A Free and East Way Mamdani Can Fight Antisemitism

The antisemite Mayor himself claims to want to fight antisemitism in New York City. I have an idea for him that won't cost a cent and can happen immediately:

(1) Look in the mirror

(2) Stop talking

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Fox News, 9-30-26

Mamdani’s antisemitism plan draws criticism as rabbis say it avoids key driver of hate.

'All of this money is pure pork barrel politics...Outside of $1million dollars in security, it is all being spent on community initiatives that will reward his supporters,' rabbi says 

"New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a multimillion-dollar strategy to combat antisemitism, drawing criticism from prominent Jewish leaders who described the announcement as an attempt to deflect attention from the mayor’s own rhetoric while avoiding one of the defining sources of modern anti-Jewish hostility: the demonization of Israel and Zionism.

"Mamdani announced what his administration called the nation’s first municipal strategy dedicated to combating antisemitism, declaring that Jewish New Yorkers "should feel cherished and celebrated in the most Jewish city in America."

"The mayor cited New York Police Department statistics showing that although Jewish residents constitute approximately 12% of the city’s population, antisemitic incidents account for more than half of its confirmed hate crimes."

Terror & Heroism on a Flight From UAE to Israel, Reminiscent of Flt 93

As soon as I saw the torrent of breaking news e-mails this morning, I knew this was terrorism, and if the pilot hadn't regained control of that plane, they would have crashed, like the EgyptAir 990 deliberately did years ago. 

From what I heard, the pilot of the jet, who had been stabbed by the terrorist/co-pilot, managed to send out a code 7500, which is the sign for a hijacking, and badly wounded, managed to open the cockpit door so the passengers, two of whom were pilots, could help.  That's too reminiscent of Flight 93 on September 93, isn't it?

Since the media doesn't seem to know what terrorism is,  I wasn't surprised to see some networks referring to this attack as being a result of the co-pilot's possible "mental illness".  Yes, Jew-haters do tend to go mental from IDS when Israel is involved.

So you see how this terrible thwarted terrorist attack will be downplayed and gaslighted

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Copilot subdued after stabbing pilot in alleged attempt to crash plane full of Israelis

Flydubai flight from UAE lands safely in Saudi Arabia with no non-crewmembers seriously hurt after Israeli passengers rush cockpit, subdue stabber; Israeli warplanes were scrambled

 

 

A commercial flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a bloody clash in the cockpit on Wednesday morning that Israeli officials suspect was an attempt to wrest control of the plane and crash it in an act of terrorism. None of the 180-odd passengers, almost all of whom were Israeli, were reported injured.

People who were on the plane, and loved ones to whom they’d spoken, told Hebrew media that it appeared the flight’s copilot had stabbed the captain, at which point the plane went out of control. The plane initially plummeted some 17,000 feet in under two minutes.

A group of Israeli passengers managed to force their way into the cockpit, subdue the stabber and stabilize the plane, witnesses said. It was speculated that the captain, even as he was being attacked, may have opened the cockpit door.

Daniel, an Israeli passenger, said a pair of off-duty pilots who were on the plane took control of the flight after the assailant had been subdued. About an hour later, it landed in Saudi Arabia.

“The spinning stopped. It took some — I don’t know, it felt like an eternity, but I think it was two minutes, at least two or three minutes, during which the plane was simply diving and spinning like crazy,” Daniel recounted. “It felt like, that’s it. It’s over. September 11 is happening again.”

In a video statement on Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “One of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and all indications show that he tried to crash the plane along with its passengers.”

He said he had spoken to an Israeli passenger “who told me that the plane went into a dive. He told me that somehow, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they managed to stop the [co]pilot while he was attempting to damage the plane’s systems.”

“We are in continuous contact with the relevant authorities to guarantee the continued safety of the passengers and their safe return home,” Netanyahu said, praising the bravery of those who thwarted the “extremely serious security incident.”

The Saudis were interrogating the suspect, he said.

Although Israel had not formally designated the incident an act of terrorism, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said bluntly late Wednesday afternoon that the incident “was a jihadist terrorist attack attempt, which was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit, overpowered the terrorist and, with their own hands, restored control of the plane to another flight crew who was present there.”

Screams and blood

Passenger Daniel said he “definitely” believed it was a terrorist attack. “I heard the screams during the struggle and saw the blood on the floor from the pilot, who was brought out.”

“Those three Israeli guys [who. he said, subdued the attacker] are real heroes. It’s hard to explain just how heroic they were,” he said.

A passenger is seen with a bloodied shirt aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that suffered an emergency mid-air, with the co-pilot subdued after stabbing the captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane full of Israelis, September 30, 2026 (Social media: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon described the screaming on the plane and said it was “really on the way to crashing,” before it was saved by “the resourcefulness” of the people who overpowered the copilot “and neutralized him.”

