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PRESIDENTS DAY AND WEEK: GEORGE WASHINGTON THE FIRST AND THE BEST.

Posted on February 18, 2024 by John Bailey

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FEBRUARY 22 IS GEORGE WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY.

THE TIME WHEN WE REMEMBER THE FIRST LEADER AND THE BEST. IT IS INSTRUCTIVE TO LOOK AT OUR FIRST LEADER, GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE FATHER OF OUR NATION — AMERICA — THAT USED TO BE. ONE CANNOT HELP BE REMINDED OF THE SNOWY WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE, WHEN THE BEDRAGGLED, POORLY EQUIPPED REBEL ARMY SUFFERED BUT HELD TOGETHER, AND ATTACKED THE GERMAN TROOPS IN TRENTON ON CHRISTMAS EVE, 1776, CROSSING THE DELAWARE RIVER AT NIGHT. WHAT KIND OF MAN WAS HE THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON COULD INSPIRE HIS TROOPS AGAINST ALL ODDS? WHAT KIND OF MEN WERE THEY WHO WOULD RISK CERTAIN DEATH IF WOUNDED (NO MED-EVACS IN 1776) FOR AN IDEA: RIGHTS AND FREEDOM?

WASHINGTON WAS A MAN OF TREMENDOUS CHARACTER. OF PRINCIPLE. WHERE DID HE GET THIS CHARACTER? HE SPECIALIZED IN SELF-CONTROL AT AN EARLY AGE. THAT CONGRESSMEN, LOBBYISTS, AND PUNDITS AND YES, PRESIDENTS,  MEANS MIND-CONTROL, REASON AND RESPONSIBILITY, AND HUMANITY. ACCORDING TO  THE BOOK, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT,

WASHINGTON, AT SIXTEEN, HAD FORMED A CODE OF CONDUCT. HE HAD WRITTEN A BOOK OF ETIQUETTE WITH 110 “MAXIMS” TO GUIDE HIS CONDUCT IN MATTERS. IN THIS ETIQUETTE BOOK HE HAD WRITTEN:

EVERY ACTION DONE IN COMPANY OUGHT TO BE DONE WITH A SIGN OF RESPECT TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT PRESENT. SLEEP NOT WHEN OTHERS SPEAK; SIT NOT WHEN OTHERS STAND; SPEAK NOT WHEN YOU SHOULD HOLD YOUR PEACE; WALK NOT WHEN OTHERS STOP;…LET YOUR COUNTENANCE BE PLEASANT BUT IN SERIOUS MATTERS SOMEWHAT GRAVE…UNDERTAKE NOT WHAT YOU CANNOT PERFORM BUT BE CAREFUL TO KEEP YOUR PROMISE.

THE CHARACTER SKETCH PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORS OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, INDICATES THIS PERSONAL “RULEBOOK” WAS A BOOK THAT WASHINGTON WROTE OVER THE YEARS AND REFERRED TO IT OFTEN, FOR, THEY WRITE, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: “FOR SELF-CONTROL, TO AVOID TEMPTATION, TO ELUDE GREED, TO CONTROL HIS TEMPER. REPUTATION WAS EVERYTHING TO HIM. IT HAD TO DO WITH HIS STRENGTH, HIS SIZE, HIS COURAGE, HIS HORSEMANSHIP, HIS PRECISE DRESS, HIS THOROUGH MIND, HIS MANNERS, HIS COMPASSION. HE PROTECTED THAT REPUTATION AT ANY COST.” EARNING RESPECT BY EXAMPLE. QUELLING REBELLION WITH A FEW WORDS.

HE SETS AN EXAMPLE TODAY FOR THOSE WHO WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AMERICA’S WEAKNESS AND SEIZE POWER BY OPPORTUNISM. WASHINGTON INSPIRED BY EXAMPLE. HE LIVED WITH HIS TROOPS. HE SHARED HARDSHIPS WITH THEM, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH RESPECT FOR HIM THAT HE WAS ABLE TO TALK THEM OUT OF ARMED REBELLION AT THE END OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

WASHINGTON HAD BEEN ASKED BY THE ARMY TO JOIN THEM TO OVERTHROW THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, AND MAKE HIMSELF KING. WASHINGTON HAD BEEN ASKED BY ONE OF THE OFFICERS OF THE REBELS TO JOIN THEM, AND HE WROTE THEM,

YOU COULD NOT HAVE FOUND A PERSON TO WHOM YOUR SCHEMES ARE MORE DISAGREEABLE. BANISH THESE THOUGHTS FROM YOUR MIND.

