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us aid

US Withdrawal From Foreign Aid Programs Leave Africa’s Healthcare Systems ‘Under Growing Strain’

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The United States has withdrawn from key aid programs in Africa and has put their healthcare systems “under growing strain,” according to a new report. 

The report stated that the Trump Administration’s cuts to programs like the US Agency for International Development (USAID) along with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and rising cost of living has brought on a “new urgency” for the need to reform healthcare in the global south. 

The report was titled ‘A Sovereign Future For Health’ and was created by global health initiative Accra Reset and led by John Dramani Mahama, president of Ghana. Accra Reset believes that nations in Africa and the wider global south should have more control over their health development as opposed to being dependent on aid from western nations and international institutions. 

Mahama and Accra Reset said that Africa statistically produces less than 1% of its vaccines while carrying about a quarter of the global disease burden. 

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The report also said how abrupt changes to global health financing like the US withdrawal from several global health initiatives, has forced countries within the global south to urgently restrict their finances. 

The Trump administration’s decision to dissolve USAID also pushed Nigeria to absorb the 28,000 health workers who were previously employed by the agency. 

The withdrawal of the US Emergency Plan for Aids Relief funding in South Africa has led to many HIV clinics closing throughout the country. Previously, the funding provided more than $400 million annually, and is credited for saving 26 million lives around the world within the past 23 years. 

These cuts to funding have caused “severe and devastating disruption globally,” according to research that was presented at the 26th International Aids Conference in Brazil this year. 

Mahama attended the World Health Assembly in May, where he stated that Ghana alone lost $78 million after the closure of USAID programs, greatly impacting the treatment of malaria, maternal healthcare, nutrition, and HIV/Aids intervention. 

“The Accra Reset is not an argument for traditional donors to do less on global health. It is an argument for doing it differently and doing it better. As countries take greater ownership of their health futures, donor countries should step up to support that transition – following the lead of countries that set their own priorities, and work alongside them to determine where outside support is most valuable,” said Naveen Rao, senior vice-president of the health initiative at the Rockefeller Foundation. 

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“The Accra Reset shows how we can evolve to back country-led solutions while advancing our shared health and economic interests.”

Mahama stated in the report that the “past few years have shaken global health cooperation to its foundations.”

“The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the risks created by concentrated production and unequal access to essential health products; rising debt and fiscal pressures have constrained national health budgets; and declining development assistance is placing programs and services under growing strain.”

“These shocks have brought new urgency to reform debates that have continued for years with limited progress. It was in this context that we launched the Accra Reset and its Sovereign Health Agenda – to give renewed political force to the reform agenda and place the agency of countries of the Global South at its center.”

The report also noted a recent survey in which many US citizens stated that we should continue to be investing in, and providing, foreign aid. 

The survey polled more than 2,000 US adults and was commissioned by the Rockefeller Foundation. The results showed that about 75% of Americans, including the 52% who support Donald Trump, believe that the US should restore disease prevention aid, specifically to help contain the Ebola virus. 

It also found that 65% of American adults support international cooperation even if it means compromising national interests.

FDA

FDA Approves Groundbreaking Drug For Advanced Pancreatic Cancer 

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved of a new groundbreaking drug this week for people going through advanced pancreatic cancer. The goal is to offer US patients more effective treatments and improved survival rates. 

The first-of-its-kind pill is called daraxonrasib, which works by blocking mutated proteins that fuel tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases, according to reports. 

Revolution Medicines will be selling the daily pills under the brand name Rasonque. The company announced that a one-month supply will cost around $39,800. 

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In the medicines study, researchers randomly assigned the pill for patients to either receive the experimental treatment, or go through additional chemotherapy. Patients who took the drug were found to nearly double their survival time. The 500 patients that participated all had cancer that was metastatic, spreading, and had quit responding to prior treatments. 

The patients who received the new treatment lived for an average of 13.2 months, compared with 6.7 months for chemotherapy recipients. Side effects reported included skin rash, mouth sores, diarrhea, and other digestive issues. 

Dr. Andrew Coveler of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center stated: 

“This is one of the most anticipated approvals I can think of. This medicine is not a cure but a significant improvement.”

Pancreatic cancer is known as one of the most deadly forms of cancer, mainly due to the fact that it’s difficult to detect in its earlier stages, so it gets the chance to grow and spread to other organs in the body. 

