The current measles outbreak has gripped US states like Texas and New Mexico leaving people worried whether it would become a new pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of February 21, 90 cases were diagnosed in the last month in the South Plains area, with at least 77 of them were reported in children and teens under 17.

Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The outbreak, which started spreading in late January, has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least nine confirmed cases and three probable cases as of early February. Health officials caution that at least one in five infected individuals will have to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Misinformation surrounding vaccines and with the new Trump administration anti-vaccine campaigs, has causing parents to hesitate or refuse vaccination.

Furthermore, the country down under Australia is also witnessing a surge in measles cases as health officials in Sydney have issued an urgent alert, urging residents to watch for measles symptoms after an infected individual visited several places in Sydney over the last seven days.

Authorities report that the traveller had returned from South East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.

What Are The Symptoms Measles?

Key symptoms of measles include fever, a runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough. Typically, a red, blotchy rash appears three to four days later, spreading from the head down to the body. Symptoms can manifest between 7 and 18 days after exposure.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms after potential exposure should immediately contact their doctor or emergency department. It is crucial to call ahead before visiting to avoid potentially exposing others in the waiting room. Dr. Selvey also highlighted that ongoing measles outbreaks are occurring in various parts of the world, making awareness and prompt action essential.

Why It Is Important To Get Vaccinated?

According to CDC everyone should get the MMR vaccine. It protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. Getting vaccinated helps stop these diseases from spreading. There are two safe MMR vaccines available. They work the same way, so it doesn't matter which one you get. Kids can also get a shot that protects against chickenpox too, but this is only for children.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Kids Need Two Shots

All children should get two MMR shots. The first shot should be given when they are between 12 and 15 months old. The second shot should be given when they are between 4 and 6 years old. If needed, the second shot can be given earlier, but it must be at least 28 days after the first shot.

College Students Need to Be Protected

Students going to college or other schools after high school, need two shots if they are not already immune. The shots must be at least 28 days apart.

Adults Need at Least One Shot

Most adults need at least one MMR shot. Some adults need two shots, especially those who work in healthcare, travel a lot, or go to college. These people should get two shots, with 28 days between them.

Travelers Need to Be Extra Careful

Anyone traveling to other countries should make sure they are protected. Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one shot before traveling. Kids 12 months and older, teens, and adults need two shots, with 28 days between them.

Healthcare Workers Must Be Immune

People who work in healthcare should have proof that they are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. If they are not immune, they need two MMR shots, spaced 28 days apart.

Women Thinking About Having Babies

Women who might get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the MMR vaccine. It's safe to get the shot while breastfeeding.

The UK Parliament has passed a “landmark bill” to ban smoking among children who were born on or after 1 January 2009.

Under the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, people aged 17 or younger face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes.

Both the House of Commons and Lords settled on a final draft of the legislation that aims to create a smoke-free generation.

Once it gets the royal assent, ministers will be able to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including their flavors as well as packaging.

“This afternoon marks the end of this bill’s journey throughout parliament. It is a landmark bill; it will create a smoke-free generation,” Health minister Baroness Merron told the House of Lords on Monday.

“It is, in fact, the biggest public health intervention in a generation, and I can assure all noble Lords it will save lives.”

Noting that the Bill “does upset a great many people in that industry”, including retailers", Lord Naseby, a Conservative former MP, called for "a proper understanding of how we educate people not to take up smoking”.

What Is The Tobacco and Vapes Bill

It was first proposed by former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak On 4 October 2023 at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. He shared plans to phase out cigarette smoking in the UK by raising the minimum age to purchase cigarettes from 18 each year, every year, until eventually no person can legally buy cigarettes. A similar proposal was made by the Labour Party earlier that year.

Plans for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, legislation implementing such a ban, were announced in the King's Speech during the 2023 State Opening of Parliament.

The bill passed its first reading on 20 March 2024 and its second reading on 16 April 2024.

Also read: Banning Tobacco Can Save 1.2 million Lives By 2095

On 24 October 2024, the new government announced a ban on the sale of single use vapes, effective from June 2025, in an effort to address environmental concerns and the rising prevalence of vaping among children.

Under the new Bill,

• It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009
• It restricts advertising and sales of nicotine products. This includes a ban on selling vapes to anyone under 18 and selling them through vending machines.
• The bill also allows the regulation of vaping products
• The Bill expands smoke-free areas to include playgrounds and locations near schools and hospitals.

Also read: UK Bans Disposable Vape: Will This Really Stop Young People And Reduce Waste?

How Does Smoking Kill?

Smoking is the most common risk factor and the single biggest cause of preventable death for a host of diseases, ranging from respiratory diseases to tuberculosis to cancer.

Smoking damages the human body and causes

• stillbirths,
• asthma,
• heart disease,
• stroke
• Dementia
• lung cancer
• other cancers.

People use aluminium foil as a common cooking tool and food storage solution, which studies show to be safe for most people when used occasionally. The proper method of use determines whether it functions as the best solution for storing food over extended periods. People can store dry, uncooked items in foil because it creates fewer safety risks than keeping reactive foods for extended periods. Ms Aditi Prasad Apte, Senior Clinical Nutritionist at Aster RV Hospital, Bangalore, in an interview with Health and Me, spoke about the dangers of storing food in aluminium foil. The expert also shared alternatives that are safer and can be helpful.

