Stay warm safely. Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep your food safe. And check on friends, neighbors, and especially the elderly.
Each year in Washington, dozens of people get sick and die from carbon monoxide poisoning. And many are hospitalized for carbon monoxide exposure. During power outages, carbon monoxide poisoning is a major concern when people use charcoal briquettes or generators indoors as a heat source.
The use of fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves is prohibited as a high-pressure system brings cold temperatures and calm winds to the region. Air quality is expected to worsen, especially in communities where residential wood burning is common. Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.
November through March winter weather often causes stagnant air that traps air pollution from outdoor burning, wood stoves, and fireplaces gets trapped near the ground.
The European Union has prohibited the use of X-ray body scanners in European airports, parting ways with the U.S., which has deployed hundreds of the scanners as a way to screen airline passengers for explosives hidden under clothing.
The Transportation Security Administration will conduct a new study of X-ray body scanners after in response to concerns about the technology’s safety.
Komen for the Cure and possible link between breast cancer and BPA. Steering ER regulars to primary care. And health reform will bring a surge in Medicaid patients–which states ready?
Oysters harvested between August 30 and September 19 may cause illness, Washington State Department of Health warns.
King County officials suspect two people developed botulism after injecting “black tar” heroin contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a toxin-producing bacteria.
People are urged not to eat shellfish from that area until further notice due to the risk of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP).
Acetaminophen is generally safe if you follow the directions, but if you give to much it can cause nausea and vomiting — and even liver failure and death.
The shellfish contain the bacteria Vibrio parahemolyticus, which thrives in Washington’s coastal waters in the summer, but which can be killed with cooking.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Seattle Times Health News
Experts divided over recommendation to screen children for cholesterol
Some clinicians say universal screening is an important tool to help identify children who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and to pinpoint others who could benefit from treatment. Others express concerns that screening may do more harm than good.
People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Peeking in on your doctor’s notes
Although federal law guarantees patients the right to examine and get copies of their medical records, providers haven’t always made it easy to do so. But the movement to give patients direct access to their health information has picked up steam, and policymakers have encouraged it as a way to empower patients to help manage their health and their medical care.
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