Contact:
Jon Berg
Sanford Health Media Relations
605-312-4421 / Jon.Berg@sanfordhealth.org

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., May 11, 2021 — Beginning Tuesday, May 11, all Sanford Health primary care clinics in Sioux Falls and Brandon will administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Patients are encouraged to call their primary care clinic to schedule an appointment for the COVID vaccine or schedule through My Sanford Chart.

The vaccine is available to any eligible person age 16 and older. Although appointments are recommended, walk-in appointments are welcomed and will be accommodated based on the clinic schedule that day. Individuals do not have to be Sanford Health patients to receive the vaccine from Sanford.

Vaccine is also available at five acute care clinics in Sioux Falls and Brandon. Acute care clinics are open until 9 p.m. daily in Sioux Falls. In Brandon, the acute care clinic is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday – Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Two adult visitors may accompany a patient who needs assistance. Face masks and physical distancing are required. Patients will be observed on site for 15 minutes after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. The most common side effects are injection site pain, soreness and swelling.

If you have general questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, or are not a Sanford patient and would like to schedule an appointment, please call the My Sanford Nurse line at 800-445-5788. My Sanford Nurse is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit sanfordhealth.org and the CDC.

About Sanford Health

Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the United States, is dedicated to the integrated delivery of health care, genomic medicine, senior care and services, global clinics, research and affordable insurance. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization includes 46 hospitals, 1,500 physicians and more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations in 26 states and 10 countries. Learn more about Sanford Health’s transformative work to improve the human condition at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.

Originally Appeared On: https://news.sanfordhealth.org/news-release/covid-19-vaccines-available-at-primary-care-clinics/

TUESDAY, May 11, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For patients with severe combined immunodeficiency due to adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency (ADA-SCID), gene therapy composed of autologous CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) transduced ex vivo with a self-inactivating lentiviral vector encoding human ADA results in high overall and event-free survival, according to a study published online May 11 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Donald B. Kohn, M.D., from the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues treated 50 patients with ADA-SCID with investigational gene therapy. Data were included from 30 patients in two U.S. studies with 24 months of follow-up and 20 patients in a U.K. study with 36 months of follow-up.

The researchers found that in all studies, overall survival was 100 percent. Event-free survival was 97 and 100 percent in the U.S. studies and U.K. study, respectively, at 12 months; 97 and 95 percent, respectively, at 24 months; and 95 percent in the U.K. study at 36 months. In 29 patients in the U.S. studies and 19 patients in the U.K. study, engraftment of genetically modified HSPCs persisted. Sustained metabolic detoxification and normalization of ADA activity levels were observed in patients. Immune reconstitution was robust; 90 and 100 percent of those in the U.S. and U.K. studies discontinued immunoglobulin-replacement therapy by 24 and 36 months, respectively.

“The high overall survival and event-free survival observed at 24 and 36 months compare favorably with survival that has been observed previously with HSCT, the current standard of care for the treatment of ADA-SCID,” the authors write.

The study was partially funded by Orchard Therapeutics.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Originally Appeared On: https://consumer.healthday.com/gene-therapy-promising-for-scid-due-to-ada-deficiency-2652928292.html

On a peaceful morning at Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls Village in South Dakota, resident Paulette Wright is casually getting ready for dialysis.

It’s a big difference from before when Wright had to hustle to wake up, leave the building and journey across town.

“It will help improve the quality of life that they have,” Maria Regnier, the senior director of dialysis services at Sanford Health, says.

Regnier says it’s all because of this brand new, staff-assisted hemodialysis den down the hall from Wright’s room.

“It’s gorgeous. The space is beautiful. It’s got high ceilings. It’s got all this natural light. It is a nice place for people to sit because they are sitting there for up to four hours at a time,” Regnier says.

‘A lot easier’

Gentle treatment from Sanford Health staff takes place at the Society. It shortens a resident’s day at dialysis and improves their health and energy levels.

“It’s better because then I don’t have to get up so early,” Wright says. “I can just come around the corner and walk straight down. That’s a lot easier.”

It’s easy-to-use and groundbreaking technology at the largest, licensed skilled nursing facility in the state.

“This is a first for South Dakota and actually it’s quite unique if you look across the nation. There are very few of these types of programs,” Regnier says.

