Cumulative Confirmed COVID-19 Cases

Tuesday, April 01, 2025

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."

Monday, March 31, 2025

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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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!)


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.


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.


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.


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

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.


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.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

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."

Saturday, March 29, 2025

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."

Another Excellent Douglas Murray Column

Can you even imagine the old-time Democrats like Hubert Humphrey or Tip O'Neill or Paul Sarbanes or Bobby Kennedy using threats and filthy language like the left is doing today?

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NY Post 3/27/25:Free speech lessons from jackass Jasmine Crockett and anti-Israel foreign students 

"Not for the first time there seems to be a confusion about free speech in this country.

"It’s strange because this country has the best free speech rights of any country in the world. In their wisdom the Founders literally addressed this question first.

"So why do I say there is still such confusion about it? Because every day we see the inability of people to understand the difference between three things in particular.

"The first is that free speech includes the right to say things that other people do not like. Yes — it even includes the right to be a total jackass. There is no law against this.

"But the second thing is that if you do behave like a jackass then people also have the right to say that this is what you are.

"For years the woke left gave us all an enormous amount of amusement via their inability to distinguish between these things.

"The third thing that many people are now confused about is the difference between speech and violence.

"Purple-haired maniacs said “If you misgender me you are literally committing violence against me and genociding me.”

"Words are violence, they insisted. When many of those same people spent the summer of 2020 encouraging or excusing violence we then learned that violence wasn’t violence.

"All of which amply showed up their upside-down ideology. In fact it was at moments like this that people not only grew to despise the woke ideology. It was the moment when people saw through it.

"Now that the right is in charge there are, perhaps inevitably, people who want to play the same tricks back against the left.

"There was a classic example this week when Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) spoke at a banquet in Los Angeles.

"Crockett is not one of our most eloquent representatives. During her remarks she started rambling about “these hot ass Texas streets, honey.”

"She went on to say: “You all know we have Governor Hot Wheels down there. Come on now. And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot ass mess, honey. So um yes, yes yes.”

"I have tried to tidy up the transcript to make Rep. Crockett sound better than she did.

"The trouble she walked into was that she was obviously trying to get some laughs at the expense of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. And Governor Abbott is, of course, in a wheelchair.

"The crowd of lovely caring people in LA seemed to like Crockett’s riff and whooped, gasped and laughed.

"But some conservatives smelled blood. Suddenly there were condemnations everywhere. Parts of the right effectively tried to “cancel” Crockett for her remark.

"That seems to me to be a mistake. Republicans and others on the right do not need to suddenly come over all sensitive and prim and humorless like the woke left.

"Complaining about people being “ableist” and every other “ism” and “ist” is what the woke-ies did when they had the bully podium. And it would be not just a tactical but a moral mistake for the right to mirror the tactic. Not least because it failed.

"Which isn’t to say that people can’t say what they think of Rep. Crockett. Personally, after watching her remarks I’d say that if anyone is “a hot ass mess” it is Rep. Crockett.

"But that’s the thing. If Crockett and her audience want to laugh at people in wheelchairs, then they can. The rest of us can make our judgements about them accordingly.

"All this gets especially messy because at the same time that portions of the right want to effect outrage at things which are essentially unimportant, the left is trying to focus on a much more important free-speech battle.

"They believe that if someone supports a radical terrorist group or comes to the United States and tries to cause civil unrest or vandalism that they should somehow be protected by the First Amendment.

"In recent days and weeks even some esteemed conservative writers have backed up this position.

"As well as the case of Mahmoud Khalil, there is now also the case of Rumeysa Ozturk. Like Khalil, this person came into the US claiming to be a student. She came in on a student visa.

"The Turkish-born student has now been detained. She seems — like Khalil — to have made a fundamental misunderstanding about what it means to come to the US as a student.

"First of all she — like him — is not protected by the same laws that would protect an American citizen. She was not born in this country, is not a citizen of this country and was — in fact — a guest in this country.

"But the left — and some on the right — are gearing up to make her their latest “free-speech martyr.” Yet even free speech for American citizens stop at the moment that you support the harassment of American students.

"It stops at the moment that you encourage and engage in acts of vandalism and violence on American college campuses — among other places. And it stops when you support foreign and domestic terrorist movements.

"As Marco Rubio said yesterday, there is no reason why any country in the world should invite people into it whose intent is to cause civil strife. What country would invite people in and then reward them for trying to cause trouble in their host country?