“There was also a doctor who gave first aid,” and others who treated the captain and the copilot, she said, noting that there “was a lot of blood. “There were no other injuries, she said, “but the bigger fear was really a crash, which is exactly what [the assailant] was trying to do.”

Prior to Netanyahu’s video statement, there were no official statements on the circumstances of the incident by Israeli, Saudi or Emirati authorities. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said “the most severe incident” was prevented, evidently referring to the potential for the plane to have crashed with all passengers on board.

The captain was an Emirati citizen, and the copilot an Omani, who had reportedly worked for the airline for less than a year. According to one passenger, the captain was “seriously wounded” and was taken for treatment after the plane landed. Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport said the pilot and copilot were both injured and had been hospitalized.

The flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv sent a “squawk code” of 7700, an international emergency signal, some time before 9:30 a.m., according to flight tracking data. It then sent a 7500 code, signaling a hijacking or unlawful interference, a short time later. Israeli air traffic controllers were reportedly unable to make contact with the plane for “long minutes.”

In the intervening time, Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled toward the plane, security sources said. Netanyahu and Katz also held emergency consultations, and the Israel Defense Forces said Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted an assessment with senior officers.

“The situation is under control, and all measures are currently being taken to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel safely,” said the Prime Minister’s Office, in a statement around 10:45

A commercial flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a bloody clash in the cockpit on Wednesday morning that Israeli officials suspect was an attempt to wrest control of the plane and crash it in an act of terrorism. None of the 180-odd passengers, almost all of whom were Israeli, were reported injured.

People who were on the plane, and loved ones to whom they’d spoken, told Hebrew media that it appeared the flight’s copilot had stabbed the captain, at which point the plane went out of control. The plane initially plummeted some 17,000 feet in under two minutes.

A group of Israeli passengers managed to force their way into the cockpit, subdue the stabber and stabilize the plane, witnesses said. It was speculated that the captain, even as he was being attacked, may have opened the cockpit door.

Daniel, an Israeli passenger, said a pair of off-duty pilots who were on the plane took control of the flight after the assailant had been subdued. About an hour later, it landed in Saudi Arabia.

“The spinning stopped. It took some — I don’t know, it felt like an eternity, but I think it was two minutes, at least two or three minutes, during which the plane was simply diving and spinning like crazy,” Daniel recounted. “It felt like, that’s it. It’s over. September 11 is happening again.”

In a video statement on Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “One of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and all indications show that he tried to crash the plane along with its passengers.”

He said he had spoken to an Israeli passenger “who told me that the plane went into a dive. He told me that somehow, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they managed to stop the [co]pilot while he was attempting to damage the plane’s systems.”

“We are in continuous contact with the relevant authorities to guarantee the continued safety of the passengers and their safe return home,” Netanyahu said, praising the bravery of those who thwarted the “extremely serious security incident.”

The Saudis were interrogating the suspect, he said.

Although Israel had not formally designated the incident an act of terrorism, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said bluntly late Wednesday afternoon that the incident “was a jihadist terrorist attack attempt, which was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit, overpowered the terrorist and, with their own hands, restored control of the plane to another flight crew who was present there.”

Your Local Epidemiologist-The Dose, 9-29-26

Flu is here early. Plus Covid, mosquitoes, and more.
The Dose (Sept 29)

Katelyn Jetelina, 8 hours ago

Happy fall, y’all!

Here come the pathogens: flu is coming in hot and early, Covid-19 is peaking, and mosquito-borne diseases are having a bad year in the Southwest. And with the wave of diseases, come more falsehoods and rumors. I answer a reader question: Do the benefits still outweigh the risks of the Covid-19 vaccine?

Here’s what’s going on in the world of health and, most importantly, what it means for you.

Disease “weather” report

Flu is here unusually early

While levels are still low nationally, flu metrics are ticking up, including emergency department visits. This is especially true in the West.

Two things are unusual about this:

    It is early (see graph below). Typically, we see metrics start to increase in October or November.

    Flu activity usually starts in the Southeast (Florida and Texas) and then slowly spreads across the country. It doesn’t usually start in the West.

But flu is doing what it does best: being unpredictable.

Number of tests that are coming back positive for flu. Source: CDC; Annotated by Your Local Epidemiologist

The U.S. doesn’t seem to be alone. Flu is also increasing early in the U.K., Japan, and other Northern Hemisphere countries. We don’t know why it’s coming early.

The Southern Hemisphere’s viral season occurs a few months before the Northern Hemisphere’s, since their winter is our summer, and vice versa. This flips the weather and how and when viruses thrive, allowing epidemiologists to look south for clues about what to expect for flu in the north.

