Seriously? Flesh-Eating Parasites?

Plus, pets got many of us through COVID. Now they need our help. [View this email online]( [NPR]( [Shots]( Health News To Know Now [flesh-eating parasite image]( Dr. Francis W. Chandler/CDC Flesh-eating parasites — already found in Texas and Oklahoma — are possibly coming to a state near you. Why, you might ask, do we have to worry about flesh-eating parasites all of the sudden? Blame climate change (so you can worry about that at the same time — a twofer!). So what horror movie level of flesh-eating parasites are we talking about? Probably PG-13. Think crater-like ulcers, coated with a thick, yellowish pus — ew! Plus, while there are some life-threatening varieties of the disease, most are not — especially if you have the right medical care. Here’s hoping for a happy ending. [Read on to find out what signs to look for and the state the parasites are likely to hit next.]( So...about those variants. Any mention of them makes you want to put your hands over your ears and sing “Lalalalalala,” right? Yep, we’re right there with you. But hear us out: There is mostly good news. First, if you’re fully vaccinated (two weeks after your second dose — no cheating!) you are probably fairly well protected against whatever variants make their way to your area. The kind of “eh” news is that no one knows exactly what “fairly well protected” means beyond you probably won’t get it, but if you do, it likely won’t be severe. The takeaway: Get vaccinated, say experts. It’s your best shot(s) at not getting COVID. [Read on to find out more about how effective different vaccines are against variants](. [BONUS STORY: What Dr. Anthony Fauci has to say about the Delta variant](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Be Well [Teen dating abuse image]( Kim Ryu for NPR It couldn’t happen to my teen, think most parents when it comes to dating violence. Yet according to the CDC, 26% of women say they experienced intimate partner violence before they were 18. So do the math... and, yeah. What can grownups in a teen’s life do? NPR's Life Kit is here with advice. To start: A teen in an abusive relationship may not understand what's happening or have the experience to know how to handle it — so adults, you are critical. [Read on for tips on how to help the teen in your life (this is important adults, so give it a go)]( or [listen to the story](. Imagine a sound that travels with you no matter where you go. Whether it's a ring, a whoosh or a crickets-like buzz, you can't escape it. For some living with tinnitus, it’s a way of life — ranging from being a small nuisance to completely debilitating. What causes the ringing? There’s actually no external sound being produced, says Sarah Sydlowski, a doctor of audiology at Cleveland Clinic. It’s just the perception of sound. But that phantom ringing is often brought on or worsened by stress, she says. There’s no magic pill or surgery to cure it, but Sydlowski says there are techniques to make it bearable, including therapy to “retune the brain.” [Read on for tips on how to deal with tinnitus and learn how the pandemic may be making symptoms worse.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Comic Relief [pandemic dog comic image]( Sarah Mirk for NPR Did you jump on the dog adoption bandwagon during the pandemic? Or maybe the cat caravan? For many of us, companion pets helped us weather an extraordinarily stressful year. They’ve entertained us during long conference calls, they’ve cuddled with us after we heard bad news, and they listened to us (or pretended to — we’ll take it) when there was no one else to talk to. Now, as many of us start returning to work, it’s time to think about what we can do to make them feel safe and happy. [Check out this awesome comic about living the pet life](. [BONUS STORY: The U.S. is banning dogs from more than 100 countries because of an increase in fraudulent rabies records](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Her Story [Cancer a secret image]( Jennifer Cawley/NPR NPR's Ina Jaffe has been keeping her metastatic breast cancer a secret so she wouldn't have to explain herself to friends and strangers. But she's decided to go public for two reasons: First, she realized her despair was based on bad information and the second — outrage. [Read on for more about why Ina Jaffe decided to tell her story.]( We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of [NPR's health journalism]( on Shots and follow us on Twitter at [@NPRHealth](. All best, Your Shots Editors --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [shots@npr.org](mailto:shots@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]