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Tag: cdphe

  • A new flu variant is spreading in Colorado as flu season heats up

    DENVER — ‘Tis the season — the flu season, that is.

    “It’s a great time to get together, and I’m sure people like to share joy, share peace. You don’t want to share germs, but we know that when there are gatherings, you know, there’s an uptick of cases,” said AdventHealth Southlands attending pediatrician Dr. Olukemi Akinrinola.

    Dr. Akinrinola has been busy with the recent increase in patients seeking treatment for influenza.

    “Influenza A, for sure, is more compared to last year,” she said.

    The latest data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shows that 728 people in Colorado have been hospitalized with the flu since October 1, marking an earlier arrival to this year’s flu season. Nearly a quarter of those hospitalized so far have been children.

    CDPHE

    Dr. Ned Calonge, the chief medical officer of the CDPHE, put that data into context.

    “We know, for example, the overall rate of hospitalizations is about twice that as it was last year,” said Dr. Calonge.

    This year, a new variant — subclade K — is making the rounds, and seems to be particularly good at evading immunity conferred by this year’s flu vaccine.

    “This year’s vaccine was based on last year’s H3N2 [variant] and so there has been some evidence of a decreased activity against this year’s predominant strain,” he said.

    Dr. Calonge wants to make it clear though — you should still get your flu shot.

    “For kids, it’s keeping up to 75% of them from needing emergency care or hospitalization, and almost 40% of adults. So it demonstrates that the flu vaccine still is a very effective tool against the flu viruses this year,” he said.

    Twenty-five percent of Coloradans have gotten their flu shot, according to the latest state data.

    Wearing a high-quality mask like a N95 or KN95 in public settings, ventilating your home, handwashing, covering your cough, and seeking treatment early can all help stop the spread — and most importantly:

    “When you’re sick, stay away from people, because the next person may not be able to handle the condition as easily as you are handling them,” said Dr. Akinrinola.

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  • Joint Budget Committee approves emergency funding for food, nutrition support amid federal government shutdown

    DENVER — The Colorado General Assembly’s Joint Budget Committee (JBC) approved two emergency funding requests Thursday morning for low-income food and nutrition support amid federal government shutdown disruptions.

    “We are getting $10 million out the door, as the federal shutdown continues, to help food banks meet record demand and continuing to fund WIC so that no parent or child goes hungry in Colorado,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a news release. “It’s also important for families with school-aged children to know that students can still receive two free meals a day at school.”

    Denver

    DPS preparing for increase in school meal participation amid SNAP benefit pause

    The JBC approved $10 million in one-time emergency funding to expand grants for food banks and pantries statewide. It also continued the $7.5 million previously approved for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition access program.

    Only $775,000 of the $7.5 million allocated for WIC was used in October, according to the governor’s office. The JBC’s approval of continued funding will ensure coverage for November benefits and Colorado WIC operations for the month. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will repay the funds once the shutdown ends and normal operations resume, according to the governor’s office.

    Under the plan that the JBC approved, the $10 million in emergency funding will be distributed through the Community Food Assistance Grant Program in three installments. The Trailhead Institute administers the Community Food Assistance Grant Program, making it possible to get resources directly to food banks and pantries more quickly.

    Given the possibility that the federal government shutdown continues for a while, the funding distribution will be spaced out over Saturday, November 1, Saturday, November 15 and Monday, December 1.

    State

    Polis requests $10M to support food banks after lapse in November SNAP benefits

    Gov. Polis previously said the $10 million is “certainly not enough” to fill the $120 million gap left by the federal government support for SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income families purchase food.

    To view a heat map of how many Coloradans depend on SNAP benefits, click here.

    Denver7

    “Half of the 600,000 Coloradans who benefit from SNAP are children; this emergency budget request pushes past the dysfunction in Washington to help families access food pantries and food banks,” JBC Vice Chair Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, said.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had been warning for weeks that SNAP funding would dry up if the federal shutdown stretched into the November. Gov. Polis called on Coloradans to help support those in need by donating to Feeding Colorado.

    Coloradans in need can call 211 or (866) 760-5489 or visit the 211 Colorado website. There is also a list of resources on Feeding Colorado’s website. You can also email info@feedingcolorado.org. Those looking for the most up-to-date information should click here.

    • Denver7 Gives has also created a campaign where you can donate to help Coloradans struggling with food insecurity. Click on the form below and select “Help Fight Food Insecurity“ to donate.

    Katie Parkins

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  • Kids living near Colorado airports have slightly elevated levels of lead in their blood, new study finds

    Kids living near Colorado airports have slightly elevated levels of lead in their blood, new study finds

    Children living near small airports in Colorado had slightly higher levels of lead in their blood than the statewide average, according to a new study — though experts had diverging opinions on how significant that difference was.

    The study, by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, found levels to be within the range the federal government considers normal, and didn’t prove that living near an airport caused the increase in blood lead levels, though levels declined consistently as the distance from an airport increased, reaching the state average at about two miles out.

    The researchers also didn’t have enough blood samples to show whether lead levels were particularly high near any of the airports, though the data didn’t suggest any difference, said Dr. Ned Calonge, the department’s chief medical officer.

    While lead can affect anyone, young children are most vulnerable. In most cases, lead doesn’t cause any immediately noticeable symptoms, though over time it lowers intelligence scores and increases the risk of hyperactivity and behavior problems. Children experiencing acute lead poisoning, which is rare, may have headaches, stomach pain and weakness.

    Aircraft fuel is the largest source of new lead pollution in the country, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Certain industries, like battery recycling, also generate lead pollution, while contamination from lead paint and leaded gas still lingers.

    Click here to read the full story from our partners at The Denver Post.

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  • Colorado Medical Marijuana Fee Hike to Counter Shrinking Patient Rolls – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Colorado Medical Marijuana Fee Hike to Counter Shrinking Patient Rolls – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Medical marijuana patients might have to pay almost double their current yearly registration fees as part of a handful of changes proposed by state officials to the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry.

    In March, the Colorado Board of Health will consider a proposal to hike annual application and renewal fees for medical marijuana patients from $29.50 to $52 a year. According to the state Department of Public Health and Environment, which oversees the Medical Marijuana Registry, the increase is necessary because the “current fee does not generate enough revenue to sustain the program.”

    The registry was set up to run on funding generated by patient applications, but the need to replace an “aging” online registration system requires a bump in fees, according to a January 16 CDPHE memo. And those who remain registered will have to carry a growing financial burden, because patient numbers are dropping fast.

    Colorado’s medical marijuana patient count peaked in 2011 at around 128,000, reports the CDPHE, which anticipated a gradual drop after recreational pot sales began in 2014. After an initial fall, the number held between 80,000 and 90,000 until late 2021. Since then, however, patient numbers have steadily declined; they were under 66,000 as of December.

    By June 2024, registry officials estimate that only around 58,000 patients will be enrolled in the program — and that concerns Cannabis Clinicians Colorado director Martha Montemayor. A nonprofit organization that connects…

    Original Author Link click here to read complete story..

    MMP News Author

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