What happened in the Southern Hemisphere this summer?

    The flu starting line was a mixed bag. Argentina’s season started about three weeks early. Chile and South Africa were on schedule, while Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji were unusually quiet through their usual window, then surged unexpectedly in August through September.

    The flu’s later arrival to the Pacific region may be related to the new strain (subclade K) that circulated last year, which really skewed some patterns. In Australia, for example, 2025 was their worst flu season on record, and it ended late, peaking just before Christmas. So flu immunity waned late, causing a later season this year.

2026 flu activity across countries. Source: PAHO. Figure created by Your Local Epidemiologist using Claude.

    Flu season was severe in many places this summer. In parts of South America, the flu hit hard. Argentina recorded its highest number of flu-like illness cases in a decade, partly due to its early start, with flu test positivity among outpatients peaking above 45% in late May.

So, the flu is having a weird year across much of the globe. Will it mean that we will have a bad season? Not necessarily. But epidemiologists will be keeping a close eye on it.

What this means for you: Now is the time to get your flu vaccine. Usually, advice is in October (the common saying is “flu before boo”), but for maximum protection, I think that advice will be late this year. Schedule your flu vaccine appointment this week. I am.

Covid-19 is peaking nationally

Wastewater—a strong indicator of how many people are spreading Covid-19—has clearly peaked at the national level. A few states in the Midwest are still increasing, but they will soon begin to decrease as well.

If this pattern continues, this summer’s peak will be as high as winter’s, but not as high as last summer’s.

 

Wastewater levels for Covid-19. Source: CDC via PopHIVE.

With reduced spread and increased immunity, we continue to see deaths plummet, falling about 54% each year. (See figure below.) This year, if the trend continues, Covid-19 will have contributed to ~9,100 deaths, which is less than half of the deaths caused by the flu each year.

Figure source: Gideon M-K: Health Nerd.

What this means for you: The population-level impact of Covid-19 continues to decline this season and overall, which is fantastic news. However, the vaccine is still important, especially for high-risk folks. After some bumps in the road (covered in YLE last week), the vaccine should now be widely available.

Mosquito season isn’t done yet

Nationally, this year has been quieter than last year for mosquito-borne diseases, even though the West Nile season started earlier than any year since 2004. The one exception is for those of us in the Southwest: Phoenix and California are well above last year. (Matt over at YLE California has been keeping close tabs on this.)

Thankfully, mosquito activity peaks in August, so it’s now trending downward. But those boogers are definitely still out there until they go dormant or die off because of weather changes.
 

 

Human West Nile cases in California. Source: CDPH.

West Nile disease is local by nature: heat, standing water, and how many animals (i.e., hosts) are already immune determine where it flares up. (Hotspots were in Colorado and Illinois last year.)

What this means for you: The end of the mosquito season isn’t here yet, but it’s close. Expect activity until the first sustained cold snap. Until then, use repellent at dusk and dump standing water weekly.

Flu vaccine spotlight: Common falsehoods

With the flu season comes an increase in falsehoods and rumors on social media, and in our daily conversations with family and friends. Here are some of the top ones in case you find yourself in a conversation with someone in line at the grocery store (like I did just recently):

    “The flu shot can give me the flu.”

A lot of people believe this from personal experience, but it’s biologically impossible: the shot doesn’t contain live virus. (The nasal spray uses a weakened live virus that can't cause flu illness, though it may cause a mild runny nose.)

Side effects aren’t the explanation either. In randomized controlled studies, the only differences between people who received the flu shot and those who received a placebo were increased arm soreness and redness at the injection site.

The more likely reason is bad luck: getting exposed to the flu after vaccination but before the shot kicks in, which takes about two weeks.

    “I do not need the vaccination.”

Humans have certainly normalized the flu, but it’s a big deal. About 8% of the U.S. population (anywhere from 3% to 11%, depending on the season) can expect to get the flu each year. Since 2010, that has meant between 120,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and 6,300 to 52,000 deaths every year.

    “I don’t think the flu vaccine works.”

They aren’t perfect, but they do help. They don’t always prevent infection, but they are especially good at preventing severe illness and hospitalization. The effectiveness is generally around 40 to 60% when the vaccine is well matched. In the 2019–2020 season, for example, flu vaccines prevented an estimated 7.5 million illnesses, 3.7 million medical visits, 105,000 hospitalizations, and 6,300 deaths.

Among children, a 2017 study found that flu vaccination halved a child’s risk of death.

    “I got the flu shot last year, so I am protected.”

