Hamas Needs To Be Obliterated

These vile IslamoNazi terrorists need to be utterly destroyed, fast, and their Jew-hating supporters in the United States need to shut up.  Look at the psychological torture Hamas has put hostage Edan Alexander through. This video reminded me of the propaganda videos of  our men in Vietnam where they were  forced to say how wonderfully they were being treated by their North Vietnamese captors.  I still can remember Jeremiah Denton blinking the word "torture" in Morse Code.

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Hamas propaganda video shows signs of life from hostage Edan Alexander

"Defense Minister Israel Katz says that he spoke with the family of Hamas hostage Edan Alexander after the terror group published a video of the 20-year-old captive earlier this evening.

“The cruel video that was published is part of psychological warfare, but it is an important and moving sign of life for us and his family,” Katz writes on X.

“The hostages and their families are enduring terrible suffering. I know this, and guarantee that in the security establishment, we are working tirelessly to bring all the hostages home,” he adds."

Further Reason to Avoid Getting COVID

This is from Neurosciencenews.com on 11/29/24.  Do you really want to take the risk? I know I don't.

Spike Protein Lingers in Brain, Fuels Long COVID

"Summary: A new study reveals that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein remains in brain-protective tissues and skull bone marrow for years after infection, potentially driving long COVID’s neurological symptoms. Using advanced imaging, researchers discovered elevated spike protein levels in these regions, leading to chronic brain inflammation and increased risks of neurodegenerative conditions.

"mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were shown to reduce spike protein accumulation by 50%, though residual protein may still pose risks. The findings highlight the need for new therapies and early diagnostic tools to address long-term effects on brain health.

"Key Facts:

• Spike protein persists in brain tissues and skull bone marrow for years post-infection.
• mRNA vaccines reduce spike protein accumulation in the brain by 50%.
• Chronic spike protein presence may accelerate brain aging and increase stroke risk.

"Source: Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU)"

If this isn't enough to convince you to get vaccinated, maybe this will:

Covid-19 may raise risk of developing multiple sclerosis

MS is a terrible disease, and you don't want that, either. 

Just get vaccinated.

The Usual Vaccine Warnings, Ignored.

Gee, what a surprise:

Americans are not getting seasonal vaccines ahead of the holidays; Experts worry that the unenthusiastic embrace of vaccines could spark outbreaks and increased hospitalizations.

Washington Post, November 27, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. EST

"As the holiday season approaches, public health experts are sounding the alarm about low vaccination rates against the coronavirus, flu and RSV. With gatherings and travel on the rise, many people are heading into the next few months unprotected against these respiratory illnesses, which typically peak from December to February."

At the link, you can see over 1,000 reader comments for the above observation. As one reader perfectly put it, "There is no vaccine preventing stupidity." 

Or as Ben Franklin said, "Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it."

Will Nobody Rid Me Of This Troublesome Biden? 53 Days Left

(This is an old Michael Ramirez cartoon. Change "Hamas" to "Hezbollah", and it still applies)

--------------

John Podhoretz has vindicated what I was thinking on Tuesday when I suspected that the Hezbollah "ceasefire" is a result of U.S. pressure & blackmail on Israel:

Swiss Cheese, the Sot, and the Ceasefire - 11/26/24

"The 60-day ceasefire to which Israel has agreed, thus pausing its efforts to degrade Hezbollah in Lebanon to such a degree that 60,000 Israelis can begin to return to their homes near the Lebanese border, may exist because of blackmail. Blackmail from the United States. Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet that if they did not agree to the Biden terms, the administration would move against the Jewish state in the U.N. Security Council. This threat was a first of its kind for any president; even Barack Obama only allowed a hostile Security Council action to go through without a veto in his final act of aggression against Jerusalem in 2017. This time Biden was threatening to lead the U.N. against its only true ally in the Middle East.

"If what Netanyahu told his cabinet is true, and Biden’s own statement yesterday would seem to provide some confirmation, what we’re seeing here is the final capitulation by this government to the idea that Israel deserves to be held responsible for the crime of defending itself. Not only against the terrorist state that invaded it last October 7, but also against the  terrorist state-within-a-state on its Northern border that has fired rockets at it for 13 months without letup, the catamite army of Iran that takes orders from the theocracy determined to destroy the Jewish state and all Jews worldwide.

"So the Biden administration is concluding its time in office as a power player in the Middle East praising itself for its toughness in restraining Israel’s just cause. But in the name of what exactly? Well, a “ceasefire,” of course. Hallelujah.  Yes, Biden and his people have secured a ceasefire, as though a ceasefire means anything but its literal definition—a pause in the use of projectile force. It means nothing else. It does not mean peace. It does not mean negotiations. It does not mean a change in the relative positions of the forces at war. It’s a freeze. And when such a freeze freezes the military that’s on the march, it implicitly favors the side that is on its back foot. Thus America has, in effect, sided with Hezbollah.

"End scene. For a minute there, after October 7, Joe Biden knew Israel was in the right. But that knowledge quickly fell through one of the holes in the swiss cheese that is either his currently decaying octogenarian brain or just the same fourth-rate cognitive machine he has used to such pointless effect for more than half a century in Washington.

