New York City has a robust system for monitoring lead poisoning among its residents. Children ages 1 to 2 years old, for example, are required to get a blood lead test and assessed for risk until they are 6 years old.
It is through this system that the NYC health department found adults and children of Georgian descent were at an increased risk of elevated lead levels in their blood. The main culprit? Spices coming from Georgia brought into the U.S. by people traveling from the country.
Armed with the information, the department started reporting its findings to Georgian authorities, including the Georgian consulate in NYC between 2011 and 2017.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