"As Rubio said of the Ozturk case: “We gave you a visa to study and earn a degree — not to become a social activist tearing up our campuses. If you use your visa to do that, we’ll take it away. And I encourage every country to do the same.”

"Senator Josh Hawley managed to hold the sane eminently sensible line yesterday when he berated people claiming that assaulting campus police and smashing up buildings is “protected speech.” It isn’t.

"Words are not violence. Violence is violence. The woke left never liked to remember this. But conservatives shouldn’t forget it either."

Friday, March 28, 2025

Long COVID: Bad Enough To Have It, Worse When Nobody Believes It

Here's a young patient lucky enough to have found the right doctor -- who himself had Long COVID!

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

BBC 3/26/25:

'Medics dismissed my long Covid as anxiety' 

"An 18-year-old who has been suffering from long Covid for five years says she turned to a private clinic for treatment after feeling "brushed off" by the NHS.

"Tilly Galloway, from Tamworth, has experienced heart issues, dizziness and fatigue since catching Covid-19 when she was 12.

"My life just completely changed," she said. "I was always running around, active and now some days I can't get out of bed or get dressed."

"The NHS said staff were working hard to help patients with the "new and complex condition", and specialist clinics had supported over 100,000 since 2020.

"Walking through Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park, Tilly looks like any other 18-year-old.

"But her exhaustion and breathlessness mean she can only manage short distances about once a week. Sometimes, if she wants fresh air, she uses a wheelchair.

"I really don't like it. I feel really self-conscious," she said.

"Whenever I do go out in it, I always get stares, as if people are wondering why I'm using one."

"She is one of more than two million people in the UK with long Covid, which can also cause joint pain and brain fog.

"At first, Tilly turned to the NHS for help, where she was told chest pains and breathlessness were caused by asthma and given an inhaler.

"Although this reduced her shortness of breath, tests later showed she was not asthmatic and diagnosed long Covid.

"Tilly often felt her symptoms were not taken seriously. "They just sort of brushed it off," she said.

"They all just blamed it on anxiety and mental health and said I needed counselling.

"It just constantly feels like you're fighting a losing battle."

"Often too ill to go to school, she ended up having to leave in year 10, with her mum changing jobs to work from home and care for her.

"After an echo scan, she was eventually diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), a condition long Covid sufferers are more likely to be affected by, where the heart rate increases very quickly after getting up.

"The NHS also diagnosed gastroapresis, where food passes through the stomach more slowly than it should.

"She was sent to an NHS long Covid clinic but said she did not receive much support beyond a physiotherapist and occupational therapist, who were only able to offer advice on adapting to her symptoms.

"After a lot of different tests, her paediatrician said her condition was "too complex", leaving her with no answers, she said.

"This prompted Tilly's mum, Nicola Booton, to join a Long Covid Kids website, which led her to Dr Ben Sinclair, a GP based in Birmingham.

"He set up his own private long Covid clinic after recovering from the illness himself and is working with the University of Exeter on research into the condition.

"Dr Sinclair described her condition as complex, due to "significant risk factors".

"Her case demonstrates that long Covid is not driven by a single factor," he said.

"He hopes what he has learnt from patients like Tilly will assist in producing more guidelines for young people and children dealing with long Covid.

"What we're finding is that some people produce way too many antibodies and some people produce very little at all," he says.

"And those two groups get this fatigue syndrome because their immune system is either overactive or exhausted.

"There are some medications that can help, but the research is lagging behind."

"Since visiting Dr Sinclair, Tilly has been on a treatment plan where she has to take medication every day.

"It isn't cheap," said Ms Booton, who estimated she had spent about £20,000 on private treatment. "Financially there's been a big strain on us as a family."

"But, she feels it has been worth the cost to see Tilly getting stronger and making some steps towards recovery."

"Meanwhile, Tilly is being home-schooled and working towards her maths GCSE, when she feels up to it.

"She hopes to contribute more in the future by becoming a children's paediatric nurse.  

"An NHS spokesman advised anyone concerned about ongoing symptoms after Covid to talk to their GP.

"Since 2020, our specialist post-Covid clinics have supported over 100,000 people with the long-term physical, cognitive and psychological effects of coronavirus," the spokesperson said.

"They added the NHS had been "world leading" in "designing and implementing new pathways of care" to support affected patients."

Your Local Epidemiologist on COVID Revisionism & More, 3/28/25

Here's Dr Katelyn Jetelina on "Covid anniversary, pandemic revisionism, chronic diseases, and a boulder going down the hill"

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

Threats to public health at every angle

"This month marks the fifth anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic. Anniversaries are meant for reflection, a moment to take stock, have honest conversations, and apply lessons learned.