“Oh no!” someone said to him. “There are Arabs in Michigan!” And suddenly Israel, the most accurate military force in the history of the planet, was being accused of killing people indiscriminately;  this country that allowed more than 1 billion tons of food into a war zone to feed its enemy was said to be starving them out somehow; and Israel’s efforts to end the war quickly and cleanly with a victory against Hamas were opposed by Swiss Cheese Man and his map-reading sot of a doyenne, who informed the world there was no way for Israel to prevail in Rafah due to her astounding experience in war, her deep knowledge of tactics and strategy, and her view from the bottom of a bottle of Dewar’s. At long last, Israel finally did go in, and took Rafah in a matter of weeks, and took out Yahya Sinwar. But even this exposure to reality did not change the administration’s determination to stay Israel’s hand somehow. If it couldn’t do so in Gaza, the Biden administration would do so in Lebanon on its way out the door into the annals of history, where it will be remembered for its staggering and almost total failure on all fronts.

"Knowing as he does that in two months he will not be facing a senile president and that president’s intellectually deficient secretary of state, his oft-AWOL secretary of defense, his neurasthenic national security adviser, his Hawaii-based vice-drunkident, and his increasingly anti-Israel party, Netanyahu decided to play the long game. He also may find it useful to have the time to regroup and figure out what that long game should be. But there is great risk here. Israel has momentum and is giving that up. But in the end, the battle here isn’t against Hezbollah anyway. It’s against Iran. And the incoming administration gives every indication that, unlike the present feckless crew, it sees Iran clearly as an enemy. The nominee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, declared that it was time to make America great again…and to make Iran broke again. And he isn’t even one of the leading foreign policy voices. The others—Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz, Pete Hegseth—are even tougher.

"And who knows what the nation that came up with the pager attack has up its sleeve? What Joe Biden has done is unspeakable, if he can even be said to have done it. What Netanyahu and his government have done is tactical and strategic. They live to fight another day."

Biden: Shut Up and Sit Down

Did Biden and Blinken pressure Israel into accepting this deal? Because whenever Biden interferes, you know it's not going to go well for Israel. 

When it comes to Israel's enemies, there is NO "permanent cessation of hostilities".

Biden says ceasefire to take effect at 4 a.m. as cabinet votes 10-1 to approve deal; US president says Israel-Hezbollah truce ‘designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities’

and

US official fiercely denies PM’s charge that administration is delaying arms shipments

Your Viral State of Affairs from Dr Katelyn Jetelina, 11/26/24

This newsletter is from Katelyn Jetelina at Your Local Epidemiologist:

Unwanted viral guests at Thanksgiving: Your State of Affairs going into the holiday

Happy Thanksgiving week to those of you in the States!

The respiratory season is mild but starting to heat up. On an individual level, this means your probability of getting sick at Thanksgiving is lower than previous four years! Woot woot. On a population level, social networks are opening (hello, family), and colder temperatures are here, which means that if we let viruses spread, they will springboard into exponential spread.

Here’s a State of Affairs so you’re well-equipped for the holiday week of travel and family.

Influenza-like illnesses: Low but increasing

The climate of respiratory health in the United States—which the CDC defines as “influenza-like illnesses” (ILI)—is increasing but still below the “epidemic” level threshold. By the shape of the curve below, it seems we are on the precipice of exponential spread.

Influenza-like illnesses (Source: CDC; Annotated by YLE)

We have returned to pre-pandemic patterns, closely tracking the 2019 respiratory season (light blue line).

The South and Washington, D.C. are starting to heat up with low to moderate ILI levels. Eventually, this entire map will be red and purple. If you’re traveling to these states, you have a slightly higher chance of getting sick, but nothing dramatic.

2024-25 Influenza Season Week 46 ending Nov 16, 2024 (Source: CDC)

Now let’s get into more specific viruses.

Common cold: High

If you’re sick right now or someone shows up sick on Thanksgiving, it’s most likely the common cold. Two viruses, enteroviruses or rhinoviruses, are, well, common right now.

Weekly percentage of positive tests for respiratory viruses (Source: CDC; Annotated by YLE)

If a cough has lingered for weeks, mycoplasma pneumonia or “walking pneumonia” is likely the culprit. Cases are typically mild (hence the name “walking”), but because bacteria cause the disease, antibiotics can help. The U.S. usually gets a surge every 3-7 years, and thus far, cases have been about 10 times higher this year than last year.

National Percentage of pneumonia-associated emergency department visits with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. Data and figure from CDC. Annotated by YLE.

Influenza and RSV: Low but increasing

Positive flu tests among physicians testing for respiratory illness are increasing slowly. However, RSV seems to be in full swing with a wave well underway.

Percentage of positive tests (Source: CDC; Annotated by YLE)

Children under 2 are at highest risk for RSV, especially if they don’t have protection from the maternal vaccine (during pregnancy) or monoclonal antibodies in infancy. If I were a mom of a newborn, I would keep my children close to me during Thanksgiving instead of passing them around for kisses. If you want people to hold the baby, asking people to wear masks is a great middle ground.

