Bird flu snapshot: USDA secretary urges farmers to take protective measures Read the second in a series of regular updates on H5N1 avian flu that STAT is publishing on Monday mornings. Megan Molteni STAT

As the H5N1 outbreak in dairy herds approaches the three-month mark, America’s top animal health official is calling on farmers to step up the use of personal protective equipment, limit traffic onto their farms, and increase cleaning and disinfection practices in their barns and milking parlors.

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Pot use seems to contribute to more severe cases of COVID-19, study finds - UPI.com Among patients diagnosed with COVID-19, those who used marijuana had a higher risk of hospitalization and intensive care unit admission, a new study indicates. UPI

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Study Confirms One Type of COVID Mask Is 'Significantly Better' Than Others They're not all the same. David Nield ScienceAlert

Of the four types of masks tested, the duckbill N95 mask came out on top: it blocked 99 percent of large particles and 98 percent of small particles from getting out into the air. Overall, 98 percent of the viral load was blocked by the N95.

Seasonal affective disorder strikes some in the summer. Climate change may make it worse. Story at a glance As climate change brings on hotter and hotter summers, health experts worry a type of depression called summer seasonal affective disorder could become more common.   People … Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech The Hill

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Study suggests cancer patients should stay current on COVID-19 boosters Yesterday in Nature Communications a study shows cancer that patients who are up to date on vaccines and have received COVID-19 boosters are more protected against death and serious complications than unvaccinated patients. CIDRAP

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Lab study: Sterilized reused respirators not effective enough against aerosolized particles Over 78% were dirty, rendering them unsuitable for sterilization, the authors say. CIDRAP

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