congrats to viruses, you guys really made it
— Allison F (@ablington.bsky.social) January 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
(Will the United States actually pull out of the World Health Organization? The UN says it can’t legally be done before January 22, 2026… and all parties agree it would be catastrophic for global health efforts, even here in America. Trump’s bigly, very strongly worded announcement made his Project 2025 minions happy, but he’s already talking about reversing his decision, so… )
Egg prices are estimated to increase about 20% in 2025, compared to about 2.2% for food prices in general www.cnn.com/2025/01/25/b…
— Catherine Rampell (@crampell.bsky.social) January 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Thread of useful information:
Many people have asked me how can they best stay informed and protect their health while we navigate the indefinite pause on communications from NIH, CDC, & FDA. Here’s a thread on concrete steps YOU can take to protect yourself & your community. 🧵
— BK. Titanji (@boghuma.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 8:53 AM
A new H5N9 bird #Flu strain has been detected in California, marking its first appearance in US poultry. Authorities are enhancing surveillance to manage the outbreak effectively. https://t.co/bZpYGkGXUu
— Medical Xpress (@medical_xpress) January 29, 2025
The risk of bird flu continues to rise as it spreads in herds &flock around the country. This is the absolute worst time for health communications the CDC to be muzzled. If we have another pandemic we will be even more vulnerable than the last time around. #h5n1
www.nature.com/articles/d41…— BK. Titanji (@boghuma.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 7:47 AM
This is bad news. It suggests reassortment of circulating H5N1 viruses with viruses containing N9 NA.
Although this indicates reassortment with avian viruses, it's still bad. Reassortment makes pandemics. The last 3/4 flu pandemics (and maybe 1918 too) were reassortant viruses. https://t.co/PE320lx8g1
— Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) January 27, 2025
But it suggests to me that there’s a lot of H5N1 around, making recombination events more likely. Although some flu experts I’ve spoken to feel that some types of reassortments are more likely than others: so it’s not clear what this would mean for an H5N1 & seasonal human flu?
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) January 27, 2025
.@USDA confirmed another dairy herd in California has been infected with #H5N1 #birdflu. The state's total is 727 herds at this point; the cumulative national total is 944 herds in 16 states. https://t.co/2BioBG14K4 pic.twitter.com/vPciLg2aDk
— Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 (@HelenBranswell) January 28, 2025
keep your cats inside
— GOLIKEHELLMACHINE (@golikehellmachine.com) January 27, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Yes, you can keep feeding songbirds: Dr. Leana S. Wen answers your questions about H5N1: https://t.co/lZU1P9b6gK
— Washington Post Opinions (@PostOpinions) January 26, 2025
Consumer info:
… “I too am closely watching the status of the bird flu,” wrote Joan from Delaware. “I live in a state with many commercial poultry farms. While I am not on or near a chicken farm, I am concerned, as I am immunocompromised. My husband and I are avid bird watchers, and we enjoy feeding the birds that stop by our feeders. Should we be concerned?”
Songbirds and other common feeder birds are much less likely than migratory waterfowl and birds of prey to contract and spread H5N1. During this outbreak, there have been no reported cases of avian flu spread by songbirds to humans.
You should continue taking precautions such as staying away from dead or sick birds, cleaning bird feeders regularly and wearing gloves when cleaning and filling them. And look out for alerts from your local and state health departments. If there are H5N1 outbreaks at nearby farms, you could consider temporarily removing the feeders.
Laura from California asked whether she should be worried about contracting H5N1 from eating wild duck. “Would you consume wild duck and, if so, would you take any precautions?”
Avian flu should not pose a risk when poultry, whether domestic or wild, are handled and cooked properly. People should not handle or eat birds that were obviously sick, but even if a bird had H5N1, the virus would be killed in the cooking process.
It’s crucial to cook poultry and poultry products to the appropriate temperature before eating them (eggs to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit and poultry and other fowl to 165 degrees). Hunters who handle wild birds should also use gloves, masks and eye protection when dressing birds…
“I agreed with everything you wrote about making the bird flu vaccine available now except one thing,” wrote Edith from D.C. “You said that manufacturers are making only 10 million vaccine doses, which is enough for only 5 million people. So why aren’t you pushing for them to make 30 or 50 times that number? Shouldn’t this be on the radar of the new administration?”
Under the Biden administration, government scientists collaborated with manufacturers to make bird flu vaccines that are a good match for currently circulating strains. Ten million such doses will be ready to be deployed this spring as soon as they are authorized.
There are two reasons not to produce more: First, if H5N1 became a pandemic, the virus would likely acquire substantial new mutations, and further updates to the vaccine would be needed. Second, that level of mass production would require significant additional funding from Congress.
