"The Dancing Nana"!

She's a member of The Greatest Generation, and they don't make 'em like this anymore!  I had lively grandparents myself and heard stories about my larger-than-life great-grandmothers, so I really loved this story. Visit the link to see the videos.

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At 102, she loves to dance the Tush Push, do yoga, eat chocolate every day; Meet Shirley Goodman, known as “The Dancing Nana,” who is a hit on the dance floor.

By A. Pawlowski

"At 102, Shirley Goodman is having a great time as “The Dancing Nana.”

"Her family posts videos on Instagram of the great-grandmother tap dancing, shimmying, doing the floss dance and otherwise enjoying herself at parties and family gatherings. She's a "true believer in the power of dance," they say.

"Goodman went viral in 2019 when she performed the Tush Push, a line dance with twirls and kicks, at the age of 96 at her nephew’s wedding, as other, much younger guests barely kept up with the routine. 

"The video made her an Instagram star.

"Goodman turned 102 on March 14 and attributes her longevity to tap dancing, a positive attitude and milk chocolate, she told TODAY's Al Roker in an interview that aired on April 4.

"She even gave him a tap dancing lesson — "It's not as easy as it looks, keeping up with The Dancing Nana," Roker said — with both later performing in front of an audience. He then surprised her with jars of Smucker's jam with her picture on them.

"The centenarian even shared a "raunchy" poem about aging, that ended with the line "The golden years can kiss my a--."

"She said she feels about 40 years old.

“I feel great — (age) is just a number to me,” Goodman, who lives independently in Sarasota, Florida, told TODAY.com when she turned 100 in 2023.

“I would advise people, if they like music at all, to keep it in their lives and don’t just sit home in a rocking chair.”

"How did Goodman achieve such healthy longevity? Many people may be surprised she doesn’t eat healthy food and is an energetic 102-year-old despite obstacles such as heart disease and other health problems.

"Here is her longevity advice:

Keep moving

"Goodman, who was born in 1923 in Troy, New York, started dancing when she was 8 years old. Her dad, “a vaudeville man,” taught her how to tap dance and she opened her own dancing school at 17, where she taught ballet and ballroom dancing.

"She closed the school when she got married a few years later, but has continued to enjoy dancing all her life. Studies have found that besides providing enjoyable physical activity, dancing can be beneficial for brain health and reduce the risk of becoming physically disabled.

"Goodman played tennis until she was 90 and also took up golf, “but I wasn’t crazy about that,” she says. Goodman is also not a fan of walking: “I only walk as far as my mailbox, which is about five minutes.”

"She does yoga via FaceTime with her daughter, Joan, who lives in Albany, New York.

Life comes with setbacks. Stay resilient

"Goodman has survived many crises in her life, but always tried to stay positive.

'Soon after she got married in 1943, her husband, a pilot, left to fight in World War II. He was shot down the next year and was a prisoner of war until 1945. When he came home, the couple had four children and were married until his death in 1995.

"Goodman has had two open-heart surgeries, including a bypass surgery to fix clogged arteries, and has a pacemaker and a stent. She also deals with vision and hearing problems, but continues to keep dancing.

“My legs are still working,” she says. “I’m an optimist. I try to do positive thinking all the time. That’s very important. I have a bracelet that says ‘Positivity’ on it. I wear it every day and I try to stay positive.”

"She advises others to try to be happy with their thoughts and their families.

Enjoy what you’re eating

"Longevity experts previously told TODAY.com that many people who live long healthy lives don’t exactly focus on yogurt and vitamins, and Goodman might be an example of that.

“I don’t eat healthy food,” she says. “My kids would holler at me… but when I hit 90, they stopped bothering me.”

“We figured she was going to outlive us,” Goodman’s daughter Joan, 73, tells TODAY.com. “(But) you would not want to write a cookbook based on her nutritional recommendations. I think the secret is to enjoy what you’re eating.”

"Goodman says she loves fried foods like shrimp — “anything that’s cooked in batter” — plus chocolate and any kind of sweets. She likes to have at least one piece of chocolate after each meal, including a chocolate chip cookie with breakfast. The centenarian doesn’t like the healthier dark chocolate — her favorite is milk chocolate with nuts. She also doesn’t eat a lot of vegetables or home cooked meals.

“I say ‘cook’ is a four letter word, so I don’t cook very much,” Goodman says. “I eat very small portions, but I eat everything and anything I like.”

"But the centenarian doesn’t drink alcohol — she doesn’t like the taste. She also never smoked.

Seek the warmth of family

'Goodman has four children, 10 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She’s been teaching some of them how to do the Tush Push.

“I attribute (my longevity) mostly to two things. One is my family — I have a wonderful, devoted family. And the jazz, the music down here in Sarasota, and my tap dancing, that’s what keeps me going.”

Stay Safe: COVID Variant LP.8.1 Is Already Here

I hope (but doubt) that everyone is paying attention to this here in America, as we don't need more Covid Complacency:

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What to know about the new Covid strain affecting three in five UK patients; The variant is becoming more and more dominant

Thomas Jeffries, The Independent (London), Thursday 03 April 2025   

"More than five years since COVID was declared a pandemic, we’re still facing the regular emergence of new variants of the virus, SARS-CoV-2.