Unfortunately, you should get a flu vaccine every year. Because flu viruses change fast, the flu vaccine is updated annually to target the strains research predicts will be most common this season. Vaccine and/or natural immunity also wanes over time, so you need to get a vaccine annually for optimal protection.

Question grab bag

“I recently sat in on a doctor visit with a friend who is being treated for cancer. When the subject of vaccines came up, her cancer doctor told her to get her flu shot in October and said that he didn’t recommend the Covid-19 vaccine. I was surprised to hear that. Are blood clots, heart inflammation, long Covid, and other complications still an issue?”

Obviously, I am not part of her clinical care team, and many factors could influence this decision. But, broadly speaking, this is how I would think about it:

If she received a stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy, this is the right call. It is advised to delay vaccination for at least 3 months. During that time, her immune system is heavily suppressed, so the vaccine is less likely to work well.

If she wasn’t getting this treatment, I am disappointed that he didn’t recommend the Covid-19 vaccine for her. People receiving cancer treatments that weaken the immune system have a high risk of severe disease from Covid-19.

This comes down to a very simple question: do the benefits outweigh the risks? I went searching for numbers, given that we haven’t had a CDC ACIP meeting in a long time. These are estimates, but they still make clear that the benefits continue to outweigh the risks, especially for those over 65 years old.

    Benefits: The number of hospitalizations prevented among those over 65 years old is about 1,200 per 1 million doses. For people 65 and older, the updated vaccine also lowers the risk of Covid-related blood clots, including strokes, heart attacks, and blood clots in the legs or lungs.

    Risks: A myocarditis complication isn’t a thing anymore with the Covid-19 vaccine. This is due to increased immunity (from infections and spaced-out vaccines). Allergic reactions and Guillain-Barré (maybe) are really the only vaccine-related risks in the data, and they are very, very small. There is no risk of blood clots from the vaccine. (This was associated with the J&J vaccine early in the pandemic, which is no longer available.)

 

 Figure created by Your Local Epidemiologist using CDC data and Claude, which happens to be much faster than Excel these days!

Bottom line

Flu is here, while Covid-19 and mosquito-borne diseases are decreasing. Thankfully, we do have vaccines that are, yes, beneficial; the benefits still greatly outweigh the risks. Stay healthy out there!

Love, YLE

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members.

Dr Ruth Report Part 2 of 2, 9/28/26

Per Dr Ruth, "Here is the second half of this week's newsletter that is mostly focused on medical topics other than COVID.."

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Dr. Ruth Report, 9/28/26 Part II

Ruth Ann Crystal MD

55 minutes ago

Here is the second half of this week's newsletter that is mostly focused on medical topics other than COVID.

Other news

‘Pink Slime’ Is Infecting AI Chatbots Ahead of the Midterms | Politico 9/25/26

• Be careful when asking AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok about the upcoming midterms. A NewsGuard audit found that AI chatbots frequently cite “pink slime” sites when answering questions about candidates. Pink Slime sites are designed to look like independent local newspapers, but they actually run hidden political propaganda paid for by political groups, candidates, or dark-money organizations. Nearly half of the chatbot responses NewsGuard tested showed these biased sources right before the midterm elections.

Epstein–Barr Virus: More than Just an Infection | Viruses 9/21/26

• Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) causes infectious mononucleosis, a common childhood infection. A new review looks at some of EBV’s long lasting effects. The EBNA1 protein can trigger autoimmunity through molecular mimicry, cross-reacting with GlialCAM in Multiple Sclerosis, keratin in Rheumatoid Arthritis, and nuclear proteins in Lupus. EBV reprograms B cells to evade immune system surveillance. It has been implicated in pediatric emergencies such as HLH and Chronic Active EBV disease (CAEBV), as well as some lymphomas. They also briefly mention possible links between EBV reactivation and Long COVID.

The nucleoside analog kamuvudine-9 shows protective and therapeutic efficacy in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis | Science Translational Medicine 9/23/26

• Researchers at the University of Virginia found that the modified HIV drug kamuvudine-9 (K9) reversed vision loss and paralysis in a mouse model of Multiple Sclerosis by blocking inflammasome activation, a mechanism that drives destruction of myelin and axons. The drug showed efficacy both as a preventive and as a treatment after disease onset. A separate analysis of more than 3 million patient records linked related compounds (NRTIs) to lower MS diagnosis and relapse rates.

• Explainer article from the NIH: Modified HIV Drug Reverses Vision Loss and Paralysis in Multiple Sclerosis Model

A clinical trial of repurposed HIV antivirals in Long COVID | PolyBio Research Foundation

• Mount Sinai is recruiting patients for a Phase II study (NCT06511063) of two repurposed HIV antivirals (Truvada or Maraviroc) to see if they can reduce Long COVID symptoms. Truvada is a NRTI that can block SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro and it also has activity against EBV reactivation. Maraviroc is a CCR5 inhibitor that reduces inflammaging.

