Health

Amid measles outbreaks, Florida Department of Health speaks out against ‘false information’

Published

10 months ago

February 28, 2024

Amid measles outbreaks, Florida Department of Health speaks out against ‘false information’

Amid ongoing measles outbreaks at Florida schools, the state’s Department of Health released an updated statement on Wednesday, which was provided to Fox News Digital.

There have been a total of nine confirmed measles cases as of Tuesday in Broward County, with seven of them reported at Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston, according to local reports.

Last week, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo issued a letter to parents urging them to make their own decisions about whether to send their children to school.

AMID FLORIDA MEASLES OUTBREAK, SURGEON GENERAL LETS PARENTS DECIDE WHETHER TO SEND UNVACCINATED KIDS TO SCHOOL

Typical guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is for unvaccinated children who have not had the measles to stay home for up to 21 days in the event of a potential exposure at school.

Amid ongoing measles outbreaks at Florida schools, the state’s Department of Health has released an updated statement. (iStock)

“However, due to the high immunity rate in the community, as well as the burden on families and the educational cost of healthy children missing school, DOH is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance,” Ladapo’s letter stated.

MEASLES PROTECTION IS PARAMOUNT BEFORE TRAVELING OUTSIDE THE US, SAYS CDC

The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) noted that details of the agency’s investigations into the outbreak are “confidential,” and claimed that “many media outlets are reporting false information and politicizing this outbreak.”

FDOH released a statement to ensure that Floridians are “correctly informed.”

Doctors have expressed their support of measles vaccinations and cautioned against sending unvaccinated kids to school during an outbreak. (iStock)

At Manatee Bay Elementary, where the bulk of the cases have been reported, 97% of students have received at least one dose of the MMR immunization, according to the agency.

On Tuesday, the local news outlet WSVN reported that about 30% of students at Manatee Bay Elementary were unvaccinated, according to the school board.

“Outbreaks are occurring in multiple states, and the national immunization rate for measles is less than 92%,” the statement said.

MEASLES OUTBREAKS IN US, UK HAVE HEALTH AGENCIES ON HIGH ALERT: ‘BE VIGILANT’

When a case of measles is confirmed in a school, FDOH recommends that students who have not had a prior infection or vaccination remain at home for up to 21 days.

“This is the period of time that the virus can be transmitted. This recommendation has been made at Manatee Bay Elementary,” the agency said.

Amid measles outbreaks in various parts of the U.S., Florida surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo has issued guidance to parents regarding kids’ school attendance. He also said, “This recommendation may change as epidemiological investigations continue.” (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/Sipa USA/Sipa via AP Images)

The last confirmed case of measles was on Feb. 15, 2024, which means the end of the 21-day infectious period is March 7, 2024.

“This may change as epidemiological investigations continue,” the statement noted.

FDOH said it has been working with Manatee Bay Elementary to educate parents on measles.

“Any parent who is concerned for their child, regardless of their immunization status, may choose to keep their children home.”

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“Any parent who is concerned for their child, regardless of their immunization status, may choose to keep their children home and utilize continuous learning during this time,” the agency said.

“Due to the high immunity rate, as well as the burden on families and educational cost of healthy children missing school, the surgeon general’s current guidance ensures that parents or guardians are able to make the best decisions for their families regarding school attendance,” the statement continued.

As of Tuesday, there have been a total of nine confirmed measles cases in Broward County, with seven of them reported at Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston, according to local reports. (iStock )

Other doctors have expressed their support of measles vaccinations and cautioned against sending unvaccinated kids to school during an outbreak.

“At a time when there’s a resurgence of measles in the world and travel is not restricted, and people are coming into this country with measles, it’s extremely important that our children be vaccinated against it,” Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, told Fox News Digital last week.

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Amid the current measles outbreak, he said, “individual choice has to give way to public health and community preservation or safety,” Siegel said.

“The problem here is that if kids start going to school unvaccinated against measles, given how contagious it is and how effective the vaccine is, they are putting other children at risk,” the doctor added.

In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, a member of the District 2 School Board in Broward County stated that the board is working with the state and local health departments.

“I appreciate the leadership and support by the surgeon general and welcome all resources to help our parents and children,” says Torey Alston, who was formerly a county commissioner.

“The safety and academic success of our children remains the No. 1 priority.”

