WHO expands which pathogens can be transmitted through the air
In the chaotic first few months of the Covid-19 pandemic, stores faced shortages of all kinds — toilet paper, canned food, and especially, cleaning supplies. With everyone scrubbing their groceries, mail, even library books, good luck finding antibacterial wipes or disinfectant sprays back then. That’s because public health advice in early 2020 focused on sanitizing surfaces, not protecting against a virus that could be spread through the air.
Much of that guidance could be traced back to the World Health Organization, which stated early on, and unequivocally, that Covid-19 was not an airborne disease. Even as evidence grew that coronavirus-laced particles could linger in the air indoors and infect people nearby, and researchers raised the alarm about the risks this posed to health care workers and the general public, the WHO didn’t acknowledge that Covid was airborne until late 2021.
Part of what took so long was an entrenched disconnect between how different kinds of scientists and physicians use words like “aerosol”, “airborne” and “airborne transmission.” Those differences sowed confusion and escalated into a series of ugly skirmishes on social media.
To address the confusion and the ensuing controversy, in November 2021, the WHO assembled a group of experts to update its formal guidelines for classifying the different routes that pathogens take from one person to another.
On Thursday, after more than two years of discussions, that group published a report outlining a new set of definitions that more accurately reflect the state of the science of disease transmission. The experts divided transmission into routes that involve direct contact through touching infected surfaces or other people and others that involve the air. The latter route was dubbed “through the air transmission” and was further subdivided into “direct deposition,” which refers to larger particles that strike the mucus membranes of
OPINION: Bill Maher is right about Canadian health care
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Recently, popular American comedian and talk show host Bill Maher took aim at some of Canada’s public policy failings in one of his monologues. In entertaining fashion, Maher highlighted our high housing costs, unemployment rates and “vaunted” health-care system.
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N.S. news: Privacy breach at Nova Scotia Health
A former employee at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, in Antigonish, N.S., inappropriately accessed the personal health information of 2,690 people, according to a news release from Nova Scotia Health.
The health authority says the person responsible has been terminated and it is in the process of sending letters to those who were affected.
“Nova Scotia Health views this as a summary offence under the Personal Health Information Act and the RCMP are currently investigating,” reads the release.
“All those affected will hear directly from Nova Scotia Health and we will be available to discuss the details of these breaches with them.”
When asked what role the employee played at the hospital, Nova Scotia Health would only say it was not “clinical in nature.”
The health authority said suspicious activity was identified in September and the employee was immediately suspended. As the investigation unfolded, the employee was eventually fired in November.
Nova Scotia Health says registration, demographic and clinical information was accessed.
“While we maintain confidence in the ethical practices of employees throughout our organization, we are extremely disappointed that an employee of Nova Scotia Health would engage in activity of this nature,” reads the release.
When asked why it took so long to release this information to the public, Nova Scotia Health’s chief financial officer Derek Spinney said they needed time to figure out the scope of the breach.
“We had enough information initially to understand there was inappropriate activity,” said Spinney.
“We didn’t have a fulsome understanding of the magnitude.”
To that end, Spinney says the health authority used software to cast a net around potential breaches, and then an investigator would look at each individual record to see if there were signs it had been
17 Sustainable Fashion Brands to Know and Shop 2024, According to Experts
It’s a common experience: In an effort to be a more eco-conscious consumer, you start researching sustainable fashion brands. You find a clothing company that uses all the buzzwords you know are important—clean, circular, transparent—and buy an item that catches your eye. But it’s itchy and rough on the skin when it arrives a few days later. You inspect the tag and find a confusing list of polyester blends, none of which align with the organic, earth-friendly vision initially advertised. It hits you that the brand likely isn’t as sustainable as it promised. You’ve been greenwashed.
Marina Testino, a sustainability strategist who works with brands like Stella McCartney and Gucci and organizations like Greenpeace and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, developed a comprehensive checklist to help people avoid the faux-eco pitfall.
Testino calls it the “Five Pillars of Conscious Fashion:” To assess a brand’s environmental impact, look for sustainably sourced materials, either “recycled, organic, upcycled, or biodegradable;” a responsible production process (how many collections the brand offers a year, if pieces are made to order); transparency on “where fabrics are sourced and by whom garments are made;” carbon emissions management (zero-waste processes, re-purposing textiles, etc.); and the brand’s social responsibility, including fair labor operations and community involvement.
Maria McManus, a New York-based label offering contemporary heirlooms, is a brand Testino spotlights for its legitimate sustainable strides.