Children are also at risk for the flu. Levels are slowly increasing among kids, and CDC reported the first pediatric flu death of the season. Last year’s season didn’t get much attention but was the second most deadly flu season in two decades. Sadly, 80% of children who died and were eligible for the flu vaccine were not fully vaccinated (for their first flu season, children get 2 doses 1 month apart.)

Covid-19: Very low

One virus that is not on my mind this Thanksgiving is Covid-19. Can I get an amen? Wastewater levels—a good proxy for community transmission—are incredibly low across the entire United States. Given new variants, Covid-19 levels will likely start increasing soon.

Low levels of Covid-19 mean that if you’re symptomatic, you could pull out your at-home antigen test before your Thanksgiving event, but it will likely be negative. (And you should stay home regardless.) I would save your tests (and money) for later in the season.

Vaccinations: Higher than last season!

The other thing that will help this Thanksgiving— preventing severe disease after the holiday and reducing transmission—is that vaccination rates are higher!

Today, the nationwide coverage of Covid-19 vaccination for seniors is 39%. That’s already higher than the total coverage for last year’s season (38%) and above where we were at this time last year (25%).

Covid-19 vaccination coverage by week, over 65 years old. Source: CDC. Note: vaccine availability dates differed between seasons. 2023–24 COVID-19 vaccines were first available mid-September, and 2024–25 COVID-19 vaccines were first available at the end of August.

Covid-19 vaccinations are also higher among those over 18 (18% vs. 12%) and across all races/ethnicities and urbanicity. We are seeing a similar story with RSV among pregnant folks. Vaccination coverage is at 31% compared to 18% last year.

Why is this higher than in previous years? Epidemiologists have a few guesses:

• HHS vaccination campaign. Millions of dollars were used for a public education campaign about Covid-19 and flu vaccines this fall (although we aren’t seeing any changes in flu coverage).

• Familiarity. People are getting more comfortable with the idea of an annual Covid-19 shot. It’s no longer seen as a pandemic, and people aren’t getting information shoved down their throats, causing fatigue and resistance. This is also the second season of the RSV vaccine—women saw that it worked and was safe last year.

• Timing of availability. For the first time, Covid-19 shots were approved at the same time as flu and RSV shots. Co-administration is massively convenient.

There is still room for improvement, but these developments are fantastic news.

What to do

I’ve sprinkled some specific recommendations throughout this post, but regardless of what is circulating, what you can do to stay healthy is relatively consistent.

• It’s not too late to get vaccinated! Monoclonal antibodies, like those for RSV protection, kick in immediately. Protection from vaccines kicks in after about two weeks, so these can help with holiday parties after Thanksgiving.

• Mask up before the holiday to prevent contracting a virus in crowded areas, like at the airport or subway.

• Stay home if you feel sick. I know this isn’t fun, but it is the most important way to avoid spreading illness, especially to vulnerable friends or relatives.

• Ventilation and filtration help reduce transmission. When you’re together indoors, open a window, use a fan, or turn on an air purifier.

Bottom line

Respiratory season is starting, but the risk of getting sick at Thanksgiving is lower than in the previous four years. Regardless, there are many things you can do to stay healthy and celebrate with loved ones.

Happy Thanksgiving, all. I’m very grateful for this community!

Love, YLE

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Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. YLE reaches more than 280,000 people in over 132 countries and has a team of 11 whose main goal is to “translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below:

The Importance of Vaccines and Common Sense

This is a good column about the importance of vaccinations. I have contempt for antivaxxers who take advantage of gullible people, but unfortunately, not everyone is as smart and enthusiastic about vaccines as I am, and they have only themselves to blame and not RFK Jr. when they and their kids needlessly get very sick.

I find it odd that some of the people who refuse to get a vaccine because they "don't know what's in it" are the same ones who think nothing of jabbing themselves with Ozempic to lose weight!

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Opinion - Vaccines have saved generations from diseases. It’s our turn to save them.

Lyndon Haviland, opinion contributor, Fri, November 22, 2024 

 

Lyndon Haviland, DrPH, MPH, is a distinguished scholar at the CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy. 

"President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has thrust the debate over vaccine efficacy into the national spotlight.

"The facts about vaccine safety have never been more important, and they must prevail over misguided theories from immunization skeptics, who may soon have a champion at the wheel of our nation’s largest U.S. health agency.

"Vaccinations save lives. For centuries, these therapies have protected global populations from the spread of some of the world’s deadliest communicable diseases.

"Before the smallpox vaccine, more than 2 million people were dying every year from the outbreak. The smallpox vaccine itself is credited with saving nearly 200 million people.

"The World Health Organization estimates that 20 million people can walk today thanks to polio immunization. Vaccinations administered by the Expanded Program on Immunization are believed to have saved 154 million lives around the globe from influenza, diphtheria, encephalitis, hepatitis, measles, pertussis, meningitis A, invasive pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, polio, rubella, tuberculosis, tetanus and yellow fever.

"Over the last 50 years, these immunizations have reduced global infant mortality by a staggering 40 percent.