The American Cancer Society estimates that around 67,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the US this year, with more than 52,000 dying from the disease. The five-year overall survival rate is also reported to be about 13%. 

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Former Senator Ben Sasse was one of the recipients of the drug this year, and told CBS’ “60 Minutes” that he was experiencing less pain, causing the pill to receive national attention, and motivating the FDA to speed-up their approval. 

The FDA was then granted “expanded access” before the drug is officially approved, so it can be given to patients who meet certain criteria. 

FDA regulators this week also said that they approved the drug more than six months ahead of their target date. 

“It is our fundamental duty to deliver more cures and meaningful treatments to patients as quickly as possible,” FDA’s acting commissioner, Kyle Diamantas, said in a statement. 

Doctors who specialize in treating pancreatic cancer are also hopeful that the makeup of this drug can ideally be used to create new treatment options for other types of cancers as well, especially with so many experimental treatments currently in the works. 

“I think this has opened doors for many other companies,” said Dr. Pashtoon Kasi of City of Hope Orange County, a California-based cancer center. 

“Downstream I think there are going to be a lot more trials looking at this approach in other tumor types.”

hrt

Women Taking HRT For Menopause Have A Lower Risk Of Dementia, New Study Suggests 

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According to a new study, women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may have a reduced risk of dementia. 

The study itself took place in the United Kingdom and was the largest of its kind, tracking over 180,000 post menopausal women. The scientists found that the participants who used HRT were 10% less likely to develop any kind of dementia and 16% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, compared to those who never used it, according to reports. 

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The study and its findings were published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, and was led by Professor Anne-Marie Minihane, who is also the director of the Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging at the University of East Anglia. 

Minihane revealed that they saw the greatest risk reduction in women using HRT who also underwent surgical menopause, finding a 26% lower risk of developing any type of dementia compared to women who didn’t use the therapy. 

“While HRT has long been prescribed primarily to relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, this work suggests it may also play a role in long-term cognitive health for some women.”

Women are more likely to develop dementia due to the fact that, statistically, they live longer than men. Scientists also think it could be related to the impact of menopause on their brain metabolism and the impact of the main risk gene for Alzheimer’s being greater on women. 

“We wanted to better understand how HRT could prevent dementia and to assess if particular groups of women may respond differently,” Minihane said. 

The study used data from the UK Biobank, allowing them to track 183,450 postmenopausal women over about 13 years. Throughout that timespan almost 4,000 cases of dementia were identified, and the scientists looked at whether or not using HRT of any kind for at least one year changed women’s risk of developing dementia. 

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The study also pointed out that women who naturally had lower oestrogen exposure throughout their life, either due to starting their periods late or going through early menopause, would benefit more from HRT, with a 16% lower risk of any kind of dementia. 

Of course, genetics also play a role. Women who carried the Apoe4 gene had a stronger association with HRT use and dementia. 

“This is really important because Apoe4 carriers are typically considered at higher risk and have fewer established prevention options,” said Minihane.

The results of this study are based on observational data rather than a randomized-controlled trial, so there’s no way to prove a causal link.

Dr Susan Kohlhaas, the executive director of research and partnerships at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: 

“This study alone isn’t enough to tell us whether HRT should be used to reduce dementia risk, but it provides further evidence that the timing of HRT and a woman’s hormonal history may matter.

“We now need research that can establish whether HRT itself is responsible for these differences in dementia risk and understand which forms of HRT may have an effect.

“Anyone considering starting or stopping HRT should speak to their GP about the potential benefits and risks for them.”

covid

US Experiencing Covid-19 Surge In Every State 

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Every state in the US is currently experiencing a rise in Covid-19 cases, with healthcare professionals and experts warning citizens to be on the lookout for symptoms, and stay diligent with healthy lifestyle practices. 

Dr. John Brooks, an infectious disease doctor at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia who also used to work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told NPR about how as a country, “we’re now in the midst of a growing summer surge of Covid.” 

“I think most of us kind of feel like it’s fading away and are certainly very grateful for that. But nationally we’re seeing [Covid-19] ticking up pretty much everywhere.”