"But this is not just any anniversary. Instead of an opportunity to evolve and press forward, public health is in survival mode. It’s being actively threatened from every angle—workforce, infrastructure, discovery, and services for infectious and chronic diseases—driven by priority shifts, pandemic revisionism, political retribution, and (dare I say it) some necessity. This is a dark moment for the field.

"It’s also a dark moment for the American people who bear the consequences of broken systems—sky-high health care costs, high chronic disease rates, mounting fears that we’re completely unprepared for the next pandemic, and a fractured information landscape that forces them to crowdsource health advice on social media.

"It’s frustrating. It’s disheartening. It’s exhausting. And it’s dangerous.

The Covid-19 aftermath is real

"This moment isn’t just about public health. It’s part of a broader reckoning with trust, authority, and expertise. But the timing—just years after a global pandemic—is no coincidence.

"This week, an $11 billion cut slashed local and state public health infrastructure. With literally a one-day notice. What does this mean to you? Turns out, a lot:

  • Want a modernized system to check your immunizations instead of digging through old records? Public health can no longer upgrade immunization information systems.

  • Want your mayor to save money and lives by addressing the opioid epidemic? Public health can no longer upgrade disease surveillance and reporting.

  • Want faster blood test results? Public health can no longer carry out major lab renovations and modernization.

  • Want to better track measles to protect your family? Public health can no longer conduct wastewater testing.

  • Want your grandma in a nursing home to live a long, healthy life? Public health must discontinue infection control education for nursing homes.

"The media and political narratives frame these cuts as simply rolling back Covid-19 spending. Yes, the funding was allocated in response to the pandemic, but it was used to address long-standing vulnerabilities—issues that affect every public health topic, not just Covid-19. Public health is inherently crosscutting: Strengthening one area strengthens the whole system.

"Other things that have happened just this week include:

  • Workforce cuts, including 10,000 jobs (1 in 8) at Health and Human Services.

  • mRNA vaccine technology is being questioned despite its revolutionary impact on medicine.

  • Long covid research shut down, which was discovering pathways and treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome in general.

  • Five top CDC officials resigned, including the Director of Communications.

"This is the latest in a long pattern, including sidelining scientific advancements and canceling global health cooperation to make us safer in the U.S.

The dangers of pandemic revisionism

"Fueling the dismantling of our public health infrastructure is pandemic revisionism—the rewriting of history from the comfortable vantage point of 2025, where we now enjoy the benefits of immunity, scientific knowledge, and hindsight.

"Two years ago, I warned about this on The Ezra Klein Show. And here we are still.

"Just last week, The Daily podcast gave political scientists 45 minutes to argue that non-pharmaceutical interventions—lockdowns, masks, quarantines—didn’t work or, worse, were deliberately implemented by public health officials despite knowing better. This narrative is far from the truth. What’s missing is nuance: We need deep, holistic evaluations of where, why, and how policies work to move in the right direction.

"(To their credit, the two guests have agreed to come on our podcast, America Dissected, for a much-needed back-and-forth conversation, which I appreciate.)

"Consider these pivotal questions that challenge revisionist thinking:

  • If lockdowns don’t work, why did they succeed in New Zealand and Australia?

  • If masks are useless, why did flu nearly disappear?

  • If quarantines are ineffective, should we stop using them for measles?

"These interventions are not relics of Covid—they are the same tools we rely on today for bird flu, measles, and future outbreaks. Yet, we see alarming examples like Florida’s approach to measles in schools, which fundamentally undermines proven public health strategies.

"Let’s be crystal clear: In the first year of the pandemic, we faced a crisis with literally no vaccine, no treatment, terrible diagnostics, no surveillance system, and no federal plan. Outbreaks were widespread, hospitals were overwhelmed, and people were dying. This is not hyperbole—this was our reality.

"We must be able to hold two truths: 1. Mistakes were made. 2. Public health demonstrated remarkable resilience. Revisionist narratives often erase the second truth.

"Public health has always been underfunded and understaffed—a system not set up to succeed. And we are doing nothing to fix that infrastructure now.

Chronic vs. infectious disease battle

"Covid-19 also brought in its wake the false pretense that public health doesn’t focus on chronic health, nutrition, or other key issues that Americans care deeply about. These hot takes are dangerously misleading.