Providing safe opportunities to receive care in their own home.

“She walked here. She’s like I’m going to walk down to dialysis this morning. She walked down to the den with help of the CNA. There she is,” Bessie Hammer, the location’s director of nursing, says.

‘Specialize in dialysis’

Hammer says this addition sets the Society apart.

“We’re very blessed to be partnered with Sanford and have the dialysis team come in and train my staff and train me. It’s a very good program,” Hammer says. “We want to specialize in dialysis with the den. We’re going to start doing peritoneal dialysis as well. With that, they can stay right in their room and run. They don’t even have to come to the den.”

Meeting residents where they are with exceptional care.

“It makes me feel so much better because it gives me hope for the future. A lot of hope,” Wright says.

Learn more

…

Posted In Company News, Dialysis, News, Senior Services

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Originally Appeared On: https://news.sanfordhealth.org/dialysis/good-samaritan-society-opens-on-site-dialysis-den/

Sanford Health has more than 9,500 nurses who deliver care in more than 80 specialty areas of medicine. On a daily basis, going the extra mile is part of the routine for many of these caregivers.

National Nurses Week (May 6-12) is an opportunity to celebrate and uplift the work of Sanford nurses and showcase how they have advanced patient care over the last year.

Thank a nurse: Send a note to nurses and other health care workers

Clearly, the continued presence of COVID-19 has made this a unique time in the history of medicine. Just as clearly, the role of Sanford nurses has never been more important than now. As the nation continues to dig out of a pandemic, nurses have provided a caregiving core at Sanford Health.

North Dakota nurses

People like Jill Rodgers, an RN at Bismarck Oncology, were called on to fill vital roles during a time when health systems were being tested both by the sheer number of patients and by the distinctive nature of care needed by those with COVID-19 symptoms.

As a manager of oncology services, Rodgers was asked to look at the feasibility of starting an outpatient COVID-19 infusion center.

That task involved challenges on a number of fronts. What kind of space would be needed? How quickly could they get this effort coordinated and put into action?

“She knew this project would not get done with the minimum requirements,” said Barb Nies, director of oncology for Sanford Bismarck. “She needed to do more to do it properly while continuing to fulfill her expected and usual job duties.”

So that’s what Rodgers did. With a project that was going to have to be put in place quickly, she coordinated a multifaceted effort that included contributions from pharmacists, providers, IT, schedulers, clinics and the hospital.

“As patients came to be treated, she educated nursing staff and assigned shifts,” Nies said. “But when there were no extra staff to be found, she manned the COVID-19 infusion center herself.”

Patients needing an infusion were scheduled and treated. When clinics in Dickinson, North Dakota, needed help in setting up a similar operation, she was there.

“She did it with grace and gave it her all,” Nies said. “She went above and beyond to meet the needs of all of our patients here at Sanford.”

Rodgers is just one of many called to deliver extra effort during a difficult time across the health care spectrum.

Melanie Allen, an inpatient RN in Fargo, was involved in the preparation of a surge of infectious disease patients well before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, she was there both as a leader and a mentor to the whole staff.

“When she is on the unit, I have no worries or additional stress because I know everything will be in order and operating as flawlessly as possible,” said Jane Taber, director of nursing, in Fargo. “This has earned the respect of providers, her own colleagues and members of various therapy teams at Sanford.”

Minnesota and South Dakota nurses

Aaron McCullough, an RN at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center, captures the same kind of spirit. As a longtime surgical nurse, he works as a charge nurse and also fills in as part of the staff for the night shift.

“He is patient, kind and always puts the care of his patients first,” said Tiffany Schouten, inpatient manager at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. “He is a problem-solver and keeps a positive attitude, even when things get tough. His peers look up to him and respect him for his leadership and ability to listen, guide and his willingness to help.”

Matt Peterson is an RN certified in medical surgical nursing at Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls, in pulmonology.

“He obtained his certification during his leadership position on Pulmonary in 2020 and partnered with supporting eight other Pulmonary CCLs on the unit to receive board certification in one summer!” said Hilary Veskrna, inpatient director, pulmonary.