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According to the CDC, the disease is mainly spreading in the South and West, but is also rising in the Northeast and Midwest. As of right now, however, the virus is still at very low levels, and the current wave of infections is following along the trend of getting milder each year, with less people being hospitalized or dying. 

“What we’re seeing is very likely evidence of growing herd immunity if you will,” Dr. Brooks said. 

“More and more people have had one or more infections that give them some immunity against the virus and have had more than one vaccination, or maybe both, and all of that really has begun to offer us a lot of protection.”

The most important thing that doctors want US residents to remember is Covid-19 never disappeared, and is still greatly impacting communities around the nation. Many are still finding themselves feeling intensely sick for up to two weeks, and for some people, Covid can still cause serious disease, hospitalizations, and in the worst of cases, death. 

Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, emphasized this point to NPR, stating that “Covid-19 is still dangerous, particularly for older adults, infants, and people who are immunocompromised.” 

“In a typical office if you have 20 colleagues, it’s likely that one or two of them are some degree of immunocompromised. So it’s very common that people have risk factors that make Covid-19 dangerous.”

Rivers also pointed out that unlike flu season, which sees a major surge in the winter months, Covid-19 has seen spikes twice a year since the initial pandemic in 2020. That biannual surge remains a mystery to experts. 

“It’s a big mystery as far as I’m concerned. It is the only seasonal respiratory virus that has a summer season. To my knowledge, we don’t know what is causing this seasonality.”

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Rivers advises the general public to stay up to date on their vaccines, and pointed out how she still wears a mask when she’s in crowded places. Staying consistent with your vaccines also allows the body to stay strong against the new and dominant strains that emerge. 

The CDC has not issued any updated recommendations for Covid-19 vaccinations due to litigation over the Trump administration’s work to overhaul immunizations in the US, according to reports. 

The administration itself no longer recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older routinely get an annual shot. Major medical groups, however, still highly recommend it. 

Major insurance companies throughout the nation have also emphasized that they will continue to cover the costs of vaccinations, and the shots themselves will also still be free through other government programs. 

Public health experts are worried about the opposing messages regarding vaccines and how they might confuse more vulnerable populations as well. 

Claire Hannan, for example, is an executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers which works to advocate for immunization and the multiple free programs that offer them throughout the US. 

“The message is that the Covid-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine will be available, they’re covered by insurers, they’re recommended by medical societies. People should get them and get them for their kids.”

Dr. Brooks also pointed out that there’s also now a new drug called Xocova that individuals can take right after they’ve been exposed to the virus to decrease their chances of getting sick from Covid-19. This will especially be useful for individuals working in the healthcare industry who are exposed to a myriad of sick patients every day. 

“It is something for people to just have in the back of their mind.”

ebola

Ebola Outbreak Outpacing Recovery Efforts As Aid Workers Go On Strike Over Pay 

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The world is currently experiencing one of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks in history. The virus is currently spreading at a rate faster than the efforts to fight it, according to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 

Ghebreyesus spoke with officials during a visit to the Congo, where some health workers are also currently on strike over a lack of pay, which is also slowing recovery efforts. 

This outbreak has been occurring for about three months with new courses doubling in some of the hot spots, Ghebreyesus stated in a post to his social media after meeting with officials in the capital Kinshasa. This marks the second visit that the WHO director-general took to the country since the outbreak was officially declared in mid-May. 

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“We all agree that we must urgently and massively scale up all our efforts across all pillars of the response and by all partners.”

The outbreak itself has had over 3,800 confirmed cases and over 1,700 deaths as of the beginning of this week, according to the latest data from Congo’s Ministry of Health. 

In the epicenter of the outbreak, the Ituri province, it’s been reported that many of the front line workers have gone on strike. The healthcare workers have also been impacted by rebel conflict within one of Congo’s most remote and vulnerable areas. 

Some workers stated that they started receiving payment within the past week for the work they’ve been doing since the outbreak began, and are demanding improved wages, according to reports. 

A resident of Bunia, Anicet Baluku, told the Associated Press that he blamed the death of his two brothers from Ebola on the strike. “We urge the authorities to quickly find a solution to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.”

The US Department of State said this week that it will be providing an additional $242 million in funding for immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the region and for humanitarian assistance. 

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The outbreak itself has outpaced all previous Ebola outbreaks due to its speed of transmission and is currently the second-largest outbreak on record after the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that had over 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths. 

