if you find yourself appalled that RFK Jr is able to make this claim but you don’t wear a mask in, at the very least, public indoor spaces, you are acting in precisely the way that allows him to say that covid is gone.

WATCH: Researchers at Stanford University modeled how many people could die or be disabled in 25 years if vaccines for polio, measles, rubella or diphtheria were no longer available.

In this week's MMWR from the CDC, New Mexico saw a 55% increase in uptake of the MMR vaccine in response to outreach efforts by the state public health department after a measles outbreak. Effective #HealthCommunication was a key part of their outreach. www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/us-m...

They won't start with banning birth control. First they'll lie about it. Then dictate who can prescribe it, use it, fund it, in what forms, and for how long. Suddenly, your doctor won't call you back. I know this is what they'll do because it's what they're doing to transgender healthcare right now.

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya is now also the temporary head of the CDC, a role in which he is expected to continue to do nothing but appear on right-wing podcasts and further cement the complete lack of respect of his colleagues.

"Asked if the new food pyramid is backed by high-quality research, Grok responds: “Many nutrition scientists and organizations have raised concerns about the evidence quality and process for the final version.” (but please don't rely on AI for nutrition advice!) www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/n...

Masking isn't "extreme." Especially if you're an Olympic athlete who's trained for years and an infection could ruin your ability to compete.

Anne Frank died from a typhus epidemic that spread through the concentration camp where she was imprisoned.

"Some officers report such severe moral distress before and during deployment to immigrant detention facilities that they've quit the service altogether — and some of those who've stayed feel deeply conflicted about continuing to serve the agency." www.npr.org/2026/02/05/n...

'measles outbreak at the child prison' seems entirely avoidable, it's really the kind of thing that only happens if you do several unthinkably evil things on purpose all at once

The measles outbreak in the Dilley Detention facility will disable and kill children. It’s not a flaw or an accident. This is the system working as intended. Fascism and eugenics go hand in hand. They want the “others” to die. Disease spread is a tool of the colonizer.

As I said last night about the measles outbreak at ICE detention facilities, I don’t much trust “ICE Health Services Corps”. See how the language on their website has changed. Old language (L), Mengelian language (R). From direct patient care to “assessing alien’s [sic] fitness” to be deported.

ICE in our communities (and violence in general) is a threat to public health: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

I am hearing that RFK Jr.’s minions are going to go after HPV vaccines. I’ve got problems with these people and now you’re going to hear about them, first from a personal perspective and then from a professional one. It all boils down to this: WE HAVE A SAFE VACCINE THAT PREVENTS CANCER.

I hate it here.

A good, high-level summary of the differences between the 2020-25 and 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines from @marionnestle.bsky.social. As she correctly points out, it's a real mixed bag. www.foodpolitics.com/2026/01/the-...

Some thoughts on the dietary guidance that just dropped from HHS and the USDA. USDA is responsible for both promoting US agricultural products and for nutritional guidance. You can see the problem. This may be why products from two struggling industries—cattle and dairy—appear at the top.

My first thought upon looking at the new dietary guidelines: if only we'd had a well-designed website when the guidelines were actually evidenced-based 🫠

Copy Editing Matters, from HHS's release on the new childhood vaccine schedule: All the diseases will still be available to anyone who wants them

Repeating to correct an error: There's no such thing as super #flu. But there is a doozy of a flu season underway right now. Here's what you need to know about subclade K, the #H3N2 variant making so many people sick. (Earlier I said H5N1. This is not that!!!) www.statnews.com/2026/01/06/f...

It’s official: RFK Jr has officially reduced recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11, removing universal vaccine recommendations for RSV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue and two types of bacterial meningitis. This reckless contravention of science is going to kill people.

"None of these changes are evidence-based. All of them run counter to what the CDC’s own experts...have advised. And all are likely to sow confusion, undermine public trust and ultimately drive the nation’s vaccination rates down." www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/o...

PSA: You don’t owe anyone an explanation about the health reasons why you are wearing a mask. Badgering others about the tools they need to survive is stigmatizing and ableist, and should have no place in decent society.

Wrote about how disappointing it is that Jon Stewart punched down on people masking at @motherjones.com, when people should mind their own business and leave mask wearers be. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Friendly reminder that pushback works - we are not powerless. Defend public health.

Masks are incredibly effective when they’re actually worn. They’re not effective when they’re in your hand, in your pocket, under your chin or under your nose. If you upgrade to a respirator like an N95? Even better! Mask up to avoid Covid, flu and stay healthy this holiday season.