"The latest variant on the rise is LP.8.1. It’s increasing in Australia, making up close to one in five COVID cases in New South Wales. Elsewhere it’s become even more dominant, comprising at least three in five cases in the United Kingdom, for example.

"So what is LP.8.1? And is it cause for concern? Let’s look at what we know so far.

An offshoot of Omicron

"LP.8.1 was first detected in July 2024. It’s a descendant of Omicron, specifically of KP.1.1.3, which is descended from JN.1, a subvariant that caused large waves of COVID infections around the world in late 2023 and early 2024.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) designated LP.8.1 as a variant under monitoring in January. This was in response to its significant growth globally, and reflects that it has genetic changes which may allow the virus to spread more easily and pose a greater risk to human health.

"Specifically, LP.8.1 has mutations at six locations in its spike protein, the protein which allows SARS-CoV-2 to attach to our cells. One of these mutations, V445R, is thought to allow this variant to spread more easily relative to other circulating variants. V445R has been shown to increase binding to human lung cells in laboratory studies.

"Notably, the symptoms of LP.8.1 don’t appear to be any more severe than other circulating strains. And the WHO has evaluated the additional public health risk LP.8.1 poses at a global level to be low. What’s more, LP.8.1 remains a variant under monitoring, rather than a variant of interest or a variant of concern.

"In other words, these changes to the virus with LP.8.1 are small, and not likely to make a big difference to the trajectory of the pandemic.

That doesn’t mean cases won’t rise

"COVID as a whole is still a major national and international health concern. So far this year there have been close to 45,000 new cases recorded in Australia, while around 260 people are currently in hospital with the virus.

"Because many people are no longer testing or reporting their infections, the real number of cases is probably far higher.

"In Australia, LP.8.1 has become the third most dominant strain in NSW (behind XEC and KP.3).

"It has been growing over the past couple of months and this trend looks set to continue.

"This is not to say it’s not growing similarly in other states and territories, however NSW Health publishes weekly respiratory surveillance with a breakdown of different COVID variants in the state.

"Sequences of LP.8.1 in the GISAID database, used to track the prevalence of variants around the world, increased from around 3 per cent at the end of 2024 to 38 per cent of global sequences as of mid March.

"In some countries it’s climbed particularly high. In the United States LP.8.1 is responsible for 55 per cent of cases. In the UK, where LP.8.1 is making up at least 60 per cent of cases, scientists fear it may be driving a new wave.

Will COVID vaccines work against LP.8.1?

"Current COVID vaccines, including the most recently available JN.1 shots, are still expected to offer good protection against symptomatic and severe disease with LP.8.1.

"Nonetheless, due to its designation as a variant under monitoring, WHO member countries will continue to study the behaviour of the LP.8.1 variant, including any potential capacity to evade our immunity.

"While there’s no cause for panic due to LP.8.1 variant at this stage, COVID can still be a severe disease for some. Continued vigilance and vaccination, particularly for medically vulnerable groups, is essential in minimising the impact of the disease."

Your 60 Minutes Is Up: Lesley Stahl, Hamas Apologist

How anyone like Lesley Stahl can make such ridiculous excuses for Hamas continues to amaze me. She knows full well about the 10/7 atrocities like we do, and she saw the emaciated condition of the released hostages, just like we did. Hamas must be thrilled every time some willfully blind American or British media source makes remarks like this, and you can bet it makes good propaganda in their favor (Poor Hamas is starving, like the poor Gazans!)

Lesley, please retire from CBS ASAP.

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‘60 Minutes’ host slammed for asking Hamas hostage if he was starved because terrorists ran out of food 

"Several prominent pro-Israel social media accounts have accused “60 Minutes” host Lesley Stahl of being sympathetic to Hamas terrorists following a Sunday night interview she conducted with a hostage recently released by the militant group.

"Stahl asked Hamas hostage Keith Siegel whether his captors starved him on purpose or because they didn’t have enough food to give him.

"During the CBS News program, she spoke to several hostages who had recently been freed from the terror group’s clutches and returned to their families. Stahl spoke to Siegel, along with Tal Shalom and Yarden Bibas — the man whose wife and two young children were murdered while in captivity — learning details about their horrific experiences living in Hamas-controlled tunnels in Gaza.

"While Siegel discussed how his captors treated him, he stated that after his wife, Aviva, was released from captivity, Hamas became “very mean and very cruel and violent.”

“They were beating me and starving me,” Siegel said. Stahl followed by asking, “Do you think they starved you because or they just didn’t have food?”

"Siegel denied that his torturers didn’t have enough food, recounting, “No, I think they starved me, and they would often eat in front of me and not offer me food.” 

People Who've Never Had COVID

I've never had it, and I'm immunocompromised. But I've gotten every COVID shot, faithfully worn a mask, avoided crowds, and done everything I can to avoid additional risk. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my luck continues.

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From Futility.org, posted by Boston University, 4/2/25:

What can scientists learn from people who’ve never had COVID?

Five years after the world shut down in response to the rapid spread of a mysterious disease, the total number of reported cases of COVID-19 worldwide is approaching 800 million. That’s roughly the equivalent of the entire population of Europe. Approximately 10,000 new cases are still reported every day worldwide.

And, yet, somehow in our midst are Novids, or so-called “super-dodgers”—people who have never had COVID-19.

