Norovirus, Covid-19 variant, measles, WV food dye ban, and USDA Local Food cuts
The Dose (March 17)
Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Here’s the public health news you can use to start your week. Some virus stuff, but also a lot happening in the nutrition world.
Your national disease report: Flu is out, norovirus is (still) in
Influenza-like illness (e.g., fever, cough, runny nose) remains moderate across most of the U.S., but trends are sharply declining. If this continues, we could be out of respiratory virus season in a few weeks. The Northeast is still seeing high levels.
Covid-19 spread continues to decrease after a lackluster winter. But eyes are on a highly mutated variant in South Africa—called BA.3.2—which has 50 new spike mutations. This is a lot of changes in one variant. We haven’t seen this many since the Omicron tsunami in 2021.
The number of spike changes doesn’t necessarily mean it will be easily spread among humans, so we must pay attention to other metrics. According to wastewater trends in South Africa, transmission is increasing, which suggests the variant is something to pay attention to. We have not detected it in other countries yet. Will this fizzle out, drive a summer wave, or become a tsunami? Time will tell.
Norovirus—think diarrhea and vomiting—is having. a. year. Test positivity rates remain nearly double last year’s. The virus mutates slightly every few years, triggering a surge—and we’re in one now. Fortunately, norovirus season is typically November–April, so I’m hopeful this will be winding down soon.
What does this mean to you? Sickness in your family should slow down soon, as respiratory season is in the rearview mirror. If you have the stomach bug, use a separate bathroom in your house and wear a mask if possible. Hand sanitizer doesn’t kill this bugger, either—soap and water are your best bet.
Measles situation report
As of Friday, the U.S. has reported 326 measles cases—more than the annual total in 12 of the past 15 years, and it’s only March.
Measles cases surge every five years for reasons we don’t fully understand. Pair that with declining vaccination rates in the U.S. and worldwide, and you get the perfect storm. Last year, Europe saw its highest measles case count in 25 years.
In the Texas/New Mexico outbreak, measles cases continue to climb—and estimates suggest the true count could be 4 times higher than reported. The outbreak is spreading beyond the Panhandle to East Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico, and possibly Kansas. The vast majority of cases are in unvaccinated, school-aged children.
Measles is increasing beyond this outbreak and is linked to international travel. In the past week, cases have popped up in Vermont, Michigan, New York, Houston, California, and Pennsylvania.
What does this mean to you? Check your vaccination status. If you’re up-to-date on vaccines, you’re very well-protected against measles. People around you may start having more questions about vaccines, though, given confusing statements from HHS. The best thing you can do is listen from a place of empathy and point them to evidence-based information or a trusted messenger, like a clinician (or YLE :)).
West Virginia bans some preservatives and dyes. But don’t lose the forest for the trees
West Virginia has become the first state to prohibit certain artificial food dyes and preservatives, a groundbreaking move that more states have already begun to adopt.
Supporters applaud the bill. The FDA approved these additives over 30 years ago, and since then, the amount available, purchased, and consumed have increased considerably. Some research has also found:
Correlation between some dyes and potential hyperactivity in a subset of susceptible children.
BHA (one of the banned preservatives) as a possible carcinogen based on rodent studies (although not considered relevant to humans).
Propylparaben (one of the banned preservatives) is a possible endocrine disruptor.
However, additives in foods at the market aren’t at levels that harm humans, as many studies have been done on rodents at very high doses. In addition, the bans could drive up food costs and reduce accessibility.
The U.S. typically takes a risk approach to policy (identifying a hazard and assessing the probability of the exposure doing harm) rather than a hazard approach (as in Europe, where if a study shows a substance can be toxic, even to animals, they aim to eliminate the hazard completely). This West Virginia policy is taking a European approach.
But let’s not lose sight of the forest for the trees. West Virginia leads the nation in rates of obesity, diabetes mortality, and depression but also ranks poorly in food insecurity and heart disease. Candy is candy, with or without Red Dye #40. Unfortunately, this will unlikely make a meaningful impact without addressing deeper issues such as access to nutritious food, affordable healthcare, and investing in public health infrastructure.
What this means to you: If signed into law, the ban will go into effect in 2028. If you live in West Virginia, this means certain candies, snack foods, drinks, jams and dessert items will be pulled from shelves. This could impact businesses, employment and food costs. This may be coming to more states. However, remember what keeps you healthy is the same boring advice: physical activity, a balanced, nutritious diet, and limiting substance use.
USDA cuts Local Food cooperative programs
The USDA is eliminating two federal grant programs that helped fund state-level local agriculture, schools, and food programs:
Cutting the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program will affect over 40 states. States were using these funds in different ways, for example:
South Carolina purchased local foods for schools, particularly from 29 socially disadvantaged farmers and 46 small farm businesses. Around 213,000 students in underserved areas received increased access to local foods.
Wyoming purchased unprocessed or minimally processed local and regional food products for schools.
West Virginia encouraged local farmers and producers to grow food that could be incorporated into public school menus.
Cutting the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which supports local feeding programs and food banks with local foods.
What this means to you: The U.S. government will save $1 billion. If you live in one of these states, your Department of Agriculture will have fewer federal funds to purchase and distribute local foods for schools, food banks, and childcare centers. If states don’t foot the bill, then cuts will affect school meal menus, food programs, local farmers, and local economies. Here’s an email from a local Mayor, as an example:
Question grab bag
“I’m still so confused about measles vaccine protection. I was born between 1958 and 1963, which wasn’t included in your table. What should I do here?”
It is very confusing. If you were born:
Before 1959: You didn’t get a vaccine and do not need one.
Between 1959 and 1963: No MMR vaccine was available. But you still need to be vaccinated.
Between 1963 and 1989: Vaccines were available, and you most likely got one dose. You don’t need another dose unless you got the inactivated vaccine OR you are high risk.
After 1989: You likely got two doses.
What you should do: Look at your vaccine records. If you can’t find them, you should be vaccinated. Or, at the very least, talk to your physician.
Bottom line
That’s your public health dose for the week! Have a great Monday.
Love, the YLE team
Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is a public health newsletter with one goal: to “translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people feel well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is owned and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina— an epidemiologist and mom. This is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below:
I was born in 1956, and I am positive I didn’t have measles, mumps, OR rubella. But because I was born before 1957 (in my case, 2 months before), or 1958, or 1959, depending…I DON’T need to be vaccinated, end of story. My doctor said “stop worrying” & wouldn’t test me for the immunity I know I don’t have. Finally my kind local pharmacist told me “sign up thru our clinic for 2 doses of MMR vaccine, 4 weeks apart” & even checked that my insurance would cover it. I’m now 68 & I want to get vaccinated for EVERYTHING I missed as a child. MMR vaccine is very available due in part to the “less is more” belief around childhood vaccinations. I’m so afraid of chainsaws screeching thru our safety nets, here in the US. Catching up on these vaccinations quiets that noise in my head a little. Thanks, all.
Last time I wrote a thank-you (during T1) it was to YLE; now it’s to YLE *and team*! With dwindling CDC reporting you are the best source of reliable data and interpretation. Y’all and HCR are my morning reads.