Cytotoxic CD4+ T Cells Induce Age Associated Myelopoiesis Through CCL5 CCR5 Signaling | Nature Aging 8/26/26

• Scientists found that aging mice accumulate cytotoxic CD4+ T cells in bone marrow that release CCL5, driving aged stem cells to overproduce inflammatory neutrophils through the CCR5 receptor. Blocking CCR5 with the HIV drug maraviroc reduced neutrophil output and improved several markers of aging in the animals.

  Share

The Gut Microbiome in Multiple Sclerosis | Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation 8/26/26 (November 2026)

• UCSF researchers reviewed evidence showing that people with Multiple Sclerosis carry a measurably altered gut microbial community that disrupts production of short chain fatty acids (SFCAs), tryptophan metabolites, and bile acids, three signaling classes that normally help regulate immune cells, the blood brain barrier, and glial function. Whether these microbial shifts actually drive MS progression or simply accompany it remains an open question.

Gut microbiome shifts in chronic systolic heart failure are associated with disease severity and clinical improvement | Nature Cardiovascular Research 9/24/26

• Stanford researchers profiled gut microbiomes and multi-omics in 59 heart failure patients vs. 50 healthy controls, finding depleted Bifidobacterium and reduced SCFA production in heart failure. Higher Bifidobacterium tracked with clinical improvement over time, linked to production of cardioprotective indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), suggesting a gut-heart mechanistic pathway and potential probiotic target.

Semaglutide and cardiovascular risk reduction: a mediation analysis of the SELECT trial | European Heart Journal 9/23/26

• GLP-1 drug Semaglutide cut major cardiovascular events by 20% in the SELECT trial, but why? Weight, waist size, inflammation (hsCRP), and glucose explained only part of the benefit suggesting semaglutide’s cardioprotection works partly through mechanisms beyond conventional weight and metabolic markers.

Effect of Screening with Multicancer Early-Detection Test on Late-Stage Cancer Diagnosis | New England Journal of Medicine 9/22/26

• A large NHS randomized trial tested a blood-based multicancer early-detection test (Galleri from Grail) against usual care in adults aged 50–77. Authors concluded, “we did not observe a lower incidence rate of stage III or IV cancers across 12 prespecified cancers after three screening rounds with multicancer early-detection testing [Galleri test] plus usual care than with usual care alone.”

Pre-diagnosis plasma cell-free DNA reveals early signatures of prostate and breast cancer risk up to eight years prior to clinical detection | Cell Genomics 9/26

• Genome-wide cfDNA methylation profiling of 491 pre-diagnosis plasma samples (some drawn 9 years before diagnosis) identified early cancer-associated epigenetic signatures. Silencer-region methylation predicted future prostate cancer (3.55-fold hazard increase), while enhancer hypermethylation flagged incident and late-stage breast cancer, pointing toward a liquid-biopsy early-warning approach.

Blood proteomics of menopause map to brain aging and dementia risk | Nature Medicine 9/22/26

• Analyzing blood proteomics across nearly 15,000 women, researchers found menopause drives inflammatory, synaptic, and Alzheimer’s-related protein changes tied more to hormone shifts than chronological age. A menopause proteomic score consistently predicted worse cognitive trajectories and dementia risk in four independent aging cohorts, positioning menopause as a discovery window for brain health.

Atrial fibrillation and retinal imaging-based oculomics: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of two large cohorts | PLOS Digital Health 9/10/26

• Across 90,000+ people in AlzEye and UK Biobank, thinner macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) on routine retinal imaging was consistently linked to both prevalent and incident atrial fibrillation. Each SD decrease raised AF risk 27%, suggesting inexpensive eye scans could flag silent cardiac arrhythmia risk.

Sudden Infant Deaths Have Increased Among Black Babies New Data Show | CIDRAP 9/25/26

• Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder analyzed nearly 58 million US births from 2003 through 2024 and found sudden unexpected infant death rates climbing for Black infants since 2020 while staying flat for white infants. Preterm birth explained part of the gap, but the rise itself was driven by SUID.

Standalone Salpingectomy for Primary Ovarian Cancer Prevention: A Cost Effectiveness Analysis | AJOG 9/18/26

• A Markov model across five age groups compared standalone salpingectomy with no surgery. For average-risk women, it was not cost effective, exceeding $239,000 per QALY. For women with a relative ovarian cancer risk of 1.5 or higher, it became cost effective, particularly at ages 45 and 50.