BU Today first wrote about this phenomenon in January 2023, speaking to Boston University clinician and researcher Sabrina Assoumou. That story became one of the most-read in the publication’s history—and one of the most-commented-on, as people shared their own tales of being exposed to the virus but never testing positive.

“Never had Covid. No vaccine. 4 out of 6 people in my household have had it twice or more. 3 of them were vaccinated with boosters. I’m confused as to why I’ve never gotten it,” one woman writes.

Scientists are curious, too, because if they can determine whether Novids have some sort of genetic code, antibody, or cell makeup that is helping to ward off COVID, they might be able to use that information to design stronger treatments or more effective vaccines.

Here, two years later, Assoumou digs into what scientists have learned about COVID and people who’ve never gotten it:

Q It’s hard to believe there are still people out there, five years later, who still have never had COVID. Does that surprise you?

A I think a lot of those individuals are people who are trying very hard not to get it. They are probably still masking and avoiding large crowds, especially indoors. I still get weekly emails from people who saw our first article, and they write to tell me, I found your article, I don’t think I’ve had COVID. And they are asking if there are studies they could join to answer important questions related to this topic.

 

Q So that’s a good thing, I suppose, right?

A It’s fascinating on many levels. As a scientist, it’s great to know there is goodwill out there, and that people want to help us find answers. People do want to help science, they care about what’s potentially happening.

 

Q As a scientist, what do you tell people?

A The best way to limit the risk of getting COVID and its complications is to get vaccinated. Vaccination doesn’t prevent all infections, but it prevents some. Most importantly, vaccination decreases the risk for severe disease, hospitalization, and death. We also know that masking works. It is especially helpful in crowded indoor settings with poor ventilation. Testing is also helpful to prevent spreading infections. We also know that Paxlovid is helpful for individuals at risk for developing severe complications such as older people or individuals with underlying conditions.

 

Q What else have scientists learned?

A Age is important. We know that children are at a lower risk than older adults for getting severe complications from COVID.

 

Q Let’s talk about the human immune system. What has COVID taught us about our immune systems?

A Let’s start with some background on the immune system. There are two arms of the immune system, the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system provides us with a more general response to infections. The adaptive immune system is more specific and involves antibodies, T-cells, and B-cells. In the adaptive immune system, your body targets an infectious agent with a response that is specific to that infection. Information that we have learned with COVID is that children appear to have a more robust innate immune response to this infection and they therefore have less severe symptoms if they are infected.

 

Q How did our immune systems react to COVID?

A COVID was interesting. If you look at it today, it’s mostly people 75 and older who are dying from COVID. Age is such an important determining factor for death. Children were doing better than you would expect. We think this occurs because their innate immune response seems to address the infection earlier than adults. This is interesting because when we compare what we are seeing with COVID to other respiratory infections such as influenza, the story is a little different. For influenza, we see that younger and older individuals are most impacted. This is in contrast to COVID, where children seem to have milder disease.

 

Q There was a time when we all thought masks might just be a permanent part of our future. But that seems to have passed now and the vast majority of people stopped masking. Why do you think masks didn’t stick?

A If you go to Asia today, you see more people wearing masks than in the US. Some have noted that changes that occurred after Asia experienced SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by SARS-coV1] in the early 2000s might explain these differences. The SARS outbreak involved 29 countries and likely contributed to a more cautious approach to respiratory infections. So, masking is probably more common there because of past experiences and also some cultural factors. There seems to be a general attitude that masking is what you do when you have a cold or to protect others. We didn’t have the same experience with SARS-CoV1 so perceptions about masking are a little different than what we see in Asia.

 

Q Can you talk about what kind of research and studies have been done or are being done with Novids?

A A team of investigators in collaboration with the NIH are trying to specifically answer some key questions. The project is called the COVID Human Genetic Effort and they are still recruiting patients who appear to be resistant to COVID.

If you go to their main mission page, they are trying to understand why certain people get more severe infection and why some people might not develop COVID despite being exposed.

Q From your research, how likely do you think it is that genetics play a role in whether someone is more or less susceptible to getting COVID?

A Genes that prevent SARS-CoV -2 infections altogether have not yet been identified, but we have some information about individuals who get infected but do not develop any symptoms because of their genetic makeup. For example, a study discovered that some individuals have a variation in genes coding for HLA (human leukocyte antigens), and they are therefore less likely to develop symptoms after an infection.

Information about people who are less susceptible to COVID is important because these individuals might provide data to help us develop better vaccines and treatments for SARS-CoV-2. If we understand what is happening at a biological level, you can better develop approaches to prevent it.

Q Is that how Paxlovid was developed?

A Paxlovid works by interfering with a protein that contributes to helping the virus grow and spread. It is indicated for people who are at high risk for developing severe complications from COVID. It is given early after infection to decrease disease severity. It is notable that Paxlovid was also studied to see if it could prevent individuals who were exposed to SARS-CoV2 from developing the infection. Unfortunately, in those cases it didn’t work to prevent infections. So, in summary, Paxlovid needs to be taken early after infection and it works best for individuals who are at risk for severe disease such as older individuals or individuals with underlying conditions.

 

Q Lastly, I have to ask about the political climate right now, especially around vaccines. How concerned are you?

A What’s concerning for me as an infectious diseases physician is that COVID is a preventable illness. All the current deaths are preventable. Last month, we had approximately 900 people dying per week from COVID. That’s a lot of people in 2025. It is notable that the current recommendation from the CDC says that individuals who are 65 or older should get a vaccine in the fall and then a second one around February.

The CDC recommendation was developed to address the deaths that we are seeing, but unfortunately we are not observing vaccination levels that would be helpful to address all preventable deaths. So right now, in terms of vaccination I am more focused on individuals 65 and older. Every single one of those deaths, as we sit here today, was preventable, with vaccines. We succeeded in creating vaccines that work very well for severe disease, hospitalization, and deaths, but unfortunately there isn’t enough vaccination occurring.

Q For many people, you would think the possibility of getting long COVID might scare them into getting the vaccine.

A Vaccination has been shown to decrease your chances of getting long COVID. It is true that long COVID isn’t as common as it used to be earlier in the pandemic. It used to be estimated that 20 to 30 percent of individuals who were infected would get long COVID. Now the proportion has come down, but it is still approximately 7%. That’s still a lot of people.

 

Q Do you wonder how long you’ll be getting emails about COVID?

A The best part of getting emails about NOVIDs is that what I am reading is different from the headlines on the news. We know that there has unfortunately been a decrease in the trust of science; however, these emails remind me that there are still many people who want to contribute to science. Many of the people who write to me are altruistic, they want to help science. This gives me hope about creating a better future for everyone. That’s the part that warms my heart.

Source: Boston University

Mask-Wearing In America

Wearing a mask is part of my daily routine. It always makes me feel better to see others in masks in supermarkets and doctors' waiting rooms -- especially when they're coughing! Masks and good manners - they've both disappeared.

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Yahoo!Life 3/10/25:

5 years after the pandemic started, COVID-19 is still around. Masks? Not so much. A look at where Americans stand when it comes to masking now.

"Has your COVID-era mask been a constant companion or is it collecting dust? Americans’ relationship with masking has been fraught (and politicized) since the beginning of the pandemic, a time when many balked at mandates to wear them while others wouldn’t leave their home without that level of protection.

"Five years on, have we moved closer to a happy compromise? Mask requirements have largely ceased, and deciding whether to wear one is up to the individual. And some people do make that choice, particularly during cold and flu season, though polling suggests that masks are both less commonplace and a bit less polarizing these days. Here’s how we got here — and what to know about the current state of masking in the U.S.

Mask culture has actually been around for a while — just not in the U.S.

"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, you’d rarely see any Americans outside of an operating room wearing surgical masks — and you would probably raise a lot of eyebrows if you wore one in public. But Dr. David Wohl, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of North Carolina, tells Yahoo Life that in parts of Asia it was fairly common to mask up, especially when the wearer had a respiratory illness they didn’t want to spread.

"As Voice of America (VOA) reports, people in countries such as China and Japan have been wearing masks for decades for many reasons — from blocking out air pollution to putting up a “social firewall” to avoid awkward interactions on public transit. But masking became especially prevalent during the SARS outbreak in 2002; after that, it was normal for people, especially in congested cities, to wear a mask in public as a courtesy to others if they were feeling under the weather.

"Wohl says regular outbreaks of respiratory viruses in that part of the world likely led many people to incorporate mask-wearing into everyday life, along with “a sense of responsibility to not pass an infection on to others.” In this way, masking became a common courtesy, almost like covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough — making surgical mask-wearing more of an altruistic act than one of self-preservation.

“I suppose wearing a mask, especially when I occasionally cough due to giving a lesson after some consecutive hours, makes others feel safe,” one Taipei middle school teacher told VOA at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. “It’s not just for myself, but a way to decrease the fear of people around me.”

"But here in the U.S., we don’t have “that same type of social consciousness,” Wohl says. “We are more likely to wear masks to avoid infection rather than to prevent forward transmission of a germ to others.”

Five years later, are Americans still masking?

"Even at the peak of the pandemic, how much people masked depended a lot on where they lived, and that’s likely still the case today. Dr. Jessica Justman, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University, says it may be different elsewhere, but in New York City, where she works, it has become common to see some people masking up in public.

"Dr. Rachel Amdur, an assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University, tells Yahoo Life that while the U.S. is likely not at the same level of comfort with wearing masks in public as countries in Asia, it’s more common now to see people wearing masks in public here than it was before COVID arrived on the scene.

"And Dr. Dean Winslow, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, tells Yahoo Life that he still wears a mask when he’s somewhere that’s crowded and indoors. Masking up in more health care settings — not just inside an operating room — is also less of an anomaly, he adds.

“As health care providers we are still asked to wear a mask with face-to-face encounters with our patients to avoid, potentially, causing infection in our patients — many of whom are immunocompromised,” Winslow says.

"Wohl says he’s “heartened” when he sees people of all ages wearing masks in public places, like on airplanes and at supermarkets, and speculates that some of these maskers may have weaker immune systems, “while others just are not in the mood to get sick.”

"And in California and areas affected by wildfire smoke, masking also saw a recent boost as health experts encouraged tight-fitting N95 masks to protect against dangerous particulates in the air.

"Still, recent polling from the Pew Research Center reveals that while mask-wearers are still out there, they are few and far between — and their numbers have plummeted since the beginning of the pandemic. According to Pew, 80% of Americans say they rarely or never wear a mask in stores or businesses. Four years ago, those numbers were reversed, with 88% of Americans saying they had worn a mask or face covering in stores all or most of the time in the past month.

"And while most Americans (74%) say they think it’s extremely or very important for people who are sick to avoid contact with vulnerable people, they’re less enthusiastic about taking action to protect others; 43% of Americans feel it’s extremely or very important to wear a mask in crowded settings when you have cold-like symptoms.

"In fact, Pew found that masks are now so underutilized that even the divide between Republicans and Democrats has narrowed. Once highly politicized, frequent mask-wearing has now almost equally been discarded by both parties, with just 6% of Democrats and 2% of Republicans saying they frequently wore one in the past month. (The partisan differences were less stark, however, when asked if they had worn a mask at all recently — with 76% of Republicans and 47% of Democrats saying they had never masked up in the past month.)

When masks work (and when they don’t)

"Our knowledge about masks — and what works and what doesn’t — has evolved a lot over the past five years. Some of the cynicism about masks and whether they actually stem the spread of infection, Wohl says, was likely rooted in resistance to the mitigation measures that were enforced during the height of the pandemic — but that doesn’t detract from their effectiveness.

“The reality is we may not like wearing masks, but they do protect us from getting and giving COVID-19 and other respiratory infections,” Wohl says.

"Of course, not all masks are created equal. Whereas pre-COVID, most of us not working in health care had never thought about the merits of an N95 versus a surgical mask, today, laypeople are much more informed. Wohl points out that any middle schooler could tell you that while a cloth bandana is no match for someone coughing in close quarters, and N95 respirators are the gold standard for protection, surgical masks are a good middle ground — striking a decent balance between cost, ease and effectiveness.

"Winslow says that when properly fitted, N95 masks provide excellent protection to both the wearer and those around them. “However, N95 masks are uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, need to be fitted and are quite expensive,” Winslow explains. “In contrast, surgical procedure masks are inexpensive and comfortable to wear.”

"But while surgical masks do provide some protection to the wearer, Winslow says, they’re most effective at preventing the wearer from spreading viruses to others.

"Still, Amdur says we “have a long way to go” with understanding how masks work to prevent respiratory illness. In the meantime, she says it’s probably a good idea to wear a mask in public if you have symptoms of an upper respiratory virus — such as nasal congestion, sore throat or fever — or if you’re immunocompromised and in a crowded public space. Justman also suggests masking up when RSV, flu and COVID cases in your area are high."

Katelyn Jetelina's The Dose Newsletter - March 31, 2025

Here's the latest newsletter from Your Local Epidemiologist, Dr.Katelyn Jetelina:

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Good riddance flu, fall vaccine plan, fluoride, long Covid research back, and yes, measles.
The Dose (March 31)

Another week, another dose of public health news you can use. Also, a quick reminder to double-check who’s in your Signal group chats.

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Flu: good riddance to a rough season

Flu season is finally wrapping up. Across most of the U.S., influenza-like illnesses (fevers, coughs, sore throats) are dipping just below epidemic levels. The exceptions? Maine and New York are still seeing high activity.

Influenza-like illness levels over time. Source: CDC; Annotated by YLE

It was a rough one. This flu season saw the highest number of hospitalizations in the past 15 years. We’re still waiting on final death counts—especially among kids—but unfortunately, we expect the trend to follow.

Influzenza hospitalizations over time. Source: CDC; Annotated by YLE

What this means for you: While colds circulate year-round, the worst is likely over. Hopefully that means fewer disruptions (and tissues) ahead for your family.

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Fall vaccines: what’s the plan?

At this time every year, VRBPAC—the external FDA advisory committee for vaccines—determines the flu vaccine formula. Secretary Kennedy canceled this meeting, so we don’t have a U.S. recommendation for the formula. However, manufacturers are still moving forward based on WHO recommendations. This is okay; U.S. recommendations rarely differ.

Similarly, VRBPAC hasn’t determined a Covid-19 vaccine formula for fall. I’m not worried yet for two reasons:

1. The Covid formula is usually determined in June. This is because the mRNA platform gives us more time—vaccines can be made within 3 months (vs. 6 months for the flu vaccine). This may be bad news for Novavax, which takes 6+ months to manufacture. This brings us to the second point.

2. Covid-19 hasn’t dramatically changed (although we are keeping an eye on a variant in South Africa), so there’s a good chance the vaccine formula won’t be changed this fall.

ACIP—the external advisory committee for the CDC, which Secretary Kennedy put on hold—has been rescheduled for mid-April. The committee’s purpose is to determine vaccine policy: who should get vaccines (as opposed to what is in the vaccines). This recommendation is very important for insurance coverage. The mid-April meeting covers other vaccines—the flu and Covid vaccine policy is reserved for the June meeting.

What this means for you: Flu and Covid vaccines are still expected this fall. The big question will be: Will they be covered by insurance? Stay tuned.

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Shake up at FDA

The most concerning news? Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s top vaccine official, was told to resign—or be fired—and officially stepped down Friday. He’s served under multiple presidents and helped lead Operation Warp Speed. I personally appreciated his steady head during FDA meetings. (Republicans and Democrats praised his service.) In his resignation letter, Marks warned Secretary Kennedy is not interested in scientific facts, citing “misinformation” and “lies”.

This is incredibly concerning, particularly because it’s following a pattern. Last week, Kevin Griffins—Director of Communication at CDC—resigned citing similar concerns.

