Notices by Dr. Lucky Tran :verified: (luckytran@med-mastodon.com)

Wow. RFK announced via a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that he is removing all 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, which is the expert panel at the CDC that decides who is eligible for vaccines and whether insurers should cover them.

The US now has no vaccine advisory committee, no CDC director, and an anti-vaxxer as Health Secretary.

"We are speaking on behalf of hundreds of NIH staff who are standing up together to say: WE DISSENT.

I am so scared about doing this but I am trying to be brave for my kids because it's only gonna get harder to speak up."

Thank you to Dr. Jenna Norton and NIH staffers for your courage.

Read the Bethesda Declaration and sign on to support here: https://www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-declaration

Six infants in Ontario have been born with congenital measles since last fall. They were infected in the womb through mothers who were not vaccinated. This is heartbreaking, preventable and a result of the spread of anti-vax disinformation.

Elastomeric respirators can protect you against:

- airborne viruses like COVID
- toxic compounds in wildfire smoke
- tear gas

It’s a great idea to have one on hand and ready to go in these uncertain times.

South Florida meteorologist John Morales told his viewers live on air that he can no longer accurately predict hurricane season, due to federal government cuts.

#climatechange #science #scicomm

Wildfires across Canada are causing smoke to spread across North America, as far as Florida. A reminder that particulates in wildfire smoke can cause short- and long-term health issues. An excellent way to protect yourself is to wear a well-fitting mask like an N95.

Disinformation kills

CDC now says all kids "may receive" COVID vaccines. This means insurance companies will likely still cover the shots.

BUT the new guidance is more confusing than a broad recommendation, and COVID vaccines during pregnancy are now listed as "No Guidance/Not Applicable," which will decrease uptake.

Including fake studies and using AI to generate a report should instantly disqualify anyone to lead a scientific agency.

Breaking: HHS is canceling a $600 million contract with Moderna to develop, test, and license vaccines for flu strains that could trigger future pandemics, including the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus.

The US does not have a universal single-payer healthcare system. Statements by health authorities greatly influence vaccine access because dropping vaccine recommendations give insurance companies an excuse not to cover them. Vaccines are not accessible if you can’t afford them.

Today RFK and co. removed the COVID vaccine from the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for children and pregnant people.

This is junk science. COVID puts children and pregnant people at higher risk for ER visits and hospitalizations, and Long COVID can cause chronic health issues for anyone.

COVID vaccines are an important tool to reduce serious health risks and should continue to be available to everyone.

“COVID vaccines reduce the risk of becoming sick, developing long COVID and becoming hospitalized, for everyone. COVID continues to spread and cause harm. Limiting access to vaccines is an anti-science move that will kill more Americans.” - me in @huffingtonpost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/covid-shot-recommendation-changes-medical-experts-concerns_l_682e1bfde4b0c2f07d8c81cb/amp?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwKfCW1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp3N9f9j_NhNDx5oAZZCuKOVb4btkTZPtMXDc-rTrSqzV9pJuHVsF7GoQTg_X_aem_nFpLV9jtPpAqHoHiKyv-fA

CDC platforms have stopped warning the public about disease spread. One of the CDC's main newsletters that alerts health professionals about outbreaks hasn't been sent since March. And most CDC social media accounts have gone over a month without posting their own new content.

Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to get a flu vaccine.

It makes no sense to restrict Covid vaccines to only people who have specific medical conditions.

The FDA is basing its decisions on politics, not science.

It's important to note that most people have a condition that increases the risk of becoming severely ill with Covid-19.

These include: asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, mental health conditions, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and pregnancy.

Under its new leadership — who spread misinformation throughout the pandemic — the FDA announced it will limit all Covid vaccines to adults over 65 and those with certain medical conditions.

Covid continues to spread and cause harm. This an anti-science move that will kill more Americans.

The data tells us that everyone can benefit from getting updated Covid vaccines.

Covid vaccines reduce the risk of becoming sick, developing Long Covid, and becoming hospitalized, for everyone.

Note: CDC lists many conditions that may make someone likelier to become severely ill with Covid-19, including older age, asthma, diabetes, lung disease, obesity and pregnancy.

By definition, most people are higher risk and should have access to Novavax.

https://www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/clinical-care/underlying-conditions.html