VC Star: RSV Makes Early Appearance In Ventura County; Flu Peeks Out Too
A respiratory virus that is most dangerous for infants and the elderly has made an early appearance in parts of Ventura County for the second straight year, bringing calls for vaccinations against it and other winter illnesses. (Kisken, 11/20)

CIDRAP: Study: Flu Vaccination Reduces Risk Of Heart Attack
A meta-analysis published yesterday in Scientific Reports involving 9,059 patients shows a 26% decreased risk of heart attacks in people who received a flu vaccine and a 33% reduction in cardiovascular deaths. "These findings highlight the potential of influenza vaccination as an adjunctive strategy in cardiovascular disease prevention," the authors write. (Soucheray, 11/20)

CBS News: CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen Offers COVID Caution For The Holidays
The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came home for the holidays with an important health message. "There are ways to protect yourself, even this week. So I hope you got vaccinated, and if you didn't it's not too late. ..." Cohen said. "I wouldn't recommend something I wouldn't recommend for my own parents, for my own daughters," Cohen said. "The most important reason is this virus changes. COVID has changed and flu has changed. You want the most updated protection you can get." (Gusoff, 11/20)

The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: 6 Tips For Staying Healthy This Winter, From The California Department Of Public Health
With Thanksgiving around the corner and families and friends gathering for events throughout the holiday season, the California Department of Public Health is sharing tips on how to stay healthy this winter. New vaccines for COVID-19, RSV and flu are now available, and the health department urges all Californians to get vaccinated and take simple preventive measures to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy. (Ruderman, 11/20)

Axios: COVID Test Kits Available To Order For Free From U.S. Government
Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests from the government starting Monday, less than two months after the Biden administration reopened the at-home testing program. The release of additional tests comes days ahead of Thanksgiving and the busy holiday travel season, which has corresponded with a surge in coronavirus cases in recent years. (Tyko, 11/20)

CalMatters: California Finally Facing ‘Eviction Cliff’ Post-Pandemic
Eviction cases soared across California in the year after the last portion of a statewide moratorium lapsed, a CalMatters analysis of court data shows. The elevated numbers — in some places beyond pre-pandemic levels — show a significant portion of renters remain at risk of losing their homes, despite the state’s rollout of a $5 billion rent relief program during the pandemic and a yearslong pause on many eviction cases that many landlords have said disrupted their businesses and income. A nationwide study published this year found increases in eviction filings are associated with slight upticks in the population of homeless people living in shelters. (Kuang, 11/20)

San Diego Union-Tiribune: This Will Be The Third Year In A Row More Than 500 Homeless People Have Died In San Diego County 
Just since January, an estimated 550 homeless people have died throughout the region, according to preliminary data from the San Diego County medical examiner. This is the third year in a row to see deaths top 500 as the number of people becoming homeless continues to rise. (Nelson, 11/20)

Fresno Bee: California Reports Multiple Cases In Latest Fruit-Related Bacteria Outbreak, CDC Says
A listeria outbreak — linked to whole peaches, nectarines and plums — has been reported 11 times in seven states. Three cases have been reported in California as of Monday, the largest number other than Florida, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Taylor, 11/20)

The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: What's Behind E. Coli In Point Reyes National Seashore? Beef Grows Between Ranchers And Environmentalists
The National Park Service has found E. coli bacteria levels well above health standards in several water bodies around the Point Reyes National Seashore, reigniting the contentious debate over the future of cattle grazing at the beloved Northern California landscape. (Krieger, 11/20)

VC Star: Westminster Free Clinic Expands To Santa Paula
Silvia Flores of Santa Paula didn't have to travel far to check her blood sugar at the Westminster Free Clinic on Thursday. Flores, 49, was one of 12 people who took advantage of the free clinic that recently started once-a-month events at a Santa Paula church. She has visited the Thousand Oaks location before but was pleased to see one closer to home. (Woods II, 11/20)

CIDRAP: Hospital Execs See Worsening Antibiotic-Resistance Threat, Survey Finds
A new survey of 158 hospital executives, conducted by the Sepsis Alliance, found that 90% see antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a threat, and 88% think the problem is getting worse. The survey, conducted by Sage Growth Partners on behalf of the Sepsis Alliance, also dug into executives' views on other related AMR issues. An 11-page report on the findings was published on the Sepsis Alliance website on November 17. (Schnirring, 11/20)

California Healthline: Out For Blood: For Routine Lab Work, The Hospital Billed Her $2,400
Convenient as it may be, beware of getting your blood drawn at a hospital. The cost could be much higher than at an independent lab, and your insurance might not cover it all. (Pradhan, 11/21)