Thankfully, I don’t think these actions are needed yet. Though, like Edith, I want to know how seriously the Trump administration will take bird flu and whether it will expedite vaccine manufacturing if the threat escalates.
Last night's update: 188,000 new cases, nearly 1,000 deaths https://t.co/JE8YraUZkx
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) January 27, 2025
Jan 24th update:
Despite the data freeze, wastewater was updated today, and now shows the predicted drop in rates that I've been talking about. Modeled to today:
🔸375,000 new infections/day
🔸~1 in 89 currently infected
🔸Midwest still above other regions— JPWeiland (@jpweiland.bsky.social) January 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
======
TL;DR: There’s no new intelligence. A China hawk lab leaker took over the agency and decided to make this the position, with “low confidence.”
How unexpected.— Jonathan M. Katz (@katz.theracket.news) January 25, 2025 at 4:59 PM
UK reports H5N1 in a poultry worker
As outbreaks intensify in UK birds, officials recently expanded the protection zone to all of England and added H5 vaccine to the stockpile.https://t.co/Ek2wtjTJdR pic.twitter.com/sVPhcMHMzw
— CIDRAP (@CIDRAP) January 27, 2025
======
Some learnings about our immune system from Covid @nature.com
—importance of T cells (not just neutralizing antibodies)
—key role of interferons, the first line of defense
—hybrid immunity
—underpinnings of Long Covid
www.nature.com/articles/d41…— Eric Topol (@erictopol.bsky.social) January 27, 2025 at 11:04 AM
#Scalable tests can identify immunosuppressed individuals at risk of severe COVID-19, enabling personalized vaccination strategies. This approach enhances protection for vulnerable populations. @UniofNottingham @TheLancet https://t.co/g9g9wOhSvS https://t.co/EW5RJqf6cP
— Medical Xpress (@medical_xpress) January 25, 2025
New @thelancet.bsky.social
The importance of assessing SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike antibodies in immunocompromised individuals, from the largest prospective study of >21,000 participants; antibody presence linked with protection from infection and hospitalization
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan…— Eric Topol (@erictopol.bsky.social) January 25, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Study shows for most, #LongCovid symptoms persist into second year
via @CIDRAP https://t.co/fPaeJq2Yhg— Chris Hendel (@chrishendel) January 25, 2025
The JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a major Covid wave a year ago. A new report uncovers T cell immune evasion as a mechanistic basis. We've been preoccupied on neutralizing antibodies, not enough on cell-based immunity to the virus.
www.nature.com/articles/s41…— Eric Topol (@erictopol.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 12:26 PM
CDC distinguishes 3 post-COVID MIS-C clusters based on symptoms, complications, severity | @CIDRAP @CDCgov #COVID #pandemic https://t.co/TQwMnZMNPP
— aponia_analytics (@AponiaAnalytics) January 28, 2025
======
VA study shows #COVID more severe than #RSV , flu | @CIDRAP @DeptVetAffairs https://t.co/GX4yUQOLAf
— aponia_analytics (@AponiaAnalytics) January 28, 2025
Thread:
1/n I’ve been writing/speaking about a growing convergence between antiscience & antisemitism. Not only on X, but also emails sent to me, swastikas mailed to my home.
2 major themes:
1. The “plandemic” that we made the SARS-2 virus or H5N1
2. Covid vaccine is the “Jew Jab” pic.twitter.com/obVA1YviOq
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) January 28, 2025
Vaccine bills stack up in statehouses across the US https://t.co/qLHAYN8f8S
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 27, 2025
Vaccination bills are popping up in more than 15 states as lawmakers aim to potentially resurrect or create new religious exemptions from immunization mandates, establish state-level vaccine injury databases or dictate what providers must tell patients about the shots.
Many see a political opportunity to rewrite policies in their states after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ‘s nomination as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency oversees virtually every aspect of vaccination efforts in the U.S., from funding their development to establishing recommendations for medical providers to distributing vaccines and covering them through federal programs.
Childhood vaccination rates against dangerous infections like measles and polio continue to fall nationwide, and the number of parents claiming non-medical exemptions so their kids don’t get required shots is rising…
Random (potentially) alarming disease news:
"Trump administration has instructed organizations in other countries to stop disbursing H.I.V. medications purchased with U.S. aid, even if the drugs have already been obtained and are sitting in local clinics"
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/h…— BK. Titanji (@boghuma.bsky.social) January 27, 2025 at 7:33 PM
It’s shocking how few people know about the #Tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas. Why? Because the CDC can’t issue notifications to alert healthcare workers about it. #PublicHealth
— Krutika Kuppalli, MD FIDSA (@krutikakuppalli.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Pro Tip : Health departments in the US are still reporting on outbreaks in individual states. While this may vary based on the political leadership in your state, your state's department of health website is still a valuable resource to stay updated on local outbreaks that could directly affect you.
