What threats lurk in the smoke and ash of L.A.-area fires? New health warnings Officials are warning of windblown ash and other pollutants from Los Angeles-area fires and say air quality readers won't pick up on the ash pollutants. Los Angeles Times

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Vulnerable Americans live in the shadow of COVID-19 as most move on People with immune system health problems continue to take precautions against COVID-19 five years into the pandemic. AP News

This month marks the fifth anniversary of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. The virus would go on to kill 1.2 million Americans and disrupt countless lives.

H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation H5 bird flu is causing outbreaks in wild birds and poultry, other animals and sporadic human cases. CDC Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

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Probable human case summary during the 2024 outbreak, by state and exposure source

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How climate change is reshaping home insurance in California — and the rest of the U.S. Worsening wildfires are hiking up home insurance rates in California, the biggest market in the U.S. And as climate disasters increase across the country, other states are feeling the pressure too. NPR

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US respiratory disease markers remain high for flu, COVID, RSV Respiratory virus activity across the nation remains high, with COVID-19 levels rising across much of the country, flu indicators still elevated, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity very high in many regions, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its latest illness updates. CIDRAP

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Forty-three states are reporting very high or high flu activity, and of respiratory samples that tested positive for flu at public health labs, nearly 98% were influenza A. Of subtyped samples, 55.5% were H3N2, and 44.5% were 2009 H1N1.

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Childhood vaccination rates, a health bright spot in struggling states, are slipping Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia have some of the highest childhood vaccination rates. Experts worry a rising tide of vaccine skepticism is causing those bright spots to dim. NBC News

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Supreme Court declines to hear from oil and gas companies trying to block climate change lawsuits The Supreme Court is declining to hear an appeal from oil and gas companies trying to block lawsuits seeking to hold the industry liable for billions of dollars in damage linked to climate change. AP News

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The Changing Climate Is A Health Crisis: A Call To Action For Human Well-Being As a physician and policymaker, I believe we need to urgently recognize climate change for what it truly is—a public health crisis—and act accordingly. Bill Frist Forbes

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Expert outlines plan to combat antivaccine movement's next phase In a recent essay, pediatrician-scientist Peter Hotez proposes a focus on local data, improved benefit-risk communications, actively countering health disinformation, and state-level action to address ... Public Library of Science Medical Xpress

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