“Matt is our unit senator and is an excellent example of our Sanford Magnet nursing culture! He is a phenomenal leader who drives practice change through fundamental innovation that listens to the voice of the nursing body before implementing a practice change by inspiring collaboration, and role modeling to inspire his peers to improve their quality of practice. Matt is a Sanford ambassador in all his words and all his actions. He is the ‘culture’ we share when we describe the people of Sanford Health.”

Sometimes it’s a small gesture that embraces the spirit of a whole organization. Jenny Schindler is an RN for the Chamberlain emergency department. On a recent visit from a patient, she took the time to go the extra distance and get to know the person she was treating.

Family members noticed.

“When the patient returned a few weeks later in a private vehicle,” this family member observed, “Jenny took the extra step to go out and help him, knowing that small action could make a big difference.”

Learn more

…

Posted In Bemidji, Bismarck, Fargo, Health Care Heroes, Nursing and Nursing Support, Sioux Falls

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Originally Appeared On: https://news.sanfordhealth.org/health-care-heroes/nurses-week-shines-spotlight-on-nurses-in-every-region/

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ/Fayette Schools) – Lower COVID case numbers and a falling rate in the community has Fayette County schools heading into the home stretch f the year on a positive note.

And the approval of a vaccine for younger ages has the district opening more vaccination clinics for students and families in the next few days.

Interim Superintendent Marlene Helm outlined the news Tuesday in her weekly letter to students, parents and stakeholders:

Dear Fayette County Public Schools Families:

In just a week, we will close the door on the 2020-21 school year, with all of its challenges and triumphs, heartaches and joys. We began the year apart, learning remotely and striving to return to campus.

We will end in a vastly different place, in which most of our students have returned to in-person learning, our seniors will graduate in Rupp Arena, and we are taking other incremental steps back to normal.

After today’s meeting with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, I am pleased to report that the current 7-day average of new cases in Fayette County is 27, placing our community in yellow on the FCPS In-Person Learning Matrix

Positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff are down to 37 in the past week and the number of individuals placed into quarantine due to possible exposure was 298 during that same time period.

The increasing number of fully vaccinated students, employees, and family members has played a critical role in reducing transmission rates and quarantine numbers. With yesterday’s exciting news that children between the ages of 12 and 15 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, we are expanding our partnership with Wild Health to make this potentially life-saving shot available to even more members of our FCPS community.

All students age 12 and older, their families, employees, and their families are invited to visit kyvax.wildhealth.com and sign up to receive their first or second vaccinations at any of the following clinics:

• Thursday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at STEAM Academy, located at 1555 Georgetown Road.
• Tuesday May 18, from 8 to 11 a.m. at Bryan Station (301 Eastin Road), Henry Clay (2100 Fontaine Road), and Lafayette (401 Reed Lane) high schools.
• Tuesday, May 18, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Frederick Douglass (2000 Winchester Road), Paul Laurence Dunbar (1600 Man o’ War Boulevard.), and Tates Creek (1111 Centre Parkway) high schools.

We are working with Wild Health to offer additional dates, times and locations, and will communicate those opportunities once details are available.

In closing, I want to remind our families that we anticipate a full return to in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year. Any family seeking a full-time virtual learning option for their student must apply for the stand-alone Virtual Learning Academy before midnight on Friday, May 14, 2021.

To apply, click here and you will be prompted to log in or sign up for a user account. Once you complete that step, choose the box that says “Begin Application,” to get started.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your current school or the Special Programs office at special.programs@fayette.kyschools.us.Let’s make the most of the remaining days of our 2020-21 school year!

Sincerely,Marlene HelmFayette County Public Schools Acting Superintendent

Originally Appeared On: https://www.wtvq.com/2021/05/11/fayette-schools-tout-good-health-news-vaccine-clinics-virtual-learning-deadline/

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

EU has not ordered AstraZeneca vaccines beyond June – Commissioner

The European Union has not made any new orders for AstraZeneca vaccines beyond June when their contract ends, European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Sunday, after the EU signed a deal with Pfizer-BioNTech. Breton also said he expected the costs of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to be higher than the earlier versions.

India turns to ex-army medics as COVID surge sparks calls for lockdown

India will recruit hundreds of former army medics to support its overwhelmed healthcare system, the defence ministry said on Sunday, as the country grapples with record COVID-19 infections and deaths amid calls for a complete nationwide lockdown. Some 400 medical officers are expected to serve on contract for a maximum of 11 months, the ministry said in a press release, adding that other defence doctors had also been contacted for online consultations.

