We’re taking our son in for his annual wellness visit this week … already we have a list of questions for the pediatrician related to how soon we can get certain vaccinations (if he kid is 10). This is so, so scary, sad, and rage-inducing.
this is all part of Kennedy's personal agenda to destroy public health, as it exists at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels. I have no doubt that Kennedy will try to fill ACIP with "experts" who are not recognized as being an authority in the fields of virology, immunology, pediatrics, infectious disease, etc. None of them will be expert, but they all will be critics, who have nothing more to offer than their subjective opinions.
The hope is that Cassidy tells Trump his BBB is dead unless Trump removes RFK. Trump is not an ideologue at all. And this is an opportunity for him to dump a real liability.
It's worth calling Cassidy's office to complain, but I highly doubt he has the backbone to do something like this. He made a political calculus- he knew he would be in huge trouble with MAGA if he didn't confirm RFK. I doubt Cassidy is actually surprised by RFKs actions, unless he is truly dumb.
Cassidy has come out saying 'he didn't say he wouldn't change the board, just that he wouldn't change the process', which of course aren't the words Cassidy used the first time, but whatever. He now also says he will of course ensure that the board is re-staffed by competent folks... time will tell. i do think he sees everyone pointing at him as the adult in the room that let this happen.
Oh f@&*. The Great Barrington Farce author and an NVIC board member. And freaking Malone. This is like del bigtree’s dream come true.
According to the ACIP charter members should have expertise in immunization practices or public health, clinical experience using vaccines or a background researching them.
RFK the Lesser is a lunatic. He is a clear and present danger to this country, to the world (as are so many in this administration). The best we can hope for is that another worm eats what's left of his brain.
I am not an expert in how this is set up, but is there any possibility all or some of the members, along with some experts from CDC and FDA who have left, could start a non-profit or 'think-tank'-type organization that could put out their own recommendations we could follow? I know this won't help with insurance coverage but at least we could feel confident in knowing what to ask for in terms of vaccination. This is such a huge, terrifying brain-drain and it would be nice to be able to still have proper information, especially when speaking out to legislators, etc.
Not sure if you're being sarcastic, but if an independent organization was to issue recommendations, a state could incorporate those recommendations by reference in their insurance laws. Insurance falls under state jurisdiction because of the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945.
That still leaves self funded ERISA plans, which fall under federal jurisdiction (because they aren't considered insurance). For anyone whose vaccinations aren't covered by an ERISA plan perhaps states could pay directly.
Vaccines have saved countless lives over the years. My mother contracted measles as a girl in the 1940s before the measles vaccine had been developed, and lost nearly all of her hearing as a result. That is just one real-world consequence of exposure to a disease without being immunized first.
RFK JR is a zealot who claims to advocate for “natural health,” but clueing our immune systems into a virus is natural—it’s just giving them a workshop first, rather than tossing us into the deep end of the pool and letting the immune system try to swim on its own. I hope for the best case scenario you described, but fear for the worst.
So now I wonder if vaccines will actually become unavailable? My husband and I somehow missed our Spring COVID shots. We are healthy, at 70 and 73. I had planned to just wait as it sounded like a new vaccine was going to become available by fall. Any thoughts on the wisdom of getting shots sooner?
Yes, the recommendation is every 6 months. If you get one now it’s almost perfect timing! Right before the (presumed) covid summer wave and then again before the winter wave
Katelyn -- Thanks (as always) for your timely information and analysis. And thanks always for your bravery. My subscription to YLE is worth the price many times over. And for any readers who are not yet subscribers, please do so if you can afford the cost. We need to keep YLE fully independent of government and commercial funding.
Many Americans are needlessly going to become very ill, and many will die, because Trump put a mentally unstable conspiracy theorist in charge of the nation's health. And almost certainly the illness and death will disproportionately hit those that voted for Trump. I wish I could say I'm sorry, but I'm not.
I go this response, which is about the best and most personal I've had from this particular politician (an old-school Republican btw):
Dear Dr. XXXXXX:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about vaccines. I appreciate hearing from you.
Like you, I have and will continue to support access to life-saving vaccines that have saved millions of lives from diseases that used to terrify communities. Vaccines are considered the gold standard in disease control, and I will continue to support these efforts alongside a robust medical research agenda guided by the most promising science.
Unfortunately, our once apolitical public health experts became increasingly political over the pandemic, basing public health mandates and guidance on political expediency and poll numbers rather than science. We must work to rebuild trust and confidence in these systems to ensure we can maintain – and increase – vaccine adherence. Please know that as related issues come before the full Senate, I will keep your views in mind.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me about other issues that are important to you.