HEARING THAT THE REBELS WHO WERE PLANNING INSURRECTION (BACK IN 1783, THEY KNEW WHAT INSURRECTION WAS) AGAINST THE NEW COUNTRY DUE TO PAY BEING  WITHHELD BY THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, WASHINGTON RODE TO NEWBURGH, NEW YORK, (NOT FAR FROM WHITE PLAINS, NY,USA) ON MARCH 15, 1783, TO MEET WITH THE DISSIDENT INSURGENTS. WASHINGTON SPOKE TO THE REBELLIOUS GROUP, SAYING,

“GENTLEMEN, AS I WAS AMONG THE FIRST WHO EMBARKED IN THE CAUSE OF OUR COMMON COUNTRY; AS I NEVER LEFT YOUR SIDE ONE MOMENT, BUT WHEN CALLED FROM YOU ON PUBLIC DUTY; AS I HAVE BEEN THE CONSTANT COMPANION AND WITNESS OF YOUR DISTRESSES…IT CAN SCARCELY BE SUPPOSED …THAT I AM INDIFFERENT TO YOUR INTERESTS. BUT…THIS DREADFUL ALTERNATIVE, OF EITHER DESERTING OUR COUNTRY IN THE EXTREMEST HOUR OF HER DISTRESS, OR TURNING OUR ARMS AGAINST IT…HAS SOMETHING SO SHOCKING IN IT THAT HUMANITY REVOLTS FROM THE IDEA…I SPURN IT, AS EVERY MAN WHO REGARDS LIBERTY…UNDOUBTEDLY MUST.”

THE WOULD-BE REBELS FELL SILENT, DIGESTING WHAT HE HAD SAID. THEN WASHINGTON WITHDREW A LETTER FROM CONGRESS, BUT COULD NOT READ THE TEXT, WITHDRAWING SOME EYEGLASSES FROM HIS TUNIC, REMARKING,

“GENTLEMEN, YOU WILL PERMIT ME TO PUT ON MY SPECTACLES FOR I HAVE NOT ONLY GROWN GRAY BUT ALMOST BLIND IN THE SERVICE OF MY COUNTRY.” THE MEN PRESENT WERE REPORTED TO HAVE TEARS IN THEIR EYES AT THIS GESTURE OF WASHINGTON’S AND ABANDONED THEIR PLOT OUT OF RESPECT FOR THEIR LEADER.

WASHINGTON RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY, SURPRISING THE ENTIRE NEW COUNTRY. HIS ACTION SURPRISED KING GEORGE III OF ENGLAND, WHO WAS ASTONISHED THAT WASHINGTON HAD REFUSED TO HOLD ON TO HIS MILITARY AUTHORITY AND USE IT FOR POLITICAL OR FINANCIAL GAIN. THE DEFEATED KING OF ENGLAND, REMARKED, “IF TRUE, THEN HE IS THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD.”

WASHINGTON WAS. SEEKER OF DIVERSE VIEWS. HOW TO PICK A CABINET. AS PRESIDENT, GEORGE WASHINGTON INVENTED THE PRESIDENTIAL CABINET, WHOM HE REFERRED TO AS “THE FIRST CHARACTERS,” PERSONS WHO POSSESSED THE BEST REPUTATIONS IN FIELDS AND AREAS OF THE JOBS HE WAS FILLING. WASHINGTON SAID ON POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS: “MY POLITICAL CONDUCT AND NOMINATIONS MUST BE EXCEEDINGLY CIRCUMSPECT. NO SLIP INTO PARTIALITY WILL PASS UNNOTICED…”

WASHINGTON TOLERATED THE RELENTLESS CLASHES BETWEEN THOMAS JEFFERSON, SECRETARY OF STATE, AND ALEXANDER HAMILTON, SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, BUT LECTURED THEM ON THE NECESSITY FOR TOLERANCE AND MOVING BEYOND PARTISANSHIP: “I BELIEVE THE VIEW OF BOTH OF YOU ARE PURE, AND WELL MEANT. WHY THEN, WHEN SOME OF THE BEST CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATES, MEN…WHO HAVE NO SINISTER VIEW TO PROMOTE, ARE TO BE FOUND, SOME ON ONE SIDE, SOME ON THE OTHER…SHOULD EITHER OF YOU BE SO TENACIOUS OF YOUR OPINIONS AS TO MAKE NO ALLOWANCES FOR THOSE OF THE OTHER? I HAVE GREAT ESTEEM FOR YOU BOTH, AND ARDENTLY WISH THAT SOME LINE COULD BE MARKED OUT BY WHICH BOTH OF YOU COULD WALK.”

