Latest news with #publicHealth
BBC News
13 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
South Elmsall waste site to stop operating over 'putrid smell'
Plans to extend the life of a waste recycling facility have been rejected after more than 400 residents complained about a "putrid stench".Wakefield Council said an application to keep the site at Hacking Lane, in South Elmsall, operating for another 10 years had been Environment Agency (EA) said it was also taking enforcement action against operator Minore after a planning inspector said excessive amounts of hazardous material stored at the land had created multiple health George Ayre said the site had "caused misery for the local community and blighted the local environment". He said the council would work with the EA to "hold Minore accountable for the impact this is having on residents, as well as the local environment".Resident Mark Benson said the announcement was a "welcome result" but was "not the end"."There are days when we feel like prisoners in our own homes, unable to enjoy our gardens or open our windows due to the unbearable stench outside," he said. Minore, also known as Mineral Processing Ltd, has been ordered to remove around 180,000 tonnes of material and cease any more dumping following the outcome of a public this month, planning inspector John Dowsett dismissed the company's appeal against EA enforcement action, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Dowsett upheld the regulator's claims that public health was at risk due to a foul smell, dust and litter coming from the site at Hacking report said the facility also posed a risk to nearby watercourses, including Frickley Beck.A revocation notice issued by the EA will come into force on 4 July. Minore must also cease all activities allowed under its permit and take steps to remove waste from the company previously said it plans to eventually transform the land into a country park, to include a wildflower meadow, wetland, ponds and public open space.A spokesperson said: "Currently the site is excavating materials and processing them, which is not in contravention of the notices issued by the EA but in compliance with them." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Medscape
14 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
Without Measles Herd Immunity, Vulnerable Kids Are at Risk
Summary In this segment, Dr Jacobson discusses the importance of vaccine efficacy in controlling measles outbreaks. The measles vaccine is 97% effective, meaning a small percentage of individuals do not develop immunity. Herd immunity protects these individuals by limiting the virus's ability to spread. Dropping vaccination rates, now at 92% for kindergarteners, leaves those who do not respond to the vaccine at increased risk. Dr Offit references a 1999 measles outbreak in the Netherlands, where vaccinated individuals in largely unvaccinated communities faced greater risk than unvaccinated individuals in communities with high vaccination coverage. Key Takeaways: The vaccine is 97% effective, leaving a small portion of individuals without immunity. Community-level vaccination rates matter: Exposure risk increases even for vaccinated individuals in areas with low overall coverage. Herd immunity creates protective 'halos' around those who are vulnerable, highlighting the need to maintain high immunization rates. To View Entire Event Recording: WATCH NOW - Measles Resurgence: What Physicians Must Know Now
The Independent
14 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Oregon psychiatric hospital spends thousands of taxpayers' money on sex toys for patients — many of whom are criminals, report finds
A state-run psychiatric facility in Oregon is under scrutiny over a policy that permits distributing sex toys to patients after an investigation by NBC affiliate KGW8. Oregon State Hospital provided 65 sexual aids to patients last year, costing taxpayers $2,900. In 2023, 42 sex toys were distributed to patients. The hospital is the highest security psychiatric facility in the state, and many of its patients are involved in the criminal justice system, either because they are unfit to stand trial or found guilty but legally insane on charges ranging from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies, including violent and sexual offenses. 'How does that make any sense?' asked Tiffany Edens, a rape survivor and advocate for crime victims. 'You are feeding into people's fantasies — people that have no business to have these types of toys,' she added. According to the hospital's patient handbook, 'certain items you may need for personal use, such as sexual aids' are permitted. A public records request by KGW revealed a detailed policy, including a 10-page color catalog of various sex toys available to patients. The catalog included brand names such as The Vortex, Throttle Stroker, Her Pocket Bullet, Double Dancer, Vibrating Helping Hand Pro, Vibrating Shower Stroker, and Waterproof Prostate Massager. Prices range from $14.78 to $84.99. Oregon State Hospital spokesperson Amber Shoebridge confirmed to the network that the sexual aids are paid for with public money and serve an important therapeutic purpose. 'The need for sexual expression doesn't disappear in institutional settings,' Shoebridge wrote in a statement to KGW. 'Oregon State Hospital provides access to sexual aids as a way to offer patients an ethical, and therapeutic and private form alternative for a lack of sexual expression.' According to Shoebridge, sexual expression can reduce stress, calm the nervous system, and support emotional well-being. Patients without appropriate sexual outlets may use unsafe objects, such as toothbrushes, crayons, or shampoo bottles. Access to sexual aids, she explained, creates a safer environment for staff and other patients. The sexual aid policy involves a treatment process with occupational therapists and an interdisciplinary team. Patients must provide consent and understand the proper use and hygiene. Devices are inspected monthly for at least three months, with ongoing monitoring. Consent is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with therapists assessing patients' understanding, ability to operate, and their capacity to follow rules. Only hospital-approved, non-porous silicone devices are allowed, with a limit of two sex toys. Oregon State Hospital previously faced criticism for policies on sexual health; in May 2024, federal inspectors found it distributing condoms despite discouraging sexual contact. Shoebridge said condoms were intended to promote cleanliness and self-pleasure, but the practice is now discontinued.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
What is thimerosal, the flu vaccine ingredient targeted by RFK Jr.?
