Author: Claudinne Miller
The Many Ways Kennedy Is Already Undermining Vaccines
New York Times The health secretary has chipped away at the idea that immunizing children against measles and other diseases is a public health good. During his Senate confirmation hearings to be health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presented himself as a supporter of vaccines. But in office, he and the agencies he leads have […]
Apr 16, 2025
Do You Have Your Cootie Shot?
The Atlantic The classic kids’ game teaches a lesson about public health that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has failed to learn. A sudden and mysterious outbreak of communicable disease began recently in my apartment building in Manhattan. Three 7-year-olds, a boy and two girls, were sharing the elevator one day with a caretaker and a […]
Apr 16, 2025
WHO member states agree to landmark accord on future pandemic responses
France 24 Countries united under the World Health Organization on Wednesday agreed to a milestone accord on how to respond to future pandemics and avoid repeating the mistakes made during the Covid-19 crisis. The agreement comes despite US foreign aid cuts and possible tariffs on pharmaceuticals casting uncertainty over the talks. Years of negotiations culminated early […]
Apr 16, 2025
Mpox testing gaps raise risk of cross-border spread
The Independent Foreign aid cuts could result in a major outbreak of mpox across the African continent and beyond, with virus control measures already disrupted, public health experts warn. Mpox testing and monitoring efforts in hotspot areas like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were heavily reliant on foreign assistance, which has been slashed under […]
Apr 16, 2025
One Simple Hack to Ruin Your Easter
The Atlantic The price of eggs has some online creators suggesting that potatoes are a suitable alternative. Like countless others who have left their hometown to live a sinful, secular life in a fantastic American city, I no longer actively practice Christianity. But a few times a year, my upbringing whispers to me across space […]
Apr 16, 2025
A New UV Light May Help Stop Future Pandemics
Infectious Disease Advisor Five years after COVID-19 first hit the United States, scientists are already brainstorming how to stop the next big virus. One possible solution? A special kind of ultraviolet light called far-UVC, CBS News reported. Unlike regular UVC light, which can be harmful to people, far-UVC has a shorter wavelength. That means it can kill […]
Apr 16, 2025
How bird flu differs from seasonal flu − an infectious disease researcher explains
The Conversation The flu sickens millions of people in the U.S. every year, and the past year has been particularly tough. Although infections are trending downward, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called the winter of 2024-2025 a “high severity” season with the highest hospitalization rate in 15 years. Since early 2024, a different kind of […]
Apr 16, 2025
A new COVID variant is on the rise. Here’s what to know about LP.8.1
The Conversation More than five years since COVID was declared a pandemic, we’re still facing the regular emergence of new variants of the virus, SARS-CoV-2. The latest variant on the rise is LP.8.1. It’s increasing in Australia, making up close to one in five COVID cases in New South Wales. Elsewhere it’s become even more dominant, comprising at least […]
Apr 16, 2025
New Yorkers reflect on COVID-19 impact: reporting anger, isolation, and unexpected growth
6 News Five years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest poll by the Siena College Research Institute reveals that 67% of New Yorkers report either they or a family member contracted the virus, with 37% experiencing it more than once. The results were gathered from 618 NY residents from March 17 to […]
Apr 16, 2025
Why cats are so vulnerable to H5N1 bird flu
STAT In 2024, as zoos were hit hard by H5N1 bird flu, big cats were particularly affected: tigers, lions, a cheetah, and a panther all died after being infected with the same virus that has caused egg prices to skyrocket. House cats are vulnerable to H5N1, too, as Meghan F. Davis, a veterinarian and epidemiologist with […]
Apr 16, 2025