1/ Stemming the spread of H5N1 bird flu
🔹The federal government is ramping up testing of dairy cows
🔹Cows will now have to be tested before being transferred to another state
🔹H5N1 viral fragments detected in grocery store milk
🔹The risk to humans remains low at this time 2/ Remember PCR tests from COVID?

They can be positive even after you’ve recovered because they’re picking up dead virus.

Some PCR tests on pasteurized milk from grocery stores have come back positive for bird flu... but that could just be dead virus.

1/ H5N1 bird flu has been detected in the milk supply




We currently believe the milk supply to be safe.

Some other key points:washingtonpost.com/health/2024/04…
nytimes.com/2024/04/23/hea…
fda.gov/food/alerts-ad… 2/ The levels of virus fragments being found in milk by PCR are high.

Milk from different cows is combined into big vats.

You wouldn't see such high levels of virus if only a couple cows were infected... it would be diluted down.

This implies many cows have been infected.

1/ The 2nd human case of H5N1 bird flu was reported in the US yesterday.

This case was in Texas & likely involved transmission from an infected cow🐄 to this individual.

The 1st case was reported in Colorado in 2022.

with @tonydokoupil @GayleKing @nateburleson 2/ The person in Texas became ill with H5N1 bird flu after direct contact with infected dairy cattle🐄.

The patient's primary symptom was conjunctivitis (i.e. pink eye).

The patient is isolating & is being treated with an antiviral for flu... as are their close contacts.

1/ Health workers fear it's profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission by @KFFHealthNews' @amymaxmen

So incredibly brave of Dr. @sonyastoked to speak out:
nbcnews.com/health/health-…
2/

1/ U.S. Healthcare System Reels from Cyberattack

with @CBSNews' @errolbarnettcbsnews.com/news/change-he… 2/ The February 21st cyberattack on a medical payment processing company Change Healthcare, a unit of insurance giant UnitedHealth Group's Optum division, is the worst cyberattack on the U.S. healthcare system in history.

1/ Ohio is reporting an outbreak of pediatric pneumonia cases.

This is similar to the "white lung syndrome" (aka ARDS) that is being seen in Europe & China.

THIS IS NOT DUE TO A NOVEL PATHOGEN CAUSING A NEW PANDEMIC.

on @CBSEveningNews @CBSNews with @noraodonnell & @megoliver
2/ Lung "white out" = acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

This can be caused by viral & bacterial infections as well as other conditions.

Before people had much immunity to COVID in 2020, this was how people with COVID most often presented to the hospital.

1/ New @KFF polling data on flu/COVID/RSV vaccines


with @CBSNews' @AMGreenCBS
kff.org/coronavirus-co…
cbsnews.com/video/long-cov… 2/ We're entering respiratory virus season:
flu + COVID + RSV

For the first time ever, we have safe & effective vaccines against ALL THREE!

But will people get them?

% of adults planning to get the annual FLU vaccine:
🔹more than 50% of all adults
🔹almost 75% of adults 65+

1/ I went out exploring in the medina in Marrakech this morning:

https://twitter.com/celinegounder/status/1700385454992867466?s=20

2/ I couldn't get past this without interfering with relief efforts. It seems like the worst of the destruction was behind this, in the oldest parts of the medina.

The oldest parts of the medina in Marrakech date back to the 12th century.

1/ The @CDCgov is now forecasting an acceleration in new COVID hospitalizations over the coming month.

with @CBSMornings @CBSNews' @GayleKing @tonydokoupil @nateburleson 2/ Note that people 70+ are driving the bulk of that increase in hospitalizations (see the top purple🟪line on the right).

covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tra…

1/ COVID has been found in an increasing number of wastewater (i.e. sewage) samples across the country.

This is a sign there's more COVID transmission.

on @CBSNews @CBSMornings
with @GayleKing @nateburleson @danajacobson 2/ Why is there more COVID transmission?