As of Feb. 22, 2024, a total of 35 measles cases had been reported by 15 jurisdictions across the U.S., in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Melissa Rudy is health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Dance eases depression symptoms in Parkinson's patients, new study suggests

Published

9 minutes ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Dance eases depression symptoms in Parkinson's patients, new study suggests

Putting a swing in their step could be just the thing to help ease the symptoms of depression in some Parkinson’s patients, a new study suggests.

Patients who took months of dance classes found their depression eased, a small study published recently in the Journal of Medical Internet Research says.

Not only did depression symptoms ease for the Parkinson’s patients, their brain scans displayed changes in their brain areas related to mood, researchers said.

PARKINSON’S DISEASE RISK IS LINKED TO GUT HEALTH, RESEARCHERS SAY

“It was very cool to see that dance had a positive effect on the mood circuits in the brain, which we could see in the imaging,” senior researcher Joseph DeSouza, an associate professor of neuroscience at York University in Toronto, Canada, said in a university news release.

“These improvements that we could see on MRI brain scans were also reported by the participants via survey,” DeSouza said.

A new study followed participants in a dance program who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — as well as healthy people (not pictured). Depression symptoms eased for the participants. (iStock)

“Our study is the first to demonstrate these benefits across these two detection methods,” he also said, as news agency SWNS reported.

The study followed 23 participants in the Sharing Dance Parkinson’s program at Canada’s National Ballet School who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — as well as 11 healthy people, some of whom were relatives of the patients.

The team measured mood and depression scores in all participants.

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Participants took weekly dance classes for eight months, which progressed from simple leg and foot work and pliés to interpretive movements, waltzes and more complicated, choreographed dances, the outlet reported.

‘PENDULUM LIFESTYLE’ COULD BE KEY TO JUGGLING DAILY CHALLENGES

Researchers honed in on a node in the brain, the subcallosal cingulate gyrus (SCG), that has been shown in previous research to be implicated in depression.

The team measured mood and depression scores in all participants using a recognized scale before and after every class, plus they conducted regular MRI scans at York.

Brain scans taken during the study displayed changes in the patients’ brain areas related to mood, according to researchers (not pictured). (iStock)

After each dance class, they found that reported depression rates dropped — and the effect was cumulative from class to class, with “significant” improvements seen after eight months.

The team also found that the MRI scans showed reduced signals in a frontal-cortex brain region associated with emotional regulation and that in a smaller subset of the participants, a significant decrease in depression scores correlated with changes in the SCG node.

WHAT IS ‘BRAIN ROT’? THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHAT TOO MUCH SCROLLING DOES TO OUR BRAINS

Co-author Dr. Karolina Bearss, a professor at Algoma University, Canada, said, “We essentially showed that [the] SCG blood oxygen level–dependent signal decreases while dancing over time.”

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, the team noted.

An elderly man's hand is trembling because of Parkinson's disease

“People with Parkinson’s disease tend to have multiple symptoms that are not just motor-related.” (iStock)

Before diagnosis, there is a “prodromal” phase that can last for two to 10 years. It’s characterized by low mood, even before other symptoms appear, such as tremors.

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“People with Parkinson’s disease tend to have multiple symptoms that are not just motor-related,” said Bearss. “There are a lot of symptoms that include mental and social well-being impairments — one of those being depression.”

“What we’re trying to do is to have people live a better quality of life.”

The new research builds on the team’s previous three-year study that found that dance training helps Parkinson’s patients with motor control, mood and other functions of daily living.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Dance is thought to have a double benefit, as music activates the brain’s reward centers and the movement acts on sensory and motor circuits.

Professor DeSouza, who has been dancing with participants in the program for 14 years, said that while dancing is not a treatment for Parkinson’s per se, the benefits are clear, according to the report.

He added, “We’re not trying to cure Parkinson’s with dance. What we’re trying to do is to have people live a better quality of life. This goes for both those with the disease, and their families that take care of them – they also get benefits of feeling better.”

Up to half of all Parkinson’s patients suffer from depression or anxiety at some point, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research notes.

A previous study done at Sydney University found that structured dance (of any genre) is generally as effective as — or even more effective than — other types of physical activity for improving psychological and cognitive outcomes among people with chronic illness as well as healthy people.

Maureen Mackey is managing editor of lifestyle at Fox News Digital.

Health

What is sunset anxiety? Here's how to know if you have late-day distress

Published

8 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

What is sunset anxiety? Here's how to know if you have late-day distress

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Nearly 20% of American adults reported having an anxiety disorder in the past year, data shows — and many are more likely to feel uneasy and anxious as the sun sets.

While “sunset anxiety” isn’t an official medical diagnosis and does not appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), some mental health experts agree that it’s a very real phenomenon.

The symptoms aren’t limited to just anxiety, according to Andrea D. Guastello, PhD, a licensed psychologist at the University of Florida Department of Psychiatry.

ADDING LAUGHTER TO YOUR LIFE CAN BOOST HEALTH AND HEALING, EXPERTS SAY

“It can be any psychiatric symptom that increases in frequency or intensity as the sun goes down or at night,” Guastello told Fox News Digital.

Symptoms may include feelings of depression, isolation and hopelessness that tend to increase at night, the expert said.

What is sunset anxiety, exactly?

Sunset anxiety occurs when a person starts to feel anxious as the sun goes down at the end of the day, Beena Persaud, PsyD, clinical psychologist with Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Akron, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

“The lack of natural light can cause people to have less energy and motivation, restless discomfort, worry and nervousness about accomplishing tasks,” she said.

GRATEFUL CHILDREN MAKE PARENTS HAPPIER AND LESS STRESSED, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS

People who have previously experienced episodes of anxiety and are generally more on the anxious side are more susceptible, Persaud said, as are people who have a heightened sensitivity to light changes and those who consider themselves to be “night owls.”

“Adults are more likely to feel it than teens or children, and this may be due to adults’ sense of responsibility for daily activities,” one expert said. (iStock)

There are no specific gender or racial tendencies for sunset anxiety, the expert noted.

“Adults are more likely to feel it than teens or children, and this may be due to adults’ sense of responsibility for daily activities,” she added.

Common triggers

The onset of sunset anxiety could be related to the circadian rhythm, which is the body’s internal clock that regulates many functions, according to experts. The circadian rhythm is influenced by the production of melatonin, Persaud said.

“We know there can be hormonal changes with winter and daylight saving time,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Since our production of melatonin is easily affected by light, early darkness can cause symptoms of both anxiety and depression. The body believes it should be getting ready for bed because of the darkness.”

“The lack of natural light can cause people to have less energy and motivation, restless discomfort, worry and nervousness about accomplishing tasks.”

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Experts report an increase in seasonal anxiety from October to late March.

“The changing of the seasons and earlier darkness make it a prime time for people to experience both sunset anxiety and seasonal depression,” Persaud said.

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Anxiety can also occur if someone is carrying a heavy mental load of activities and responsibilities and struggling to complete them all by the evening.

“Darkness occurring earlier makes us physically and emotionally tired, and we feel as if the day is ending before we can achieve our daily goals,” said Persaud.

Tips to alleviate sunset anxiety

Guastello at the University of Florida offered the following tips to help curb anxiety around sunset.

If you experience worsening or persistent symptoms of sunset anxiety that don’t improve with the above lifestyle changes, experts recommend consulting with a mental health provider. (iStock)

Set reasonable goals for yourself.

Plan enjoyable activities around the time your anxiety usually kicks up.

Practice good sleep hygiene.

Get sun exposure outdoors and use a sun lamp in times of low light.

Pay attention to your nutrition and get a checkup with your primary care provider if needed.

Get regular exercise to help with low levels of anxiety, but avoid working out within two hours of bedtime.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

If you experience worsening or persistent symptoms of sunset anxiety that don’t improve with the above lifestyle changes, experts recommend consulting with a mental health provider.

Health

'Miracle therapy' could correct heart failure in kids

Published

17 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

'Miracle therapy' could correct heart failure in kids

Fox News’ Health newsletter brings you stories on the latest developments in health care, wellness, diseases, mental health and more.

TOP 3:

– Stem cell therapy could correct heart failure in children, say doctors and specialists at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

– Doctors saved a pregnant woman and her baby after discovering a grapefruit-sized tumor in her chest cavity.

– A second-grade boy saved his friend from choking by doing the Heimlich maneuver in the school cafeteria – and it was caught on camera.

Researchers at MCRI are studying and reprogramming the potential of the blood to treat disease, specifically heart failure in children. (iStock)

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