Category: Public Health

Incubation shorter with each new COVID-19 variant, study shows

With each new COVID-19 variant, the interval between exposure and symptom development appeared to shorten, according to a study published Aug. 22 in JAMA Network Open. 

26 states reporting BA.2.75 cases

An omicron subvariant that’s only accounted for a sprinkle of COVID-19 infections has been detected in 26 states and Washington, D.C., according to tracking estimates. 

5 states where COVID-19 cases are projected to fall most by Labor Day weekend  

Most states will see a decrease in their COVID-19 case rate by Labor Day weekend, according to forecasts from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic. South Dakota, Rhode Island and Virginia are the only states projected to see increases. 

From Book Stacks to Psychosis and Food Stamps, Librarians Confront a New Workplace

As public libraries morph into support hubs for homeless people with mental illness or addiction, librarians are struggling to reconcile their shifting roles.

Where long COVID-19 stands: 4 thoughts from Dr. Eric Topol 

Researchers’ efforts to unravel the mysteries surrounding long COVID-19 are beginning to pay off, Eric Topol, MD, wrote for The Los Angeles Times Aug. 21.

Suggestions roll in to rename monkeypox

“Humanpox,” “lymphpox and “mpox” are among suggestions submitted to the World Health Organization after the agency on Aug. 12 said it was accepting proposals to rename monkeypox in an effort to reduce stigma and align with current best practices for na…

A timeline of New York’s polio case

New York state confirmed the first U.S. polio case in nearly a decade on July 21 in an unvaccinated man in Rockland County.

CDC reports evidence of monkeypox virus on household surfaces: 5 updates

Monkeypox virus DNA was found on high contact surfaces in the Utah home of two infected individuals, the CDC said in an Aug. 19 report. 

Policies to Roll Back Abortion Rights Will Hit Incarcerated People Particularly Hard

People in jails and prisons are particularly vulnerable to the fallout from the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Grassroots Work Leads to Vaccination Success in Georgia Refugee Community

Public health officials and resettlement groups across the U.S. have used community organizers to encourage newly arrived refugees and other vulnerable people to get vaccinated against covid-19. In a Georgia city that is home to many refugees, the vaccination rate is higher than in the state, county, and surrounding communities of similar socioeconomic status.