Fall vaccination rates are down, flu takes off, the U.S. is not Denmark, ICE’s negative impact on health, and more!
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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Immunosenescence
12 min read
The article discusses how older adults' immune systems don't 'remember' viruses efficiently due to waning immune memory and T cell responses. Immunosenescence is the scientific concept underlying this vulnerability in elderly populations.
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Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
12 min read
The article references the ACIP meeting and changes to vaccination recommendations. Understanding the structure, history, and role of this federal advisory committee provides essential context for the policy discussions.
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Chilling effect
12 min read
The article explicitly mentions the 'chilling effect' of deportation fears on immigrant health behaviors. This legal and sociological concept explains how fear of consequences suppresses legitimate activities like seeking medical care.
Welcome to Monday!
The administration has a new crush on Denmark’s routine vaccination schedule, flu is taking off, fall vaccination rates are doing a concerning slow crawl, and a gut-punch report covers how deportation fears are hurting kids’ health. Also: make sure to download the pre-RFK routine childhood vaccination schedule below.
Here’s your quick health briefing to start the week informed, prepared, and maybe a little more fired up than you expected.
And yes, YLE is building an AI model (because who isn’t these days) and would love your input. See more at the bottom!
Two things for your ACIP hangover
Three days later, I’m still reeling from that ACIP meeting. (Read our debrief here.) And from the reactions that followed, like the “mission accomplished” tweet from Robert Malone (yes, the anti-vaxxer now sitting on ACIP), and Trump’s call to “fast track” changes to the childhood vaccination schedules to align with other countries. Denmark, in particular, was repeatedly brought up during the meeting.
Two things are now at the top of my mind:
Download the pre–RFK Jr. routine childhood vaccination schedule. My sister asked me for this, so I figured you and your family may want it too. Stick to this as best you can; more changes are likely coming. Here is the schedule before RFK started messing with it:
Remember: the U.S. is not Denmark. Our health system, population, and infrastructure differ in ways that matter when people suggest simply “copying” another country’s routine vaccination schedule. Roughly 80% of health outcomes are shaped by socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral factors—not just medical interventions. And many of these factors are subpar in the U.S. I wrote about this in the context of Covid-19 vaccines a few years ago, and the same logic applies to routine childhood vaccinations.
Infectious disease “weather” report
The percentage of people with coughs, fevers, and sore throats—what epidemiologists call influenza-like illness—is rising sharply. Rates just crossed the epidemic threshold for the season, though a bit later than usual.
This is when I start masking in crowded indoor spaces like airports. Yes, well-fitted masks work. This is a physics question with a clear answer. And I’ll take all the protection I can get—I’d love to not miss upcoming school performances, work travel, and some fun family events.
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