#TIL I learned (from https://fire.asta.lgbt/notes/a6nwl1g9xhl507bt) about sciop.net trying to #preserve #science #data (mainly from #USA) that is danger of disappearing.
So I added some more #torrents, to accompany the #CDC data I was already seeding on my home laptop and internet connection.
Helping from #Peru
There has been an increase in the number of confirmed measles cases in the past few weeks."
Why did the #TrumpAdministration fire all of the #FOIA staff at the #CDC? What are they hiding? https://theconversation.com/the-sudden-dismissal-of-public-records-staff-at-health-agencies-threatens-government-accountability-254024
#health #science #RFKJr
Leaked budget document outlines how RFK Jr. may cut up #HHS to build new "Administration for a Healthy America"
https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/16/trump-hhs-cuts-leaked-budget-draft-reveals-details-administration-for-a-healthy-america/ via @STAT
"A majority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's work group on COVID-19 vaccines now supports ending the agency's pandemic-era recommendation for virtually all Americans to get vaccinated against the virus each year, officials said Tuesday."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-covid-vaccine-recommendations-advisers/
The Food and Drug Administration (#FDA) has already lost 19% of its staff, the Centers for Disease Control (#CDC) 18%, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (#CMS) 9%.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/115145
Update. "#CDC's #STD Lab Shuttered by #Trump Layoffs"
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/stds/115065
"A critical laboratory for surveilling sexually transmitted diseases (#STDs) in the US has been lost in the Trump administration's mass layoffs…One of its most remarkable projects is a one-of-its-kind repository of 50,000 isolates of gonorrhea used to monitor antibiotic resistance, which is quickly becoming a global health concern. The lab has been doing this work for nearly 40 years -- but will now, at best, have a gap in data."
Also see the public statement by the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association (#ASTDA).
https://www.astda.org/statement-from-astda-on-cuts-to-the-cdcs-division-of-std-prevention/
Autism rates among US 8-year-olds reached 1 in 31, per new CDC data. The rise likely stems from better diagnosis access for Black, Hispanic & low-income kids, closing historical gaps. Progress in equity & early detection.
#Autism #HealthEquity #CDC
A new strain of norovirus has been responsible for a dozen outbreaks on cruise ships, with hundreds of passengers getting sick. Meanwhile, last week, all full-time employees in the U.S. CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program were fired — cruise ship inspectors, plus the epidemiologist in charge of outbreak response. Pauline Frommer of @FrommersMag looks at why the heck this happened — "any claim that this was a cost-saving move is hokum," she writes — and what you should do if you're thinking of booking a cruise.
"For the first time since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are meeting publicly to discuss the nation's vaccine policies."
Well, North Carolina, you voted for felon Trump & are now reaping the rewards.
"HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s visit to the FDA Friday was supposed to introduce him as a trusted leader to agency employees. It did anything but."
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/11/rfk-jr-hhs-fda-deep-state-00286826
Among the abrupt termination of #CDC programs was the shuttering of the agency's viral #hepatitis lab. Imagine cops being asked to solve crimes without the capacity to test for fingerprints or swab for DNA. That's what this does to hepatitis surveillance in the US. https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/14/cdc-hepatitis-lab-closes-rif-outbreak-response/
Updated #CDC estimates show we've pretty much been in a JN.1.11 soup since Dec, until late March, when LP.8.1 took majority.
Data collection continues to be a low priority nationally, as exactly zero regions have enough data for CDC to plot.
No new variants broken out, yet CDC seems to have resources to tailor their color key: https://hcommons.social/@beadsland/114163320179234281
Raj's dashboard was updated on today.
❖ #ThisIsOurPolio #Covid #Covid19 #SARS2 #variants #CovidIsNotOver #CovidIsAirborne #dataviz #datavis
![Chart: Estimated U.S. Variant Proportions by Common Name
Sources: Centers for Disease Control, CoV-Lineages, NYITCOM Research, Daniele Focosi, World Health Network, others
[ beadsland on Ko-fi ]
Reskin of CDC's Variants Nowcast, and any significant variants in GISAID not broken out by CDC.
