A hundred years ago this week, a child received the first BCG vaccine for tuberculosis. Ed reminded us that this vaccine didn’t stop the bacteria – it doesn’t prevent infection or active TB disease -- but it does prevent newborn TB meningitis, which has saved millions of babies’ lives in the last century. “However, what is more astonishing is that we are using exactly the same vaccine, and it has not been improved at all,” he noted (all-caps and excessive punctuation omitted). The public health world is a wonky place, but the lack of focus on TB – despite its numerous years as the number one infectious killer, throughout the world, during most of our lifetime – is particularly bewildering. Ed lays out it out straight: “It is time that we get serious about eliminating TB from the world and discover an effective and safe vaccine.” TB was just one of the topics on MCN staff members’ minds this week. Here are a few other pieces we shared:
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Claire forwarded on “Excessive Heat Harms US Workers Unequally as the Safety Risks from Climate Change Soar [2],” a fascinating working paper from the Washington Center for Equitable Growth with a lot to highlight, including the conclusion that excess heat increases non-heat-related injuries among outdoor and indoor workers.
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Legislation could help workers avoid heat-induced injuries, and this week’s Washington Post article, “Biden Administration, Workers Grapple with Health Threats Posed by Climate Change and Heat [3],” sent around by Kaethe, delineates states’ existing permanent legislation, emergency standards, and potential future safety efforts, including federally.
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The present increase in deaths and illness from the Delta variant of COVID-19 is largely among only the unvaccinated. The LA Times offered up their reporting on the topic, and a number of other updates including why the vaccinated should still mask up, in Spanish: “Las vacunas son efectivas contra la variante Delta; entonces ¿por qué debemos usar mascarilla en espacios interiores? [4]”
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Claire also shared the NIH news release which should shape mental health care efforts in the coming years: “More Than 1.5 Million Children Lost a Primary or Secondary Caregiver Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic [5].”
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Weekly Win: Good news! Many COVID-19 vaccine skeptics have changed their minds. Vaccine Persuasion [6], from the New York Times and sent around by Karen, covers a Kaiser Family Foundation poll follow-up to find out the three primary themes shared by people who decided to get vaccinated after all.
Have a safe and healthy weekend!
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