U.S. wants COVID vaccine patent waiver to benefit world, not boost China biotech

The Biden administration is examining ways to ensure that a waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents to aid poor countries will not hand sensitive U.S. biopharmaceutical technology to China and Russia, responding to a chorus of concerns, U.S. and industry officials say. President Joe Biden on Wednesday backed the U.S. entering negotiations at the World Trade Organization for the waiver of intellectual property rights as a means to boost vaccine supplies by allowing poorer countries to make their own.

Russia reports 8,419 new COVID-19 cases, 334 deaths

Russia reported 8,419 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours on Sunday, taking the national tally to 4,880,262. The government coronavirus task force said 334 people had died in the last day, taking the national death toll to 113,326.

China reports 12 new COVID-19 cases vs seven a day earlier

China reported 12 new COVID-19 cases in the mainland on May 8, up from seven a day earlier, the country’s national health authority said on Sunday. The National Health Commission said in a statement that all the new cases were imported infections originating from overseas. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, rose to 10 from eight a day earlier.

Slovak health ministry says Sputnik V doses tested in Hungary satisfactory

A Slovakia health ministry spokeswoman said on Sunday a Hungarian lab has confirmed that the first batch of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines sent to Slovakia were satisfactory and the government would discuss the next steps with Russia. The tests were carried out in Hungary after Russia had requested additional tests in an EU-certified laboratory, saying the Slovaks had not tested them in such a facility. The Slovak government is considering whether to use the Russian shots in the country of 5.5 million that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak.

COVID-19 cases and deaths fall further in the UK, vaccinations rise

A total of 1,770 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the United Kingdom on Sunday, with the seven-day total of 14,659 cases down by 4.3% compared with the previous seven days. The country recorded two new deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test. The seven-day death toll of 67 was down by 39.1% compared with the previous seven days.

Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 12,656 – RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 12,656 to 3,520,329, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday. The reported death toll rose by 127 to 84,775, the tally showed.

Australia’s most populous state extends COVID restrictions in hunt for outbreak source

Australia’s most populous state recorded no new COVID-19 infections for a third straight day on Sunday but extended raised social distancing and mask-wearing rules by a week as the authorities hunted for the source of a small outbreak. After a Sydney couple tested positive to the coronavirus last week, ending a long run without community transmission, the authorities reinstated some social distancing measures until May 10, and a campaign to get more people tested, as they scrambled to determine the source of infection.

China administered total of 317.59 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of May 8

China carried out about 9.36 million vaccinations against COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total number administered to 317.59 million, according to data released by the National Health Commission.

(With inputs from agencies.)

Originally Appeared On: https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/health/1566608-health-news-roundup-russia-reports-8419-new-covid-19-cases-334-deaths-china-reports-12-new-covid-19-cases-vs-seven-a-day-e

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On May 10, the World Lupus Day, but do you know what exactly this pathology consists of?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a autoimmune and chronic disease, which causes generalized inflammation and considerable damage to the tissues of the different organs, normally affecting blood cells, skin, brain, joints, kidneys, heart, and lungs. We know that currently more than 5 million people worldwide are diagnosed of this pathology.

It is a disease that affects women to a greater extent than men, where it often begins in the middle of adolescence, and whose causes, although nowadays they are not entirely known, it’s known that genes, infections, the environment and viruses can lead to the appearance of this disease.

How do we psychologically approach this disease that affects the quality of life of people who suffer from it? We are not alone.

The psychosocial consequences of SLE are very varied and after the diagnosis of this pathology many times anxiety and stress echo in the day to day of the person and their environment. That is why it is very important that lupus can be addressed from psychology, taking into account disease management and body image, promoting a physical, psychological and social state as positive as possible (Bio-Psycho-Social Model)

What treatments are they currently experimenting with?

Currently the cognitive-behavioral treatments focused on stress reduction, are working well, in addition to mindfulness-focused treatments, specifically the MBSR program of Dr. John Kabat-Zinn (2004), I recommend below the Palouse method which can be done online for free, thanks to the generosity of Dr. Dave Potter.