"Prior to 2020, Americans worried little about the spread of infectious diseases, thanks to easy access and a high degree of public trust in the effectiveness of vaccines. But this changed during the pandemic, as falsehoods about the COVID-19 vaccination ran amok, advanced by popular podcasters and other influencers.

"Some high-profile celebrities spread misinformation about vaccine safety, while others in Congress politicized vaccine safety by making the debate about personal rights, rather than a public health issue.

"Even now, some states are halting their COVID-19 vaccination programs altogether, further complicating the job of protecting the health of vulnerable populations.

"The “anti-vaxx” movement is now on the national stage and many Americans have begun to question vaccine safety and usefulness. Ongoing skepticism surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine has resulted in fewer people staying up-to-date with their COVID-19 shots.

"Even more dangerous is the ripple effect that COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy has had on other immunization regimens, which has reached record levels. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that broad vaccination coverage among children born in 2020 and 2021 was lower than those born in 2018 and 2019.

"There’s a reason why outbreaks of measles, mumps and rubella rarely occur — and why, when they do, they can be traced to groups of unvaccinated individuals. It’s because the MMR vaccine, which children traditionally receive at an early stage of life according to CDC guidelines, works.

"Vaccine opponents would have the public believe that such therapies are unsafe and have little impact. But one only has to look as far as whooping cough in the U.S. to demonstrate the vital role they play in protecting the health of our nation. Unfortunately, whooping cough cases quadrupled over the last year, thanks to a drop in vaccinations during the pandemic.

"We have the science and the tools necessary to protect Americans from communicable and virulent diseases. The health of millions of Americans depends on vaccines.

"According to the Associated Press, Kennedy has become “one of the world’s most influential spreaders of fear and distrust around vaccines.” He founded the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense and has been on record saying that “there’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.”

"Prior to a deadly measles outbreak in Samoa that killed 83 people, Kennedy’s organization reportedly “spread misinformation that led to the decline in measles vaccination that preceded the lethal eruption.” Kennedy himself met with prominent anti-vaccination advocates in Samoa four months before the outbreak occurred there, forcing the island to declare a state of emergency.

"He’s also compared vaccine mandates to “Nazism,” and has advanced the long-rebuked theory that vaccines cause autism. And he has reportedly encouraged the public to “resist” guidelines by the CDC — an agency he claims is “corrupt” — that recommend when children should be immunized.

"Such views could have severe consequences for public health. They serve to validate the suspicions of a growing number of Americans who already doubt vaccine efficacy. And they could lead to many more disregarding the need to have themselves and their families immunized against deadly diseases.

"The voice of the scientific community — and the demand for medical and public health experts to step forward, convey the facts and advocate strongly for the efficacy and safety of vaccines — has never been greater than at this moment.

"The health and safety of every American is at stake. It’s time to communicate real information about vaccines, not disinformation, to ensure that access and availability remain for all."

Dr Ruth's COVID, H5N1 & more newsletter, 11/24/24

Time for another great newsletter  from Dr Ruth Ann Crystal, full of information you can use:

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COVID, H5N1 & more, 11/24/24

"Wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2 are still LOW in most places across the U.S. according to the CDC and WastewaterSCAN. As of 11/22/24, JP Weiland predicts that there are approximately 182,000 new COVID infections per day in the US and that about 1 in every 183 people is currently infected. Overall, COVID wastewater levels and COVID cases are almost 4x less than we had during the same week in prior years of the pandemic. So, although we expect a COVID wave during and after the winter holidays when people mingle together indoors, hopefully it will be a smaller wave than in past years. 

"This week, Mike Hoerger noticed that the CDC did something wacky to their SARS-CoV-2 wastewater graph. It appears that the CDC changed the y-axis on their curve to make wastewater levels appear lower. There is no longer a zero on the y-axis.

From: https://x.com/michael_hoerger/status/1858985224836968583

"Here in the Bay Area and in California, SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels are low overall.

Variants 

"Regarding SARS-CoV-2 variants, KP.3.1.1 is now at 44% of cases, down from 52% two weeks ago. XEC is at 38% of cases. XEC has a growth advantage, but it is not growing as fast as other variants have in the past. More good news is that the updated COVID vaccines should protect against the XEC variant. 

Acute COVID infections, General COVID info

"A zoo in Brazil reported that 19% of their animals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The Alpha variant was found in a maned wolf and a fallow deer and Omicron was seen in a western lowland gorilla. Genetic analysis suggests human-to-animal viral transmission from the people who take care of the animals.

Pregnancy

"Comparing 11 million births from before the pandemic to 7 million births during the COVID pandemic (2020 to 2022), the number of infants born with a congenital heart condition had increased by 16%. Professor Asma Khalil said, "Studying this large US dataset has revealed an unexpected picture for how the pandemic has affected the hearts of unborn babies...These results act as an important reminder for pregnant women to get their Covid-19 vaccinations to help protect themselves and their baby."