People have let their guard down
& very few are taking precautions to prevent spread
(e.g. masking, testing & keeping their distance from others if sick).

1/ Preventing Gun Violence: When Legislation Isn't Enough

at @aspenideas with @Yale's @meganranney,
@walkthetalkUS’s @mikesodini & @UChicago’s Franklin Cosey-Gay

Here are some highlights:aspenideas.org/sessions/preve… 2/ Franklin spoke about the role of the Great Migration & racist northern housing policies in shaping gun violence in Black & Brown communities today.

Can you fill in the blank: ____ doesn't kill people, people kill people.
https://t.co/uAA3kIpWZ3wbur.org/news/2013/01/0…

1/ Dangerous US Air Quality from Canadian Wildfires
on @CBSEveningNews with @NorahODonnell & @lilialuciano 2/ Who's at greatest risk for health problems from wildfire smoke in the air?
👶🏾Young children
👵🏼The elderly
People with chronic medical conditions, especially heart🫀or lung🫁conditions
🤰🏾Pregnant women

1/ “It’s 4 AM… ’cause it’s 4 AM… OK, but it’s 4 AM.”
— Jamie Tartt 2/ “You all are pointing more fingers than Ganesha giving directions.”
— @TedLasso

1/ S3E4 of @TedLasso 🥹💔

It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe...

Thank you, @jasonsudeikis, @brendanhunting, @brettgoldstein.

This episode means so much to me and my family. 2/ This season of @TedLasso was inspired in part by @GrantWahl's first book "The Beckham Experiment."

amazon.com/Beckham-Experi…

1/ The @US_FDA has approved Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray for OTC non-prescription use because it’s safe, effective, & easy to use.

Over 100K Americans died from opioid poisoning last year. This COULD have a big impact.

with @CBSMornings' @GayleKing @tonydokoupil @nateburleson 2/ Narcan (naloxone) rapidly reverses the effects of opioids, including oxycodone, heroin, & fentanyl.

When opioids bind receptors on neuronal cells located both inside & outside the brain, they modulate the release of neurotransmitters.

1/ COVID pandemic experiences vary from state to state in US
with @CBSNews @lilialuciano & @tonydokoupil

cbsnews.com/live/video/202… 2/ There was a nearly 4-fold difference in COVID deaths in the best versus worst-performing US states.

Why so much variation across states?

thelancet.com/journals/lance…

1/ Thank you, @authorjeff 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

@GrantWahl would have been honored. 2/ Thank you, @authorjeff 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

@GrantWahl would have been honored.

1/ We’ve Been Talking About the Lab-Leak Hypothesis All Wrong by @nytimes' @dwallacewells
nytimes.com/2023/02/28/opi…

I could not agree more with this👇🏾 2/ In the aftermath of a disaster like the pandemic, we should be conducting a systems analysis, & identifying & addressing all liabilities, not just those that led to said disaster.

1/

Q: Why does the South have such ugly credit scores? by @washingtonpost's @andrewvandam
washingtonpost.com/business/2023/…

Every race & every income bracket has low credit scores.

A: Medical debt + lack of Medicaid expansion 2/ Here's a map of medical debt:

1/ Researchers published a study today showing that COVID VACCINATION💉 PREVENTS HEART🫀 ATTACKS & STROKES🧠

"Impact of Vaccination on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with COVID Infection"
Journal of the American College of Cardiology

jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.… 2/ The data will also be presented on March 5th at the American🇺🇸 College of Cardiology’s🫀 72nd Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans.

1/ A recent study from Cedars Sinai Hospital shows the number of heart🫀attack deaths💀among people 25-44 years old during the first 2 years of the COVID pandemic was ‼️30% higher‼️ than predicted.

with @CBSNews' @tonydokoupil & @lilialuciano

cbsnews.com/video/covid-pa… 2/ ⬆️heart🫀attack deaths💀during the pandemic was seen across all age groups,
but the relative ⬆️⬆️⬆️ was most significant among 25-44 year-olds.

Why?

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jm…