The hottest Epidemiology Substack posts right now

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Top Health & Wellness Topics

The Prophets: D.A. Henderson

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 3125 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Global Health Public Health Pandemics Lockdowns Epidemiology
  1. D.A. Henderson, an epidemiologist, warned that pandemic lockdowns may not effectively stop a disease but could lead to severe public health consequences.
  2. Lockdowns during the pandemic caused disruptions in education, social development, mental health issues, domestic violence, and overdose deaths, highlighting the broader impacts of such measures.
  3. Public health should focus on not just stopping a disease but also consider the broader health of society, including targeted protection for the ill and medically vulnerable, to avoid harmful consequences of overreaction like societal shutdowns.

State of Affairs: March 12

Your Local Epidemiologist • 734 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.

ACIP Cliff notes: Feb 28

Your Local Epidemiologist • 815 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.

The Forgotten Lessons Of Infectious Disease Control

¡Do Not Panic! • 1572 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Diseases Public Health Vaccines Preventive measures Epidemiology
  1. Public health gains against infectious diseases have always been fought for and achieved in a social context, not just through medicine.
  2. Clean air and water have been crucial in reducing disease outbreaks throughout history.
  3. Vaccines and treatments should be the last line of defense in public health, not the first.

ACIP Cliff Notes: Feb 29 (RSV)

Your Local Epidemiologist • 748 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.
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State of Affairs: Feb 22

Your Local Epidemiologist • 864 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health Epidemiology 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.

Are social media bad for mental health? It's the wrong question.

An Educated Guess • 174 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Epidemiology Social media Public Health Wellbeing
  1. The impact of social media on mental health is a complex issue that cannot be simplified to a dose-response relationship.
  2. The understanding of social media's effect on mental health can benefit from incorporating different epidemiological paradigms like sanitation, infection, chronic disease, and eco-epidemiology.
  3. Social media is not just a risk factor but an environment that plays a crucial role in shaping various behaviors and experiences, especially for young people.

kitten corner: CDC ya later

bad cattitude • 197 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Epidemiology Public Health
  1. The post discusses the delay in 'experts' realizing what 'amateurs' had known for a while, raising questions about other areas of expertise.
  2. It emphasizes the importance of questioning and thinking critically about information, even when it comes from supposed experts.
  3. The post prompts readers to consider the evolving nature of knowledge and the value of diverse perspectives.

RFK Jr. gives a Pro-vaccine MD a lesson at a Town Hall

An Insult to Intuition • 2063 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Vaccines Science Epidemiology Philosophy Corruption
  1. RFK Jr. highlighted the difference between believing and knowing in the discussion about vaccines.
  2. The lack of long-term, placebo-controlled safety studies on childhood vaccines was brought to light by Kennedy.
  3. The conversation revealed a reliance on trust over critical thinking when it comes to vaccine safety and testing.

Year-on-year COVID comparisons

Logging the World • 1056 implied HN points • 01 Oct 23
🏥 Health Politics COVID-19 Data Analysis Public Health Vaccination Epidemiology
  1. Overall, COVID admissions and death rates in 2023 are lower than the corresponding days in 2022, suggesting positive progress in managing the virus.
  2. Comparisons of primary beds occupied 'for COVID' show similar positive trends in 2023 compared to 2022, indicating improved conditions.
  3. The data suggests that in 2023, COVID outcomes have improved significantly compared to previous years, with lower deaths and better management, showcasing progress in handling the pandemic.

BRB

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1021 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.

Two cautionary tales about BA.2.86

Logging the World • 478 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
🔬 Science Research Epidemiology Vaccines Public Health
  1. Don't just look at proportions, consider sample sizes too. Confidence intervals are important when dealing with limited data.
  2. Focus on the bigger picture when it comes to analyzing new variants. Growth rates matter.
  3. Instead of fixating on one variant, keep an eye on other potentially impactful variants as well. The situation is constantly evolving.

Do masks work?

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1021 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.