What happens when you store food in aluminium foil?

People who eat food processed with aluminium may ingest small amounts of aluminium through their meals. The likelihood of this occurrence increases when particular conditions exist, which include using food that contains heat, acid, salt, or strong spices. These include tomatoes, citrus, vinegar, and strongly flavoured foods. Heat increases the transfer, which means that wrapping hot food directly in foil produces higher transfer rates than covering leftovers for short periods. One should understand that storing hot food in foil can create food safety issues because of aluminium contamination.

How does storing food in aluminium foil affect the kidneys?

The use of foil creates an incomplete airtight seal, which results in insufficient cooling and creates unsafe storage conditions when food remains at dangerous temperatures for extended periods. The health risks connected to long-term excessive aluminium exposure have remained a topic of scientific discussion for many years. The bodies of healthy people process and remove aluminium consumed through food mainly via the kidneys.

People who have kidney problems must handle aluminium exposure with special caution. Research has studied the links between high aluminium exposure and neurological and bone problems, but has found no proof that using foil for daily activities leads to these medical issues. The larger issue requires people to take steps to reduce their exposure to unnecessary risks whenever possible.

Are there any safer alternatives?

Safer alternatives for routine storage include glass containers, stainless steel containers, ceramic storage, and food-grade silicone options. These products provide specific benefits for storing hot leftovers, acidic foods, and items that need to be kept in refrigerators for extended periods. Parchment paper may also be a better barrier than foil in some cooking situations.

There are also several myths worth clarifying. Some people believe that aluminium foil contains harmful substances that make it unsafe to use. Normal, occasional use is not the same as dangerous exposure. Another myth is that foil always reacts with food; in reality, reaction risk depends heavily on the type of food, temperature, and duration of contact.

The fact is that foil works better for wrapping food and providing temporary coverage than it does as a standard storage method. The best approach requires people to use aluminium foil appropriately in cooking situations. People should not store acidic or hot food in foil for extended periods, and they should not consume food that has come into contact with damaged foil. The safest approach for regular home use is to use foil only when necessary, while understanding which materials work better in specific situations.

With the launch of generic versions of Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, the demand for these weight loss and diabetes medications is skyrocketing in India. Amid the rising demand, there is also a surge of counterfeit jabs—often sold through unregulated online vendors—that can endanger lives.

According to a Reuters report, Indian drug regulators have seized more than 260 suspected counterfeit pens of Eli Lilly's popular obesity and diabetes drug Mounjaro, worth Rs 7 million, ‌from the northern state of Haryana.

The suspected fake pens were recovered from a vehicle on the outskirts of New Delhi, and were kept under improper temperature conditions and appeared in different font sizes compared with the original product, which ⁠raised suspicion of being counterfeit.

The Haryana Food and Drug Control Administration has also arrested two people accused of making and selling the drugs. The primary accused did not have a pharmaceutical license and made the products at a private property, Drug Control Officer Amandeep Chauhan told Reuters. They had ordered peptides used in the drugs and other raw materials from vendors on the Chinese e-commerce platform Alibaba.

The arrested duo also sold the pens on the online marketplace IndiaMART at a 27 per cent discount to the original drug's price, ⁠Chauhan said.

While samples have been sent to government-run laboratories for confirmation, Eli Lilly and Company (India) spokesperson issued a statement welcoming the action against illicit medicines.

Noting that it "takes patient safety extremely seriously", the company stated that it's "actively supporting the investigation and will continue to work with regulatory and law enforcement authorities worldwide to protect patients from the risks of counterfeit products".

Also read: Lehengas, Diets & Now Mounjaro: The New Must-Have For Indian Brides?

Can Fake Ozempic/Mounjaro Pens Turn Dangerous?

The short answer: extremely. The risks go far beyond inefficacy. Some fake jabs contain:

• Insulin – Can dangerously drop blood sugar, leading to seizures or coma.
• Toxic substances – Seized products have been found to contain mercury, cement, and rat poison.
• Bacteria – Due to non-sterile production environments, leading to infections.
• Wrong or mixed medications – Including none of the intended drug at all.

Read More: Can Weight Loss Jabs Surge Divorce Rates? What Experts Are Saying

How To Identify Counterfeit Ozempic/ Mounjaro Pens?

Counterfeit products may have

• spelling errors,
• instruction leaflets not in English,
• unsealed packaging,
• changes in the size, shape, or appearance of medicine

These are indicators that the medicine has not been produced by the original manufacturer or is being illegally sold in the wrong market.

Further, counterfeit drugs are often sold on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or salon backrooms.

Also read: India To Strictly Inspect GLP-1 Drugs To Curb Misuse: Govt Flags Risks Amid Weight-loss Hype

Another major lure of counterfeit Ozempic/Mounjaro is the price tag—black-market versions are often heavily discounted. But remember: this comes at the cost of your health, safety, and potentially, your life.

If you’re unsure about a product, consult your pharmacist or primary care provider. Always ensure that any medication you take has been prescribed by a qualified healthcare provider and obtained from a licensed source.