(Image credit: Maria McManus)
A clothing label doesn’t need to tick every single box on Testino’s list to qualify as sustainable. “If a brand is making an effort with at least two of the five pillars, that signals a genuine commitment to conscious values and solutions,” she says. It’s more important that the brand is genuine with its mission and has proof to substantiate its efforts. “No brand
West Virginia confirms first measles case since 2009
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia hospital has confirmed the first known case of measles in the state since 2009, health officials said Monday.
The Monongalia County Health Department said WVU Medicine alerted officials Sunday that an adult patient living in the county tested positive for the viral infection. Health officials have not pinpointed exactly where and how the patient was exposed but said the person had recently traveled abroad.
The patient — who was partially vaccinated against measles, having received one of two doses — had developed symptoms, sought medical treatment through the WVU Medicine system and was instructed to stay home while awaiting lab results.
One of the world’s most contagious diseases, measles can lead to potentially serious complications.
Dr. Brian H. Huggins, the county health department’s incoming health officer, said the department is working with the hospital to identify people who came into contact with the patient.
“We really want to emphasize that this is an illness that people should take very seriously,” Huggins said.
Nationwide, measles cases this year already are nearly double the total for all of 2023, raising health experts’ concerns about the preventable, once-common childhood virus. Health officials have confirmed measles cases in at least 17 other states so far this year, including cases in New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented 113 cases as of April 5. There have been seven outbreaks and most U.S. cases — 73% — are linked to those flare-ups.
Still, the count is lower than some recent years: 2014 saw 667 cases and 2019 had 1,274.
Most U.S. cases are brought into the country by people who traveled where measles is far more common.
Huggins said West Virginia has not seen a case since 2009 largely due to
Is this the most disgusting health advice ever? Home cook torn to shreds over ‘healthy’ alternative to pasta and noodles
A home cook has been slammed by hundreds for sharing a ‘disgusting’ low-carb alternative to noodles or pasta.
The man behind the ‘Keto Diet & Low-Carb Recipes’ Facebook page boasted about finding the ‘miracle’ dish having been on a keto diet for more than three years.
The home cook sliced a Guerrero low-carb tortilla, poured boiling water over the top then drained it to make low-carb soggy ‘noodles’.
But the simple meal left others gagging with one labelling it as an ‘abomination’ and another declaring it as the ‘worst thing they’ve ever seen’.
Each tortilla contains 2g of carbs, high fibre, no sugar or fat and 50 calories – far less compared to pasta or noodles.
A home cook used tortilla strips to make a ‘healthy’ version of pasta and noodles (pictured)
To make dish he poured boiling water over the tortilla strips, then drained it and sprinkled some spices on top. But the simple meal left others gagging with one labelling it as an ‘abomination’ and another declaring it as the ‘worst thing they’ve ever seen’
‘Never have I ever dreamed of eating real noodles on keto. Three plus years and I’ve just discovered this miracle,’ the post read.
After sharing the method he wrote: ‘Whala, fresh noodles. I added some butter, garlic powder, chili flakes, salt and pepper. I feel like I am straddling two worlds.’
Without context the food looks like a sad, bland plate of pasta that’s been lightly seasoned.
The recipe was laughed at by other home cooks who were left in disbelief.
The recipe was laughed at by other home cooks who were left in disbelief (stock image)
‘This is an
Nova Scotia Health contacting 2,690 patients after privacy breach
Nova Scotia Health said it will be contacting 2,690 patients after their personal information was “inappropriately accessed” at Saint Martha’s Regional Hospital in Antigonish, N.S.
“We are extremely disappointed that an employee of Nova Scotia Health would engage in activity of this nature. Nova Scotia Health will not tolerate any unauthorized access or snooping,” Derek Spinney, the health authority’s chief financial officer and vice-president of corporate services, told reporters on Friday.
Spinney said an employee connected to the privacy breach was fired. Only one person is believed to be involved with the breach, Spinney said. He wouldn’t say what the person’s role was, but did reveal it was “not clinical in nature.”
The health authority said the suspicious activity was identified in September 2023 and the person was suspended immediately and removed from their role. The person was officially fired in November.
The reason these details are only being made public now is because the health authority said it needed to do a “fulsome investigation” to figure out whose data was compromised and what specific information was accessed.
“That’s why we’re spending a lot of time making sure we know exactly what was touched so that we can contact each of the 2,690 people individually to work through this with them,” Spinney said.
Registration, demographic and clinical info accessed
In a news release, the health authority said registration, demographic, and clinical information was accessed.
Clinical would include things like lab test results, imaging results and notes related to an emergency visit or inpatient stay.