"A study from China looked at the impact of maternal COVID vaccination before pregnancy on fetal immunity by analyzing umbilical cord blood samples at birth from vaccinated and unvaccinated people who contracted SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Vaccination before pregnancy increased neutralizing antibody levels against COVID and enhanced immune regulation in the fetal circulation as measured by cytokine levels found in umbilical cord blood at birth.  A single prior vaccine dose was associated with persistent immune dysregulation and platelet activation in the fetal circulation, but two or three doses provided protective effects for the fetus. These findings support the benefits of pre-pregnancy COVID vaccination to help protect the fetus against COVID infection in utero. 

"The UK’s Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced that they will stop offering free COVID vaccines to pregnant individuals in the UK starting in 2025, raising concerns about maternal and infant health. Vaccination during pregnancy reduces severe COVID risks for mothers, lowers risks of miscarriage and stillbirth, and protects newborns during their vulnerable early months by passing on antibodies. Data show infants, especially those under six months of age, are at higher risk of severe COVID than most age groups, but maternal vaccination can significantly reduce these risks. 

Vaccines

"A Pew Research Center survey reveals that approximately 60% of Americans do not plan on getting the updated 2024-25 COVID vaccine. This is despite CDC recommendations for everyone aged 6 months and older to get the updated vaccine to protect against severe illness from COVID. As mentioned above, the new COVID vaccines protect well against variants that are circulating now. Vaccine uptake is sharply divided along partisan lines, with Democrats more likely than Republicans to say they will get the vaccine- a trend especially pronounced among older adults. Key reasons for not getting the updated vaccine include concerns about side effects and a belief that the vaccine is not necessary for them.

"A new study shows that people with rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis who stopped their JAK or IL-17 inhibitor medications for 2 weeks at the time of COVID mRNA booster vaccination, did not significantly increase the amount of COVID neutralizing antibodies made. Stopping these medications did, however, cause a significant number of patients to have a flare of their arthritis.

Long COVID

"A group from USC has made a mouse model of Long COVID (Post-acute Sequelae of COVID infection, PASC) using C57BL/6 mice and a SARS-CoV-2 virus strain that was adapted to mice. The “C57BL/6J mice developed neurological impairments, including behavior changes related to sensorimotor coordination, depression- and anxiety-like behaviors, and inflammation in multiple organs including lung, liver and brain” that persisted for at least 4 weeks after mild infection.

"A press release from Dogwood Therapeutics reported on a small double-blinded, placebo controlled study completed at the Bateman Horne Center on 29 people with Long COVID who received either IMC-2 (valacyclovir 750 mg + celecoxib 200 mg twice daily) or placebo. People in the IMC-2 treatment group showed “clinically meaningful reduction” in Long COVID fatigue and sleep disturbances. Larger studies are planned.

"Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the body uses to produce serotonin, melatonin and niacin. A group from Cork, Ireland found that tryptophan and its microbial indole metabolites in the gut are linked to dysregulated immune responses in both hospitalized COVID patients and those with Long COVID 6 months after acute infection. Reduced expression of bacterial genes involved in tryptophan metabolism may lead to altered levels of indole metabolites which can affect innate and adaptive immune responses. 

H5N1

"The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported on November 19th, that a child in Alameda County with mild upper respiratory symptoms tested positive for several viruses including H5N1 Bird Flu. The child was treated and is doing well at home. They had no known contact with farm animals and all of their human contacts have tested negative for H5N1.

"So far, there have been three people infected by H5N1 Bird Flu without an obvious source of infection including the person hospitalized in Missouri several weeks ago, the Canadian teenager who is critically ill in the ICU with ARDS, and now a young child in Alameda County in California who tested positive. If these people did not get H5N1 Avian Flu from farm animals or from human contacts, where did they get it from?

"New data shows that the Canadian teen in Vancouver is infected with several variants of the H5N1 bird flu including one with mutations that make it easier to infect human cells and to replicate more easily in human cells. It appears that the teen was originally infected with H5N1 seen in poultry that led to conjunctivitis symptoms. But, the H5N1 virus may have evolved within the teenager’s body to cause a severe lung infection days later. “It’s not the time to panic,” said immunologist Scott Hensley at the University of Pennsylvania. “But this should serve as a warning: this virus has the capacity to switch very quickly into a form that can cause severe disease.” According to CIDRAP, public health officials are monitoring the situation and are testing vaccines to prepare for potential outbreaks.

"The USDA has confirmed 62 new dairy cattle herds in California with H5N1 avian flu, bringing the total since late August to 398 herds in California and 612 infected cattle herds in the nation. California is the nation’s largest dairy producer and one-third of its dairy herds have been infected. Regarding poultry, new H5N1 outbreaks have been reported in four states, including major cases in California in Kern County and in a Marin County duck meat producer. 

"In an essay entitled “The World Is Watching the U.S. Deal With Bird Flu, and It’s Scary”, South African virologist Tulio de Oliveira discusses the subpar response by the United States to contain the spread of H5N1 bird flu. He says, “Failure to control H5N1 among American livestock could have global consequences, and this demands urgent attention. The United States has done little to reassure the world that it has the outbreak contained.” He asks us to imagine how America would respond if there was uncontrolled spread of a highly pathogenic virus in another country like China.

