Noticing lots of cold symptoms and cases of the sniffles? 🤧 We're seeing a sharp increase in rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, as shown in our latest weekly data. This isn't unexpected for this time of year when kids go back to school and mixing increases.

So much discussion around student absenteeism blames students and families for not caring enough to show up. But the actual data shows that illness is the leading cause of absenteeism. I'd be very curious to see how these numbers looked before Covid-19 was added to the virus pile.

Preview of my next newsletter: Covid-19 activity is falling and influenza is hanging out at low levels. I’m hopeful we’ll get a proper reprieve before the winter sick season!

I finally updated to Zotero 7 and it's been fine! Good UI updates, none of my extensions or plugins broke. Go ahead, fellow wait-and-see-ers.

what a great interview

I spoke with @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social about respiratory disease surveillance, long covid, and how people can use disease data to make decisions thesicktimes.org/2025/09/18/e...

ICYMI: We recapped yesterday's HHS Long COVID roundtable event and related announcements. Will be adding more comments from patient advocates to the story today.

Here's what ACIP is planning to vote on today and tomorrow: - No MMRV vaccine before age 4 (only MMR and V separately) - No hepatitis B vaccine at birth unless the birthing parent is hep B+ (what about others?). After one month of age, "shared decision making" w/ doctor www.cdc.gov/acip/meeting...

Welp, public health is back in the spotlight. My book CRISIS AVERTED explains why public health is the real "wellness" industry + a candid look at what we get wrong. WSJ called it a "successful attempt to reset our relationship with...public health." 🧪 www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704843...

Death from sub-acute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in a child in Los Angeles SSPE is a rare sequel of #measles infection that appears years after the initial infection, and is uniformly fatal. So sorry for this family. As things are going on the US, we'll be seeing more of these cases.

Good morning from Bethesda, MD! I am here for the RECOVER-TLC workshop, set to announce new Long COVID clinical trials. @thesicktimes.org is live blogging the meeting, and I will have a news feature about the trials later today. thesicktimes.org/2025/09/09/l...

Covid is peaking..but what really caught my eye is flu! It's pretty early for flu to be stirring. We'll see if it sticks around. caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/weekly-hea...

“This early uptick doesn't necessarily mean we're headed straight for an early season, but it bears watching closely. As a point of comparison, the 2022-23 season followed a similar trajectory, but we did not cross the 3% threshold until late October.” #IDsky 🧪

Covid is peaking..but what really caught my eye is flu! It's pretty early for flu to be stirring. We'll see if it sticks around. caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/weekly-hea...

they should’ve thought twice

Vaccines are popular, actually. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/o...

Disease prevalence in US states before & after vaccine introduction 🧪 From Edward Tufte & graphics.wsj.com/infectious-d...

Just announced: @who.int is ending the public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) over the spread of #mpox in Africa. It was declared in August 2024. (AfricaCDC has announced it remains a Continental Emergency.) #IDsky 🧪

So if you aren't perfectly healthy your punishment is....preventable death? What are we doing here. “Dr. Memoli reiterated the administration’s position that vaccines are unnecessary if populations are healthy,” the complaints said.

Public health has changed the course of history, saving countless lives from illness and early death. Some of humanity's greatest accomplishments are public health wins. I hope my book can be a touchpoint for people trying to understand These Times.

My mom, @bettyscarpino.bsky.social, has a piece going on display at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery!!! The @washingtonpost.com mentioned her in their great review of the show. She’s many of our biggest social media booster, so let’s show her lots of love ❤️ www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

- We are likely at or near peak summer Covid - Sore throats are up, too - No flu or RSV yet, at least. - Big recall of frozen shrimp caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/school-yea...

And in the U.S., the manufacturers each submit data to FDA ever year in giant review packets. All available online.