Demographic information would include names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, health card numbers, emergency contact or next of kin, and the names of primary care providers. It would also include registration information, including the reason a person is at the hospital, their initial health assessment and the
Our Helpful Guide to Shopping for Vegan Clothing
More than ever, compassionate shoppers are opting to buy the high-quality, animal-free fashions that are currently flooding store shelves. With such easy access to kind fashion, there’s never been a better time to rid your closet of animal-derived materials. Here’s a quick and easy guide to help you identify the cruel materials in your closet so that you can purchase animal-free, vegan clothing and accessories the next time you shop.
Leather and Exotic Skins
What are they?
Leather is the skin of animals, such as cows, pigs, goats, kangaroos, ostriches, cats, and dogs. Often, leather items aren’t labeled accurately, so you never really know where (or whom) they came from. Snakes, alligators, crocodiles, and other reptiles are considered “exotic” in the fashion industry—they’re killed, and their skins are made into handbags, shoes, and other items.
What’s Wrong With Them?
Most leather comes from cows killed for beef and milk, so it’s a coproduct of the meat and dairy industries. Leather is the worst material for the environment, too, as it not only shares responsibility for all the environmental destruction caused by the meat industry but also pollutes the Earth with the toxins used in the tanning process. Whether it’s from cows, cats, or snakes, no animals need to die so that humans can wear their skin.
Brands and Materials to Wear Instead
Most major brands offer animal-free leather these days, from affordable options from stores such as Top Shop and Zara to high-end designers such as Stella McCartney and bebe. Look for “vegan leather” on clothing, shoe, and accessory tags. High-quality animal-free leather is made from many different materials, including non-animal microfibers, recycled nylon, polyurethane (PU), and even plants, including mushrooms and fruit. And bio-fabricated leather grown in laboratories is coming to a shelf near you soon!
Wool, Shearling, Cashmere,
Racism, discrimination may lead to First Nations patients leaving emergency rooms: Alberta study
Systemic racism and inequity in health care may be contributing to why First Nations patients in Alberta disproportionately leave emergency departments without being seen, or against medical advice, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The peer-reviewed paper builds on a previous one that found nearly seven per cent of First Nations patients’ visits to emergency departments ended in them leaving without care, compared to nearly four per cent of visits by non-First Nations patients.
The team examined provincial administrative data for more than 11 million emergency department visits in Alberta from 2012 to 2017, controlling for patients’ ages, geography, visit reasons and facility types.
“First Nations people, when we control for all of these other factors, have higher odds of leaving without completing care,” said Patrick McLane, an adjunct associate professor in the University of Alberta’s department of emergency medicine. He co-authored the study.
The researchers also asked 64 health directors, emergency-care providers and First Nations patients to comment on their quantitative findings through sharing circles, a focus group and telephone interviews from 2019 to 2022.
McLane co-led the study with Lea Bill, the executive director of the Alberta First Nations Information Governance Centre. Elders and First Nations partner organizations helped shape the study and interpret its results.
Racism and stereotypes
Study participants, while commenting on the quantitative findings, raised a number of reasons why First Nations patients leave emergency departments without receiving care.
They shared stories of providers discriminating against First Nations patients and relying on stereotypes about them.
One participant, who was quoted in the study, reported walking out of one health care facility and visiting another
Generative AI Is Going To Shape The Mental Health Status Of Our Youths For Generations To Come
Teens and kids are able to use generic generative AI to secretly give them mental health advice.
In today’s column, I am continuing my ongoing series about the impact of generative AI in the health and medical realm. The focus this time is once again on the mental health domain and involves the startling realization that generative AI is indubitably aiming to shape the mental health of our current and future generations. Kids and teens today and in subsequent generations will be using generative AI as a normal part of their everyday lives, including using ordinary generative AI to be their 24×7 always-on mental health therapist.
Let that soak in for a moment.
It is a sobering thought.
I have previously examined numerous interleaving facets of generative AI and mental health, see my comprehensive overview at the link here. You might also find of notable interest a CBS 60 Minutes episode that recently examined crucial facets of this evolving topic, see the link here (I was interviewed and appeared in the episode).
Other useful background includes my coverage of mental health chatbots that have been bolstered by generative AI (see the link here) and the rapidly changing nature of the client-therapist relationship due to generative AI at the link here. I explored where things are headed regarding the levels of AI-based mental therapy autonomous guidance at the link here, and showcased the importance of the World Health Organization (WHO) report on global health and generative AI at the link here, and so on.
Let’s unpack today’s focus.
Slowing And Inextricably Rolling Forward In Plain Sight
Here’s the deal about existing and upcoming generations of our youths.
With the advent of seemingly fluent generative AI that gained widespread attention via the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, there are teens