"Researchers from Wake Forest University warn that as the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 spreads quickly on American dairy farms, this threatens our food supply and our safety. They show that viral spread between farms is happening more rapidly than what current surveillance methods can keep up with. They recommend biosecurity practices to be put in place instead of passive surveillance measures.

"Scientists from around the world are sounding alarm bells for H5N1’s rapid spread in cattle and poultry in the United States. Bird flu also spreads by wild birds as they migrate to new locations. As seen by the case of the previously healthy Canadian teenager, the H5N1 virus is able to evolve within people to cause more severe infections in humans. If H5N1 obtains another mutation to make it more transmissible from animal-to-human or from human-to-human, we potentially could have another global pandemic. We really need to get this under control now.

Norovirus 

"Levels of Norovirus in wastewater is HIGH in most of the US now, as seen by orange on the map below. Norovirus is very contagious and is spread by eating contaminated food or by touching infected people or contaminated surfaces. It causes nausea and vomiting. People are most contagious when they have these symptoms and for the first few days after they feel better. In some cases, norovirus can still spread for 2 weeks after the nausea and vomiting have resolved. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

"A new AI foundation model called BiomedParse is able to analyze nine different medical imaging modalities (CT, MRI, Xray, Ultrasound, Pathology, Fundus exam, Dermoscopy, Endoscopy and OCT in the eye) for diagnosis. It makes me wonder if we could use BiomedParse to find Long COVID biomarkers or to better understand the pathophysiology of Long COVID. 

From: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/biomedparse-a-foundation-model-for-smarter-all-in-one-biomedical-image-analysis/

"Open Evidence is an AI medical information platform that can “aggregate, synthesize, and visualize clinically relevant [medical] evidence in understandable, accessible formats that can be used to make more evidenced-based decisions and improve patient outcomes.” It is free for healthcare professionals and provides references for each answer.

Other news

"Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known. But, many people don’t know that measles can also cause “immune amnesia”. “When you're infected with measles, your immune system abruptly forgets every pathogen it's ever encountered before – every cold, every bout of flu, every exposure to bacteria or viruses in the environment, every vaccination. The loss is near-total and permanent. Once the measles infection is over, current evidence suggests that your body has to re-learn what's good and what's bad almost from scratch.” It appears that this is due to long term infection of memory T cells by the measles virus.

"Most people know to dial 911 for emergencies, but there is also a special phone number to call if someone feels suicidal. 988 is the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and we need to spread the word about this important service.

"How can you solve the problem of tons of plastic in the ocean? By making a plastic that can be broken down by salt water. A group from Japan has done just that and is featured in Science magazine.

"Finally, I wanted to share our new article, "Reimagining Kangaroo Care for Preterm Infants: A Novel Garment for Safe and Comfortable Bonding," that was published in the journal Children. Kangaroo care, or skin-to-skin care, has been shown to have numerous benefits for premature babies and their parents. But, it can be difficult to do in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) because it is hard to secure the baby’s lines and breathing tube. Using human-centered design with feedback from nurses, neonatologists, respiratory therapists and parents, we invented the Kangarobe. This study completed in the NICU at Stanford shows that parents and nurses found that using the Kangarobe was a safer, easier and more comfortable way to do kangaroo care with premature babies. 

The Kangarobe™

From: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/11/1392#

"I will be taking next week off from the newsletter for Thanksgiving.

"Wishing you a wonderful holiday,

"Ruth Ann Crystal MD "

Get Vulnerable Nursing Home Residents Vaccinated!

This a pretty shocking about the neglectful lack of vaccinations at nursing homes. Have people forgotten this quickly the horror of those nursing home deaths that killed over 200,000 vulnerable people as of January 2022?

----------------------

This article is from CIDRAP:

Very few US adults getting new flu, COVID, RSV vaccines, even in nursing homes
Mary Van Beusekom, MS, November 22, 2024

"A pair of new studies in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlight low influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine coverage in US adults, including those in nursing homes, this fall.

"The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine and an annual flu vaccine. It also recommends that all nursing home residents aged 60 years and older receive a single lifetime dose of RSV vaccine.

35% and 18% vaccinated against flu, COVID

"For the first study, investigators from the CDC analyzed data from the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module, a random phone survey that tracks flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccination uptake in US adults as of early November. The team also interviewed unvaccinated participants about their intent to receive the vaccines.

"By November 9, 34.7% of adults reported having received a flu vaccine dose, and 17.9% had received an updated COVID-19 vaccine for the 2024-25 respiratory virus season. A total of 39.7% of adults aged 75 years and older and 31.6% of those aged 60 to 74 at high risk for severe RSV had ever received an RSV vaccine. 

"Uptake varied by jurisdiction and demographic characteristics and was lowest among younger adults and those with no health insurance. 

"Despite low vaccine coverage, 35% of adults said that they definitely or probably would receive or were unsure about receiving the flu vaccine, and 41% said the same about the COVID-19 vaccine, meaning they hadn't ruled out vaccination. Forty percent of adults aged 75 years and older reported that they definitely or probably would receive or were unsure about receiving the RSV vaccine. 

"The proportion of respondents who said that they probably or definitely wouldn't be vaccinated was highest for COVID-19 (41.6%) and lowest for RSV (20.3% among those aged 75 years and older and 14.8% among those aged 60 to 74).

"In comparison, flu vaccine coverage for the current season was 0.9 percentage points higher than during the corresponding period in 2023-24 (34.7% vs 33.8%) and 3.7 percentage points higher (58.6% versus 54.9%) in those aged 65 and older.

"Similarly, COVID-19 vaccine uptake was 4.7 percentage points higher this season (17.9%) than in the 2023-24 season (13.2%) and 13.7 percentage points higher (38.5% versus 24.8%) in those aged 65 and older.

"RSV vaccine coverage rose from the end of June 2024, when ACIP first recommended that older adults receive a single-dose RSV vaccine, to November 9. Among adults aged 75 years and older, uptake climbed 9.6 percentage points (from 30.1% to 39.7%) and among those aged 60 to 74 years, increased 8.7 percentage points (from 22.9% to 31.6%).

"Health care providers and immunization programs still have time to expand outreach activities and promote vaccination to increase coverage in preparation for the height of the respiratory virus season," the study authors wrote. "Using these data can help health care providers and immunization programs identify undervaccinated populations and understand vaccination patterns to guide planning, implementation, and evaluation of vaccination activities."

Very low COVID vaccine uptake in nursing homes

"For the second study, CDC researchers and their colleagues used the same survey to evaluate vaccine uptake in nursing home residents.

"As of November 10, 29.7% of nursing home residents had received an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose. Of those living at nursing homes that opted to report vaccinations against flu (59.4%) and RSV (51.8%), 58.4% had received a flu vaccine dose, and 17.9% were vaccinated against RSV.

"COVID-19 vaccine coverage ranged from 19.8% in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to 38.6% in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. COVID-19 vaccine uptake was highest in the least socially vulnerable counties (33.6%) and in small facilities (34.7%) and lowest in large facilities (28.0%).

"Flu vaccine uptake ranged from 50.9% in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington state to 64.1% in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Flu vaccine coverage was highest in the least socially vulnerable counties (60.8%) and in small facilities (62.9%) and was lowest in large facilities (56.7%).

"RSV vaccine coverage ranged from 9.3% in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to 29.2% in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. RSV vaccine uptake was highest in the least socially vulnerable counties (21.3%) and in small facilities (24.1%) and lowest in the most socially vulnerable counties (15.3%) and large facilities (15.9%).

"In comparison, by November 12, 2023, 24.0% of nursing home residents had received a COVID-19 vaccine, 68.3% had been vaccinated against flu, and 6.7% had received an RSV vaccine dose.

"During both the 2023–24 respiratory virus season and the 2024–25 season to date, coverage with all three vaccines was highest in small nursing homes and in nursing homes in North Dakota and South Dakota, suggesting that staff members in small facilities might be better able to build trust with residents and families and mitigate barriers to vaccination and that efforts by states to develop strong relationships among stakeholders are effective," the researchers wrote.

"Although CDC and other federal agencies have programs in place to address both the financial and vaccine hesitancy–related barriers to vaccination in nursing homes, more needs to be done at every level to protect nursing home residents, who constitute one of the population groups at highest risk for severe respiratory disease," they concluded."

Stop Antisemitism Now!

This writer makes perfect sense, but unless these "students" and so-called professors are held accountable for their viciousness towards Jews; until the Jew-hatred indoctrination ends in the classroom and on social media; and until the anti-Israel lies stop, this cycle will just keep repeating itself and keep traumatizing Jews.  I think a lot of these campus Nazis are very ignorant brats who join in simply because they think doing so will somehow make them more popular. The true believers should be expelled from college permanently, and everyone who participates in anti-Jewish pogroms and protests should be barred from employment.

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This is from The Jerusalem Post:

The Holocaust and Oct. 7 are only the start if the world doesn't address antisemitism - opinion.
The lessons of October 7 remain stark: If we do not confront this new manifestation of antisemitism now, it will only grow.

By David Machlis, 11/23/24

"In 58 years in academia, both as a faculty member and senior administrator, I have always been a strong proponent of the importance of healthy dialogue among the diverse populations on our campuses – and against the marginalization of any group.

"Unfortunately, this is not the reality we are experiencing today at many of our major universities.

"The wounds inflicted on October 7, over a year ago, remain fresh in our collective consciousness. The violence, rooted in an enduring hatred, serves as a haunting reminder of the consequences of unchecked antisemitism. Just as that day marked a brutal escalation in violence, we now find ourselves grappling with a more insidious form of hatred on many of our university campuses, where the ideology of antisemitism has morphed into a nationwide campaign that seeks to silence Jewish voices.

"According to the most recent numbers reported by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the number of antisemitic attacks in the US has increased 200% to more than 10,000 incidents this past year – the most ever recorded by the ADL and sparked by a significant increase on college campuses.