- We are likely at or near peak summer Covid - Sore throats are up, too - No flu or RSV yet, at least. - Big recall of frozen shrimp caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/school-yea...

never trust influenza

@kkjetelina.bsky.social and @cmyeaton.bsky.social are my go-to folks for vaccine & outbreak information written for normies. the best in the biz

On one project, I have $3,000 in the budget for open access fees. Surprise!--that does not even pay for one article. At some journals, it doesn't even pay half. And for what? Authors write, and format for free. Reviewers work for free. Many editors are unpaid. Is the $ straight profit?

Publication fees are OUTRAGEOUS. I'm about ready to opt out of the whole system. 😡

Today, FDA approved seasonal covid vaccines for people 65+ and people with health conditions. I have updated my FAQ with more questions and answers from readers. www.forceofinfection.com/faq-on-fall-...

Scoop - SUSAN MONAREZ, nation’s newly installed CDC director, is being ousted, people familiar tell @lenasun.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social + me

Patients know what needs to change in healthcare. Voices in Print helps bring those insights to medical journals by pairing patients with professional writers. Now accepting applications. caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/writing-pa...

One week after I wrote about how mass shootings are routine in America, there is another mass shooting. I feel physically ill. caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/a-routine-...

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved updated Covid vaccines for the fall season that limit who can get the shots, the federal government’s most restrictive policy since the vaccines became available. Story by @by-cjewett.bsky.social and Jacey Fortin. Gift link: nyti.ms/3Hz1WhX

As someone who cares for trauma patients, I love this either way my whole heart

Summer covid-19 wave not peaking yet, and school-age kids joining young kids in seeing rapid rise. On the bright side, influenza and RSV are still quiet. caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/covid-wave...

During peak season, 6% of visits to the emergency department are for Covid-19 in children ages 0-4.

If you are accommodating someone with dietary restrictions, please refrain from having feelings about whether/how much they eat. "I got them this special thing, why didn't they eat as much as I want them to?" Could be they're full, they don't like that food, they decided it's not actually safe.

Some bonus content on how Baltimore is taking a public health approach to gun violence, modeled after the approach epidemiologists use to stop outbreaks www.forceofinfection.com/baltimores-p...

Mass shootings in America are routine. caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/a-routine-...

I tried to figure out what is going on with fall vaccines. - Flu vax is for everyone 6+ months and availability should be normal - Covid-19 vax likely be limited to ages 65+ AND people with health conditions. Still some uncertainty. - RSV for older adults and babies substack.com/home/post/p-...

I tried to figure out what is going on with fall vaccines. - Flu vax is for everyone 6+ months and availability should be normal - Covid-19 vax likely be limited to ages 65+ AND people with health conditions. Still some uncertainty. - RSV for older adults and babies substack.com/home/post/p-...

I will never lose my sense of awe for the miracles that public health and medicine bestow.

really need folks to understand how close CDC came to a mass casualty event. i saw all the news photos and was still shocked when i saw the dozens of bullet holes across the windows of HQ offices—including some of senior agency leadership. it is truly a miracle more people weren’t hurt

He called the CDC a cesspool of corruption that lied about the COVID vaccines. Now someone has committed violence because of the same misinformation.

I hired a fact checker. Authors have to pay for it themselves, but 100% worth it in my opinion.

Here's a recording of a talk I gave in April re: rehabilitation and LC. This was the first time I was asked to intentionally meld research data & personal experience Thanks to @uoftcovidrehab.bsky.social for inviting me & for hosting an almost entirely masked audience! youtu.be/6wPHa1eZ8eU?...

Covid-19 is on the ups, just in time for back to school. The South and West are seeing higher levels of activity, but other areas of the country are also registering increases. We may also see RSV begin to tick up soon, but it has not begun yet. substack.com/home/post/p-...

New post on the MrBeast strategy vs The Rolling Stones strategy when it comes to chasing online attention: kucharski.substack.com/p/the-mrbeas...

Breaking from @drewsnews.bsky.social: Vinay Prasad is out at FDA endpoints.news/vinay-prasad...

What even the point of this? Families are waiting for cures. Who benefits from the senseless destruction of the research enterprise that brought us decades more of healthy life?