"Mistakes were made." I first heard that formulation from Chinese citizens in the 1980s when asked about the failures of Maoism. What I've read from people in the know suggests that CDC may have addled their messaging a bit, sometimes from lack of knowledge (I blame CCP for that one, in part), sometimes trying to preserve PPE for use of health care personnel during the first wave when we had almost none in stock, sometimes failing to distinguish between good masks like the KN95 and flimsy surgical masks and bandanas... I recall when I visited a local hospital day surgery department and was pressured to take off my KF94 and substitute a cheap paper surgical mask by an RN! And behind a lot of this is the gulf between the educated, wealthy elites (like me) and the plain hard-working peons (like the guy who mows my lawn). Our arguments have appealed mainly to those who have large vocabularies and get off on sentences like these. I admire the work of people like the Weavers and the many other groups that work behind the headlines to reconcile our warring tribes.
THIS is in part why I pay for subscription to your service as we so need your wisdom and guidance. This is absolutely unacceptable. I'll be out protesting on June 14 to do some small part. Thank you for your continued service!
I am so afraid(enraged but that does keep me protesting and writing letters. Did it in the 1960’s never thinking I would be doing it again on a much larger scale😢👵🏻) for my grands and other little ones not to mention immunocompromised individuals. Katelyn, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your relentless striving for what is right, your transparency, and moral compass. You continue to hold me up and forge on!!!💜🤗
As a pediatrician of 30 years, I’m devastated. Just devastated. Children, who don’t have a voice except for the adults in their lives, will be hit the hardest. I’m so grateful to you, Katelyn, that you continue to do this work and advocate for us all!
We’re taking our son in for his annual wellness visit this week … already we have a list of questions for the pediatrician related to how soon we can get certain vaccinations (if he kid is 10). This is so, so scary, sad, and rage-inducing.
this is all part of Kennedy's personal agenda to destroy public health, as it exists at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels. I have no doubt that Kennedy will try to fill ACIP with "experts" who are not recognized as being an authority in the fields of virology, immunology, pediatrics, infectious disease, etc. None of them will be expert, but they all will be critics, who have nothing more to offer than their subjective opinions.
RFK the Lesser strikes w his plan for genocide again.
The hope is that Cassidy tells Trump his BBB is dead unless Trump removes RFK. Trump is not an ideologue at all. And this is an opportunity for him to dump a real liability.
It's worth calling Cassidy's office to complain, but I highly doubt he has the backbone to do something like this. He made a political calculus- he knew he would be in huge trouble with MAGA if he didn't confirm RFK. I doubt Cassidy is actually surprised by RFKs actions, unless he is truly dumb.
Cassidy has come out saying 'he didn't say he wouldn't change the board, just that he wouldn't change the process', which of course aren't the words Cassidy used the first time, but whatever. He now also says he will of course ensure that the board is re-staffed by competent folks... time will tell. i do think he sees everyone pointing at him as the adult in the room that let this happen.
Goal posts will always be moved- I'm curious how Cassidy feels now that anti-vaxxers have already been named to ACIP.
Oh f@&*. The Great Barrington Farce author and an NVIC board member. And freaking Malone. This is like del bigtree’s dream come true.
According to the ACIP charter members should have expertise in immunization practices or public health, clinical experience using vaccines or a background researching them.
Any?
Yeah it's really bad.
I'm sure they can stretch these definitions, who will stop them? Or they can just change the charter.
Well frick. I’ve been offline most of the day. Time to go doomscrolling.
RFK the Lesser is a lunatic. He is a clear and present danger to this country, to the world (as are so many in this administration). The best we can hope for is that another worm eats what's left of his brain.
Fingers crossed!
I am not an expert in how this is set up, but is there any possibility all or some of the members, along with some experts from CDC and FDA who have left, could start a non-profit or 'think-tank'-type organization that could put out their own recommendations we could follow? I know this won't help with insurance coverage but at least we could feel confident in knowing what to ask for in terms of vaccination. This is such a huge, terrifying brain-drain and it would be nice to be able to still have proper information, especially when speaking out to legislators, etc.
Yes! This has actually already happened. It’s called the Vaccine Integrity Project
would they have access to everything they need to make recommendations? i can't imagine _everything_ is publicly obtainable.
The Vaccine Integrity Project recently set up by CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota could do this.
I'll bet the insurance companies would follow their recommendations.
Not sure if you're being sarcastic, but if an independent organization was to issue recommendations, a state could incorporate those recommendations by reference in their insurance laws. Insurance falls under state jurisdiction because of the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945.
That still leaves self funded ERISA plans, which fall under federal jurisdiction (because they aren't considered insurance). For anyone whose vaccinations aren't covered by an ERISA plan perhaps states could pay directly.
No sarcasm. It's a lot cheaper to pay for vaccines than people ending up in the hospital. Thanks for info on how it would work!
Yay! Great to hear.
I expect that 17 people who spent their careers working on vaccines will be replaced by 17 ‘influencers’ who hawk herbal remedies
This is the prediction of a retired teaching hospital radiologist:
Kennedy will replace all 17 with syphilitic Russian hookers, all ‘vetted' by' Putin.
This is actually possible given the insane timeline we are in!!
Vaccines have saved countless lives over the years. My mother contracted measles as a girl in the 1940s before the measles vaccine had been developed, and lost nearly all of her hearing as a result. That is just one real-world consequence of exposure to a disease without being immunized first.