The specific Bundibugyo virus that is causing this current outbreak has no approved treatment or vaccine. 

Doctors Without Borders stated this week that the outbreak is still “spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate. The response is expanding but is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains.”

Dr. Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa Centers for Disease and Control, stated that during a visit to Bunia that contact tracing isn’t working, while 60% to 70% of new cases coming outside of those being monitored after exposure to patients. 

The later detection of cases has been a main contributor to the 45% fatality rate, according to officials. The health ministry stated that of the 77 most-recent cases reported during a 24-hour period, 44 were fatal, and at least 717 patients are in isolation with 749 patients have recovered. 

Dr. Kaseya also met with Ghebreyesus this week, and stated that the Africa CDC is “aligning its efforts with responders around earlier detection, stronger contact tracing, rapid access to quality care, and deeper engagement with communities.”

“Above all, communities must be at the center of and have ownership of the response. We cannot stop Ebola without their trust, leadership, and partnership,” he said.  

wildfires

Effects Of Europe And North America Wildfires Could Last For Years

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Wildfires across the globe have been rampant this summer, and are being fueled by the impact of climate change. These fires have forced thousands of individuals to flee their homes while they destroy forests, buildings, and dried out land. Experts are now looking at wildfires from years ago to prepare for the lasting effects of the blazes currently occurring throughout Europe and North America. 

This season, about 1,000 fires have been reported in the boreal forests of Canada, leading to a multitude of evacuations in both Canada and US cities as toxic smoke spreads in the air. 

The US is also experiencing a third major heatwave within a month that is causing parched land to dry, creating a perfect environment for wildfires to ignite and spread easily. Washington, eastern Oregon, and Idaho have been experiencing fires that are so intense, plumes of smoke have reached Florida, according to reports. 

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Europe has been experiencing major wildfires all throughout the UK, France, and Spain, causing mass evacuations for over 250,000 people. 

The continuous burning of fossil fuels throughout the past decades have made the climate crisis even worse, creating fire-prone conditions around the world. Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister, emphasized the severity of these extreme weather events, pointing out how “the entire Iberian peninsula is suffering the effects of the climate emergency in a very specific way.”

Scientists have been consistently raising alarms about the consistent lingering impact of wildfire smoke, which can trigger severe respiratory and cardiac problems. In fact, according to a new study recently published in JACC Journals, it’s been shown that tiny particles carried in wildfire smoke can raise the risk of hospitalization specifically in older people who might even be hundreds of miles away from the actual fires. 

“The cardiovascular toll of wildfire smoke reaches well beyond the fire lines and well beyond the day the sky turns orange,” said Kai Chen, the study’s co-author and associate professor of epidemiology at Yale’s School of Public Health. 

The wildfires that have occurred and increased within the past few years are giving scientists the data they need to better determine long-term impacts on humanity, however, the information is fairly new. One of the biggest resources for this study, and other ongoing ones, has been looking at Maui, which suffered a devastating wildfire three years ago that killed over 100 people and destroyed several thousand buildings. 

The second largest island is still suffering from the aftermath three years later. There has been a major increase in health concerns like poor lung functioning, high blood pressure, and mental health challenges, according to the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study, led by researchers at the University of Hawaii and released on Monday.

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Alika Maunakea, co-director of Maui study and a professor at the school of medicine in the University of Hawaii, said that “the progress is real, and it should be recognized.”

“The biological, emotional, and social consequences of a disaster do not disappear on the same timeline as debris removal or reconstruction.”

The Maui study was conducted utilizing screenings of over 2,500 participants, and it reported that 50% of the adults experienced continuous depressive symptoms with about 20% reported experiencing post-traumatic stress. There was also severe depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms found in children and adolescents, as well as blood pressure readings and obesity levels. 

“Children may appear resilient while still carrying significant emotional and physical effects beneath the surface,” said Christopher Knightsbridge, a mental health therapist based in Lahaina, one of the towns that was widely destroyed by the fires.

“Supporting children means supporting the entire family, including their housing, food security, daily routines and access to trusted care.”

In another research paper published last year, scientists found that there was a 7% increase in mortality among older people in Southern California over a three-year period due to wildfire smoke exposure. Lara Schwarz, an environmental health scientist at UC Berkeley who led the research, recommended that “activation of public health measures such as clean air centers should not only depend on intensity of smoke, as the long-term effects can be harmful, even at low levels.” 

“As wildfires become more frequent and severe in the context of climate change, with California being at high risk, understanding how these harmful wildfires will affect us in the long term is critical to informing better public health action and response.”

protein

Eating Less Protein May Support Healthy Aging, Review Finds

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Despite the popularity of high-protein diets and protein-fortified foods, many adults may not know how much of the nutrient they actually need.

A major scientific review suggests that healthy adults who already consume adequate protein may gain little from eating more. Some evidence suggests that moderately reducing protein intake, or limiting certain amino acids that make up protein, could support metabolic health and biological processes associated with aging. In some organisms, lower protein intake has also been associated with a longer lifespan, even when total calorie consumption remained unchanged.

The review was led by pathologist and biomedical researcher Dudley Lamming, who studies aging at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. It analyzed more than 350 studies involving people, mice, insects, yeast and other organisms. It was published in the journal Cell Press Blue.

Scientists have long studied calorie restriction as a possible way to extend lifespan and lower the risk of age-related illnesses, including cancer. But maintaining a reduced-calorie diet over long periods can be difficult, leading researchers to investigate whether limiting protein could produce some similar effects without requiring people to eat substantially less food.

“It’s absolutely crystal clear that there are benefits of protein to muscle growth and exercise response of active individuals. But because most people are relatively sedentary, many people are likely consuming more protein than they actually need, which probably has negative health consequences.”

The amount a person needs varies according to age, body size, activity level, pregnancy status and overall health. For a generally healthy adult, the recommended daily amount is about 0.36 grams per pound. A person weighing 140 pounds would need approximately 50 grams a day under that guideline.

The review comes amid a broader debate over protein guidance in the United States. Updated recommendations cited by the researchers call for some adults to consume between 1.2 and 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, or roughly 0.5 to 0.7 grams per pound, nearly twice the longstanding minimum recommendation.

Many American adults already exceed that amount.

An analysis of national health data found that adults who met exercise recommendations consumed about 82 grams of protein each day. Those who did not meet the exercise guidelines still averaged about 79 grams.

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A single meal can provide a substantial portion of the daily recommendation. A 3- to 6-ounce serving of meat, chicken or fish often contains 20 to 30 grams of protein.

“It’s probably safe to say that for sedentary individuals, maybe [follow] the original [recommended daily amount of] 0.8 grams per kilogram,” said Lamming.

Manufacturers now add protein to coffee drinks, breakfast cereals, chips, ramen and other products that were not traditionally promoted as major protein sources. Packaging and advertising often suggest that a higher protein content makes a product healthier.

Consumer interest has grown alongside that marketing. A 2025 survey from the International Food Information Council found that 70% of U.S. adults said they “try” to eat protein. High-protein diets were the most popular diet pattern for the third year in a row.

At the same time, many survey respondents said they were unsure how much protein they should consume.

Physically active people may need more protein to support muscle repair, growth and recovery. Pregnant people and those recovering from surgery, injury or illness may also have higher requirements.

Protein can also be important during weight loss. People who are reducing calories may need adequate protein to help preserve muscle while losing body fat. Older adults may have different needs as well.

That does not mean inactive adults should immediately cut back on protein intake. The findings instead suggest that people who already consume enough may not need to keep seeking additional sources. For sedentary adults, increasing physical activity could have a greater effect on health than adding more protein to meals and snacks.

“These studies show that the amount of protein sedentary people are eating today may have negative health consequences, at least at the population level.”

The review also examined what may happen inside the body when protein intake is reduced. One potential effect involves FGF21, a hormone that helps regulate energy use and metabolism.

“There’s an increase in a hormone called FGF21 that promotes energy expenditure [when protein intake is reduced]. It essentially increases thermogenesis in your adipose tissue, so you don’t just store fat, but actually burn it as fuel.”

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That mechanism may help explain why some studies have linked lower-protein diets to reduced body fat, improved blood sugar control and healthier metabolic function.

Recent human clinical trials reviewed by the researchers found that participants who reduced protein lost weight and body fat and improved their fasting blood sugar levels, even though some consumed more calories overall.