Amid a firehose of falsehoods about vaccines, new CDC data show that last year’s Covid booster reduced the risk of severe illness by 76% among kids aged 6 months to 4 years old and 56% among kids aged 5 to 17 years old.

If you want to protect yourself against the flu that’s going around: wear a mask. And if you want to protect yourself against the Covid that’s going around: wear a mask. And if you want to protect yourself against the “something” that’s going around: wear a mask.

Looks like the Supreme Court is gearing up to force states to allow religious exemptions to childhood vaccine requirements for school entry. The completely unnecessary carnage that is going to have to occur to stop the war on Public Health will be ghastly. It doesn’t have to be this way.

As the COVID-19 response coordinator under Biden, Ashish Jha is responsible for minimizing COVID's impact and the "let it rip" approach. This is BAD news for pandemic preparedness.

Egg producers suspect bird flu is traveling through the air. After a disastrous Midwestern outbreak early this year, we tested that theory and found that where the wind blew, the virus followed. Vaccines could help, but the USDA hasn’t approved them.

- He stopped the policy of encouraging flu immunization in Louisiana - Delayed reporting on a pertussis outbreak that killed two children in Louisiana. -Promoted false information on covid vaccine harms. He is now number 2 at CDC. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Some vaccines like COVID and flu don’t stop completely stop infection. But they do reduce the risk of getting infected and greatly reduce severe illness risk. They are still worth getting. Since they are not 100% effective it’s also wise to add another layer of protection by wearing a mask.

"Viruses don’t take vacations. The longest government shutdown ever puts everyone’s health at greater risk because the data and reports that are essential for monitoring the spread of diseases haven’t been updated for weeks." — me in @huffpost.com

LFG!!! Public health IS political, and always has been.

RFK Jr. will eliminate as many vaccines as he can. Every step he takes at the CDC is in service of this aim, as well as undermining public health infrastructure overall. He cannot tolerate scientists who know more than he does, so they must go. Another great piece by @melodyschreiber.com.

I wish they said explicitly that there's $5 billion in emergency reserves they're refusing to use instead they're happy to let people - mostly children, the disabled, and elderly, starve.

The New England Journal of Medicine and the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy will be publishing regular public health alerts to replace the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which has been paused due to the federal government shutdown.

CDC has finally adopted the recommendations its vaccine panel made Sept. 19. This should increase access to Covid vaccines somewhat — CVS and Walgreens had said once the recs were official, they'd offer the shots w/o Rx nationwide, and Vaccines for Children program also needed the official approval

Some good news: you can still get a COVID vaccine, without a prescription. Bad news: it will come with a side of disinformation. 😡 (see thread)

"“He did not have any data or science to point to,” 🚨 www.statnews.com/2025/09/17/m... #FireRFKJr

As I wrote about for @motherjones.com, people are already crossing state lines to get the Covid vaccine—which may become more common if the CDC vaccine advisory committee recommends limiting them this week. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Update on Novavax COVID vaccine availability from a New York Times reporter: they haven’t been shipped out yet but the supplier plans to ship next week.

If you or your children want to get a COVID vaccine, get one before the ACIP meeting on September 18. This is not good news: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Got my COVID booster at Costco in Colorado! No qualifying conditions, no questions asked. Heads up: they had run out of the Moderna mNEXspike and it sounds like they are limiting that one to people with qualifying conditions or over 65. They said they'd have it back in stock soon.

🚨 UPDATE on the current COVID vaccine access situation in the US. Please note that this is based on state laws but different things may be happening on the ground, and some pharmacies are defaulting to federal guidelines instead of state laws.

It is absolutely wild that the person in charge of health in America has be roundly condemned and labeled as dangerous by: - Former CDC directors - Former Surgeons General - Multiple medical professional societies - Health professionals across multiple platforms And still holds his position.

As of last week, 16 states were requiring prescriptions for the COVID vaccine. The situation is still fluid, but several states have issued standing orders that make it available to anyone, without prescriptions: Massachusetts, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Good news for Coloradans who want to get a COVID vaccine w/o obtaining a Rx: CDPHE "has issued a standing order to allow pharmacists to provide COVID-19 vaccines without individual prescriptions. The standing order will take effect on Friday, September 5, 2025." 👏 www.colorado.gov/governor/new...

New statement: IDSA, APHA and partners call for RFK Jr. to resign: "Our country needs leadership that will promote open, honest dialogue — not disregard decades of lifesaving science, spread misinformation, reverse medical progress and decimate programs that keep us safe." bit.ly/3JOgDya