There’s Something in the Water

Is anyone else working through a fridge full of Super Bowl leftovers?

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By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editorial Director Is anyone else working through a fridge full of Super Bowl leftovers? If a health editor eats nachos for dinner, can she still be a health editor? Today's Top Story Wastewater Testing for COVID, Explained Earlier this month, the CDC announced it would expand nationwide efforts to detect COVID-19 outbreaks by checking community wastewater for the virus. That's right; COVID is likely quite detectable in human feces. Experts think somewhere between 40% and 80% of people with COVID-19 shed viral RNA in their poop.   Here's why wastewater testing is a particularly useful surveillance tool: Researchers can see changes in wastewater before clinical cases of COVID actually start to spike. Thanks to this early warning about the emergence of COVID-19 in a community, public health experts have a better idea of where to allocate more testing sites and hospital supplies. Know More This type of surveillance isn't new. The CDC began the COVID tracking program in September 2020. But now it's expanding, and being recorded in the same COVID Data Tracker used to display vaccination and case rates to the public. Feel Better Wastewater testing can even detect infections among people who are asymptomatic. READ MORE For Verywell employees, a return to office date remains a moving target. But are people even willing to go back? A new Risk Outlook survey conducted by Ipsos and International SOS shows where employees are willing to work and travel. Olympic Skater Cleared to Compete After Failed Drug Test Figure skating superstar Kamila Valieva of Russia is a standout competitor at the Beijing Olympic Games. So news of her failed drug test last week rocked the sports world. Valieva tested positive for a banned drug called trimetazidine, which is used to treat chest pain, other heart conditions, and alleviate symptoms of vertigo. The drug, which is not authorized in the U.S., allows the heart to work more efficiently, improving endurance.The International Olympic Committee has decided to let Valieva continue to compete at the Games, but will hold the medal ceremony until their investigation into her case is resolved. READ MORE What Is Your Doctor Saying About You? A new study is revealing when and how often healthcare providers use negative words in notes about patients. The biggest finding: Negative descriptions, like "agitated," are much more prevalent in the health records of Black patients. This is a problem since negative descriptions can persist in a patient's chart—doctors tend to copy and paste notes from other doctors to save time—and influence how healthcare providers perceive those patients. Study authors are calling for better education around race, racism, and bias. READ MORE   In Other News   ■ I Used Apple AirTags, Tiles and a GPS Tracker to Watch My Husband's Every Move. The New York Times     ■ How to Transform the Way You Experience Winter. YES! Magazine     ■ I Hid My Disability At Work For 6 Years. The Huffington Post More From Verywell How Weather May Trigger Headaches READ MORE Can You Sweat Out a Cold? READ MORE 7 Best Hypoallergenic Pillows READ MORE   How'd we do? If you have any feedback, send us a note at   feedback@verywell.com.       You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.   A DOTDASH MEREDITH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 verywellhealth.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy