PBS NewsHour - Health PBS NewsHour

The pace of COVID fatalities in the U.S. has slowed significantly, with the nation's death toll standing at more than 1 million people. With precautions like mandatory masking no longer in place, it can seem as if worries about the virus are gone as well. But for many people with disabilities, the threat is still very real. We hear from people in the disability community about their concerns. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A new study adds to the evidence that girls in America are reaching puberty earlier with potentially troubling implications for their long-term health. More girls are getting their first periods sooner than previous generations and experiencing longer periods of menstrual irregularity. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Dr. Shruthi Mahalingaiah of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Tyson Foods is one of the world's biggest meat and poultry producers. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, it's also a major polluter in the United States. A new report from the group says Tyson plants dumped more than 371 million pounds of pollutants into U.S. waterways between 2018 and 2022. John Yang speaks with UCS research director Stacy Woods about the report's findings. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As many as 476,000 people in the U.S. contract Lyme disease each year, according to the CDC. For most people, symptoms go away after two to four weeks of antibiotics, but five to 10 percent of patients have debilitating, long-term symptoms. To discuss, Ali Rogin is joined by Lindsay Keys, who's been battling the disease for years, all while advocating for more awareness and research. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Hospitalizations for COVID are at an all-time low four years after the start of the pandemic, but new variants are in circulation. Meanwhile, bird flu has been found in 36 dairy herds across nine states, though there has been only one confirmed human case so far in 2024. To find out how concerned we should be about all of this, John Yang speaks with epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

America's population is older than it's ever been, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. About 18 percent of Americans are at least 65 years old, a number that's projected to hit 28 percent in 30 years. And as that demographic grows, some of them are reimagining retirement. Ali Rogin reports for our series, "Rethinking Aging." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders