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The push to stop murders in classrooms by families who’ve experienced them continues to yield success stories even as the federal government is dismantling some tools aimed at preventing school shootings. The anonymous reporting system “Say Something” has stopped 18 people who planned to attack schools. (Jackman, 3/31)

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) on Monday announced the state's first confirmed case of measles since 2023 amid recent outbreaks in surrounding states and across the country. The case involves an unvaccinated Pueblo adult who recently traveled to an area of Mexico "experiencing an ongoing measles outbreak," according to CDPHE. (Isenberg, 3/31)

“Public health officials aren't skilled in information warfare,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, the director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center. “They have to get people to understand the importance and value of getting vaccinated, but battling information warfare is not what we're taught in public health school.” (Hicks, 3/31)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: Montana May Start Collecting Immunization Data Again Amid US Measles Outbreak 

When epidemiologist Sophia Newcomer tries to evaluate how well Montana might be able to ward off the measles outbreak spreading across the U.S., she doesn’t have much data to work with. A federal state-by-state survey last year showed that just over 86% of Montana’s 2-year-olds had recently received the measles, mumps, and rubella immunization. That figure has decreased in recent years, according to earlier surveys, and Newcomer, an associate professor at the University of Montana, said the latest rate is “well below” the ideal 95% threshold for community protection against highly contagious diseases. (Silvers, 4/1)

New York is on the verge of becoming the next state to ban cellphone use during school hours — a victory for its Democratic governor who has been pushing to drastically limit the “endless disruptions from social media” on students. Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers are hashing out the parameters of a full-day “bell-to-bell” restriction — one of the most sweeping issues the governor has championed during her tenure. Legislative leaders signed onto the thorny proposal this year, and are awaiting policy language as they work past Monday’s deadline to pass the state’s $252 billion budget. (Toure, 4/1)

A newly proposed California ballot initiative, controversially named after an alleged murderer, aims to prevent health insurance companies from denying medical care to patients. Retired litigator Paul Eisner has submitted the "Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act" to the state Attorney General's office, sparking both attention and criticism for its provocative title. The proposed measure would make it illegal in California for anyone other than a licensed physician to deny, delay, or modify medical procedures or medications. Eisner, who still holds an active law license, says the initiative was inspired by his personal battle with cancer and subsequent disputes with his insurance company. (Allyn, 3/28)

Researchers have identified “forever chemicals” in household dust nearby a North Carolina factory — indicating that dust may be an additional source of exposure to these compounds. The homes, located in southern North Carolina’s Cumberland and Bladen counties, are in the vicinity of the Fayetteville Works fluorochemical manufacturing facility, which has been a known source of contamination in the area’s Cape Fear River Basin. (Udasin, 3/31)

Many people who live near heavy industry are routinely exposed to dozens of different pollutants, which can result in a multitude of health problems. Traditionally, environmental regulators have assessed the risks of chemical exposure on an individual basis. But that approach has led to underestimates of the total health risks faced by vulnerable populations, according to a new study. Now researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a new method for measuring the cumulative effects on human health of multiple toxic air pollutants. Their findings were published last week in Environmental Health Perspectives. (Ajasa, 3/31)