Tri-State hospitals urge patients, staff to mask up amid spike in COVID, flu, RSV With flu, COVID and RSV infections on the rise amid the holiday season, hospitals in New York and New Jersey are issuing an urgent plea: mask up! ABC7 New York

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Public health experts are warning of a ‘quad-demic’ this winter. Here’s where flu, COVID, RSV, and norovirus are spreading Taking precautions to protect yourself from the quartet of infectious diseases can lessen your odds of bringing an illness into the new year. Lindsey Leake Fortune

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Global warming can't be ignored, Montana's top court says, upholding landmark climate case Montana’s Supreme Court has upheld a landmark climate ruling that said the state was violating residents’ constitutional right to a clean environment by permitting oil, gas and coal projects without regard for global warming. AP News

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California declares first statewide emergency over bird flu The declaration comes the same day the first “severe” case was found in a human outside of the state. Emma Anderson Politico

California on Wednesday declared a statewide emergency over bird flu, with Gov. Gavin Newsom warning that “conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property” meant greater efforts were needed to defeat the spread. ...

U.S. reports first severe human case of bird flu, in a patient hospitalized in Louisiana The CDC said the person was most likely exposed to the virus from sick or dead birds in a backyard flock. NBC News

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“The patient is experiencing severe respiratory illness related to H5N1 infection and is currently hospitalized in critical condition,” said Emma Herrock, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Health Department.

Five years on from the pandemic, long COVID keeps lives on hold Three years ago, Andrea Vanek was studying to be an arts and crafts teacher when spells of dizziness and heart palpitations suddenly started to make it impossible for her to even take short walks. Science X Medical Xpress

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About six percent of people infected by coronavirus develop long COVID, according to the global health body, which has recorded some 777 million COVID cases to date. ...

Health workers think COVID, flu vaccines safe and effective, but many remain hesitant, global survey shows A survey of more than 7,700 healthcare workers (HCWs) in 12 countries in 2022 and 2023 finds that respondents agreed that COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are safe, effective, and useful, yet 1 in 5 reported moderate or strong COVID vaccine hesitation. CIDRAP

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https://www.science.org/content/article/infamous-paper-popularized-unproven-covid-19-treatment-finally-retracted

Infamous paper that popularized unproven COVID-19 treatment finally retracted

A 2020 paper that sparked widespread enthusiasm for hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment was retracted today, following years of campaigning by scientists who alleged the research contained major scientific flaws and may have breached ethics regulations. The paper was pulled because of ethical concerns and methodological problems, according to a retraction notice.

Congo's health ministry says unknown disease is severe malaria

Long COVID's effects on employment: Financial distress, fear of judgment Though research has shown that people with long COVID are more likely to be unemployed, the statistics don't reveal what patients go through before they cut their hours, stop working or lose their jobs. Emily Caldwell Medical Xpress

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COVID-19 linked to more heart complications than flu, RSV The odds of myocarditis were 61% lower in flu and 85% lower in RSV than with COVID-19. CIDRAP

A new study published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders shows that pediatric and young adult COVID-19 patients are more at risk for cardiac complications than flu or RSV patients of the same age. 

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