A Recap of This Week’s Top News – February 24, 2023

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, February 18, to Friday, February 24. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• A 53-year-old man in Germany is officially the 5^th person to be cured of HIV. Results of his treatment were announced in 2019 but could not be confirmed until earlier this week.
• A new study found that humans may need more sleep in the winter months. Participants in the study experienced REM sleep that was 30 minutes longer in the winter season compared to summer, which suggested that the body’s circadian rhythm changed to support more sleep based on the amount of light in the winter.
• 61 British businesses participated in a largely successful four-day workweek trial, with results showing sharp decreases in worker turnover and absenteeism.

Politics and Policy:

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fined four businesses this week for continuing to sell unapproved vapes. According to the article, this is the first time the FDA has issued fines to businesses that have ignored federal orders to stop selling certain tobacco products.

Health News:

• New data shows that this year’s Flu shot provided effectiveness of between 45-50%, which is considered decent in comparison to previous years’ protection.
• A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that in 2020, a woman died every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth. The report also showed that the maternal mortality rate increased in 17 countries from 2016 to 2020 and stayed the same in most others.

Education News:

• Arkansas, Virginia, North Dakota, and Mississippi join Florida in review of the new Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies course before officially allowing students to take the class in their state. The states claim that the course may conflict with state policies concerning the teaching of race in schools.
• Vox’s newest segment of The Highlight delves into lessons that America’s education system has learned in the past few years: from the legacy of a 1973 Supreme Court case to the point of homework.
• A Michigan high school is already seeing students try to cheat by using ChatGPT to write their assignments for them, spurring “don’t let the robot do your homework” conversations between students and teachers. The principal of the school provided six tips for teachers across the country to use in addressing the new landscape of cheating.