— BK. Titanji (@boghuma.bsky.social) January 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
mapanghimagsik
Using state health departments is a great tip. I’ve realized while learning German that Germany has great resources regarding “Geflügelpest” or the highly pathogenic avian flu.
and FOIST!
lowtechcyclist
@mapanghimagsik:
It is a good tip, but there are 50 states + DC and the assorted territories. The CDC should be spreading the word about the TB epidemic in Kansas, but instead, Trump & Co. have muzzled it. We can’t fight these battles as 51 separate fiefdoms.
Will be calling my Congresspersons about this today. This is dangerous.
raven
A metro Atlanta resident who was not vaccinated has been diagnosed with measles, the highly infectious disease that used to be on the wane. The disease can be fatal, and most of the patients that measles kills are children under 5 years old.
The patient’s age was not disclosed in the public announcement.
TBone
My “Jew jab” is the thing that happens when I punch a fucking Nazi’s teeth down his throat. Figuratively, of course…
Steve in the ATl
Christ, what assholes
Princess
From the Politico article discussing Trump’s hints on rejoining the WHO:
”The U.S., meanwhile, is expected to lose access to the global network that sets the flu vaccine’s composition every year.”
That sounds bad.
different-church-lady
Some men just want to watch the world burn.
Baud
@Princess:
We still have bleach.
TBone
@Baud: I wish I could laugh today
ETA I have decided that I can. Fuckitol.
Feeding Noah first thing, I forgot to take cap off food syringe and caused a food splatter blowout hahahaha he is all cleaned up again and resting comfortably but I am rethinking my decision to give up coffee so I can nap during the day.
p.a
HIPPA doesn’t prevent individuals from disclosing their own info. Demand every congresscritter, nominee pushing the drumpf agenda disclose their vaccine history.
Kay
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-28/greenlanders-reject-trump-with-85-majority-against-joining-us
Greenlanders overwhelmingly reject US media and Republicans push to grab their country.
85% don’t want to be Americans.
glory b
Local news here in Pittsburgh reports dead geese in a pond on Gettysburg College’s campus tested positive for Avian flu.
Starfish (she/her)
Someone pointed out that if the US leaves WHO, it can’t do this thing where it idealogically yanks funding for certain types of care (like vaccines, HIV treatment, and contraception.)
sab
Ohioans: Maybe we should all contact our new Senator Husted about how bad Bobby Kennedy would be. Husted, although a Republican, was lieutenant governor to Gov. Mike DeWine who did a very good job in managing Ohio’s covid response.
Maybe give him kudos for that and ask him to continue the good work by stopping this utterly unqualified candidate.
Scout211
Not just HIV meds, Trump also halted malaria drugs and other lifesaving medications.
TBone
@glory b: thank you for sharing that –
if you have a link, I can take this info to my vet to prove I am not just paranoid about Bird Flu and yes the fuck it IS here in Pennsylvania (she insisted it is of no concern).ETA found it
https://www.wgal.com/article/gettysburg-college-dead-geese-found-at-quarry-pond-test-positive-for-bird-flu/63578229
New Deal democrat
“Interstate COVID Dashboard” – first preliminary report
In one of his first acts in office, T—-p completely muzzled US public health agencies. For all intents and purposes, there *is* no US public health organization any more, instantly turning this country into a banana republic lagging developing countries like India and South Africa. While someone at the CDC did update wastewater information last Friday, information on deaths was not updated. Additionally, and ominously, BIobot has also “paused” its reports due to “maintenance,” which very much looks like it is bending the knee to avoid retaliation from T—-p.
Much of this can be worked around, however, by using the combined information generated by the States, many of which have their own health “dashboards.” On Saturday, I wrote a comment here asking people to link to any portal that their States use to track respiratory diseases, so that I could begin to create an “Interstate COVID Dashboard to replace the CDC’s defunct site.
Other commenters responded with links to sites in 12 States: AL, CO, IN, MA, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OR, TX, and VA. I have explored all 12 sites, and this morning is my first bare-bones “Interstate COVID Dashboard” through the week ending January 19.
In week three of 2023, only 4 of those States which have kept weekly statistics available since then reported so far. Deaths in those States totaled 66. This compares with 79 in week 2 of this year, and 105 in week 1.
One year ago in week 3 of the year, these same States reported 238 deaths.
Which means in week 3 of 2025 there were 72% fewer deaths than in week 3 of last year. There were 2,364 deaths in that week, suggesting a national death total in week 3 of this year of about 700 deaths.
