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Nearly 60 percent of Massachusetts parents and caregivers who responded to a recent online survey said their family had lost at least one person to COVID-19, another sign that the pandemic’s effects promise to be far-reaching and long-lasting. “We have an epidemic of grief among children and their families,” said Lisa Lambert, executive director of the Parent/Professional Advocacy League, a Massachusetts organization focused on the mental health of children and families, which conducted the survey in February. Lambert said she was surprised by the high number who reported losses. (Freyer, 4/17)

Teen mental health already was deteriorating before the coronavirus pandemic. In the two years since, the isolation, grief and anxiety created by school closures, deaths and loss of family income have led to even steeper declines in children’s mental health, experts say. Awash in federal pandemic relief money—roughly $190 billion in education and health grants over the next four years—states are responding. Last year, 38 states enacted nearly 100 laws providing additional resources to support mental wellbeing in K-12 schools, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy, a Portland, Maine-based policy research group. Dozens of additional school mental health bills became law this year in at least 22 states, according to the group. (Vestal, 4/18)

Matthew Butler spent 27 years in the Army, but it took a day in jail to convince him his post-traumatic stress disorder was out of control. The recently retired Green Beret had already tried antidepressants, therapy and a support dog. But his arrest for punching a hole in his father’s wall after his family tried to stage an intervention in Utah made it clear none of it was working. (Whitehurst, 4/16)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating Lucky Charms cereal after dozens of customers complained of illness after eating it. The FDA said Saturday it has received more than 100 complaints related to Lucky Charms so far this year. “The FDA takes seriously any reports of possible adulteration of a food that may also cause illnesses or injury,” the agency said in a statement. Several hundred people have also posted on a food safety website, iwaspoisoned.com, complaining of nausea, diarrhea and vomiting after eating Lucky Charms. (Durbin, 4/16)

Drinking water to maintain a healthy sodium level in the bloodstream may reduce the risk of heart failure, a chronic condition where the heart has difficulty pumping blood to match the body’s needs, according to a recent paper published in the European Heart Journal. Over 6.2 million Americans suffer from heart failure, which is more than 2% of the United States population and is more common in those ages 65 and older, according to a recent press release on the study. A team from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute analyzed data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, which has been following approximately 16,000 adults over thirty years to better understand atherosclerosis and heart disease. (Sudhakar, 4/16)

Long nails are a major trend these days, seen on the hands of superstars like Cardi B and Billie Eilish. But a biologist warns this new trend may come with health hazards when considering what may be growing underneath. Jeffrey Kaplan, a biology professor at American University, told USA TODAY that the area under the fingernail in the crevice is where most of the bacteria live. "The longer the nail, the more surface area there is for microorganisms to adhere," he said. "Studies have found 32 different bacteria and 28 different fungi underneath fingernails." (Gilbert, 4/16)

Peloton Interactive will cut prices of its stationary bikes and treadmills and raise monthly subscriptions for online workout classes. The changes are part of an effort by Peloton’s new chief executive to create a company more focused on its digital business and less reliant on sales of connected exercise equipment. (Terlep, 4/14)

KHN: Journalist Puts In A Plug For Better Sleep Cycles During The Pandemic

KHN assistant social media manager Krishna Sharma discussed how work flexibility can help overcome some sleep problems on Newsy on April 14. ... KHN correspondent Aneri Pattani discussed a surge in the street supply of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid painkiller, during the pandemic on SiriusXM’s “Doctor Radio Reports” on April 8. (4/16)