The group therapy and psychoeducation are also very important to minimize the impact of this disease on the person’s life, and what is very positive is the associationism, especially in the times in which we live; forums and support and discussion groups of affected people and close to the disease.

In addition, online therapy with a regular psychotherapist is highly recommended, especially in times of significant pain and fatigue.

Originally Appeared On: https://www.explica.co/what-is-lupus-health-news.html

Public Venues Begin To Relax Covid Restrictions

Sports and entertainment venues are reopening, lifting capacity limits and phasing out temperature checks, though mask requirements remain for some. As NBC News reports, the moves are not welcomed by all: Some workers in these venues are anxious about the risks.

AP:
2 Major Venues To Lift Virus Capacity Limits In Nashville

Two major Nashville venues will soon lift capacity restrictions as the city continues to reopen from implementing limitations on businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. News outlets report that Nashville Soccer Club will open at near capacity for its May 23 match. Face coverings will still be encouraged, but not required for outdoors. Meanwhile, Grand Ole Opry will begin weekly performances at full capacity on May 14 for the first time in more than a year. The indoor mask mandate will remain in place. (5/10)

AP:
Big Venues Set To Expand Capacity As State Eases Limits

Large event venues including TD Garden, Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium will be allowed to double their current capacities starting on Monday, and amusement parks will be permitted to reopen at half capacity as the state relaxes its COVID-19 restrictions. The state is scheduled to move to the next step in its reopening plan, allowing large indoor and outdoor venues to increase capacity from 12% to 25%. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the shift last month, saying the state’s coronavirus cases had fallen 20% since March. (5/9)

NBC News:
Walt Disney World, Universal Studios To End Temperature Checks For Guests

Walt Disney World Resorts announced this week that it will begin to phase out temperature checks at parks and facilities before the end of the month. The theme parks and related resorts will end temperature screenings for cast members on May 8 and for visiting guests on May 16, according to an announcement on Disney’s website. The change comes as Florida begins to make adjustments to its local coronavirus regulations. (Vaughn, 5/7)

NBC News:
Workers At Ballparks And Theme Parks Have Mixed Feelings About Returning

After more than a year of being shut out, cashiers, food vendors, guest greeters and other workers are making their way back to America’s most beloved baseball stadiums, amusement parks and concert venues — but the great return is being met with changes and conflicting feelings of anxiety and excitement as tens of thousands of fans and visitors also make their way back. “You don’t know what’s going to happen,” said beer vendor Heidi Hashem, 46, at the beginning of the 2021 season. (Messenger and Pandise, 5/8)

AP:
Tearful Reunions Mark Second Mother’s Day Under Pandemic

Last Mother’s Day, they celebrated with bacon and eggs over FaceTime. This time, Jean Codianni of Los Angeles flew to New Jersey to surprise her 74-year-old mother, now that both have been vaccinated against the disease that has stolen uncountable hugs and kisses around the world. “You forget how your mom smells, how she looks. It’s like, she never looks as beautiful as the last time you saw her,” Codianni said. “We understand how privileged we are, how lucky we are. Hundreds of thousands of people don’t get to celebrate Mother’s Day, or are celebrating it under a veil of grief.” (Lauer, Liu and White, 5/9)

In other public health news —

Philadelphia Inquirer:
Heart Failure Can Occur During Pregnancy, And Black Women Fare Worse Than Others. Penn Doctors Are Starting To Find Out Why

For several days, Carmelita Murphy felt short of breath and her legs were swollen. She had given birth to a son, DJ, just two weeks earlier, so she figured those symptoms were part of the deal. Then came the really bad headache. After promising her mother that she would get it checked out, she went to bed that night in her Atlantic City apartment. But at 1 a.m., when she heard the baby cry and tried to get up, she felt dizzy and passed out. Murphy, then just 20 years old, had a condition normally seen in people many decades older: heart failure. (Avril, 5/9)

Opelika-Auburn News:
Auburn Family Starts Nonprofit Honoring Son Lost To Cancer

Whether through anger, denial, depression or guilt, everyone goes through their own ways of coping with the loss of someone they loved. For a few, they find the strength to transform that grief into ensuring that others don’t have to suffer the same loss they went through. The Power of Will, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to funding research and assisting families with loved ones suffering from sarcoma, was founded by the family of Will Hudson, a 26-year-old Auburn native who died in August 2020 after years of battling cancer. (Hosey, 5/9)