"The U.S. has entire centers of research and practice dedicated to diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, chronic disease, mental health, etc. The 22 Healthy People 2030 goals for public health prevention focus more on chronic diseases than infectious diseases. (Go here for progress towards each.) For decades, people have been studying and implementing best practices. That progress has been stalled because of policy blocks. The last big effort was during the Obama administration, which was met with fierce political opposition.

"So don’t be tricked: these cuts today dramatically impact chronic disease, too:

  • Sidelining scientific advancements, like in diabetes and cancer research.

  • Cutting USDA programs that support healthy eating at schools and local farmers.

  • $1 billion cut to substance use and mental health services.

  • Abruptly halting training for future cohorts of public servants.

"As I’ve written before, there are smart, tactful ways to remove bloat. But what we are seeing isn’t careful reform. This is a sledgehammer approach with little regard for the real-world consequences.

Cycle of panic and neglect

"This is what we in public health call the cycle of panic and neglect—a surge of support during crises that drives rapid investment, attention, and action, only to fade once the immediate threat passes, leaving systemic problems unresolved time and again.

"It isn’t new, but this is the most extreme we’ve seen. The “Sisyphean Cycle” was coined after Greek mythology in which Sisyphus— a “trickster who receives eternal punishment for trying to cheat death”—was condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up a steep hill for eternity. Every time he reached the top of the hill, the rock rolled back down to the bottom, forcing him to start all over again.

"We are actively watching the boulder roll back down the hill.

Where do we go from here?

"There is very little energy right now—for hard conversations, for mobilization, and for an already burned-out workforce being asked to do more with less. The only thing holding the public health system together is the unwavering workforce commitment with one clear mission: healthier communities. But how much longer can that last? A poll this week found 75% of scientists are considering leaving their jobs.

"It’s hard to see the path forward. The current leadership has a lot of explaining to do about how this is America first and how this makes us healthier.

"But we must remember: there is always a long game.

"Public health infrastructure has always gone beyond government programs. While these are vital—healthy societies invest in direct public health services—we also see another layer of protection when government falls short. The safety net of community leadership, the countless hidden acts of service and advocacy, and the resilience of those who continue to fight for health at the local and federal level.

"In a democracy, an educated public is the primary means to correct government errors. (Cough, cough, YLE.) We don’t yet know the full trajectory of this moment. But we do know that, by and large, Americans value the people who protect their health. Trust in public health may be battered, but it is not broken: the top two trusted sources of health information are doctors and public health departments. 88% of Americans still believe in routine vaccinations, grassroots efforts are mobilizing, and bipartisan support is emerging against big lobby groups that undermine health. And when policies start impacting lives in tangible ways, the public will take notice.

"This moment is dark. It may be for a while. But it’s not the end. After all the pieces fall, I’m hopeful that there will be an opportunity to rebuild something stronger, more responsive, and less vulnerable to the forces that seek to undermine it.

Bottom line

"This Covid-19 anniversary is different. It hasn’t been about looking back to learn for the future—it’s been about surviving the present and preventing, with all our might, the boulder from rolling back down the hill.

"One thing is certain: we cannot go back. The stakes are too high to forget. The lessons are too important to dismiss.

"Love, YLE"


A huge thank you to Dr. Matt Willis for his feedback on a number of drafts.

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Dr. Jetelina is also a senior scientific consultant to a number of non-profit organizations. YLE reaches over 340,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Odd News About The Release of the COVID Vaccine

Am I understanding this right? They're saying they didn't want to announce they had a COVID vaccine ready in time to help Trump, until they were sure that Joe Biden was the winner of the 2020 election?  Is that anything like how they didn't want to announce Biden's cognitive decline until after the first debate in 2024?

Is this Trump Derangement Syndrome gone wild?

If this is actually true, then heads should roll.

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

From Fierce Pharma 3/27/25:

GSK tip claiming Pfizer delayed COVID vaccine results during 2020 election prompts US probe: WSJ

"Years after the biopharmaceutical industry stepped up to create COVID-19 vaccines as the virus spiraled into a global pandemic, federal prosecutors are shining a light on a long-disputed political controversy with Pfizer at the center.

"Shortly after President Donald Trump won his second presidential election in the U.S. last fall, British drugmaker GSK came to federal prosecutors in New York, bearing intel from employees' conversations that rival Pfizer allegedly delayed the 2020 release of its COVID shot study results, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

"The COVID pandemic emerged during the final year of Trump’s first term, making vaccine development a political talking point as the president pushed for a COVID vaccine to be authorized before the 2020 election, in which he was set to face off against Joe Biden."

