Public Health Review of 2024 Highlights Key Trends and Developments

This article summarizes various health-related news and developments from 2024. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

Health News

1. Decrease in Overdose Deaths: The number of overdose deaths in the US decreased for the first time since 2018.

2. Long COVID Definition: A definition was established by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to describe long-term symptoms after COVID-19 infection.

3. Nasal Spray for Allergic Reactions: The FDA approved an epinephrine nasal spray for adults and children over 30 kg, providing a non-shot option for severe allergic reactions.

4. Mammogram Reports: Mammography reports in the US now include information about dense breast tissue.

COVID-19 Updates

1. Updated Vaccines: The FDA approved updated COVID-19 vaccines to better match circulating variants.

2. Free Rapid Tests: The Biden Administration restarted a program mailing free COVID-19 rapid tests to homes ahead of an expected winter spike in cases.

Other Health Developments

1. Sensitive Exams: Hospitals must now obtain written informed consent from patients before conducting sensitive exams under anesthesia for medical training purposes.

2. Definition of Long COVID: The definition was established with input from patients, and it persists for at least three months after infection, affects any organ or system in the body, and can include over 200 symptoms.

Related Stories

The article also links to two related stories:

1. “These are the viruses that defined 2024”: A story about the viruses that had a significant impact in 2024.

2. “Why mpox is a global health emergency — again”: An article explaining why mpox was declared a global health emergency for the second time.

Overall, this article provides a summary of various health-related news and developments from 2024, covering topics such as overdose deaths, COVID-19 updates, and other health developments.