THE CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE PROTECTED WHEN GEORGE WASHINGTON LEFT OFFICE AFTER TWO TERMS, HE MADE A FAREWELL ADDRESS WHICH WARNED FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS ABOUT FOREIGN ENTANGLEMENTS AND PARTISANSHIP IN THE REPUBLIC: I SHALL CARRY TO MY GRAVE THE HOPE THAT YOUR UNION AND BROTHERLY AFFECTION MAY BE PERPETUAL; THAT THE CONSTITUTION MAY BE SACREDLY MAINTAINED; AND THAT FREE GOVERNMENT…THE EVER FAVORITE OBJECT OF MY HEART…WILL BE THE HAPPY REWARD OF OUR MUTUAL CARES, LABORS AND DANGERS.”

WASHINGTON DIED IN 1800, THREE YEARS AFTER LEAVING OFFICE IN 1797. HE WAS SALUTED ON THE FLOOR OF CONGRESS AS BEING “FIRST IN WAR, FIRST IN PEACE, FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN.” HE WAS THE FIRST AND BEST. THE ULTIMATE ROLE MODEL FOR ANY LEADER,

FEBRUARY 22, 2025 IS A DAY THAT TRIES AMERICANS’ SOULS. IT IS HOPED THAT SOME OF OUR “LEADERS” IN WESTCHESTER, IN ALBANY, IN WASHINGTON MIGHT READ THE WORDS I HAVE QUOTED ABOVE AND TAKE THEM TO HEART IN FUTURE DELIBERATIONS.

WORK A LITTLE. IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. IT’S ABOUT DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR US ALL.

GEORGE WASHINGTON’S VISION OF HIS COUNTRY IS BEING CHALLENGED BY THOSE WHO KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO. OR WANT TO DO TO VOICES THAT DISAGREE WITH THEM

BUT WE WHO REMEMBER, AND READ THESE WORDS MUST REFOCUS. I HEAR YOU, MR. WASHINGTON, AND WE HEED, SO HELP US GOD.

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THE RUNDOWN

TONIGHT JUSTIN BRASCH AND THE DEMOCRATIC CITY SLATE

JANUARY HOUSING  CONTINUES SLOW RECOVERY? MIRAGE? REALITY?–PRICES HIGHER AVAILABLE HOMES LOW

AMAZING STREAK: 100% OF HOME SELLERS GET THEIR LIST PRICE

SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER TELLS WHERE RATES ARE GOING WHETHER IT’S GREEN ELECTRICITY OR DIRTY ELECTRICITY — THE UPCOMING POSSIBILITIES FOR THE RENEWABLE ENERGY FIXED RATE 

GOVERNOR HOCHUL BUDGET OFFERS WORKERS WHO CARE FOR THE DISABLED A 2.1% COST OF LIVING iNCREASE. WORKERS SAY UNACCEPTALE.

TRIBUTE TO GEORGE WASHINGTON

THE FIRST PRESIDENT AND THE BEST

JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS

EVERY WEEK  ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK

FOR 24 YEARS

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Flu breaking records, measles, tuna recall, and federal workers fired

The Dose (February 17)

Katelyn Jetelina

Feb 17, 2025

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It’s Monday. Time for another week (breathe in and breathe out). But first, here’s some public health news you can use, including tips on effectively engaging with your state leaders.

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Webinar tomorrow

With the news of RFK Jr., the line between falsehoods and truth, especially around vaccines, has never been more blurred. The upcoming months and years will take something from all of us.

On Tuesday (Feb. 18) at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET, YLE will host a paid subscribers webinar titled Navigating Vaccine Conversations: Practical Strategies in a Changing Landscape. Katelyn Jetelina (YLE) will be joined by Drs. David Higgins and Kristen Panthagani—both physicians and excellent communicators. The goal is to equip you with tools that will surely need to be used today and in the years to come, both by talking with people directly and by approaching vaccine conversations online.