KHN:
How Schools Can Help Kids Heal After The Pandemic’s Uncertainty 

Kai Humphrey, 9, has been learning from home for more than a year. He badly misses his Washington, D.C., elementary school, along with his friends and the bustle of the classroom. “I will be the first person ever to have every single person in the world as my friend,” he said on a recent Zoom call, his sandy-brown hair hanging down to his shoulder blades. From Kai, this kind of proclamation doesn’t feel like bragging, more like exuberant kindness. (Turner and Herman, 5/10)

KHN:
From Covid Coverage To ‘Public Option’ Plans, Journalists Delve Into Details

KHN senior correspondent Julie Appleby discussed changes in insurance coverage for covid-19 care on Newsy on Thursday. … KHN senior correspondent Mary Agnes Carey discussed Connecticut’s legislative efforts to pass a “public option” insurance plan on WNPR’s “Where We Live” on Wednesday. (5/8)

BBC:
Elon Musk Reveals He Has Asperger’s On Saturday Night Live

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has revealed he has Asperger’s syndrome while appearing on the US comedy sketch series Saturday Night Live (SNL). It is thought to be the first time Mr Musk has spoken about his condition. … “I don’t always have a lot of intonation or variation in how I speak… which I’m told makes for great comedy,” he joked in his opening monologue. (5/9)

In news about health and race —

Stateline:
As States Push For Police Accountability Advocates Focus On Black Trauma

Nearly 2,000 police overhaul and accountability bills in all 50 states and the District of Columbia have been filed this session as federal and state lawmakers face mounting pressure to respond to continued police shootings and nationwide protests. Mental health advocates and professionals say passing such laws is necessary, but they argue strongly for additional measures to address the trauma Black people face because of policing issues. They’re pushing for more affordable and accessible mental health care, trauma-informed training for law enforcement officials and financial support for Black mental health professionals and community organizations. Mental health advocates also want to help Black people overcome any fear or distrust of the medical system. (Wright, 5/7)

KHN:
The Making Of Reluctant Activists: A Police Shooting In A Hospital Forces One Family To Rethink American Justice

The beer bottle that cracked over Christian Pean’s head unleashed rivulets of blood that ran down his face and seeped into the soil in which Harold and Paloma Pean were growing their three boys. At the time, Christian was a confident high school student, a football player in the suburbs of McAllen, Texas, a border city at the state’s southern tip where teenage boys — Hispanic, Black, white — sung along to rap songs, blaring out the N-word in careless refrain. “If you keep it up, we’re going to fight,” Christian warned a white boy who sang the racial epithet at a party one evening in the waning years of George W. Bush’s presidency. And they did. (Varney, 5/10)

Originally Appeared On: https://khn.org/morning-briefing/monday-may-10-2021/

MONDAY, May 10, 2021 (HealthDay News) — There’s more evidence that a switch away from meat in your diet could cut levels of unhealthy “biomarkers” that encourage disease, researchers say.

A new study reported Saturday at the virtual European Congress on Obesity (ECO) found that people on vegetarian diets have lower blood levels of disease-linked biomarkers, such as “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and other factors.

Biomarkers can have harmful and beneficial health impacts, promoting or preventing cancer, heart and age-related diseases and other chronic conditions. And while they’ve long been used to assess the effect of diets on health, it hasn’t been clear how being vegetarian affects biomarkers.

To find out, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 178,000 British people, aged 37 to 73. The study participants reported no major diet changes in the previous five years. They were categorized as either vegetarian (do not eat red meat, poultry or fish) or meat eaters.

The investigators then examined the association between diet and 19 blood and urine biomarkers related to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, liver, bone and joint health, and kidney function.

After accounting for other factors — such as age, sex, obesity, smoking and alcohol use — the researchers found that vegetarians had significantly lower levels of 13 biomarkers than meat eaters.

Those biomarkers included: total cholesterol; LDL cholesterol; apolipoprotein A and apolipoprotein B (linked to heart disease); gamma-glutamyl transferase and alanine aminotransferase (which are liver function markers indicating inflammation or damage to cells); insulin-like growth factor (a hormone that encourages the growth and proliferation of cancer cells); urate (tied to gout); and creatinine (a marker of worsening kidney function).

