Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Recalls Some Potatoes, Citrus Fruits Due To Listeria Concerns
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week announced a voluntary recall of red potatoes and several varieties of citrus fruits sold by a North Carolina-based company over listeria concerns. An announcement on the FDA's website states that the items, sold by聽Freshouse II of Salisbury, N.C.,聽including lemons, limes, oranges and red potatoes, could be contaminated with the listeria bacteria found during an inspection of the company's facility. (Bowden, 8/12)
A lot of summer camps had to close this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including Camp Aranu'tiq in New Hampshire, a camp for transgender and nonbinary children. Julie Be is a music therapist who has helped run the camp since it was founded in 2009 and also one half of the children's musical duo Ants on a Log, alongside Anya Rose. So the stuck-at-home campers would feel connected, Be and Rose put out an open call for songs that reflect the trans and nonbinary experience, use gender neutral pronouns or use humor to talk about gender. Together, they curated an album of children's music called Trans & Nonbinary Kids Mix. (8/13)
Last September, Shamony Makeba Gibson was discharged after the birth of her second child and was in pain. It wasn鈥檛 just the caesarean section. She didn鈥檛 feel right, wasn鈥檛 managing daily activities, and in the evenings felt hot and had difficulty breathing. 鈥淚t spiraled from there,鈥 said her mother, Shawnee Benton-Gibson. Ms. Gibson, a Black mother who gave birth in a Brooklyn hospital, died of a pulmonary embolism on Oct. 6, 2019, less than two weeks after giving birth to her son Khari. She was 30 years old. (Grayce West, 8/12)
A bat collected along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park has tested positive for rabies, authorities said. Park officials said the bat was found Aug. 6 at the Whitmore Helipad and didn鈥檛 come in contact with any visitors. (8/13)