Jehovah’s Witnesses allow blood-derived products but keep ban on whole-blood transfusions | AP 9/18/26

• Jehovah’s Witnesses’ governing body says members may now decide individually whether to receive the four main blood components: red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. Members may also choose to donate blood for use as components. The organization still prohibits transfusions of whole blood; an earlier change this year allowed members to store their own blood for later treatment.

Smartphone Ownership and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Early Adolescence | JAMA 9/25/26

• A team led by UCSF’s Jason Nagata tracked roughly 9,000 US adolescents ages 12 and 14 and found smartphone ownership tied to eating disorder symptoms both at the same time point and two years later. The link held even after accounting for symptoms already present at baseline.

Lyme patients 4 times more likely to have antibodies to other tick-borne pathogens | CIDRAP 9/21/26

• Investigators at Quest Diagnostics and the University of North Carolina analyzed tick-borne disease tests from 193,260 people. Among those with Lyme antibodies, 29.5% also had antibodies to another tick-borne pathogen, versus 5.5% of those without Lyme antibodies. Antibodies alone do not establish an active coinfection however.

Th17 effector cytokines induce shared and distinct microglial and endothelial cell responses in a mouse model for post-streptococcal encephalitis | Nature Communications 8/11/26

• In a mouse model of PANS/PANDAS, a Columbia University team in New York studied mice after repeated group A strep infections and found inflammatory changes in brain immune cells and blood vessel cells, with blood-brain barrier disruption in female mice. Removing the IL-17 receptor from microglia partly restored barrier integrity, suggesting one possible pathway for post-infectious brain inflammation that still needs testing in people.

Nursing Home Beds Are Becoming More Scarce | KFF Health News 9/23/26

• National nursing home capacity dropped 5% from 2019 to 2024 even as the oldest baby boomers turn 80, a research team found. Facilities cite Medicaid reimbursement shortfalls and workforce gaps, with experts warning the shortage could worsen sharply as immigration and Medicaid policy shifts loom.

Check out this fun video that Justine Moore made “Marketing my cat like a new Apple product”:

Justine Moore@venturetwins

Marketing my cat like a new Apple product

4:39 PM · Sep 26, 2026 · 1.57M Views

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336 Replies · 8.4K Reposts · 76.2K Likes

And finally, it’s Fat Bear Week! You can vote for your favorite bear daily here.

 

Have a great week,

Ruth Ann Crystal MD

Dr Ruth Report, Part I - 9/28/26

Dr Ruth Ann Crystal has so much information for us this time that she's had to divide it into TWO newsletters! As she writes at the end of this newsletter, "Because there are so many interesting other medical articles this week, I’ve put them into a separate email so that it is easier to read. Please look for Part II of this newsletter."

========================

Dr. Ruth Report, 9/28/26 Part I 

Viral proteins and vascular inflammation, Stanford ME/CFS symposium, preventing dysautonomia after COVID, Long COVID claims show 2 to 3 weeks after ER surges, and more.

Ruth Ann Crystal MD

45 minutes ago

As we head into fall, the COVID wave may have peaked, but levels remain very high in parts of the US, especially the West and the Gulf states. According to Mike Hoerger, about 1 in 91 Americans had COVID nationally on 9/21/26. In the burgundy counties on the map below, more than 1 in 30 people are infected.

NBC news reported this week about what Mike Hoerger had been saying about changes in CDC reporting. The CDC quietly raised its benchmark for wastewater COVID levels last month, so a reading that once counted as high transmission may now register as moderate instead. COVID infections are still rising in more than half of US states, even though the recalibrated metric makes the picture look milder. Hoerger shows the difference in this tweet and notes that “This really makes a difference for early warning in the middle categories.”

The new COVID vaccines are available and many people qualify, including those who are physically inactive or who have asthma. Fortunately, the federal Vaccines for Children program, which covers more than half of American children, has finally allowed states to order updated COVID vaccines for kids. The FDA approved these shots on August 27th.

This week has a lot of non-COVID news, so I’ll be sending it as a separate email to keep things easy to read. That separate post covers multiple sclerosis, the gut microbiome, heart failure, early cancer detection tests, menopause, SIDS, “pink slime”, and much more.

COVID Variants

According to WastewaterSCAN on 9/24/26, the XFG variant represents 53.4% of variants, followed by LF.7 (21.7%) and BA.3.2 (8.6%).

Olfactory dysfunction after COVID

Localized SARS-CoV-2 Infection Triggers a Tissue-Wide Antiviral Response and Functional Impairment of Olfactory Sensory Neurons | BioRxiV 9/21/26

• In a small UC Davis study of mice, a localized SARS-CoV-2 infection in olfactory tissue triggered tissue-wide interferon signaling and dampened the metabolism of smell neurons. Even uninfected neurons responded poorly to odors, suggesting that the immune response, not viral damage, drives smell loss.

