These are public service announcements!
(Albeit without guitar)
I was going to write this week about people having to reapply to stay on Medicaid and the effect it might have on local churches. Alas, that plan fell through. Instead, I’m going to pass on a few things that have crossed my inbox recently.
COVID
- The CDC has a new recommendation for children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years. If they have received 3-dose monovalent Pfizer vaccination, they should get one bivalent booster dose at least 2 months after they received the primary shots. Check with your pediatrician to see if this recommendation applies to you.
- The FDA is expected to approve a new COVID booster shot. It’s aimed at people over the age of 65, or with weakened immune systems. The new shot will target the Omicron variant and will be allowed, rather than “definitively recommended.” That’s according to Becker’s Hospital Review. And if you understand that positioning, you know more than I do.
These next items aren’t meant to frighten you, but they are definitely things to be aware of.
- Wisconsin ranks third among the states for new cases, with 239. That’s less than half the cases in leaders New York and Texas, but their populations are much larger. So we’re second in infections per million at 41. Wisconsin is also in the top ten for total cases. At least we’re not among the leaders for COVID deaths. Still, if anyone tries to tell you the pandemic is over in the Badger State…it’s not.
- There is a new subvariant called XBB.1.6 circulating in several US states. The World Health Organization calls it “one to watch” because it is somewhat more transmissible than predecessors. It may also cause more severe illness. It doesn’t seem to be a huge concern so far, but you never know.
The Other Stuff
- Good news: respiratory illnesses like influenza B or RSV are at fairly low levels most places in the US. Bad news: norovirus infections remain high. And a form of strep throat that can cause scarlet fever(!) is on the rise. Wash those hands and use good sense with masking everyone!
- Weird news: one thing that worries epidemiologists is the unlikely possibility of a fungal epidemic. Unlikely, because fungal infections don’t spread well from human-to-human. Also and very fortunately, our bodies are too warm to host most funguses. But I wanted to mention it for another reason than concern. Global warming may be contributing to mutations in fungi, making them more infectious. The systems that contribute to our health are complex and interrelated. Sometimes building good health means addressing seemingly unconnected issues.
The Other Other Stuff
- The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee is holding public hearings on the 2023-2025 budget. I have a schedule for in-person events below, if you’d like to share your thoughts with them. Or you can contribute online through the JFC Public Comment Form. I heard about these hearings through NAMI Wisconsin. But the budget controls spending in many different health-related areas. Tell them what you think.
- Our friends at Wisconsin Health Literacy are offering grants to partners willing to recognize pandemic fatigue, yet educate their community about the effectiveness of vaccines and boosters. See their website for more information, and yes, they do work with local churches.
- One last, semi-regular reminder: I’d love to speak or preach at your church! I’m currently unscheduled in May, and would be happy to give a talk on health or a sermon on a Sunday morning. Drop me a line, and let’s see what we can work out.
That’s it for this week. Have a blessed Easter and a well-deserved rest!