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Public health alerts

Utah banned fluoride in drinking water last week. If you’re in Utah, should you put fluoride into water yourself? You will be fine if you’re using toothpaste and going to the dentist. The most at-risk will be lower-income families still struggling to find dentists who take their insurance. The impact will go beyond cavities, as poor dentition can lead to stigma and shame for a child and can serve as a visible sign of poverty. See more about the benefit and risk in a previous YLE post.

Source: YLE

Measles: There are now more than 500 cases nationwide so far—more than double last year. It’s still low compared to pre-vaccine days, but it’s not something to ignore.

Ohio now has a small but growing outbreak (10 cases).

The panhandle outbreak is exploding—it’s now up to 476 cases, with more than 73 cases reported in 3 days in Texas. This outbreak has now spilled over to three states: Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Kansas, where cases are all still growing. It also spilled over into Mexico (Chihuahua state), which now has up to 95 cases. Meanwhile, children given supplemental doses of cod liver oil and Vitamin A from their parents are showing up in the hospital in West Texas for liver toxicity.

If you want a deeper dive, here is the excellent SITREP report from Yale School of Public Health students. For our neighbors up in Canada, there are a few details on your outbreak here, too:

Yale Vmoc Special Report Measles Outbreak Southwest Us 3 30 2025 Final V3

1.49MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Measles cases are also popping up in other states due to travel:

• D.C.: This case traveled to several places while contagious, including taking the Amtrak from D.C. to New Jersey and flying to Minnesota.

• Cherokee Nation (OK) case, which may not be linked to the Texas outbreak.

• PA: A vaccinated case who traveled to Texas is in Bucks County. While infected, he went to a Starbucks, but remember that vaccinated cases are less contagious.

• TN case in Shelby County.

Meanwhile, in Idaho, lawmakers introduced a “Medical Freedom Act” that would ban schools and businesses from requiring proof of vaccination. Idaho already has the lowest kindergarten MMR rate in the country (79%). The state’s school nurse association is opposing the bill.

What this means for you: If you and your kids are up to date on vaccines, you’re well protected. I’m most concerned about infants under 12 months who are too young for the MMR vaccine. In outbreak areas, they can be vaccinated early—starting at 6 months. Also: pay attention to local policies, and speak up if something doesn’t align with your values.

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Good news: Long COVID research funding restored

Last week, Long COVID research was on the chopping block—one of many budget cuts hitting public health. But thanks to advocates (including you!) and bipartisan support from four key senators, funding has been reinstated.

This is a huge win. Long COVID research can help millions suffering from chronic symptoms—and potentially unlock answers for other post-viral illnesses, too.

What this means for you: Speaking up works. Especially when it comes to chronic diseases, which remain a focus for this administration. Use the right language with the right audience—here are tips from a former CDC Chief of Staff under the first Trump administration.

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Question grab bag

“All those cuts you mentioned, to immunization records, measles tracking, wastewater tracking, etc. Would those be required cuts, or are they things a state could decide to pay for outside federal funding?”

Great question. What’s being cut are CDC “pass-through” funds—money Congress gives to CDC, which then goes to states for public health infrastructure. (Fun fact: 80% of CDC’s budget goes directly to communities.)

Without this federal support, states will need to cover the gap. But many simply can’t. For example, in Rhode Island, one CDC grant made up 12% of the state health department’s budget.

Bottom line: The impact will vary by state. If these programs matter to you, show up at town halls and contact your reps. (One of our YLE team members was just at the NYC town hall where this came up!)

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Bottom line

You’re now fully caught up to start your week. Remember: your voice matters—especially at the local and state level.

Love, the YLE team

Caitlin Rivers' Outbreak Outlook - March 31, 2025

Here's the latest newsletter from Dr Caitlin Rivers' Force of Infection website. Unfortunately, most of the charts & graphs won't copy, so check them out yourself at the link:

Outbreak Outlook - National - Mar 31- The end of flu season is in sight 

Respiratory Diseases

Influenza-like illness

Outpatient influenza-like illness (ILI) has dipped to 3.3%, edging closer to the 3% threshold that marks the end of flu season. I expect we’ll get there next week or the week after.

One thing to watch: an increasing proportion (now 6.4%) of specimens are influenza B. This pattern is typical for this time of year, but it does sometimes cause a late-season rise in outpatient ILI activity. Flu B is typically thought of milder compared to flu A, but having recently recovered myself, I have doubts!

All ages are seeing continuing declines in activity. Children ages 0 to 4 have finally dropped below the 10% mark for outpatient ILI, now at 9.3%. School-age children are seeing improvements as well, now at 5.4%. The older age groups are all below 3% and improving.

Most of the country is now registering low or minimal levels of flu activity—with a few exceptions. The Northeastern region is still experiencing high levels of outpatient activity in some places, as are Louisiana and Oregon. However, the Northeast’s emergency department visits for influenza are low and falling (see below).

I expect we will see improvements in the weeks ahead in the remaining hotspots. But for now, continued caution is warranted.

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COVID-19

Covid-19 is stable. Wastewater activity is moderate in the South but has fallen to low levels in the other regions. Trends are pretty steady at this point, with no major increases or decreases evident in any region.

I do suspect that given the relatively quiet Covid-19 winter season, we are in for a significant summer wave. The timing is highly uncertain, but in previous years, June has been the earliest start. I'll keep an eye on things and let you know when activity begins to rise.

