Boston reports first pediatric flu deaths since 2013. >5,000 total flu deaths so far this season, just in the US. And it's still early in the season.
Meanwhile RFK is trying to end flu vaccinations for children. CDC just announced that pediatric seasonal flu vaccine were no longer recommended for kids 6 mos and older, despite the fact that they are among the highest risk for hospitalizations and death.
This admin is killing kids, from Gaza to Venezuela to the US.
US folks: If you missed this in November, as I did:
Good news for those of us 65 and older, as well as the immunocompromised: The CDC now recommends a second dose of the 2025-2026 Covid vaccine.
The agency quietly updated its guidance in November to encourage adults 65 and older to receive two shots of this season’s vaccine, ideally six months apart to optimize protection. (People can get them as soon as two or three months after the first shot, depending on which vaccine they received.)
The same guidance applies to those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. … Importantly, individuals do not need documentation to prove immunocompromised status.
Recent studies have shown that protection gained from covid vaccines wanes substantially after four to six months.
Note: I’m no fan of Leana Wen, to put it mildly, but this specific column seems good.
Don't ever believe that they'll stop with just 1 marginalized group. They didn't and they won't. (See below)
No one is free unless we're all free!
Solidarity with all marginalized communities!
John Weiser, On why the CDC went along with orders to remove transgender data:
I think the hope was that by complying with the directive, other work at the CDC would be spared. And unfortunately, that hasn’t proved to be the case. Funding for the Medical Monitoring Project was terminated after 20 years, and the concern within CDC is that the president will eliminate all HIV prevention and surveillance funding.
One of my concerns while there was that if it’s OK to comply with a directive to remove information about gender, what if the next demand is that we don’t report about people who emigrated from other countries, or on people who are experiencing homelessness? What if there’s a directive to suppress data about a particular racial or ethnic group that’s unpopular? How far would we go?"
Good write up of the absolute shit show going down in the #CDC vaccine advisory panel. The CDC can’t be relied on to provide evidence based health advice sadly any more. Hoping California and the western state coalition continue to pick up the slack and fill the federal science void in the US. https://newsie.social/@STAT/115673900434510138
"A Louisiana health ofcl🚨who ordered his health dep to stop promoting mass vaccinations this past winter during a surge in influenza cases has been tapped to serve as the new #2 leader at the #CDC.
Abraham *LA’s SG: hired to be: princ dep dir at the CDC, acc to a SPOX for the #HHS *confirmed the appt *not clear when he starts.
“Vaccination🚨against any disease should remain a personal choice."
That man wouldn’t recognize ‘gold standard’ science if it painted itself purple and danced naked on a harpsicord singing ‘gold standard science is here again’.
(h/t to BlackAdder. Yes, I’m talking about Bobby Brainworm Jr.)
Under #Trump & #RFKJr., The #CDC promotes false #vaccines - #autism link it once discredited
The CDC’s website now says #health authorities ignored evidence of a potential connection between vaccines & autism, despite dozens of studies showing no link.
The current #CDC page falsely says that studies supporting a link between #vaccines & #autism “have been ignored by health authorities.”
It falsely states: “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.”
The revisions show that the “CDC cannot currently be trusted as a scientific voice,” said Demetre Daskalakis, who formerly led the agency’s center responsible for respiratory viruses & #immunizations. He was 1 of 3 senior leaders who resigned in August because of what they said was the politicization of #science at the agency. “The weaponization of the #CDC voice by validating false claims on official websites confirms what we have been saying,” he said.
…Scientists still at the #CDC told The Post they were shocked as word spread about the apparent endorsement of a long-debunked claim. “We just saw it, & everyone is freaking out,” said one scientist. #RFKJr’s past promotion of a link between #vaccines & #autism emerged as a key concern of some Republican senators ahead of his confirmation to be the nation’s top #health ofcl.
Sen. #BillCassidy (R-Louisiana), a #physician who chairs the #Senate#Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, decided to set aside his misgivings & support #RFKJr after receiving a range of commitments, which he detailed in a Feb. 4 speech on the Senate floor. They INCLUDED that the “#CDC will not remove statements on their website pointing out that #vaccines do not cause #autism.”
The updated #CDC webpage now includes an asterisk & explanation after the header “Vaccines do not cause Autism.”
“* The header ‘Vaccines do not cause autism’ has not been removed due to an agreement with the chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that it would remain on the CDC website,” according to the website. #BillCassidy’s office did not respond to a request for comment.