Five bar-style tree-charts, for fortnights through Mar 30–Apr 12. Legend of last fortnight, organized by subheadings of color-grouped families and convergent clusters. Percentages overlay each color key, reflecting share as of most recent tree-chart.
Essentially all WHO-Vaccine-Target JN.1. LP.8.1 accounts for over three fifths; JN.1 + FLiRT for near a quarter.
For fortnight of 3/16–3/29, packed bubble charts fill single-variant tiles, indicating diversification of those variants (per GISAID) that wouldn't otherwise be apparent from CDC's Nowcast.
Legend:
LP.8.1 [purple]:
64% - LP.8.1.1 / NY† & other LP.8.1
XEC [browns]:
2% - XEC.4
15% - other XEC
JN.1.11 + FLuQE [greens]:
5% - MC.10.1 & MC.19
1% - MC.28.1
2% - XEQ & other KP.3
3% - MC.1 & other KP.3.1.1 / MC
JN.1 + FLiRT [reds]:
4% - LF.7
2% - LB.1.3.1 / NL
¾% - LF.7.2.1 / PC
JN.1.11 + FLiRT [blues]:
½% - XEK
0% - KP.2.3
Other [greys]:
⅓% - JN.1.16
⅒% - other WHO-Vaccine-Target JN.1
0% - Other (not specified)
† Dagger variant is not broken out by CDC, yet represent a significant share of recent GISAID sequences.](https://spaces.hcommons.social/media_attachments/files/114/333/759/840/925/358/original/cfec2b797658b166.jpg "Chart: Estimated U.S. Variant Proportions by Common Name
Sources: Centers for Disease Control, CoV-Lineages, NYITCOM Research, Daniele Focosi, World Health Network, others
[ beadsland on Ko-fi ]
Reskin of CDC's Variants Nowcast, and any significant variants in GISAID not broken out by CDC.
Five bar-style tree-charts, for fortnights through Mar 30–Apr 12. Legend of last fortnight, organized by subheadings of color-grouped families and convergent clusters. Percentages overlay each color key, reflecting share as of most recent tree-chart.
Essentially all WHO-Vaccine-Target JN.1. LP.8.1 accounts for over three fifths; JN.1 + FLiRT for near a quarter.
For fortnight of 3/16–3/29, packed bubble charts fill single-variant tiles, indicating diversification of those variants (per GISAID) that wouldn't otherwise be apparent from CDC's Nowcast.
Legend:
LP.8.1 [purple]:
64% - LP.8.1.1 / NY† & other LP.8.1
XEC [browns]:
2% - XEC.4
15% - other XEC
JN.1.11 + FLuQE [greens]:
5% - MC.10.1 & MC.19
1% - MC.28.1
2% - XEQ & other KP.3
3% - MC.1 & other KP.3.1.1 / MC
JN.1 + FLiRT [reds]:
4% - LF.7
2% - LB.1.3.1 / NL
¾% - LF.7.2.1 / PC
JN.1.11 + FLiRT [blues]:
½% - XEK
0% - KP.2.3
Other [greys]:
⅓% - JN.1.16
⅒% - other WHO-Vaccine-Target JN.1
0% - Other (not specified)
† Dagger variant is not broken out by CDC, yet represent a significant share of recent GISAID sequences.")
When you get rid of most of the people whose work fuels the day-to-day operations of an agency like #NIH, can the agency still function? Scientists & public health experts working at NIH, #CDC & #FDA fear the answer is no, & that they're about to find out. https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/11/hhs-layoffs-analysis-health-impact-nih-cuts-cdc-rif-fda-reduction-in-force/
CDC denies help for lead poisoning in Milwaukee schools due to layoffs
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/milwaukee-schools-lead-poisoning-cdc-denies-help/
"A top Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official told staff this week to start planning for the agency’s splintering.
Several parts of CDC — mostly those devoted to health threats that aren’t infectious — are being spun off into the soon-to-be-created Administration for a Healthy America, the agency official told senior leaders in calls and meetings."
If it's been too overwhelming to read every single thing about what's happening at federal health agencies, this piece from ten (10!) of my @STAT colleagues gives you an overview of what's happened and how bad it is:
“We are really trying to hold things together with our bare hands,” said one employee.
Major public health groups and doctors call for RFKJr's resignation or firing.