“Our findings offer real food for thought,” study leader Carlos Celis-Morales, of the University of Glasgow, in Scotland, said in an ECO news release.

“As well as not eating red and processed meat, which have been linked to heart diseases and some cancers, people who follow a vegetarian diet tend to consume more vegetables, fruits and nuts, which contain more nutrients, fiber and other potentially beneficial compounds,” he said. “These nutritional differences may help explain why vegetarians appear to have lower levels of disease biomarkers that can lead to cell damage and chronic disease.”

It wasn’t all good news for vegetarians, however. The study found that they tended to have lower levels of beneficial biomarkers, including “good” (HDL) cholesterol, and vitamin D and calcium (linked to bone and joint health), as well as significantly higher levels of fats in the blood (triglycerides) and cystatin-C (suggesting poorer kidney health).

And no matter whether people ate meat or not, the study found no link between diet and blood sugar levels, systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading), aspartate aminotransferase (a marker of damage to liver cells) or C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker).

Nevertheless, plant-based diets are largely considered to be healthier, one U.S.-based nutritionist said.

“I encourage my patients to base their diet on whole plant foods,” said Christine Santori, who manages the clinical dietary program at the Center for Weight Management at Northwell Health’s Syosset Hospital in Syosset, N.Y.

“Consuming fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds as the base of the diet provides beneficial fiber with little saturated fat,” she noted. “If they choose to consume animal products, I encourage them to stick to fish and skinless poultry and consider it a side dish.”

But eschewing meat leaves a wide variety of diets: vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian (fish but no meat), lacto-ovo (no meat but eggs and dairy allowed), and “flexitarian” (where folks still occasionally have meat).

And some vegetarians can still be unhealthy, Santori noted.

“I have seen ‘vegetarians’ who consume mostly refined carbohydrates and highly processed foods, who are not very healthy,” she said.

Still, “the truth is that consuming more fruits and vegetables can boost your health whether you define yourself as a vegetarian or not,” Santori said. “It may be more about what vegetarians are eating as opposed to it being about what they are not.”

Because the new findings were presented at a medical meeting, they should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more on healthy eating.

SOURCES: Christine Santori, RDN, manager, clinical dietary program, Center for Weight Management, Northwell Health’s Syosset Hospital, Syosset, N.Y.; European Congress on Obesity, news release, May 8, 2021

Originally Appeared On: https://consumer.healthday.com/sb-5-10-vegetarian-diet-could-help-fight-off-disease-study-2652901647.html

In other news, Alabama’s lawmakers move forward with a medical marijuana bill; Florida’s $1,000 first responder bonus will arrive in summer; and North Carolina’s 20-week abortion bill is challenged in federal appeals court.

CBS News:
Overcrowding Reduced At Largest Border Facility For Migrant Children, But Challenges Remain

Conditions inside U.S. Border Patrol’s largest holding facility for migrant children have changed dramatically over the past several weeks. In March and early April, the Donna complex was acutely overcrowded, at one point surpassing 1,600% of its pandemic-era capacity. On April 2, for example, there were about 4,300 migrants held there, including 3,700 unaccompanied minors, the Border Patrol chief in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley told reporters Thursday.
On Thursday, when a small group of journalists were allowed to tour the Donna tents, the facility was holding about 800 migrants, including 330 unaccompanied children — an 80% drop, according to Brian Hastings, the Border Patrol chief. (Montoya-Galvez, 5/6)

In other news from the states —

USA Today:
Alabama Lawmakers Approve Medical Marijuana Bill After Historic Votes

The Alabama Legislature Thursday gave final approval to a bill that would create a statewide medical marijuana program, following two historic votes and a House debate spanning more than two days. Alabama’s House of Representatives voted 68 to 34 to approve the measure, sponsored by state Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, despite a lengthy filibuster from about a half-dozen dedicated opponents that delayed a vote on the bill on Tuesday. The state Senate concurred in changes to the bill late Thursday on a 20 to 9 vote. (Lyman, 5/6)

Bay Area News Group:
CA Sues Mariner Nursing Homes For Poor Care, Dumping Patients

