Fall Flu Shots:

Flu shots are more important than ever this year. Email flu@zerohourhealth.com to learn more about how Zero Hour Health can help with onsite flu shots or pharmacy vouchers for your smaller locations and remote employees.

Health News:

• A new E. coli O26 outbreak has sickened 13 and yet another Cyclospora outbreak (there are 3 separate active ones right now) has 39 cases. (FDA)
• A Salmonella outbreak tied to ground beef sickened at least 16 people in 4 states. It was sold at ShopRite grocery stores. (CIDRAP)
• 130 suspected cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome in Peru were reported to the WHO, with Campylobacter infection confirmed in several. (WHO)
• A half-million Americans may have a tick-bite induced meat allergy called Alpha-gal syndrome, but nearly 42% of doctors haven't heard of it. (NY Times)
• West Nile virus was detected in Boston for the first time this summer. (Boston Globe)
• Syphilis cases are skyrocketing and penicillin to treat it is in short supply, prompting officials to consider declaring a public health emergency. (Bloomberg)
• Michigan has its first case of human swine flu of the year, a child who was an exhibitor at a county fair who had direct contact with pigs. (Detroit Free Press)
• The CDC is preparing for another tripledemic of flu, RSV, and COVID this winter. (Yahoo)
• Doctors who spread COVID misinformation are rarely punished. (Washington Post)
• This week more than 4 in 10 Americans are at risk from extreme heat, smashing records across the country. (CNN)
• The White House announced new measures to protect workers against extreme heat, including increasing high-risk worksite inspections. (NY Times)
• Texan activists protested a new TX law that removes the right to water breaks for construction workers. (KFF)
• The FDA says that companies newly adding sesame to foods is okay as long as it’s properly labeled as an allergen. (AP)
• Trader Joe’s has another recall, this time of soup that possibly contains bugs. (SF Chronicle)
• The factory that fills Wegovy self-injection pens has repeatedly violated sterile safety rules. (Reuters)
• The American Heart Association found that vaping and e-cigarettes harm the heart and lungs. (The Hill)
• A new bipartisan bill aims to legalize and increase access to fentanyl test strips. (NBC)

Mental Health News:

• In Mississippi, people with serious mental illness are routinely held in jail without charges for days or weeks. (The Guardian)
• Almost two-thirds of employers in a new study knew they had employees struggling with mental health, but just a quarter trained managers to spot signs and take action. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
• Mental health and drug addiction must be tackled together, the White House drug czar says. (STAT)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call 988 or message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Best Questions

How can we do a better job advertising fall vaccination programs with vaccine hesitancy in mind?

We love preparing now for your fall campaign advertising vaccination benefits. First, make it easy for employees to get vaxxed. If possible, consider an on-site clinic, or have each location’s manager find the closest pharmacy with shots that are covered under your plan or are discounted. Convenience is king. Next, consider finding a trusted messenger to encourage vaccination. One study took out a YouTube ad showing Fox News clips of Donald Trump endorsing COVID vaccines boosted vaccination rates in Republican counties, and avoided an estimated 839 deaths (and many more infections) during the pandemic. Someone who was skeptical of vaccines and changed their mind, or someone who your employees trust is a good place to start.
Source: MedPage Today

An employee reported severe flu-like symptoms but got better quickly. They say it’s due to a new medication. Can they return to work sooner?

It can be hard to determine when it’s safe for someone to return to work after having flu-like symptoms, in part because we know that people can spread illnesses even after they start to feel better. Since this employee has a reasonable explanation for their symptoms (a new medication), they can return to work once they’re symptom-free for 24 hours. If they developed any new symptoms or tested positive for anything, we’d send them home again. We always want to find the right balance between keeping sick employees from spreading illness at work and making sure we’re allowing healthy folks to get back to work as soon as it’s safe for them to do so. Each case is unique, and if you’re ever unsure, you can chat with our team of clinical pros for support.
Source: ZHH

We have an employee diagnosed with dengue fever in Florida. What should we know?

Dengue is a virus spread by mosquitoes. While still relatively uncommon in the continental U.S., there is some local spread in Florida, Texas, and Arizona. Dengue isn’t transmitted from person to person, so there’s no concern about a sick worker spreading dengue to others. Most dengue cases are relatively mild or totally asymptomatic, but about 1 in 20 people get severe dengue, which can be life-threatening. Your employee can return to work once they’re feeling better and cleared by a medical professional. To help prevent the spread of dengue, you can ensure the workplace doesn’t have standing water or other breeding grounds for mosquitos. If employees work outside, offer insect repellent and the option to wear long sleeves and pants to prevent mosquito bites.
Source: CDC

Best Read:

Ticks and the Diseases They Carry Are Spreading. Can This Drug Stamp Them Out? | WIRED