Federal vaccine advisers installed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted Thursday to stop recommending influenza vaccines containing thimerosal, a preservative that has been long criticized by anti-vaccine activists. Scientists and public health authorities have deemed thimerosal safe, and the vast majority of flu shots don't have it. But the removal would probably make flu vaccines more expensive and harder to receive for some Americans, public health experts said. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Medical experts say the move is the latest by Kennedy, who was a longtime anti-vaccine activist before he joined the Trump administration, to chip away at vaccine policies. Here's what to know about thimerosal: - - - What is thimerosal? Thimerosal, which the Food and Drug Administration describes as a 'mercury-containing organic compound,' is used as a preservative in vaccines to stop microbial growth and prevent contamination. Since 2001, all childhood vaccines licensed and recommended in the United States have been thimerosal-free, with the exception of some multi-dose formulations of flu vaccines. When used in vaccines, it is metabolized into ethylmercury in the body, which is vastly different from methylmercury, which can be found in fish. The levels of ethylmercury in vaccines have been found to be safe, while high levels of methylmercury can cause childhood developmental damage, medical experts and the U.S. government says. 'There is a robust body of peer-reviewed, scientific studies conducted in the United States and countries around the world that support the safety of thimerosal-containing vaccines,' the FDA writes on its website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a 17-page document online this week saying thimerosal was safe. That document was intended to be background material for members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices before its meeting and vote, according to a federal health official familiar with the document. But it was posted on the ACIP website, and then removed Wednesday. 'This document by the CDC vaccine safety office did not go through the appropriate process to be posted,' an HHS spokesperson told The Washington Post. - - - Why is thimerosal controversial? In the 1990s, amid suspicion thimerosal could be a cause behind the rising rates of autism, the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended thimerosal be removed from vaccines out of an abundance of caution and to restore public confidence. By the early 2000s, thimerosal had been removed or reduced to trace amounts in most childhood vaccines, with manufacturers increasingly using single-dose vials that did not require preservatives. Several studies have shown that there is no link between thimerosal and autism. 'There is no evidence to suggest that the amount of [thimerosal] used in vaccines poses a health risk,' according to the World Health Organization, which says other medical groups in the U.S. and Europe hold the same views. After thimerosal was removed from most childhood vaccines, autism rates have continued to rise. - - - What is the impact of removing thimerosal? It would be limited. In the most recent flu season, 94 percent of all influenza vaccines administered in U.S. were thimerosal free, according to the CDC. The rate was even higher for shots administered through two major government vaccine programs. Multi-dose vials are easier to store and use for large vaccine fairs than the single-dose counterparts. They're also less expensive, reducing waste and requiring less space to store. Public health experts said medical facilities targeted at rural areas and safety net systems could face potential shortages if they remove those vaccines, although an FDA representative at the meeting said there would be enough supply to make up for the shortfall. - - - What has Kennedy said about thimerosal? Before the meeting on Tuesday, Kennedy decried the description of thimerosal as safe, writing on X that 'I leave it to the reader to speculate as to why CDC has not performed such studies in the intervening 24 years as it dosed hundreds of millions of American children and pregnant moms with mercury-laden flu shots.' On his social media post, he cited several studies he said supported his claims - and contradicted his own agencies. Medical experts told The Post that Kennedy was misstating the science. 'It's a way to overwhelm an audience who mostly WON'T click each one to find what they are looking for,' said Jessica Malaty Rivera, an infectious-disease epidemiologist, in a text. 'Second, there is zero evidence of his claims in any of those links.' In 2015, Kennedy edited a book titled 'Thimerosal: Let the Science Speak' in which he wrote 'the evidence of thimerosal's neurotoxicity is so overwhelming and the lack of any safety data so complete that anyone who is willing to read science and who believes in the capacity for scientific methods to determine empirical truths must conclude that thimerosal causes serious brain damage.' He also noted in his introduction that he 'assembled this book' to persuade the CDC to get rid of thimerosal in any vaccines. In a speaking appearance in April 2023 challenging coronavirus mandates, Kennedy pointed to his book, calling it 'definitive' proof that thimerosal 'is the cause of all these neurological injuries.' He went on a podcast later that year, where he talked more about thimerosal. 'This particular kind of vaccine, the multi-dose vial, is going to children, little children, it's destroying their brains,' Kennedy said in a July 2023 podcast appearance. 'You can accept that or not, I'm telling you that that's my belief, and I believe my belief is strongly grounded in science.' - - - Caitlin Gilbert and Lena H. Sun contributed to this report. Related Content Dynamite outside a synagogue: Civil rights stories imperiled by federal cuts In West Virginia, Medicaid is a lifeline. GOP cuts could devastate the state. 3-pound puppy left in trash is rescued, now thriving
CBC
a day ago
- Health
- CBC
Most Albertans will soon pay $110 for a COVID shot
With Alberta soon to end free COVID-19 vaccines for most residents, there's growing concern about cost, coverage and access — especially for vulnerable seniors. When provincial funding ends, most Albertans will have to pay an estimated $110 per dose.