FGF21 has also been associated with lower inflammation. In mouse studies, animals with elevated levels of the hormone lived longer than typical mice, although the effect was greater in males than in females. Researchers have also observed that reducing protein raises FGF21 levels in people.

Lower protein intake may also alter signals that tell cells when to grow, repair damage or break down and reuse old cellular components. Those maintenance processes are believed to play a role in the aging process.

Some studies reviewed by Lamming also found potential benefits from reducing individual amino acids rather than lowering all dietary protein.

The evidence does not support protein deficiency, researchers said. Protein restriction in scientific studies is not the same as depriving the body of a nutrient it needs.

Aging is associated with sarcopenia, a gradual loss of muscle mass, strength and physical function. Eating enough protein and participating in strength or resistance exercise may help slow that decline.

The evidence on weight management and aging is not entirely one-sided. Other studies have found that higher-protein diets can support weight loss and help older adults maintain muscle, particularly when protein intake is paired with regular exercise.

People with kidney disease, liver disease and other medical conditions may also require individualized guidance. In some cases, they may be advised to limit their protein intake. In others, maintaining sufficient intake may be especially important.

Anyone considering a substantial change in protein consumption should consult a doctor or registered dietitian.

The review leaves several questions unresolved. The studies included in the analysis differed in their protein levels, dietary patterns, duration and design. Those differences make it difficult to determine exactly how much protein should be reduced or for how long a lower-protein diet should be followed.

Many of the studies were also conducted in animals, insects, yeast or other organisms. Findings from those experiments can help scientists identify biological mechanisms, but they do not always translate directly to people.

More long-term human research is needed to determine which adults could benefit from lower protein intake and whether reducing specific amino acids has the same effects as reducing total protein intake.

Researchers also continue to study whether the source of protein changes its health effects. Protein from beans, lentils, nuts and other plant foods may affect the body differently than protein from processed meats or fortified snack foods.

For now, the findings do not dispute that protein is necessary. They question whether healthy adults who already get enough need to add it to every meal, snack and beverage.

Venezuela earthquake

Venezuela Coping With Environmental And Health Risks After Devastating Earthquakes 

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Venezuela experienced devastating earthquakes over a month ago, and to this day the nation is rebuilding while coping with a multitude of developing environmental and health risks.

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pentagon

Pentagon Brings Back Mandatory Flu Shots For All Boot Camp Recruits

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This week, the Pentagon announced that they are reinstating a requirement that all boot camps for US military services are to enforce new recruits getting a flu vaccination after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously made the shot optional for new military members at the end of April. 

The Associated Press received this confirmation from a Pentagon official after a recent growing, weekslong, flu outbreak at the US Air Force’s boot camp at Lackland Air Force Base caused around 300 people to get sick. The official who spoke with the publication mentioned, however, that the recent mandate of the vaccination was not related to that specific outbreak. 

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Back in April, when Hegseth initially announced that the flu vaccine mandate was being repealed, he cited “medical autonomy and religious freedom.” He also allowed the services to ask for specific exceptions/permission to keep the vaccine mandatory within 15 days of the policy rollout. 

The official from the Pentagon explained that the decision to reinstate was being finalized earlier in June with the timing of the outbreak at Lackland being purely coincidental. In Lackland, only 40% of the new trainees in the bootcamp were vaccinated once it became optional, according to AP. 

According to Air Force figures, this particular base handles around 700 new recruits every week, and the close quarters environment has always been relevant when it comes to the spread of sickness. 

Outbreaks in boot camp settings are unfortunately common due to the fact that recruits are exposed to high stress, low sleep environments where they’re in very close contact with each other for weeks. They typically sleep together in large, open rooms and shower communally, so it’s easy for sicknesses to spread. 

The outbreak at Lackland has now been ongoing for about three weeks with 275 confirmed cases of the flu, according to Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro, who confirmed the stats in a social media post. Castro’s district also includes part of the base where the boot camp resides. 

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Dr. Arnold Monto, a flu expert and professor, stated that this new outbreak is “not unusually concerning,” because although the flu is mainly an issue in the late fall and winter, flu viruses routinely circulate during warmer months too. 

In fact, flu outbreaks that occur during the spring and summer months are often in settings where a lot of people are in close contact with one another, like military bases or cruise ships. 

“If you want to prevent flu outbreaks, it is especially necessary to vaccinate when there are group settings,” Dr. Monto said. 