Paid subscribers register here!

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Your national disease report: Hello, flu.

There are a lot of sick people out there… still. “Influenza-like illnesses” (defined as a fever, cough, or runny nose) have now reached heights we haven’t seen since the 1990s.

The main culprit is flu, which seems to have peaked but can always rebound. Flu usually gives us a rollercoaster because of the changing weather, different strains receding, and others taking over.

Regardless, flu hospitalization rates are higher so far this season than at the same time during each of the past 15 years. And, interestingly, this is the first winter that flu deaths passed Covid-19 deaths.

There’s a lot we can do about flu—it’s not too late to get the vaccine, as flu season typically has a long tail. Masks and ventilation/filtration help prevent spread. Tamiflu can also help once you do have symptoms, but it needs to be taken within 48 hours.

Many other infectious diseases are also popping up across the country, like measles and two severe human cases of H5N1. Here’s what we’ve seen in the past week:

The Texas measles outbreak has doubled in size to 48 cases, including 13 hospitalizations mostly among kids. None were vaccinated, and the majority of cases are in Gaines County. Note: if you’re in a high-risk area, children can get an MMR vaccine as young as 6 months old (instead of waiting until 12 months).

Next door in New Mexico, a measles case was reported in Lea County—which borders Gaines County, Texas. However, this case didn’t travel, so whether it’s linked to the Texas outbreak is unclear.

On the other side of Texas, the Louisiana Department of Health stopped promoting routine vaccinations by banning vaccine events and ordering staff not to promote vaccinations. This came on the same day that RFK Jr. was confirmed as HHS Secretary.

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Food recalls: Botulism in tuna

Canned tuna sold at Trader Joe’s, Costco, and H-E-B is recalled for risk of botulism—a potentially fatal form of food poisoning in which a toxin caused by bacteria attacks the body’s nerves. This recall is due to a defect in the “easy open” pull, allowing bacteria to enter. No direct human cases are connected to this yet, but FDA suggests throwing these out in an abundance of caution.

Products were sold under the Genova®, Van Camp’s®, H-E-B, and Trader Joe’s brand names across the U.S. See more details here.

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10% of federal health workers are now gone

This was a hard weekend for all those on the front line of public health. More than 5,200 federal workers (10% of the CDC workforce, for example) were fired without merit.

Can they do that? Under Title V, which sets the rules for civil service hiring, there are limits to why employees can be fired. Legal reasons include misconduct or poor performance. However, there is a loophole: those employees on probation (e.g., those hired less than one year ago or promoted in the past year) have more limited protections. Those on probation were fired over the weekend. Some teams were warned that more cuts are on the way.

Here is what some fired civil servants were doing for Americans:

• A modeler evaluated how diseases spread across the nation in real time, like mpox or measles outbreaks, so that they could be stopped.
• The lone CDC researcher who focused on human trafficking.
• Communication staff for vaccine safety, whose jobs were to translate the safety and rare but real vaccine safety signals to the public.
• Laboratory disease detectives, including those who detected harmful fungal infections, re-established lab operations after hurricanes, improved rabies detections, and found diseases in wastewater.

What does this mean to you? In the day-to-day, not much will change. However, disrupting operations without a plan or vision on such a large scale inevitably introduces inefficiencies in places where speed protects the public’s health. It often takes time to see the on-the-ground impact of high-level policy changes.

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Data are back up on the CDC website but with a banner

Doctors For America sued the administration after removing important health data and guidance from government health websites, like CDC. Many healthcare providers rely on this data and guidance to treat their patients, from sexually transmitted diseases to domestic violence to HIV. The judge ruled in favor of Doctors for America. So data have been restored. But now the web pages have a banner at the top:

Can we trust this data? Turning data on and off is fairly easy on the back-end switchboard. However, I know columns were being rearranged and variables being renamed. It’s possible data was messed up—either by accident or on purpose. Someone needs to do a confirmation analysis to ensure the data integrity is upheld. (Any takers?)

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Superbowl ad for Hims & Hers weight loss drugs under scrutiny

Did you see the Hims & Hers commercial during the Super Bowl? Proceed with caution.