BA.2.86 growth rates

Logging the World • 418 implied HN points • 23 Aug 23
🔬 Science Statistics Genetics Epidemiology Research Mathematics
  1. New COVID variant BA.2.86 has mutations that suggest fast growth, but estimating its growth rate is tricky.
  2. Statisticians use models and likelihood functions to estimate parameters like growth rates, but uncertainty exists in the estimates.
  3. The work of statistician C.R. Rao, like the Fisher information, shows fundamental limits to parameter estimation and the role of geometry in statistics.

September 7, 2023 - Riding the Covid Wave

Frank’s Alabama COVID Newsletter • 235 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Vaccines Public Health Epidemiology Healthcare
  1. Alabama is experiencing a significant increase in weekly hospital admissions due to Covid-19.
  2. Vaccination is crucial in minimizing the risk of severe Covid cases, especially with new variants emerging.
  3. New and improved Covid-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer show promising responses against highly mutated variants.

CDC updates isolation guidance

Your Local Epidemiologist • 2 HN points • 05 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health 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.

Lateral thinking

Logging the World • 79 implied HN points • 12 Nov 22
🔬 Science Research Data Analysis Public Health Epidemiology Testing
  1. Lateral flow tests had a much lower false positive rate than many initially assumed, around 0.03%, showing their effectiveness.
  2. Data on PCR retests of positive lateral flow tests revealed a positive predictive value of 82% even at low prevalence, supporting the reliability of lateral flow tests.
  3. A rise in prevalence due to variants like delta and omicron, as well as ease in lockdown restrictions, contributed to the wider acceptance of lateral flow tests for controlling the pandemic.

COVID Still Makes Everybody a Little Bit Crazy

Freddie deBoer • 1 HN point • 13 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Policy Social justice Epidemiology
  1. COVID has caused varying degrees of anxiety and extreme reactions in people, leading to polarized beliefs and behaviors.
  2. There are different extreme perspectives on COVID from both right-leaning skeptics and left-leaning individuals, each with their own set of beliefs and theories.
  3. There is a need to balance the accommodation of vulnerable populations like the immunocompromised with making sound public health decisions based on evidence and prevalence.

We Learned The Hard Way

Euro Desk Paris • 39 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Epidemiology Public Health Medical Ethics
  1. The pandemic response highlighted the importance of individual responsibility and the impact of governmental decisions on society.
  2. The debate over lockdowns and restrictions raised concerns about mental health and the economic consequences of such measures.
  3. There was criticism of the authoritarian approach taken by some governments, and a call for more transparency, accountability, and public involvement in decision-making.

Vaccine Week: Will it be good enough?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 16 Sep 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccine Immunity Transmission Epidemiology
  1. The effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine may need to be higher than what regulatory bodies find acceptable in order to truly impact the course of the pandemic.
  2. Even with a vaccine that is 50% effective, wiping out the virus completely may be challenging, especially with lower vaccine coverage.
  3. Vaccines not only need to protect individuals from the virus but also prevent transmission to others, which can have a significant impact on overall disease spread.

B.1.1.7

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 11 Jan 21
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Vaccines Epidemiology Public Health Measures Testing
  1. The B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is 50% more transmissible, likely spreading rapidly globally under several names, including 'UK Variant' and 'Supercovid.'
  2. B.1.1.7 mutations mainly affect the spike protein, raising concerns about vaccine efficacy. Current vaccines may still be effective, but wide distribution could lead to the virus evolving to evade immunity.
  3. B.1.1.7 is outcompeting other variants due to increased transmissibility rather than higher virulence, emphasizing the importance of maintaining mitigation efforts, particularly in high-risk settings, and ramping up testing to contain the spread.

The Christmas bubble

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 02 Dec 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health Guidelines COVID-19 Epidemiology Vaccines
  1. The UK Christmas bubble guidelines are complex and restrict gatherings to three households from December 23 to 27.
  2. The guidelines involve various rules on traveling, meeting indoors, and choosing regions with different COVID-19 prevalence levels for forming bubbles.
  3. The guidelines are convoluted, involving scenarios like forming different bubbles from your regular household and ensuring extra precautions within households.