Further, one State – CO – does not report an actual number, but rather the rate per 100,000. In January 2024, that death rate was 1.8 per 100,000. This year so far it is running at only 0.2 per 100,000, a nearly 90% decline.
An additional State keeps statistics for the past 12 months only, enabling comparisons with this past summer’s wave. At peak, deaths in those States totaled 183. Since we know that infections peaked during the first week of January at a level only 64% of that peak, and deaths peaked at 1361 within the next month, that suggests a peak in the next several weeks of roughly 870 deaths nationwide.
Additionally, the last preliminary number reported by the CDC, for the week of January 11, was 445 deaths. Final totals have typically been 2* to 2.5* that number. That suggests the final number for that week will be 900-1100 deaths.
Finally, we can also draw some broad conclusions by comparing with Canada’s national infection and death rate. In the past 6 months, which Canada publishes at its portal, the rate of infections has been close to that we know of from the US, i.e., a spike in late summer to 9 deaths per 100,000, and a smaller spike right after the holidays to approximately 6, and only 4 per 100,000 in week 3 of this year. This also suggests a death toll of less than 50% of one year ago; which translated to the US is approximately 1,050 deaths.
Putting all of the sources together, the most likely range of deaths in the US during the week ending January 19 was between 900-1000. Which means that the death toll from COVID during the entire 12 month period through then was about 45,000-46,000.
A few further footnotes: 3 of the States commenters mentioned: AL, NC, an VA – appear no longer to report COVID information. If I have missed anything, please comment with a link to the actual page with that information.
Anyone from any other State reading this, please let me know if your State continues to track this information, so that I don’t have to search through 50+ mazes.
Several of the States I already checked also publish updates on variant proportions, wastewater data, and hospitalizations. So I can probably expand this report to include that information.
Finally, it appears that a number of blue States, e.g., California, have also ended their COVID dashboards. Because the CDC “pause” is likely to be permanent, I encourage anyone living in a Blue State, or a State like KY with a Democratic governor, to contact your reporesentative and State officials, and encourage them to restart their own Statewide respiratory virus dashboard.
Matt McIrvin
@p.a: They can disclose it but we can’t check whether they’re lying.
Percysowner
From Slate I’ve Worked in Pediatric Emergency Departments for 35 Years. Let Me Give You a Peek at Life Without Vaccine Mandates. Basically when your kid gets sick it will be more of a nightmare than it is now.
sab
@TBone: Noah sure sounds like a good egg (my late mother’s highest tribute to character and temperment.)
Matt McIrvin
@Kay: “hit yourself in the head with a hammer vs. not hit yourself in the head with a hammer”
Matt McIrvin
Well, if there’s an H5N1 pandemic and the vaccine for it becomes unavailable or even illegal (a distinct possibility), it’s gonna be impossible to get out of the country for vaccine tourism purposes.
dc
@p.a: This, with documentation for proof.
Chetan Murthy
@dc: And for all their dependents. If they’re gonna be vaxxing their kids, but leaving their constituents unprotected, we need to know that.
ETA: and they need to publicly indemnify any health professional who doxxes their medical records, so that we can know that what they say is the truth. B/c “you can’t prove a negative” but you can sure prove somebody’s a lying worthless creep who didn’t release all their records.
RaflW
@Matt McIrvin: I think it’s quite possible that if we exit WHO and do some of the other insane anti-vax things being talked about, many Americans will discover that big portions of the world may become quite difficult to visit. Or at least require traveling via a third country to get there (probably with proof of vaccination status having to be uploaded or brought along and inspected upon landing).
We haven’t had to do that sort of thing for a very long time. But as much as the rest of the world wants our tourist dollars, there may be some entirely sensible public health restrictions placed on our habituated freedom to travel.
Origuy
After almost five years of the pandemic, I finally caught Covid. I went down to Southern California for MLKJr weekend. I was in Anza-Borrego State Park. The whole time I was in the desert, I had what I thought was a cold. I was camping and outdoors pretty much the whole time. The only time I could have caught it was January 16, when I went into a crowded nightclub on the way down. After coming back, the cough and congestion hung on and I was more tired than I expected. I finally tested last Saturday. Since then, I’ve been masked every time I come out of my bedroom, as my housemate is immunocompromised. I just tested again and I still see two lines. Feeling better, but those damned lines! My doctor offered to prescribe Paxlovid, but my symptoms aren’t bad, I haven’t taken him up on it. If it will help get me over this sooner, I may get it.
EmbraceYourInnerCrone
LauraToo
Thanks Anne Laurie for continuing this, it is so valuable!
LauraToo
@New Deal democrat: MN was one of the best at getting us through Covid.
https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/stats/index.html
O. Felix Culpa
@New Deal democrat:
Here’s the New Mexico Viral Respiratory Infection Dashboard.