Vaccines

CDC Greenlights COVID Vaccines for Vulnerable Children After Nearly 1 Month Delay | CIDRAP 9/24/26

• The CDC has finally let states order updated COVID shots through the Vaccines for Children program, which covers more than half of US kids including those on Medicaid. Privately insured children had weeks of access before low income and uninsured kids could get them.

Booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine and its effectiveness against post COVID-19 condition in individuals with pre-existing immunity: a sequential propensity score-matched cohort study | eClinicalMedicine 9/25/26

• Researchers at the University of Gothenburg studied 1.39 million adults and found that receiving a fourth COVID vaccine dose was associated with a 31% lower risk of a Long COVID diagnosis over six months compared to three doses. Among high risk individuals the protective association was even stronger, reaching 38%, though the absolute risk reduction was small. Preventing COVID infections prevents Long COVID too.

Jeff Gilchrist and Paul Seaman made this Google doc about the Novavax COVID vaccine.

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Long COVID

Remnant virus proteins sustain vascular inflammation post coronavirus infection in mice and humans | Clinical Science 9/26/26

• Medical University of Vienna researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins persist in the circulation and in organs for months after infection, even when specific antibodies were present. These viral fragment proteins directly trigger endothelial inflammation through TLR4 signaling. A high-N-protein patient subgroup (28 of 95 patients) showed elevated markers of endothelial activation and vascular inflammation. Prednisolone reduced this effect in mice.

The gut-lung axis in respiratory diseases: Mechanisms, microbiome dysbiosis, and therapeutic implications. A comprehensive review | Respiratory Medicine 9/25/26 (November 2026 issue)

• Researchers from Malaysia reviewed 146 studies on the gut-lung axis and how intestinal microbiota and metabolites regulate pulmonary immunity across asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory infections, COVID, sleep apnea, and lung cancer. “SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with profound gut microbiome disruption, which can last for at least six months, with ongoing depletion of beneficial bacteria like B. pseudocatenulatum and F. prausnitzii linked to persistent respiratory symptoms.”

The 10th Annual Stanford Community Symposium on the Molecular Basis of ME/CFS presentations are available now online. So far, I have really enjoyed listening to talks from Bill Robinson and David Kaufman, but I look forward to catching up on the other presentations soon. Other speakers include Ron Davis, Rob Phair, Brayden Yellman, Rob Wurst, Nancy Klimas and others.

RECOVER-TLC Biomarker Studies | FNIH RECOVER-TLC 9/25/26

• Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) RECOVER-TLC scientists selected 82 blood based biomarkers spanning immune, vascular, inflammatory, metabolic, and neurological systems for inclusion in upcoming clinical trials. Hannah Davis commented on Twitter about the suggested Long COVID biomarker list saying that she was “happy to see: ptau-181, ET-1, NF-kB, OSM, DPP-4, S100B.” However, she has concerns that a 3-month symptom-duration threshold may be too short, that the list includes several biomarkers (D-dimer, P-selectin, CD14, CXCL10, CRP) known to normalize by 6-12 months, and that the proposed list includes 7 tests that RECOVER has tested already and found no difference. She also states, “Most importantly, so many known areas of study are missing: gut/gut integrity, coagulation/endothelial damage, complement, herpesvirus panels, persistent antigen, IFN-β, cortisol & testosterone, kynurenine/tryptophan, T cell exhaustion.”

An Open-Label Feasibility Study of Remdesivir in Long COVID: Results from the ERASE LC Trial | Oxford Open Immunology 9/16/26

• A group in the UK gave 73 people with Long COVID five days of IV remdesivir in a safety and feasibility study. The treatment was safe and almost all participants completed the treatment. Although the study was not designed to prove efficacy, there was improvement in patient reported outcomes and for physical tests like the 6 minute walk test.

Long COVID: The Problem Society Wants to Forget | JAMA 9/24/26

• In a podcast, JAMA Senior Editor Derek Angus spoke with Dr. Wes Ely on how millions of people continue to live with Long COVID even as public attention has largely shifted away from the condition. They examine the persistent challenges in defining the illness and delivering effective care, as well as emerging Long COVID research.

Dynamic changes in cardiac autonomic function persist in the postacute phase after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a hamster model of COVID-19 | Heart Rhythm Open 9/24/26

• Johns Hopkins University scientists found that “cardiac dysautonomia after SARS-CoV-2 infection is phase dependent” in hamsters. Early intervention during acute infection either by blocking innate immune signaling with the JAK/STAT inhibitor Ruxolitinib, or by blocking mitochondrial oxidative stress with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl was sufficient to prevent postacute autonomic dysfunction and ANS remodeling.

