Saw a patient in urgent care last night who was sobbing because she’d recently learned she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, and now she was struggling to afford the treatment. We need Medicare for All.

Doctors deserve better PPE @who.int www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) recommends XFG variant as target for fall’s updated COVID vaccines. XFG is a hybrid of two Omicron subvariants and has mutations linked to immune escape. ow.ly/MV5c50Z5MSL 📷: NIAID / Flickr cc

Hyperlapse assembly of some purifiers we were able to give to a teacher with Long COVID. Sure would be great if teachers and students had support for their health and safety using verifiably effective tools like these. Also, reminder we have a sale going through Memorial Day! CleanAirKits.com

Under the IHR (2005), @drtedros.who.int, the Director General of WHO, having consulted the States Parties where the event is occurring, has determined that the Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in DRC & Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern bit.ly/3P4ZDac

Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in the DRC and Uganda has been declared a PHEIC by the WHO. The highest alert lever it has. This requires swift a and multinational response. Estimated death count is already 80! No vaccine, no rapid diagnostic tests. www.science.org/content/arti...

Join NETEC on May 19 for a Hantavirus Town Hall focused on: ▪️ PPE practices ▪️ Laboratory considerations ▪️ Waste management ▪️ Frontline preparedness 📅 May 19 🕑 2 PM ET Featuring experts from @EmoryUniversity, @BellevueHosp & @NebraskaMed. Register: https://ow.ly/1hfH50Z0k8s

The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has now been confirmed as the Bundibugyo strain. This is not good news, there are no licensed or candidate vaccines for this strain. No monoclonal antibodies. I am sure experimental antivirals will be tried. www.afro.who.int/countries/de...

"These efforts are likely made more difficult by the fact that one of the facilities that can quarantine people... is currently housing Americans who were passengers on...the cruise ship on which there was a recent hantavirus outbreak." www.statnews.com/2026/05/17/e...

OUR NEW BMJ editorial: Andes virus should reset WHO’s default approach to airborne risk. 🧵 1/ For severe pathogens with person-to-person transmission, the starting point should be precautionary airborne protections — not waiting for definitive proof after spread occurs. www.bmj.com/content/393/...

"Given just how little experience we have with this virus, any certainty is hubris. Thankfully, despite the flawed messaging, the system is broadly working...But what happens next depends on how well we communicate what precautions people should be taking." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Since 2023, Moderna and Korea University have been developing a new mRNA vaccine for hantavirus. The work has been promising so far, but a finished product isn't likely coming any time soon. www.wired.com/story/a-new-...

NEGLIGENCE

Yes, this is a real challenge for quarantine and monitoring. With Andes virus, the incubation period can be long symptoms usually appear 1–6 weeks after exposure, but can occur as late as 8 wks. That means a (-) test early after exposure does not reliably “clear” someone for the entire risk window.

For the next 24h, drop any infectious disease and/or vaccine-related questions in response to this post, and I will do my best to answer them. Answers are for information only, NOT medical advice. #AskAnIDDoc May 2026 edition.

👀 "Current evidence does not support describing Andes virus as ‘barely transmissible’" Statement from the International Hantavirus Society and members of the international #hantavirus research & clinical community regarding the current #Andes virus outbreak investigation zenodo.org/records/2007...

Here we go, squabbling over airborne transmission is also back. Can highly recommend Carl Zimmer's book Airborne and for an intro into the topic this podcast, fascinating history.

"Should I start masking again because of #hantavirus?" It's been a wise preventive behavior to mask the past 6 years. The U.S. has twice annual COVlD waves. We've dipped into a "lull" after the 12th wave this winter, but we're still at 180,000 estimated new daily infections.

Bend Doctor on Cruise Ship at Center of Hantavirus Outbreak Speaks with KTVZ News

my partner and i designed these! you can find them in multiple colors for free download at the link in my bio—take the files and print as you please! 🫡

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Congresswoman Janelle Bynum's Office has confirmed a Bend doctor, Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, is on the Oceanwide Expeditions cruise ship MV Hondius, which is at the center of a Hantavirus Outbreak.

EXCLUSIVE: Some Hantavirus Cruise Passengers Are Back in the U.S. Over two dozen passengers potentially exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship disembarked almost 2 weeks ago, and Americans among them are now back on U.S. soil. https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/121146?trw=no

The American Lung Association is hosting a 3.5-hour virtual "Clean Air School Symposium" on May 5. Register: action.lung.org/site/TR?fr_i...