Trips to the emergency department continue to decline very slowly, down to 0.6% of all ED visits last week. Hospitalizations have declined to a low 2.3 hospitalizations per 100,000 people.

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RSV & Other Bugs

RSV activity is low and declining, which is typical this time of year. We are in the off-season.

However, a bunch of those pesky bugs that cause cold- and flu-like symptoms are spreading widely or picking up steam right now.

• Adenovirus has been increasing since February, though it is still below the peak it reached in December.

• Human coronaviruses are still quite high, but are slowly decreasing.

• Human metapneumovirus continues to climb and is likely getting close to its peak for the year.

• Parainfluenza and rhinovirus/enterovirus remains fairly low, but are on an increasing trend.

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Norovirus

Norovirus persists at very high levels, but is declining ever so slowly. Rates have decreased each week for the past week, landing at 17.5% test positivity this past week. Rates are highest in the Midwest and lowest in the Northeast.

Norovirus tends to persist well into the spring, so while relief is getting closer, it is likely that we still have several more weeks of elevated rates ahead of us.

Source: CDC

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Food recalls

The following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items:

New:

• Nothing new this week

Previously reported:

• Enoki mushrooms sold under Daily Veggies brand (more info)

• Hot pot sauce sold under Wangshihe brand (more info)

• Prepared vegetables sold at Tokyo Central/Marukai stores in California (more info)

• Wild Coast Raw Chicken Formula [for cats] due to potential contamination with avian influenza H5N1 (more info). This poses a risk to cats who ingest the product, as well as to humans handling the product.

• Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes in various flavors (more info)

• Canned Tuna sold under Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B, and Trader Joe’s brand names (more info)

• If you have food allergies, you may wish to review these FDA safety alerts and USDA alerts for foods with undeclared allergens.

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In other news

• I am moving to my summer publication schedule this week, so this is the last free national edition of the season.

  • Paid subscribers will continue to receive the national edition throughout the spring and summer months. As a reminder, I am also offering twice-weekly measles updates to paid subscribers.

  • The winter publication schedule, including a free national version, will resume in October.

• As of March 28, measles cases in Texas and New Mexico rose 20% from the previous report, with Texas reporting 400 cases—270 in Gaines County—and two deaths (one still under investigation). New Mexico's total is now 44. Two additional states are also seeing outbreaks of 10 or more cases. The CDC reports 483 cases nationwide for 2025 to date, surpassing all of 2024's total.

What Trump Needs to Do

Trump needs to stop talking about a third term when he's only started his second. 

He also needs to stop talking about Greenland.   

But more importantly, the NY Post Editorial Board is right: 

"Trump needs to start fighting hard for his tax cuts, or that Golden Age is a goner "

Pro-Vaccine Attitudes: Better Late Than Never

"Some" parents? You'd think ALL parents would finally start realizing how important vaccines are. But look what it's taken to get to this point.  It's a matter of common sense, and whether you prefer a very sick or dead child, or a living one.  It's a no-brainer.

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From NPR - Shots, 3/30/25:

As measles cases rise, some parents become vaccine enthusiasts

"As a measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico continues to grow, and other states report outbreaks of their own, some pediatricians across the U.S. say they are seeing a new trend among concerned parents: vaccine enthusiasm.

"Our call center was inundated with calls about the MMR [measles, mumps, rubella] vaccine," says Dr. Shannon Fox-Levine, a pediatrician in Broward County, Fla. She says parents are asking if their child is up to date on their vaccinations. Or "should they get another vaccine? Should they get an extra one? Can they get it early?"

"Measles spreads quickly in communities where vaccination rates are low, and vaccine hesitancy has been on the rise across the U.S. in recent years. Kindergarten vaccination rates have not bounced back to their pre-pandemic levels.

"Fox-Levine says the recent interest in the MMR vaccine — which protects against measles, mumps and rubella — is a refreshing change in a state where vaccine hesitancy has been growing.

"Florida's kindergarten vaccination rates to protect against measles fell to 88.1% in the 2023-2024 school year — below the 95% vaccination rate considered necessary to protect against outbreaks. So, seeing a demand for vaccines is "exciting," she says.

"Five U.S. states are currently experiencing measles outbreaks — New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas, which has the most cases by far, with 400 confirmed cases as of Friday. So far this year, the U.S. has reported more than 480 measles cases in 20 states. That's more cases than in all of 2024. Almost all of the cases are in people who were not vaccinated.

"Parents are watching what's happening with these outbreaks and concern about potential exposure is growing. Before the measles vaccine was developed in the early 1960s, the disease used to kill hundreds of people in the U.S. every year. 

"In Southern Pines, N.C., pediatrician Dr. Christoph Diasio says he's had many conversations in recent weeks with families who are interested in getting their children vaccinated against measles earlier than what's usually recommended.

"The first dose of the MMR vaccine is usually given between 12 and 15 months of age, with a second dose administered between the ages of 4 and 6 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says infants as young as 6 months old can receive the MMR vaccine if they are traveling abroad or are in an outbreak area.

"Diasio says families with children younger than 12 months are requesting the shot early, especially if they have travel plans for spring break.

"Several families have asked what our game plan is if we get measles in our community," Diasio says.

"In some cases, Diasio says, his patient families have delayed travel plans until their children are old enough to receive the MMR shot.