Hims & Hers—a telehealth startup—claims it has a “live-saving” weight-loss drug of compounded GLP-1. However, the ad skipped the safety disclaimer and failed to mention any risks of side effects. Compounded medications, while useful for specific patient needs, do not undergo the same rigorous FDA safety and efficacy testing as approved drugs. FDA has documented hundreds of adverse events linked to compounded versions of popular weight-loss drugs.

Two Senators—one Democrat and one Republican—sent a letter to the FDA warning of the ad’s risk of misleading patients. The Partnership for Safe Medicines, a coalition of nonprofits, also wrote a disapproving letter to the FDA.

No regulatory or legal action has been taken, and it’s unclear whether any will be, but we all need to remain vigilant about claims that will affect companies’ profits. With wellness influencers being elevated with the RFK Jr. nomination, there may be more of this.

Here’s a deeper dive from Unbiased Science if you’re looking for more.

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Question grab bag: Engaging effectively with local leaders

“How can we help with all these slash-and-burn policies the new administration is authorizing? Are there steps we can take to fight these cuts? (I’m trying to be polite; I want to scream and swear.)”

Right now, we have to rely on checks and balances. Courts are one thing, but impact needs to be communicated effectively to state and local leaders. If you write or call to defend what is important to you, be sure to include some key factors for effective communication:

• Highlight the jobs impacted and if it’s yours specifically.
• Include economic benefits (or losses) from federal changes to the states. (For example, here is a great tool for NIH impacts.)
• Use very simple language and explain directly how your work impacts your community. Or why, as a citizen, you support or oppose policies. Aim for what the average middle schooler would understand. You can check the reading level of what you’re saying here.
• Include stories to humanize the policies. Storytelling is the most effective way to communicate what we do or how we are impacted.
• What you say matters: avoid polarizing words like misinformation. (Use “rumor” instead.) Other buzzwords are helpful, like innovation or data.

YLE hosted a webinar last month to frame health challenges across partisan lines. Check out the recording here.

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Bottom line

You’re all caught up for the week. Stay sane and healthy out there.

Love, YLE team

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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 free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below:

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“Public transit is the lifeblood of New York City and critical to our economic future — as a New Yorker, like President Trump, knows very well.

“Since this first-in-the-nation program took effect last month, congestion has dropped dramatically and commuters are getting to work faster than ever. Broadway shows are selling out and foot traffic to local businesses is spiking. School buses are getting kids to class on time, and yellow cab trips increased by 10 percent. Transit ridership is up, drivers are having a better experience, and support for this program is growing every day.

“We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king. The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We’ll see you in court.”

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Outbreak Outlook – Northeast – Feb 17

Feb 17

READ IN APP

Welcome to the Northeast edition of Outbreak Outlook! It is only available to paid subscribers. If you wish to become a paid subscriber and access region-specific information, please click the Subscribe now button below. Thanks for reading! -Caitlin

Subscribed

Respiratory Diseases

ILI

Flu season is still at record levels in the Northeast, and unfortunately we haven’t caught a break just yet.

New York City leads the Northeast with outpatient influenza-like illness (ILI) at 12.2% in the most recent week, down slightly from 12.8% the week prior.

• Cases of measles are rising across five U.S. states including New York, with 14 confirmed cases reported so far in 2025. According to CDC data, 43 percent of these cases have required hospitalization for isolation or complications management. The outbreak comes amid an already challenging respiratory virus season in New York State, where flu cases have reached a 15-year high. The other affected states are Alaska, Georgia, Rhode Island, and Texas. Outbreaks are primarily affecting unvaccinated individuals.

Massachusetts maintains high activity with outpatient ILI rising to 11.5% in the most recent week, up from 10.8%. Emergency department visits also increased to 9.6% in the most recent week, up from 9.1%, which means continued widespread transmission.

New Hampshire and New Jersey show persistent elevated activity. New Hampshire’s outpatient ILI increased to 10.9% in the most recent week from 10.4%, with emergency department visits rising to 9.6% from 9.2%. New Jersey’s outpatient ILI decreased to 10.0% from 10.5%, with emergency department visits also declining to 8.7% from 9.6%.

Outpatient influenza-like illness (%)

% of visits to the doctor that are for fever and cough or sore throat

Maine and Connecticut reported increasing ILI levels. Maine’s outpatient ILI rose to 6.9% from 5.8%, while emergency department visits jumped to 5.9% from 4.7%. Connecticut’s outpatient ILI increased to 6.8% from 6.4%, with stable emergency department visits at 8.8% but declining hospitalizations (17.4 per 100,000, down from 20.7).

