V’Ger!

If you think the #COVID19 pandemic is done and ever-evolving variants pose no significant threat, consider these two realities, writes contributing editor Andrew Nikiforuk.

With millions at risk of losing SNAP in the coming days, a reminder: hunger doesn't happen in isolation. When food assistance disappears, families use rent money to eat. Then come evictions and homelessness. Housing, food, healthcare—it's all connected. Cut one thread and the whole thing unravels.

#Democracy NOT #Authoritarianism (Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum- left or right - keep this in mind)

Wow…that says a lot! Note that this is Colorado’s 3rd congressional district - formerly represented by Lauren Bobert, and currently represented by Jeff Hurd. This is western and southern Colorado, covering a huge area. (Cortez is in the SW corner)

Not just gross, unacceptable. Where is the accountability in hospital operations? coloradosun.com/2025/10/16/u...

Concerning because (1) they’ll be able to cherry-pick data to retrofit false claims (ignoring settled science) and (2) the level of statistical illiteracy in the US makes us more vulnerable

For #GunDeaths #PreventionIsTheOnlyCure

1/2 A reminder to anyone who was RIFed. 💯 you do NOT deserve this. Quick tips if you do get a RIF notice: ❌ Do not send a read receipt ❌ Do not respond right away - the union will probably provide language for response ✅ Forward notice to your personal email

They have fired the staff of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and 70 Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, who are disease detectives that respond to outbreaks around the world. I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous it is to dismantle our disease surveillance infrastructure.

Well, this inspires confidence. "At least some workers were let go by mistake. Members of the MMWR team were laid off in error because of a misclassification of job codes and would be brought back, as would anyone working on measles and the Ebola outbreak in Congo." www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/h...

Did you all see this? I’m just reading it now. The intrusion is horrendous enough. The administrators should be held accountable. Their medical staff should be approaching the board of directors to get the senior execs responsible for this choice fired. Faith-based? laist.com/news/politic...

The smallest choices you and I make, every single day, can change the world for better or worse. The simple act of refusing to live a lie has the power to transform who we are and what we are capable of, both as individuals and as a society.

www.theguardian.com/environment/... #SharedFacts

I was fortunate enough to have him as my professor, faculty in med school - he had a remarkable impact not only on me but our class. A close friend had the opportunity to spend time with him recently. He will be missed.

"Dr. Balfour Mount, who coined the term 'palliative care' and whose profound empathy helped revolutionize health-care in North America, died peacefully on Sept. 25 at the palliative care unit that bears his name." www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

“If you think Tylenol is bad for babies, wait until you hear about rubella virus” @angierasmussen.bsky.social rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-poison...

Worth repeating: Acetaminophen does not deplete glutathione unless you are taking toxic doses of it

Just in case anyone needs to hear it: - Acetaminophen does not deplete glutathione unless you are taking toxic doses of it - MTHFR variants don't prevent you from being able to use folic acid - We don't know how folic acid works to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs); we simply know it does. (1/7)

Homeopathy is a scam…and can cause harm by leading people away from seeking legitimate, evidence-based treatment. Also, don’t let chiropractors or PTs manipulate your neck.

“Charles, urgently delete browser history”

Interesting Idea and List. (although fidelity seems to be not - high priority in general these days) www.headphonesty.com/2025/09/song...

The term “autism” was first used in the 1910’s and more widely adopted in 1930’s/1940’s (due to Asperger/Kanner). Paracetamol (Tylenol) was not introduced on the market in the US until the 1950’s. Paracetamol in pregnancy has not been proven to cause autism in multiple major clinical studies.

📽️ WATCH: Epidemiologist Erin McCanlies spent much of the past 20 years studying how parents’ exposure to toxic chemicals affects the chances that they will have an autistic child. RFK Jr. cut her entire division — yet promises to identify the causes of autism by September: https://propub.li/4nhXQua

PSA: Your period should not 🩸last > 7 days 🩸interfere with your life 🩸happen consistently > than monthly 🩸require product changes more than every 2 hours 🩸have clots larger than a quarter 🩸cause debilitating pain 🩸require double product coverage 🩸make you anemic

ACIP members are questioning whether the hepatitis B vaccine should continue to be universally administered to children at birth. Fact: Implementation of universal birth dose hepatitis B vaccine is the most effective strategy to prevent childhood infections.

