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The Cosmopolitan Globalist, hosted by Claire Berlinski, is a platform for the writings of 68 global cosmopolitans, addressing a wide array of issues from political developments, global democracy, international crises, to the influence of non-state actors and geostrategic concerns. It examines global and national tensions, leadership challenges, and the implications of actions by influential figures and countries.

Political Developments Global Democracy International Crises Leadership and Governance Geostrategic Concerns Media and Public Influence Conflict and War Global Economy

The hottest Substack posts of The Cosmopolitan Globalist

And their main takeaways

YLE Event Tuesday (December 10)

485 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Health Communication Webinars Pandemic response
  1. There is a webinar on December 10 about communicating health in today's divided environment. It will be helpful for anyone interested in public health.
  2. Kyle McGowan, a former CDC Chief of Staff, will join the discussion to share useful strategies. This could provide valuable insights for health professionals.
  3. The event is free for subscribers and will include a live question-and-answer session. If you can't attend, a recording will be available afterward.

Harassment against scientists is out of control

1594 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🏥 Health Politics Misinformation Public Health Gender differences Online Harassment
  1. Harassment against scientists, including stalking, bullying, and threats, has become a common and serious issue online and offline.
  2. Many scientists, both male and female, have reported experiencing harassment, threats, and emotional stress, particularly women in the field.
  3. The high levels of harassment and threats have led to many scientists withdrawing from social media and public engagement, creating a gap in scientific communication and community trust.
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State of Affairs: Feb 22

904 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health Epidemiology Respiratory Illness Vaccines Diseases
  1. Influenza-like illnesses are still prevalent, especially among children, and the season could continue until April or May.
  2. COVID-19 levels in wastewater are high nationally, with a strange pattern in the South, but hospitalizations remain lower than last year.
  3. Flu hospitalizations are stable, RSV cases are decreasing, and there is concern about a rising number of measles cases across several states.

Florida’s recommendations give room for measles to spread

889 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Disease Control Immunization Public Health Vaccination
  1. Florida's health department made controversial recommendations that contradict standard practice guidelines for managing measles outbreaks, risking the spread of the disease.
  2. Isolation after measles exposure is critical to prevent transmission since measles is highly contagious compared to other viruses and has a long incubation period.
  3. Measles can have severe consequences, including hospitalization, pneumonia, and encephalitis, highlighting the importance of following established guidelines and maintaining high vaccination rates.

ACIP Cliff notes: Feb 28

853 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccines COVID-19 Epidemiology Public Health
  1. CDC recommends older adults receive a second Covid-19 vaccine in the spring, especially those over 65.
  2. The majority of people hospitalized for Covid-19 were not up-to-date on their annual vaccine, with specific risk factors common among them.
  3. Vaccine coverage challenges in the US stem from concerns like unknown side effects, lack of trust, and physician recommendations.

State of Affairs: March 12

768 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Epidemiology Vaccines Diseases Public Health Preventive measures
  1. Measles cases are increasing, with outbreaks across various regions, underscoring the importance of vaccination and public health measures.
  2. Norovirus is surging in the Northern Hemisphere, causing stomach cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea, emphasizing the need for preventive measures like handwashing and surface cleaning.
  3. The flu season, particularly driven by flu strain B, has been moderate this year, highlighting the potential impact of political influences on vaccine uptake and the importance of public health efforts.

COVID-19: Catch up quick

1263 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 updates
  1. COVID-19 metrics are increasing, but excess deaths are down
  2. Southern and Western United States are seeing an increase in COVID-19
  3. Global concern on rising COVID-19 hospitalizations in Okinawa, Japan, and a new Omicron variant in the Dominican Republic

ACIP Cliff Notes: Feb 29 (RSV)

783 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccines Public Health Epidemiology
  1. Real-world data showed a true safety signal for the RSV older adult vaccine, particularly after the Pfizer vaccine.
  2. The benefits of the RSV vaccine still outweigh the risks for older adults, preventing significant illness and hospitalizations.
  3. Moderna is introducing an RSV vaccine using mRNA, offering a different platform with potential advantages for safety.

Recording now available

303 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Communication Trust Building
  1. Effective health communication is about more than just facts. It's about building trust and helping people take action, especially when opinions are divided.
  2. Listening to others and framing messages carefully can help get more people on board with health initiatives.
  3. It's important for public health workers to avoid burnout after a long fight, as they still have ongoing challenges ahead.

BRB

1068 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Epidemiology Public Health Well-being
  1. Katelyn Jetelina is taking a two-week break to recharge before the busy respiratory season.
  2. During her break, she plans to enjoy puzzles, books, crosswords, and time in national parks with her toddlers.
  3. She is looking for nonfiction book recommendations that are not related to public health for her downtime.

Out this week

1421 implied HN points • 14 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health Wellness Infectious Diseases
  1. Katelyn Jetelina took a break from newsletter writing this week to work on an emergency with the World Health Organization in Turkey.
  2. A paid subscription to YLE goes beyond commenting powers, as it enables advocacy for necessary change, implementation during emergencies, and saving lives through evidence-based actions.
  3. The subscription also supports advocating for change, implementing changes during emergencies, and saving lives with evidence-based approaches.

FDA's fall 2023 vaccine plan

1156 implied HN points • 15 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccines COVID-19 Public Health Immunity Science
  1. COVID-19 vaccines are being updated for the fall 2023-2024 season due to fast mutations and waning effectiveness against hospitalization.
  2. Vaccine formula may shift to target only the Omicron XBB variant for better immune system recognition.
  3. Global alignment on focusing vaccine efforts on the XBB variant signals a step towards addressing the changing landscape of COVID-19.

Do masks work?

1068 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Health Education Public Health Epidemiology Medical Science Disease Prevention
  1. The science around masks is complex, with considerations like the type of mask, disease, social context, and transmission period.
  2. Research shows masks can be effective in reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at both an individual and population level.
  3. The effectiveness of masks is influenced by factors like compliance, type of mask, and social setting, requiring a nuanced approach to policies and recommendations.

Social media and kids' mental health- An update

385 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Public Health Children Social media
  1. Strong bipartisan statements on harms of social media use among children and teens were made during a recent congressional hearing.
  2. Parents of children impacted by social media showed up in large numbers at the congressional hearing, highlighting the severity of the issue.
  3. The public health data presented at the congressional hearing will hopefully lead to meaningful and necessary changes regarding social media use among kids and teens.

Emergency rooms are not okay

57 HN points • 08 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Patient Care Public Health
  1. Emergency rooms are overwhelmed and at a crisis point, impacting patient care and outcomes.
  2. ER boarding, where patients are kept in the ER due to lack of available hospital beds, leads to dangerous medical errors and even deaths.
  3. Fixing the ER overload issue requires regulatory intervention, such as setting standards and creating better financial incentives.

CDC updates isolation guidance

2 HN points • 05 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Healthcare policy Epidemiology Pandemic response
  1. CDC updated isolation guidance recommends staying home when sick until fever resolves for 24 hours and symptoms improve, then using caution for five days.
  2. There is a debate within public health about the updated guidance - some see it as a step back while others believe it simplifies virus prevention measures.
  3. The guidance update considers the decrease in community transmission, the contagious period, the types of viruses being irrelevant to actions, and the critical focus on reducing hospitalizations and deaths.