"At least 1,200 of this past year’s antisemitic incidents took place at universities – a staggering 500% increase between October 7, 2023, and September 24, 2024, when compared to the same period the previous year, according to the ADL.

The climate on campus

"For students returning to campuses across North America this fall, the atmosphere is laden with unease. Among them is a troubling initiative spearheaded by the Coalition to End Zionist Repression, the “Right to Reject Zionism,” which aims to delegitimize and marginalize pro-Israel perspectives under the guise of academic debate. This campaign is not merely a political stance; it is a continuation of the historical battle against Jewish identity and legitimacy – a battle that was brutally highlighted on October 7.

"The campaign is a classic example of tactics designed to disrupt academic freedom, manipulate campus policies, and foster hostility toward Jewish and pro-Israel voices. By depicting Zionists as “white nationalists” and denying the latent antisemitism often embedded in unfair criticism of Israel, the initiative mirrors the very narratives that incited the atrocities committed against our people. It is a chilling echo of the same kind of hostility that led to violence and hatred last October – a day that shocked the world and left countless students feeling alienated and unsafe.

Lessons from the past

"AS I reflect on my experience at the March of the Living in Poland last year, where I stood among the ruins of Auschwitz and bore witness to the enduring legacy of hatred together with a special delegation of university presidents from North America, we should all be compelled to confront this new wave of antisemitism that threatens the integrity of our academic institutions. 

"The horrors we witnessed serve as a stark reminder that the fight against hatred is not just a Jewish struggle; it is a collective fight for the values of justice, tolerance, and mutual respect that should define our educational environments.

"In this context, the consequences of campaigns seeking to silence Zionist and Jewish voices are profound. Students report feeling unwelcome and fearful, navigating a landscape where their beliefs are not just challenged but actively demonized. This environment stifles intellectual exploration and fosters an atmosphere of division, ultimately undermining the very principles of open discourse that our universities should uphold.

"As university leaders, we bear a collective responsibility to ensure that our campuses remain safe havens for diverse perspectives. We must stand united against any efforts to intimidate or silence voices based on their beliefs, particularly those that challenge the dominant narrative surrounding Israel and Zionism.

"Together, we can foster an environment where open dialogue flourishes, allowing students to engage with a range of ideas without fear of reprisal.

"This is a clarion call to the academic community: reaffirm your commitment to inclusivity and reject any form of intimidation or exclusion. The shadows of October 7 should not dictate the narratives we allow on our campuses. Let us not allow the seeds of division to take root in our educational institutions. Instead, we must combat the lingering effects of hate with resolve and unity.

"The lessons of October 7 remain stark: If we do not confront this new manifestation of antisemitism now, it will only grow. The hatred that fueled the attack on Israel has not vanished; it has found new battlegrounds, where the fight for ideas intersects with the fight for dignity and safety.

"I therefore extend an open invitation to university presidents and chancellors to join me at next year’s March of the Living in Poland in April 2025. Together, we will march alongside thousands of people of goodwill – from diverse backgrounds and faiths – standing in memory of all victims of genocide and against the scourge of prejudice, intolerance, and hate.

"For our fight is not against antisemitism alone, but against all forms of discrimination and marginalization.

"Let us not wait for another moment of crisis to galvanize our resolve. The time to act is now. The fight against antisemitism and for inclusivity transcends individual communities – it is a shared responsibility that calls us all to stand up and speak out against the tides of hatred. Together, we can forge a legacy of understanding and hope for future generations, ensuring that the shadows of October 7 do not dictate the future of our campuses."

The writer is the vice chair of the International March of the Living, and an associate professor at Willumstad School of Business, Adelphi University, New York.

85,000 Jew-Hating Islamic-Nazi Terrorists on Strike at Canadian College

If you can't arrest them. then expel them permanently; no tuition refunds for the parents; put their names on a list of antisemites who should never be hired; and close down the college. These pro-Hamas terrorists who actually call for a final solution need to be held accountable at long last. They are not "students", as they learning nothing.

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Over 85,000 Quebec students strike for Gaza, call for intifada and final solution

"Quebec was flooded with pro-Palestine protests on Thursday as 85,000 students across 13 university campuses went on strike for two days to demand their universities divest in Israel.

"According to one of the organizing groups - Coalition de résistance pour l’unité étudiante syndicale (CRUES) - the strikes were designed to coincide with the opening of the NATO conference in Montreal. CRUES accused Nato of refusing aid to Palestinians, and of approving of "the ongoing genocide."

"The main protest took place in Concordia University in Montreal, but was joined by students from McGill and Dawson college. The latter cancelled all classes on Thursday out of "concerns about the safety of students and employees on the day of the boycott," Canadian news reported.

"Of the 85,000, 11,000 were Concordia students, who were coordinated by 11 student groups and one faculty group, according to the university's The Link newspaper.

"According to CTV News, a protest leader led a chant saying "listen to the ICC," which comes just after the court announced arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.

"One student told CTV News that the protest took up all 12 floors of the main Concordia building, and that "Free Gaza" was spray painted on lockers.

"The protesters also distributed flyers, and overturned garbage cans."