The Pentagon’s top spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement to the media that exceptions were granted to the Army, Navy, Air Force, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Health Agency. 

Both Army and Navy officials, however, said that they have also asked for permission to make the vaccine mandatory for certain broad groups including troops that are being deployed overseas, healthcare workers, and child care workers. 

Advocacy organization ‘Families Fighting Flu’ openly supported this change to increase vaccine rates. 

Michele Slafkosky, the organization’s executive director, said in a statement:

“For decades, the military prioritized the health and safety of troops and the public by requiring flu vaccines for recruits. It’s unfortunate that more than 200 individuals at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas became ill when that requirement was rescinded. This updated guidance from the military will save lives.” 

Crisis Hotline

LGBTQ+ Crisis Intervention Hotline Relaunches Without The Trevor Project 

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The government is moving to restart the specialized LGBTQ+ option for youth who contact the 988 crisis intervention hotline after the Trump administration ended it. However, the group that helped pioneer and bring the option to the hotline initially, the Trevor Project, is being shut out. 

The Trevor Project is known as the leading nonprofit for suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ youth, and now they may be blocked from offering their important services that they developed specifically for the 988 hotline just a few years ago, according to reports. 

The 988 hotline is known as the 911 for mental health emergencies, and has greatly reduced the suicide rates in teenagers and young adults. The hotline offers specialized options for certain groups so that struggling callers can be matched with someone who can greatly help them with their specific needs. 

Veterans and Spanish speakers are some of the other groups that they offer specialized services for. In July, however, the Trump administration removed the “press 3” option for LGBTQ+ youth with a month’s notice, claiming that the funding ran out. 

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Now, Congress has directed officials to allocate $33 million to LGBTQ+ specific interventions to help young people within the demographic. 

The Trevor Project may not be allowed to offer their services that they developed and specialized in. Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, chief medical officer for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, stated that keeping the Trevor Project out of this relaunch “would not make sense” considering it’s a “long-standing, high-quality and trusted resource” for LGBTQ+ people. 

Many groups are trying to find order in the chaos of this relaunch. Statistically speaking, LGBTQ+ youth attempt suicide at higher rates than the general population, so by leaving out the Trevor Project, who’s main objective is to bring those numbers down, is leaving many activist groups confused. This also comes at a time where the Trump Administration is trying to remove protections for transgender Americans.

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin is one of the individuals who has led a bipartisan push to restore the service.

“The Trump administration never should have shut down the ‘press 3’ option and put young Americans at further risk.”

She also called on the president to “restore the service without needless limitations and with the most qualified, experienced people answering the phone calls and text messages from these vulnerable young people.”

Before the “press 3” option was removed, the Trevor Project was handling the majority of 988’s LGBTQ+ youth services. Individuals were also able to text “PRIDE” to the hotline, or use online chats to speak with counselors for a more private approach. The counselors on the other end of the line were specially trained to work with LGBTQ+ youth. 

When it was initially in service, the “press 3” option fielded 1.6 million contacts, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The Trevor Project handled about half of that traffic. 

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Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit that administers the 988 service, is looking for applications to manage the return of the “press 3” calls, and the applicants are limited to crisis centers that are “current and active members of the 988 network.” The Trevor Project is not currently active in the network due to the Trump administration canceling the service to begin with. 

“This troubling development indicates a dangerous step toward degrading the clinical standards to serve high risk groups that the ‘press 3’ specialized services were founded on,” said Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, in a statement to the AP.

LGBTQ+ advocate groups are happy to hear that the option will be restored by the end of the year, however, there are high levels of concern over how the restoration will actually take place and operate. Advocates are also worried over the Trump administration’s anti-transgender policies and how that may impact the relaunching.

Black is worried that the next version of 988’s LGBTQ+ youth services “may exclude transgender and nonbinary youth entirely. 

“While anti-LGBTQ+ politics may be altering the very purpose of this lifeline created to help save young LGBTQ+ lives, it is critical to make clear that politics has no place in suicide prevention,” Black said.

According to a 2024 analysis from the CDC, 26% of transgender and gender-questioning students attempted suicide that year, compared to 5% cisgender male and 11% cisgender female students. 

The Trevor Project has, and continuously will, independently run its own 24/7 crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth.