Blood Donations Urgently Needed After Holiday Lag
The holidays along with severe weather and a brutal flu season have all combined to diminish the nation's blood supply.
Modesto Bee:
Hospital Patients Need Blood. Where Are The Donors?
The American Red Cross says the need for blood donors is urgent. According to the national relief organization, the severe winter weather this month in much of the nation served to diminish blood donations. (Carlson, 1/11)
In other public health news —
KPBS:
Churches Say Hepatitis A Outbreak Adds Fuel To Opposition Against Meals For Homeless
Local governments and organizations across the county have long been pressuring churches to stop serving meals to people who are homeless. The recent hepatitis A outbreak has become a new source of fuel for opponents of the meals. (Trageser, 1/12)
Los Angeles Times:
Nature Boosts Your Mental Health, And You Don't Even Have To Leave The City To Reap The Benefits
Good news, urbanites! New research suggests that you don't have to leave the city to reap some of the benefits of being in nature. Simply listening to the chirping of birds, glimpsing the sky and even noticing a scrawny city tree can boost your mental well-being, according to a report published Tuesday in the journal Bioscience. (Netburn, 1/11)