"The main thing I'm hearing from my patients is not, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm so scared of that measles vaccine. It's more like, can I have one? Should I get an extra?" Diasio says.

"He says one mother he spoke with recently was worried about the potential that unvaccinated relatives could contract measles while flying cross-country to visit her. "It's awful that this is now a discussion we have to have," Diasio says.

"Interest in vaccinations has ramped up ahead of the spring break travel season, says Dr. Susan Sirota, a primary care pediatrician in the Chicago area.

"We have many patients calling us because they are traveling to either Texas or places near Texas, or states where they suspect that vaccination rates are lower than we have in Illinois," Sirota says. "Many families are requesting early MMR [vaccines]." 

"While the measles outbreaks are driving interest in vaccinations, Sirota says they're not the only factor at play. She says many families she works with follow the news, and they worry that vaccines may become less accessible in the future now that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of vaccines, is the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

"What I'm seeing is that there's a bit of fear among moms and dads and parents about their ability to protect their children and to prevent diseases because vaccine access is in question for them," Sirota says.

"And it's not just the measles vaccine. Sirota says some patients are worried about access to the HPV vaccine, which protects against human papillomavirus. HPV is best known for causing cervical cancer, but can also cause other malignancies, including cancer of the throat and anus. Kennedy has been involved in legal challenges to that vaccine.

"During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kennedy said he wouldn't take vaccines away from anyone. He has called vaccines a personal choice. NPR reached out to HHS for comment about their plans to maintain people's access to vaccines. They did not respond.

"It's too soon to tell whether anecdotal reports of vaccine enthusiasm will help counter longer-term trends toward growing vaccine hesitancy. According to one 2024 study, 1 in 5 U.S. parents are now hesitant about vaccines.

"And studying changes in these attitudes may be harder in the future: The National Institutes of Health has terminated millions of dollars worth of grants for research to study vaccine hesitancy and how to improve immunization levels."

Sudden Increase in COVID Cases in the UK

I like to keep an eye on what's happening in the UK, because in the past, what happened there with COVID usually happened here afterwards. I'd rather know in advance than get caught by surprise.

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This is from The i Paper in London, 3/29/25:

Fears of new Covid wave as hospitalisations jump 19% in a week; Scientists tell The i Paper of their concerns that the new LP variants could be fuelling a new wave of Covid 

"Covid hospitalisations have risen by nearly a fifth in a week, raising concerns that the new dominant LP.8.1 variant may be driving a new wave of the virus.

"The number of people admitted to hospital with Covid jumped by 19 per cent in England to 1.46 people per 100,000 of the population in the week to 23 March, according to the latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

"This is the highest level since early January, although admissions are only a third of the level seen last October.

"The UKHSA data also showed the proportion of hospital patients in England testing positive for Covid increased by 6 per cent in the same week (23 March) – as the ‘positivity rate’ rose from 3.5 per cent to 3.7 per cent.

"This follows a 6 per cent rise the previous week, meaning the positivity rate has risen by 12 per cent in two weeks.

"Despite the figures, scientists caution against reading too much into a week or two’s figures – while the current positivity rate is still just a quarter of the level last October and has been at relatively low levels for four months.

“It’s difficult to say for absolute certain that we are about to experience yet another wave of Covid infections here in the UK, but the portents are certainly there,” Professor Steve Griffin of Leeds University told The i Paper.

"Whilst the numbers and increases are comparatively small, this is expected at the beginning of [a new wave].”

"Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, added: “Last week’s data is an early warning alert that Covid is still lurking and on the rise.”

“This increase in infections and hospitalisations is most likely driven by yet another Covid variant (LP.8.1), which is spreading rapidly in Asia and North America,” he said.

"Scientists point out that positivity rates are much higher than the infection rate in the general population because only people with symptoms are being tested.
And they say it can’t be taken as a precise estimate for the level of Covid in the general population because it is only based on hospital patients.

"However, they say these “positivity rate” figures are a good indicator of trends for the virus more generally across the UK.

"Dr Alex Allen, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, highlighted the rise with the latest data release.

“We are now seeing small increases in Covid-19 heading into spring. We would encourage all those eligible for the upcoming spring Covid vaccination to ensure they take up the offer to top up their immunity for the coming months,” he said.

"The rise in Covid hospitalisations and infection rates has coincided with the rise of new dominant variants – known as the LP variants.

"However, scientists said it was too early to say whether we would see a fresh wave of the virus and, if so, whether that is being driven by the LP variants or other factors, such as waning immunity built up by vaccines and prior infections.

"Professor Young added: “While difficult to conclude too much from the data about a possible wave of infection, it does show that Covid has not settled into a seasonal pattern of infection.”

"He points out that “recent laboratory data indicates that the LP.8.1 variant is more infectious than previously circulating variants” while it is also slightly better at getting round immunity the body has built up.

"But because the LP variants are derived from JN.1, a previous dominant variant, they share largely similar characteristics. This means that past infections together with the current, updated, vaccines “should provide protection from severe disease,” he says.

'What is clear, however, is that the variants – known as LP.8.1 and LP.8.1.1 are more infectious and are accounting for an increasing share of Covid infections, becoming the dominant variants in recent weeks.

"Together, these variants account for about a third of of England’s Covid infections – making them the most common variants in the country, according to the latest UKHSA figures."