I Don't Trust The Gazans & Their "Anti-Hamas Protests"

This is a little too convenient and sudden for me. The same Gazans who participated in the October 7 Hamas massacres; the same Gazans menacingly baying and cheering at each hostage release; the same Gazans who have said and done nothing to indicate anti-Hamas sentiment -- now these same Gazans are abruptly protesting  against Hamas?  Where have they been all this time? Sorry, I don't trust them at all and see it as a precursor to an ambush of IDF soldiers, or worse. They're not demanding peace with Israel or the release of the hostages; they're just demanding peace for themselves.

From Israel Hayom:

"The protests began on Tuesday, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the collapse of Hamas rule. However, demonstrators have not directly addressed the issue of the hostages or called for their release."

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

I'm Tired of Vaccines Skeptics

I remember 2020 well. COVID was a new virus, nobody knew anything about it, everyone in charge were doing the best they could under difficult circumstances, plus they were trying to avoid panicking the public. I knew that a future vaccine would be the best hope, and I was right. Luckily for us, it was ready in a year, and I signed up immediately.

I still can't understand how people prefer to get sick rather than get vaccinated; or prefer that their child die needlessly from measles rather than get her vaccinated.  

Yet the adults seem to have no problem injecting themselves with Ozempic or Botox or street drugs.

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

From NPR Morning Edition 3/26/25:

COVID-19 gave rise to vaccine skepticism. That may affect our preparedness for the next pandemic

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

"Americans have become more polarized about vaccines since the COVID-19 pandemic began. That makes it harder to combat public health threats. NPR's Jude Joffe-Block reports.

"JUDE JOFFE-BLOCK, BYLINE: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there was a moment when some people thought it could be a unifying time for the country like 9/11 had been. But Matt Mata remembers when he felt convinced the pandemic would divide Americans instead. It was late March 2020, almost exactly five years ago.

"MATT MATA: Many states and municipalities had shut down, people were stuck at home - right? - stay-at-home orders, and Trump promised that he was going to reopen the economy, have people back at work, leaving their houses again by Easter Sunday, 2020.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: President Donald Trump was speaking on Fox News on March 24, 2020.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

"PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So, I think Easter Sunday, and you'll have packed churches all over our country. I think it would be a beautiful time.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: Mata says those statements were at odds with public health experts at the time. He studies public attitudes towards science at Boston University School of Public Health.

"MATA: It's the efforts that President Trump made to portray COVID-19 as not being that serious that led to polarization.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: Trump made false claims about the virus and pushed remedies that didn't work. Mata traces a direct line from Trump's comments five years ago to public opinion trends that persist to this day.

"MATA: Why would you vaccinate if the infectious disease threat isn't all that serious? That's when we started to see a split in public opinion, such that Republicans came to hold more negative views toward vaccinating and Democrats came to hold more positive views.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: There's a bigger trend. Americans with negative views toward COVID-19 vaccines are increasingly negative about other vaccines, too. One in four Republican parents are now skipping or delaying some childhood vaccines for their kids, according to a study from KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization. There are, of course, many factors that got us to this moment. University of Washington's Carl Bergstrom, who studies the spread of infectious diseases and misinformation, calls the pandemic...

"CARL BERGSTROM: A big opportunity for people pushing anti-vax propaganda to get their foot in the door with new segments of the population, and they did that quite successfully.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: The most prominent spreaders of that kind of propaganda was Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's now Trump Secretary of Health and Human Services. A very real consequence of declining vaccination rates is the growing number of measles cases in Texas and New Mexico.

"DAN SALMON: There's very real concern that this could result in widespread outbreak of measles.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: Dan Salmon directs the Institute for vaccine safety at Johns Hopkins University.

"SALMON: I mean, I really hope that doesn't happen, but the U.S. is quite vulnerable right now.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: There's irony to the partisan divide on vaccines. The COVID vaccines were developed quickly thanks to Trump administration initiatives such as Operation Warp Speed. Carl Bergstrom again.

"BERGSTROM: The COVID vaccine saved millions of lives. It was remarkably successful. It was developed in a tiny fraction of the time of any previous vaccine.

"JOFFE-BLOCK: A success that would be harder to replicate in our current political environment. Public health experts are worried we aren't learning the right lessons from COVID-19, especially with concerns about a potential bird flu pandemic. Recently, the Trump administration slashed funding for research on vaccine hesitancy, and scientists fear research on the same mRNA technology which was used in the leading COVID vaccines could be next."

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record