Rhode Island, New York state, and Pennsylvania showed mixed trends. Rhode Island’s outpatient ILI decreased slightly to 6.9% from 7.1%, with emergency department visits falling to 5.3% from 5.8%. New York state (excluding NYC) saw outpatient ILI dip to 6.1% from 6.2%, with decreasing emergency department visits (5.4% from 6.1%) and falling hospitalization rates (15.4 per 100,000 from 17.2). Pennsylvania showed rising outpatient ILI at 5.0% from 4.5%, with emergency department visits increasing to 7.9% from 7.0%.

Northeast: ED visits for influenza (%)

% of visits to the emergency department that are for influenza

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COVID-19

The spike last week in Covid-19 wastewater activity appears to have been a blip caused by a delay in New York wastewater reporting. New York wastewater activity is far lower than the rest of the region, so without New York data, the regional rate shot up. With New York data added back in this week, Covid-19 wastewater activity shows a slight upward tick, but remains moderate.

ED visits and hospitalizations decreased or held steady, with no states reporting increases.

Northeast Covid-19 Wastewater

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Activity is very high and increasing towards a second winter peak in Vermont. In Pennsylvania, activity is high and increasing as well – and may be heading toward a second winter peak as well. The state continues to have the highest hospitalization rate in the region, of 10.0 hospitalizations per 100,000, but it did decrease a bit this week. We will see if this trend continues or if the wastewater activity continues to rise.

Wastewater activity has plummeted in the past two weeks in Rhode Island and Maine, declining ~2.5x, from very high almost to moderate levels in the former and almost moderate levels in the latter. Both states also reported decreases in ED visits and hospitalizations this past week.

Similarly, in Massachusetts, activity remains high, but has declined significantly in the past few weeks, as have ED visits and hospitalizations. Wastewater activity is also decreasing in Connecticut (very high activity) and New Jersey (high). Wastewater activity is stable at minimal levels in New York. (Insufficient data for New Hampshire).

Northeast: ED visits for Covid-19 (%)

% of emergency department visits that are for Covid-19

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RSV

Data were not updated this week.

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Stomach Bugs

Data were not updated this week, so nothing to report here.

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Food recalls

The following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items:

New:

• Menma Ajitsuke Prepared Bamboo Shoots sold under Choshiya brand name (more info)
• Canned Tuna sold under Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B, and Trader Joe’s brand names (more info)

Previously reported:

• Alfalfa sprouts sold under the Jack and the Green Sprouts brand name (more info)
• Aleppo Tahini Sesame Paste (more info)
• DJ’s Boudain sausage links (more info)
• Blue Ridge Beef Natural Mix [for dogs] (more info). While not for human consumption, humans may be infected with Salmonella if they do not adequately wash their hands or contaminated surfaces after handling the product.
• If you have food allergies, you may wish to review these FDA safety alerts and USDA alerts for foods with undeclared allergens.

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In other news

• The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported the state’s first case of clade I mpox in an adult from Merrimack County who recently traveled to Eastern Africa. The individual is currently isolating at home, and health officials emphasize there is no risk to the public. This marks the third clade I mpox diagnosis in the United States, which is distinct from the clade II variant that caused the 2022 U.S. outbreak. The case appears to be travel-related, with no evidence of person-to-person transmission within New Hampshire or the United States.
• The CDC has reported New York’s first case of clade1b mpox in a person who recently traveled from East Africa, marking the fourth known case of this strain in the United States following earlier cases in California, Georgia, and New Hampshire. The patient is currently in isolation with improving symptoms despite not receiving specific mpox treatments, and health officials are conducting contact tracing.
• The Bentworth School District, Pennsylvania has switched to remote learning for two days after a severe flu outbreak affected both students and staff, including the superintendent himself who was too ill for interviews.
• The Pennsylvania Game Commission has reported the first case of chronic wasting disease in Carbon County after a severely emaciated buck (deer) was found dead on private property, located more than 10 miles from any previously known cases. This follows last week’s first-time detections in neighboring Luzerne County, where two bucks tested positive, one from a hunting harvest and another from a deer-breeding farm. The fatal neurological disease, first detected in Pennsylvania in 2012, is caused by infectious prions that resist standard sterilization and cooking methods, prompting officials to urge hunters to test harvested animals before consuming the meat.