Are you doing any #COVID advocacy work within a broader professional organization? If so, please reach out. We're doing some organizing in this area. It would help to know any successes or pain points. Thanks! DM or email (googleable) 1/2

It's important to know that false negatives on home COVID-19 tests are common, so if you're not feeling well and get a negative result, you should always test again! But although false negatives happen, it's still important to get tested if possible so you can get the treatment you need!

For the next 24h, drop any infectious disease and/or vaccine-related questions in response to this post, and I will do my best to answer them. Answers are for information only, NOT medical advice. #AskAnIDDoc April 2026 edition.

Keep on keeping on, friends! And break those chains of transmission

🚨 NEW: What Do We Know About Long COVID? Over 125 studies related to Long COVID and it's impacts on our health. A guide for #medsky healthcare professionals, patients, and the general public. Please share widely! 👇 READ, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE: www.panaccindex.info/p/what-do-we...

A COVID variant that's better at evading immune responses and resisting antibodies induced by current COVID-19 vaccines may be on the rise. www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdi...

"New COVID Variant Under Surveillance, BA.3.2, Has Been Picked Up In 23 Countries So Far This variant has about 70-75 more mutations in its spike protein sequence versus the current vaccine strains." www.iflscience.com/new-covid-va...

Did you know that if tuberculosis (TB) medicines are used incorrectly or if the treatment is stopped too soon, the antibiotics can lose their power? Learn more about fighting multidrug-resistant TB. Remember, TB is curable!

For #WorldTBDay, New Tongue-Swab TB Test Could Help Eradicate The Disease, WHO Says via @forbes www.forbes.com/sites/judyst...

News on TB in the U.S. for #WorldTBDay: www.vox.com/future-perfe... #histmed #EpiSky

Nightclub owner at centre of meningitis outbreak says “something isn’t making sense”. “There's been a lot of talk about how hard it is to transmit… …but actually, it was transmitted a LOT more easily, by the looks of it, than they're suggesting.” www.lbc.co.uk/article/meni... 🧵

A case of travel-related cladeI mpox has been reported in New York City. Mpox continues to circulate globally. Thankfully there are vaccines which confer protection and reduce disease severity. Get vaccinated if you have an increased risk of exposure. www.nydailynews.com/2026/03/14/s...

🇨🇦 Attention Canadian COVID-aware community: Canada Surplus has several large boxes (N = 440) of 3M N95s available currently (bidding starts at $15 for the whole box + shipping). No catch. gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?s...

Module 3 of the UK COVID Inquiry is out. Encouraging to see explicit recognition of the "widespread failure" of clinical leaders to understand aerosol science, and the "clear failure" of IPC leaders to understand that they might be wrong. #medsky #scisky covid19.public-inquiry.uk/reports/modu....

This week marked the anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve summarized our thoughts a bit below, but tl;dr: Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still with us, & although we may be tired of hearing about it, it’s extremely important to continue to take steps to protect ourselves & others.

Flo Mask 50% off sale! These are form-fitting, reusable N95 masks and MUCH cheaper long-run than single use masks. I've used this for years in hospitals, airports etc & can't recommend it enough! Comes w/ filter replacements. I have big cheeks w/ a tiny jaw, most masks don't fit me. This does!

Long COVID can affect many systems in the body. Researchers have documented more than 200 symptoms, ranging from fatigue and brain fog to heart, lung, and neurological problems. The symptoms shown here are only a small sample. Preventing infection helps reduce the risk of Long COVID.

✈️ One measles case can spread far. Last yr, an unvaccinated traveler infected 17 others in the airplane and at the US airport. The traveler had fever, cough, & conjunctivitis while flying. buff.ly/El0n89P People with measles are contagious 4 days before the rash appears and 4 days after. #medsky

✨Please share! The Dr. Ruth Report buff.ly/Inu2i6N 📈Viruses that are HIGH now (RSV, Flu B, Norovirus) 🧠COVID infection and neurodegeneration 🫧How gut bacteria cause brain fog in Long COVID 🚨Measles outbreaks in ICE detention facilities & much more! #medsky #covidconscious #publichealth 🛟😷🧪