Axios: Drug Ads Must Be More Upfront About Side Effects, FDA Says
The Food and Drug Administration has finalized a long-running effort to require prescription drug ads on TV and radio to clearly lay out potential side effects and when a person should avoid a medicine. While the number of drug ads has surged and they account for billions of dollars in direct-to-consumer marketing, experts say they primarily rely on emotional appeals and focus on a drug's benefits over potential risks. (Bettelheim, 11/21)

Stat: Delay Of Eye Drop Recall Highlights FDA Weakness
It took nearly three weeks for a maker of eye drops to recall its products after the Food and Drug Administration requested a recall. There have been no reports of injuries, but some key lawmakers are arguing the time it took the FDA to coax a voluntary recall shows the agency should be given the power to force them. (Wilkerson, 11/21)

The Wall Street Journal: Support For Abortion Access Is Near Record, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds
Santana De’LaBay, a 29-year-old Republican with six children, thinks her party is wrong to back broad abortion restrictions. Motherhood has shown her that the decision to have a child is financially, medically and emotionally complex—and not a choice the government should impede. “Every woman has different experiences and health complications,” said De’LaBay, a licensed practical nurse in Cincinnati. “There’s a whole lot of variables that can come up.” (Wernau, 11/20)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Is It Alzheimer's Or Frontotemporal Dementia? Causes Are Vastly Different 
Before Wanda Smith learned the results of an autopsy following her mother’s death, she thought she knew what the summary would contain. As a sandwich generation caregiver in the 1980s, Smith was raising her three children while also caring for her mom, whose cognitive health deteriorated while living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. (Mapp, 11/21)

Associated Press: Several Alzheimer’s Vaccines Enter Clinical Trials Amid Breakthrough Treatments’ Success
Breakthrough Alzheimer’s treatments that remove toxic proteins from the brain have revived interest in vaccines to treat the memory-robbing disease, potentially offering a cheaper, easy-to-administer option for millions of people, according to interviews with 10 scientists and company executives. Clinical trials are underway or completed for at least seven Alzheimer’s vaccines designed to harness the immune system to rid the brain of the disease-related proteins beta amyloid or tau, a review of the U.S. government’s ClinicalTrials.gov database found. More are on the way. (11/20)

CNN: Bigger Belly In 40s And 50s Linked To Early Signs Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Inflammation from belly fat may be linked to the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease decades before symptoms begin, new research has found. “We’ve known for a while that as the belly size gets larger, the memory centers in the brain get smaller,” said Alzheimer’s disease researcher Dr. Richard Isaacson, a preventive neurologist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Florida. (LaMotte, 11/20)

San Francisco Chronicle: New UC Davis Study May Answer Why People Get ‘Red Wine Headaches’
Red wine often takes center stage on the holiday menu, yet even a few sips can result in an unwelcome headache for some. A new study may have uncovered the underlying reasons behind this phenomenon. Contrary to centuries of misplaced blame on sulfites and histamines, UC Davis researchers propose that the real culprit is a naturally occurring flavonol in red wines. In a study published Monday in the Scientific Reports journal, the researchers focused on quercetin, a member of the broader group of compounds known as flavonols. (Vaziri, 11/21)

Stat: Asian American Health Disparities Hidden By Lumping Data Together
They have roots in 50 countries that cover more than half of the globe’s surface. They make up more than 60% of the world’s population. They speak more than 100 different languages. Yet in medical research and public health in the United States, people with Asian ancestry are almost always grouped into a single racial category. (McFarling, 11/21)

NPR: Friends Can Boost Your Health, Longevity — And Share Vices Too
The study, published Wednesday in the journal Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, found that friendships in older adults were associated with some instances of better physical health and health behaviors, as well as better mental health across the board. ... While many previous studies have connected having good friends with particular health benefits, this is the largest and most comprehensive study done to date, according to study co-author William Chopik, an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University. (Mertens, 11/20)

The 19th: Paternity Leave Alters The Brain — Suggesting Daddies Are Made, Not Born 
Most parents won’t be surprised to learn that the transition into parenthood, quite literally, alters the brain. But after decades of research focused on the maternal brain, new studies are now emerging that show how those early months can alter fathers’ brains. And as it turns out, daddies are made — not born. (Carrazana, 11/20)

Politico: Supreme Court Rejects ‘Forever Chemicals’ Challenge
A major manufacturer of “forever chemicals” won't get its day before the Supreme Court. In a short order issued Monday, the justices declined to hear a plea from chemical giant DuPont that could undercut a $40 million jury verdict in favor of an Ohio resident who was diagnosed with testicular cancer after he was exposed to PFAS in drinking water. (Borst, 11/20)

Axios: How Dogs Boost Our Mental Health And Recovery, According To Science
We've long said that dogs are man's best friend — but studies finally back it up. At a time when loneliness has become a serious health concern, recent research suggests there's something special about the way canine buddies boost our mood and longevity. (Mallenbaum, 11/20)