The state and four district attorneys have sued the operator of 19 nursing homes, including several in the Bay Area where dozens of patients and employees died of COVID-19, accusing it of “trading people for profits at every turn.” Mariner Health Care Services has “siphoned off funds necessary for appropriate staffing,” according to the lawsuit filed by the California Department of Justice and the district attorneys of  Alameda, Marin, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles counties. The unacceptably low staffing levels have resulted in insufficient care, leading to unnecessary leg amputations, bone ulcers, spread of infections and unreported sexual and physical assaults, the suit says. (Sciacca, 5/6)

Health News Florida:
DeSantis: $1,000 Bonuses For First Responders Expected This Summer 

Gov. Ron DeSantis said he expects distribution “throughout the summer” of $1,000 bonuses that will go to first responders across the state for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bonuses, funded with federal-stimulus money, are tied to a record $101.5 billion state budget that lawmakers approved last week. The budget has not formally gone to DeSantis. (5/6)

The Washington Post:
North Carolina’s 20-Week Abortion Ban Challenged In Federal Court

North Carolina abortion providers and abortion rights advocates asked a federal appeals court Thursday to invalidate a state statute that generally bars women from terminating their pregnancies after 20 weeks, a law similar to those on the books in more than a dozen states. Two of the three judges on the panel expressed doubts about the state’s defense that the lawsuit is a case without a controversy because no abortion providers in North Carolina have ever been prosecuted under the decades-old law. (Marimow, 5/6)

Philadelphia Inquirer:
Pa. Can’t Fine Addiction Treatment Facilities That Break Rules. Some Lawmakers Want To Change That

On his drive to and from the state Capitol, state Rep. Mark Gillen often sees a state trooper’s vehicle.“ They usually don’t yell out the window to slow down,” said Gillen, a Berks County Republican. “If you’re going too fast, you’re going to get stopped, and you’re going to get fined, and it changes behavior.” That’s the argument Gillen is making as he tries to convince fellow lawmakers to give the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs the power to fine licensed addiction treatment facilities for violating state rules. (Mahon, 5/7)

KHN:
5 Things To Know About Health Care Changes In Montana

The 2021 Montana legislative session will be remembered as one of the state’s most consequential as a Republican-led legislature and governor’s office passed new laws restricting abortions, lowering taxes and regulating marijuana. But the debate over those and other highly publicized issues may have caused other meaningful legislation related to health care to slip off the public’s radar. Here are five substantial health-related policies that emerged from the recently ended session. They include bills that Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed or is expected to sign into law. (Volz, 5/7)

In mental health news from Maryland, New Mexico and Indiana —

The Baltimore Sun:
Maryland Gov. Hogan Announces $25 Million Project To Help Children Reverse Effects Of COVID Pandemic 

Maryland is launching “Project Bounce Back,” an effort to help kids recover from the stress and isolation of the coronavirus pandemic, funded by $25 million in federal aid. Gov. Larry Hogan visited a Boys & Girls Club in West Baltimore Thursday to announce the initiative to help young people recover from the “devastating” impacts of the pandemic, challenges that he said could have lasting effects on children. (Wood and Mann, 5/6)

Albuquerque Journal:
Peer-Driven Teams To Respond To Mental Health, Drug Abuse Calls

Bernalillo County officials on Monday presented a check of $523,542 to Youth Development Inc., to assemble a trio of community engagement teams to help individuals and families “cope with the effects of living with mental illness and substance abuse disorders in the comfort of their homes and communities.” Bernalillo County Commission Chairwoman Charlene Pyskoty gave that description during a news conference, explaining that the CETs, will respond to people in the community, “and work to connect them to the support they need to be healthy and successful.” (Nathanson, 5/6)

Indianapolis Star:
FedEx Shooting Prompts Exam Of Indiana’s Mental Health System

The details differ with each tragic incident. A man in Milwaukee who killed five coworkers after lunch one day in the brewery where he worked. A man in a Boulder grocery store who killed 10 people inside. Most recently, and closest to home, a former FedEx employee who returned to the place he worked months before and opened fire, killing eight people. But in the aftermath of each of these events, all of which occurred in the past 15 months, two common threads emerged. Each of these mass shooters had legally purchased their guns and each had some past indication of mental illness. (Rudavsky, 5/7)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

Originally Appeared On: https://khn.org/morning-breakout/largest-migrant-children-facility-less-overcrowded-still-has-issues/