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What It Was Like Aboard the Grand Princess in Oakland

in Around California/Health/People

A drone buzzed around like a bee about 50 feet away from Rex Lawson’s balcony.

He watched a convoy of ambulances and vans pull up below. Workers in protective suits moved about, while what appeared to be news helicopters hovered overhead.

“I have to comb my hair so I’ll look good on TV,” Mr. Lawson, 86, a retired United Airlines pilot, joked. He marveled at the “tremendous amount of logistics” at work around him.

Continue Reading on New York Times

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California’s fourth vaping death reported in Marin County

in Local Roundup

SACRAMENTO — California public health officials are urging people to stop vaping and using e-cigarettes as a fourth death related to vaping was reported in the state.

The state’s Department of Public Health said Wednesday 161 people have been hospitalized for severe breathing problems and lung damage since August.

The Marin County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday 45-year-old Amanda Margot Arconti of Vacaville died at a Novato hospital earlier this month. An official cause of death is pending.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified Vitamin E acetate as a “potential chemical of concern” but has yet to rule out other causes or ingredients.

Continue Reading on Press Democrat

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Lower Health Care Costs Act could hurt Californians

in Local Roundup

When someone reaches retirement age, health care access becomes all the more important. Getting to a hospital quickly can mean the difference between life and death.

In Waterford, where I live, the closest hospital is more than 30 minutes away. People in my situation have had to rely on air ambulance services to get the life-saving care they need. But there is a real threat that puts this service in jeopardy.

The Lower Health Care Costs Act in Congress would allow insurance providers to continue denying claims for life saving air ambulances that many across California, especially those in rural areas, rely on. Lack of proper reimbursement for this service will also force more rural air bases to close at a time when rural hospitals are already facing increasing closures.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journals

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Stanislaus County braces for early, severe flu season. Two children have died in state.

in Local Roundup

Infectious-disease experts are predicting an early and more severe flu season this year in Stanislaus County and other areas of the state.

Kaiser Permanente said Friday it opened flu clinics in late September because of earlier-than-normal flu activity.

“We have seen a few cases in the Bay Area already,” said Dr. Piero Garzaro, chief of infectious diseases for Oakland-based Kaiser.

Two children, one in Riverside County and the other in Santa Clara County, died from influenza last month. Health officials said both children were otherwise healthy; the particular strain of influenza has not been identified in the two deaths.

Continue Reading on Modbee

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Los Angeles County bans flavored tobacco products amid rising health worries

in Local Roundup

Los Angeles County on Tuesday banned flavored tobacco products including e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and menthol cigarettes amid concerns that the products appeal to young people. The county's Board of Supervisors is also urging California Gov. Gavin Newsom to pass a statewide ban on vaping as health concerns grow.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt the ban, which comes amid a widening health crisis, with more than a hundred California residents who vape having been hospitalized for lung damage.

The regulations are opposed by business owners and advocates of vaping who say e-cigarettes help people quit smoking. The vote came on a second reading after initial approval last week.

Continue Reading on CBS News

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Student vaping epidemic has California schools frantically mobilizing

in Local Roundup

Students at Crescenta Valley High School have created an anti-vaping app. At nearby Rosemont Middle School, 55 students have joined an anti-vaping club. Santa Monica schools have booked 20 anti-vaping and drug awareness student assemblies and parent meetings. Staffers at various Southern California campuses are stepping up patrols of hidden nooks, installing costly detection devices, bringing in addiction counselors and modifying health curricula.

The recent surge of lung illnesses and deaths linked to vaping, an increasingly entrenched habit among many youths, largely caught school authorities flat-footed, and educators are urgently mobilizing anti-vaping efforts against what they see as a dangerous teen epidemic.

Continue Reading on LA Times

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California health officials warn against using any vaping products

in Local Roundup

The California Department of Public Health issued a health advisory Tuesday urging people to stay away from all vaping products as health officials expect to see even more cases of lung illnesses from vaping.

The advisory urges everyone to refrain from vaping, no matter the substance or source, until current investigations into the cause of the illnesses is determined. The health advisory follows an executive order signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 16 that allocates $20 million towards a statewide digital and social media public awareness campaign to educate youth, young adults and parents about the health risks of vaping nicotine and cannabis products.

As of Sept. 24, the CDPH has received reports that 90 people in California who have a history of vaping were hospitalized for severe breathing problems and lung damage, and two people have died. The last tally from the CDC showed 530 cases in the United States and nine deaths, however, CDC Principal Deputy Director Dr. Anne Schuchat told a congressional subcommittee that hundreds more cases have been reported to local health districts that have not been included in the national tally as of yet.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

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Measles Returns: Investigating Vaccination Rates

in Local Roundup

Investigative teams at ABC Owned Television Stations across the country analyzed local measles vaccination rates and found local schools in communities nationwide that are below what's considered the community or "herd" immunity rate. According to the World Health Organization, 93-95% of people in a population need to be vaccinated against measles to make sure the rest of a population is safe from the highly contagious disease.

Continue Reading on ABC 7

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Clearing the smoke on vaping: SJ vape shop owner speaks out about health, anti-smoking benefits of e-cigarettes

in Local Roundup

STOCKTON — Amid a rising tide of bad publicity about e-cigarettes — locally, nationally and internationally — James Wilson, co-owner of a Stockton vaping shop, says his business performs a public service by providing a steppingstone for cigarette smokers as they try to become nicotine-free.

“My job here is to help people quit smoking,” Wilson said this week. “It’s what we’ve preached since we opened.”

Wilson’s business, Vapor Mo’s, opened a little more than two years ago and is located in a strip mall on Pershing Avenue north of Robinhood Drive. There is also a Vapor Mo’s in Turlock.

Continue Reading on Record Net

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Non-native Mosquito’s Arrival Raises Health Concerns

in Local Roundup

The Aedes aegypti mosquito has migrated to the Central Valley, and it has brought various diseases along with it.

This particular species of mosquito has never been introduced to California’s landscape until now, which is why there is a concern for those who live in the affected area.

Monica Patterson, a vector biologist at Turlock Mosquito Abatement Center, states, "The mosquito is a transmitter of three diseases that are new to California’s environment; the diseases are zika, chikungunya, and dengue. There are very few reliable treatments for those who are infected with one of the diseases, hence the concern."

The zika virus is the worst of the three diseases. zika has been known to primarily effect pregnant women. The virus can cause microcephaly, a birth defect that decreases the size of the fetus’ head which weakens their development.

Chikungunya and dengue inflict feelings of discomfort; high fevers and joint pain. Officials at Turlock Mosquito Abatement Center are working to contain the mosquito infestation, though the process has proven to be quite difficult.

Continue Reading on Signal

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