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Post-infection increases in Cardiometabolic Disease Staging (CMDS) scores are associated with increased odds of long COVID in a longitudinal retrospective cohort | Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 9/22/26

• Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham studied 6,364 patients and found that worse cardiometabolic health following COVID infection was associated with 36% greater odds of developing Long COVID. Increases in BMI, blood glucose, and triglyceride levels each contributed independently to this risk.

Temporal, demographic, and geographic patterns of long COVID incidence in relation to SARS-CoV-2 variant emergence: Insights from the Texas all-payer claims database (TX-APCD) | International Journal of Infectious Diseases 9/24/26

• UTHealth Houston researchers analyzed data from 15.3 million insured Texans and found that Long COVID claims consistently emerged 2 to 3 weeks after surges in COVID related emergency department visits, with adults over 70, Medicare enrollees, and rural Texans bearing disproportionately higher documented rates. Long COVID affects 10 to 30% of people infected with COVID, representing approximately 400 million people worldwide.

Sex-specific patterns of symptom burden, psychological distress, and work productivity impairment in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19: a 10-month dynamic cohort study | BMC Pulmonary Medicine 9/21/26

• Hannover Medical School in Germany tracked 433 Long COVID patients over 10 months and found that women reported greater fatigue, anxiety, and workplace impairment and a lower quality of life than men even after statistical adjustment for other factors. “Females also had higher percent-predicted (pp) total lung capacity (p < 0.0001) and lower pCO₂ (p < 0.0001), whereas males had higher pp diffusion capacity (p = 0.001). Headache (p < 0.001) and chest tightness (p = 0.011) were reported more frequently by females.”

Single-cell multi-omics show disruption of blood and airway T-cells in pulmonary long COVID | European Respiratory Journal 8/27/26

• Pulmonary Long COVID (PLC) refers to residual respiratory symptoms after COVID infection. University of British Columbia researchers found elevated CD4+ T-cells in the lungs and blood of PLC patients. “In PBMCs, T cells expressing both CD4 and CD8 were elevated in PLC participants.” Upregulated antiviral and interferon signaling and increased autoantibodies to DNA, collagen II, and TIF1-gamma, point to T-cell driven autoimmunity.

Measles

CDC Measles Update:

• As of September 24, 2026, 3,659 confirmed measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026.

• The CDC now reports only 1 measles death in 2026 on their website although in reality, there have been 4 measles deaths in the last 2 months reported by Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Department of Health Measles Dashboard:

Johns Hopkins US Measles Tracker for the last 2 weeks (9/11/26 to 9/25/26):

Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

WHO: As of 9/23/26, there have been 7,890 Ebola cases in the DRC, with 3,799 deaths, and case fatality rate of 48%.

Other news

Because there are so many interesting other medical articles this week, I’ve put them into a separate email so that it is easier to read. Please look for Part II of this newsletter.

Have a great week,

Ruth Ann Crystal MD

Get Flu & COVID Shots Before October Ends

I got mine 2 weeks ago, and I stick to this schedule every year. 

Take note of the helpful chart in this article. 

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Get flu and COVID shots before the end of October, public health officials say
KJZZ | By Katherine Davis-Young
Published September 28, 2026 at 5:00 AM MST 

Respiratory virus season is on its way and health officials say it’s time to schedule seasonal vaccines for flu and COVID-19.

Arizona has reported more than 49,000 cases of flu and more than 20,000 cases of COVID-19 over the last year, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Respiratory viruses pose the highest risks to young children, adults over 65, and people with compromised immune systems.

But annual updated vaccines for flu and COVID-19 are beneficial for almost everyone, said Shane Brady, deputy assistant director of preparedness with the Arizona Department of Health Services.

“For flu and COVID in particular, it really does reduce your risk for severe disease. So even if you do end up getting sick, you’re less likely to get severely ill,” Brady said.

Brady said vaccination also slows the spread of these contagious diseases, which helps prevent vulnerable people from being exposed.

“It also can help protect those around you,” Brady said.

It can take your body about two weeks to build up immunity after a flu or COVID-19 shot. So medical experts recommend getting those vaccines before the end of October so that you’re protected well ahead of the peak of respiratory virus season, which is typically in December or January.

Leading U.S. medical organizations recommend annual updated flu shots for everyone 6 months and older. Annual updated COVID-19 shots are recommended for children 6 to 23 months, children 2 to 18 with certain risks or if desired, and all adults over 19. A one-time vaccine for RSV is also recommended for infants under 8 months, some pregnant women, adults 50 to 74 at increased risk, and all adults over 75.

American Medical Assoc.