIME100 Health Honorees Toast to Survival, Solutions, and Health Workers in Conflict Zones
The TIME100 Health list highlights influential figures in health leading impactful changes, discussing issues from neglected tropical diseases like noma to pioneering research in COVID treatments. [ more ]
Toronto's top doctor to step down after 8 years on the job | CBC News
Dr. Eileen de Villa will resign as Toronto's medical officer of health at the end of the year after eight years leading the public health unit. [ more ]
Advocates Worry New COVID Guidelines Will Have a Disparate Impact on People with Disabilities - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
COVID-19 is the fourth leading cause of death in America. About 6.8% of Americans have long COVID, leading to more living with disabilities due to the virus. [ more ]
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COVID Patient's Infection Lasts Record 613 Daysand Accumulated Over 50 Mutations
A patient with a weakened immune system harbored a highly mutated Covid-19 strain for over 600 days, showcasing the risk of prolonged infections in immunocompromised individuals. [ more ]
Health workers fear it's profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission
Hospital leadership instructed health workers to forgo N95 masks early in the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to infections and deaths among frontline workers.
Research on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was disregarded due to shortages and cost concerns around N95 masks, highlighting challenges in following scientific advice during emergencies. [ more ]
A concrete suggestion that could save millions of lives in a future pandemic
The World Health Organization has been negotiating a pandemic agreement to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. Time is running out to reach a consensus before the World Health Assembly in May. [ more ]
So how do you track spread of disease? By the numbers. - Harvard Gazette
Ivan Specht, a Harvard student, used his love for math to develop a contract-tracing app during the pandemic, expanding his coursework and working on statistical modeling related to disease spread. [ more ]
There's a new highly transmissible COVID-19 variant. Could FLiRT lead to a summer uptick?
Two new COVID-19 subvariants, FLiRT (KP.2 and KP.1.1), are 20% more transmissible than the previous JN.1 variant. FLiRT dominates infections, causing a possible summer uptick. [ more ]
Longest-Ever COVID Infection Lasted More Than 600 Days
A man with a rare combination of health conditions had the longest consecutive COVID infection ever documented, with the virus accumulating over 50 new mutations during his 20-month illness. [ more ]
The slowdown in prison admissions during the pandemic led to a decrease in younger incarcerated individuals, impacting the demographic composition within prisons and potentially affecting excess mortality rates. [ more ]
London secondary school pupils 'unable to read or write' thanks to legacy of Covid, expert warns
The damaging effects of Covid on education will continue to impact students in England, affecting their academic achievement and widening socio-economic gaps. [ more ]
Overwhelming' need for royal commission into Covid pandemic response in Australia, Senate committee finds
The Senate committee recommends a royal commission to examine Australia's Covid-19 response, focusing on key elements and lessons to be learned. [ more ]
The World Health Organization acknowledged Covid-19 is airborne in late 2021, updating their guidelines for pathogen transmission, potentially impacting disease control policies worldwide. [ more ]
Who's dying now? Here's how recent COVID deaths compare to the early months of the pandemic in California
COVID demographics in California have shifted over four years, with older and White individuals now more affected, demonstrating decreased deaths and increased immunity. [ more ]
Sentenced to Death by COVID - How US Prisons Became an Epicenter of the Pandemic
Ending the COVID-19 'public health emergency' had concrete negative effects like hindering access to free testing.
Policies could have been implemented to make the pandemic less deadly, such as prioritizing vulnerable populations and providing income for people to stay home. [ more ]
March 11, 2020, marked the beginning of the pandemic era with significant global impacts.
The pandemic era led to drastic changes, from jarring moments like Tom Hanks announcing his COVID diagnosis to the rapid transformation of various industries. [ more ]
Got COVID? CDC says stay home while you're sick, but drops its 5-day isolation rule
CDC drops 5-day isolation guidance for COVID-19 patients, emphasizing staying home when sick. New guidance focuses on symptoms improvement and precautions for five days post-illness. [ more ]