This is a good analogy for folks to understand.

👇🏼👇🏽👇🏾👇🏼👇🏽👇🏾👇🏼👇🏽👇🏾👇🏼👇🏽👇🏾

•ABC fires Kimmel for mocking Trump •CBS fires Colbert for mocking Trump •ABC: fires Moran for slamming Miller •MSNBC: fires Dowd for calling out hate speech •FOX: Protects Brian Kilmeade as he calls for Nazi state murder of homeless Corporate Media Has Failed Us www.qasimrashid.com/p/the-cancel...

These ACIP members literally don't even know what the current ACIP recommendations for the vaccines they are voting on are

we need parents everywhere to be calling their reps in congress to protect vaccines + remove RFK Jr they are literally letting random internet cranks dictate your children’s health care

Remember that most deaths from gun violence are deaths by suicide. Most mass shootings are not ideological, but when they are, right-wing extremists account for the majority in the US.

All the studies show the same thing...

This is why they’re deleting studies

What’s up? Lots of Covid, that’s what’s up! Mask up. From @kkjetelina.bsky.social at yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com:

"Existing evidence also shows that azelastine is one of several drugs that can stop SARS-CoV-2 from replicating itself, halting the virus in its tracks. However it works, though, the drug is clearly effective at preventing COVID-19." www.sciencealert.com/over-the-cou...

Bottom line: Please vaccinate and prevent polio

We now go live to RFK Jr leaving the Senate hearing in a convertible

🧵How we still (try to) provide good care for #patients at 120%+ max capacity: Two ways to do this. For relatively well staffed #hospitals like mine (we have ~150 #hospitalists), we have strict caps for number of #patients on each team. When we have more than those cover, we pull in more #doctors

@annesosin.bsky.social is right on target. Keep your focus on people doing the harm. Everyone else deserves our compassion, respect and to be seen as potential allies down the line. (And I'll add, RFK Jr. is a bad person, but punching down on people who use drugs is wrong).

Countries on track to eliminate cervical cancer: -Australia by 2028 -Sweden by 2027 -Rwanda by 2030 -UK by 2040 -Indonesia by 2030 -Bhutan 2030 -El Salvador by 2030 -Canada by 2040 How? HPV vaccine. Same one RFK Jr is trying to ban. You will note USA is not on this list.

9⃣ CDC Directors going back to 1977 speak out. They served under BOTH Democratic & Republican Presidents. 🚨🚨🚨This is not business as usual. 🚨🚨🚨 nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...

Strep ❤️ Viridans streptococci DNA found in ~42% of coronary plaques, forming biofilms ignored by macrophages Once fragments escape, TLR2 senses them—potentially triggering an inflammatory response that disrupts plaque stability and increases heart attack risk www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/...

There have been 22 cases of Vibrio vulnificus reported across the U.S. South, including 2 recent deaths in Louisiana. That brings the state’s 2025 toll to 6 fatalities. It’s a bit of a “perfect storm,” as shifting ocean conditions and loss of CDC capacity collide.

“The CDC you knew is over,” @drdemetre.bsky.social said. “Unless someone takes radical action, there is nothing there that can be salvaged.” www.advocate.com/politics/dem...

“The CDC you knew is over...Unless someone takes radical action, there is nothing there that can be salvaged" @drdemetre.bsky.social www.advocate.com/politics/dem...

People are losing convenient access to vaccines depending on where they live—limiting their freedom to choose prevention. As I told NPR, Colorado is one state leading the way in safeguarding access. Unfortunately, we’re among the many states facing barriers. www.npr.org/2025/08/29/n...

This is important to remember. AT is bigger than Bluesky, and if Bluesky were to become like, say X, other applications can be (and are) developed on the protocol.

My larger point is simply that this is a bad law that impacts both Mastodon and Bluesky (and the wider Fediverse/Atmosphere) and it seems like a reason to work together to fix the law (i.e., with @gargron.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy) than to use it to take potshots at each other. The law is bad.

What’s good, #medsky? #publichealth