RFK JR is a zealot who claims to advocate for “natural health,” but clueing our immune systems into a virus is natural—it’s just giving them a workshop first, rather than tossing us into the deep end of the pool and letting the immune system try to swim on its own. I hope for the best case scenario you described, but fear for the worst.
It would also be a shame if we ALL contacted Senator Cassidy's local and federal offices to complain: https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/contact/get-in-touch/?
Call early. Call often. Be relentless.
5555 Hilton Avenue
Suite 100
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Main: (225) 929-7711
Fax: (225) 929- 7688
D.C.
703 Hart Senate Office Building.
United States Senate.
Washington, DC 20510.
Phone: 202-224-5824.
Cassidy’s Washington office voice mail is full, but you can still reach him (VM) at his LA office number (for now).
So now I wonder if vaccines will actually become unavailable? My husband and I somehow missed our Spring COVID shots. We are healthy, at 70 and 73. I had planned to just wait as it sounded like a new vaccine was going to become available by fall. Any thoughts on the wisdom of getting shots sooner?
Yes, the recommendation is every 6 months. If you get one now it’s almost perfect timing! Right before the (presumed) covid summer wave and then again before the winter wave
Thank you! Don’t know how you find the time, but your posts have been SOOOO helpful and educational. You are appreciated!
You can get one now and in the Fall. And it will be the same one as of Katelyn's last post on it a few weeks ago.
Ah, I’d missed that. Thanks!
Katelyn -- Thanks (as always) for your timely information and analysis. And thanks always for your bravery. My subscription to YLE is worth the price many times over. And for any readers who are not yet subscribers, please do so if you can afford the cost. We need to keep YLE fully independent of government and commercial funding.
I intend to keep it that way! Thanks so much for your support. It goes a long way
<3
Many Americans are needlessly going to become very ill, and many will die, because Trump put a mentally unstable conspiracy theorist in charge of the nation's health. And almost certainly the illness and death will disproportionately hit those that voted for Trump. I wish I could say I'm sorry, but I'm not.
Mark, I concur.
The Roman historian Livy wrote 2,000 years ago: "Eventus stultorum magister est."
Colloquially translated: "Fools must be taught by experience."
So be it.
OK, I e-mailed my US Senator with a link to Katelyn's excellent post and a brief summary of the problem, plus a plea for intervention. Hope it helps!
I go this response, which is about the best and most personal I've had from this particular politician (an old-school Republican btw):
Dear Dr. XXXXXX:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about vaccines. I appreciate hearing from you.
Like you, I have and will continue to support access to life-saving vaccines that have saved millions of lives from diseases that used to terrify communities. Vaccines are considered the gold standard in disease control, and I will continue to support these efforts alongside a robust medical research agenda guided by the most promising science.
Unfortunately, our once apolitical public health experts became increasingly political over the pandemic, basing public health mandates and guidance on political expediency and poll numbers rather than science. We must work to rebuild trust and confidence in these systems to ensure we can maintain – and increase – vaccine adherence. Please know that as related issues come before the full Senate, I will keep your views in mind.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me about other issues that are important to you.
Sincerely,
ahh yes... blaming the pandemic response for the undermining of trust in public health. who was in charge when that started again?
"Mistakes were made." I first heard that formulation from Chinese citizens in the 1980s when asked about the failures of Maoism. What I've read from people in the know suggests that CDC may have addled their messaging a bit, sometimes from lack of knowledge (I blame CCP for that one, in part), sometimes trying to preserve PPE for use of health care personnel during the first wave when we had almost none in stock, sometimes failing to distinguish between good masks like the KN95 and flimsy surgical masks and bandanas... I recall when I visited a local hospital day surgery department and was pressured to take off my KF94 and substitute a cheap paper surgical mask by an RN! And behind a lot of this is the gulf between the educated, wealthy elites (like me) and the plain hard-working peons (like the guy who mows my lawn). Our arguments have appealed mainly to those who have large vocabularies and get off on sentences like these. I admire the work of people like the Weavers and the many other groups that work behind the headlines to reconcile our warring tribes.
THIS is in part why I pay for subscription to your service as we so need your wisdom and guidance. This is absolutely unacceptable. I'll be out protesting on June 14 to do some small part. Thank you for your continued service!
Thanks for your support!! This is certainly a labor of love
I am so afraid(enraged but that does keep me protesting and writing letters. Did it in the 1960’s never thinking I would be doing it again on a much larger scale😢👵🏻) for my grands and other little ones not to mention immunocompromised individuals. Katelyn, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your relentless striving for what is right, your transparency, and moral compass. You continue to hold me up and forge on!!!💜🤗
Thank you for outlining all of this. It's so terrifying but I'm grateful that I can look to your substack for guidance.
As a pediatrician of 30 years, I’m devastated. Just devastated. Children, who don’t have a voice except for the adults in their lives, will be hit the hardest. I’m so grateful to you, Katelyn, that you continue to do this work and advocate for us all!