Testing at the door versus testing at the desk

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 21 Oct 20
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Covid-19 testing Infectious Diseases Epidemiology
  1. Consider testing at the desk instead of at the door to reduce operational challenges and costs, though it comes with the risk of letting infectious individuals into the space
  2. Testing at the desk may lead to fewer infections if it can be done more frequently than testing at the door, highlighting the importance of cost-benefit analysis in testing strategies
  3. Exploring various testing strategies, including combinations of at-the-door and at-the-desk testing, can provide a system with lower cost and less risk in managing infections

If only we knew the viral load

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 19 Oct 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health Epidemiology Infectious Diseases
  1. Knowing the viral load of infected individuals can assist in understanding the infection's stage and progression.
  2. Ct scores from PCR tests can provide critical data for pinpointing viral infection cycles and determining treatment timing.
  3. Recording and utilizing Ct scores from widespread testing can help map virus dynamics at a population level and enhance understanding without relying solely on time series data.

The book is online

Digital Epidemiology • 0 implied HN points • 28 Mar 23
📚 Literature Digital Epidemiology
  1. The book 'Digital Epidemiology' is now available online at www.digitalepibook.com.
  2. Seven out of ten chapters have been released, with more to come.
  3. There may be an additional chapter focusing on AI in digital epidemiology, depending on reader interest and publisher negotiations.

Australia's upcoming storm

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 26 May 21
🏥 Health Politics COVID-19 Response Public Health Epidemiology
  1. Australia's strict quarantine and closed borders may not be sustainable in the long run due to vaccine hesitancy and slow vaccination rates.
  2. Historical examples show that successfully keeping a respiratory virus out of Australia is extremely challenging.
  3. The alternative to Australia's current strategy is to give up on Covid-Zero and focus on containing outbreaks through testing, tracing, and vaccination while living with the virus.

Insanity and weirdness

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 31 Dec 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health Pandemic Management Vaccination Epidemiology COVID-19
  1. The global pandemic has brought unexpected challenges and changes in management approach, shifting towards individual risk management, which raises concerns about lack of tools to help people self-manage effectively.
  2. The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has unique characteristics that make it highly infectious but less severe, potentially leading to complacency and overlooking the risks of continued virus circulation and possible mutations.
  3. There is a risk of complacency and potential resurgence of the pandemic if steps are not taken to prepare for scenarios where the virus mutates to become more infectious and virulent, highlighting the importance of staying vigilant and prepared for the future.

The worst will come in 2021-22

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 15 Dec 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Epidemiology Prevention Vaccination Healthcare system Immunity
  1. The forecasted surge in Covid-19 cases for early 2022, particularly due to factors like reduced mitigation efforts, insufficient vaccination rates, and new variants, appears to be unfolding with the Omicron variant spreading rapidly.
  2. Preparation for the upcoming outbreaks includes obtaining N95 masks and rapid tests, having a plan to care for vulnerable individuals cautiously, and prioritizing booster shots for older individuals.
  3. Despite the likelihood of increased Covid-19 cases in the near future, the message emphasizes the importance of patience over panic, with outbreaks expected to be intense but relatively short-lived.

Nu or COVID-21?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 26 Nov 21
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Vaccines Epidemiology
  1. The concern is about a new strain, B.1.1.529, and its impact compared to existing variants of COVID-19 - the key question being whether it is new enough to cause significant issues.
  2. The worrying factor includes the high mutation rate in the spike protein of B.1.1.529, the uncertainty about its classification as a new variant or a new disease, and the potential origin from animal populations.
  3. The positive aspects involve B.1.1.529 being detectable by existing tests, limited data showing it spreading in a population with a low vaccination rate, and the opportunity for quicker monitoring of cases due to specific patterns in diagnostic tests.