The hottest Health data Substack posts right now

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A historic flu season

Force of Infection • 191 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Infectious Diseases Health data Health trends
  1. Flu activity is increasing, with outpatient visits for flu-like symptoms reaching 7.8%. This shows that more people are getting sick and needing medical attention.
  2. This flu season is hitting all age groups hard, with high severity reported among children, adults, and older adults. It’s a tough time for many families right now.
  3. Emergency department visits for flu symptoms in children have been noticeably high, making it crucial for parents to stay alert for signs of illness. Hospitals are also seeing more severe cases than in recent years.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 27

Force of Infection • 515 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Disease Control Vaccination Health data Health Policy
  1. Flu cases are on the rise again, especially in children, after weeks of decline. It's surprising to see this rebound during the season.
  2. COVID-19 wastewater levels are decreasing, but it's too soon to know if we’ll avoid a larger wave this winter.
  3. Activity for RSV is declining across the country, but caution is still advised, particularly for babies and older adults.

Flu spikes

Force of Infection • 243 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Disease outbreaks Health data Government Policy Health Risks
  1. Influenza activity is rising again, hitting high levels not seen since earlier in the season. This increase is particularly strong among young children, leading to more hospital visits.
  2. The data about flu activity is not completely reliable, with federal health data disrupted recently. This makes it harder to track how things are changing.
  3. COVID-19 is still around, with some signs of increased activity, especially in the Midwest, but severe cases are not rising significantly.

Brief JN.1 wave update

Logging the World • 777 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Health data
  1. There is evidence of a significant peak in infections before Christmas, but recent data shows a convincing decrease post that peak.
  2. The observation of lower hospitalization rates amidst the estimated number of infections suggests a positive trend in managing the virus.
  3. The shape of the curve in future weeks is uncertain, but overall, the current situation seems to indicate no significant exponential growth in infections.
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JN.1 - how worried should you be?

Logging the World • 737 implied HN points • 18 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Health data Preventive measures Public Health
  1. A new faster-growing variant, JN.1, has emerged from the BA.2.86 family, showing potential for significant impact on COVID trends.
  2. The growth rate of JN.1 suggests a concerning pattern of exponential increase over time, raising alarm for future hospital admissions.
  3. Changing social behaviors post-Christmas may lead to a potential decrease in overall growth rates, impacting the severity of future COVID waves.

Brief bonus COVID update

Logging the World • 498 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Health data Impact assessment
  1. There is a new COVID variant called XBB.1.16, but it may not be as alarming as headlines suggest, with a modest transmission advantage in comparison to previous variants.
  2. The severity of the XBB.1.16 variant is not significantly higher than previous waves, and it currently has a low presence in the UK.
  3. Overall, the impact of the XBB.1.16 variant is expected to be relatively small, akin to ripples rather than a major wave like previous dominant variants.

January 30, 2024 - Update for the Week of January 20

Frank’s Alabama COVID Newsletter • 157 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Vaccinations Long Covid Prevention Health data
  1. CDC reports decline in new hospital admissions for COVID-19 in U.S. and Alabama
  2. Covid-related hospitalizations tend to peak in January and decline by April historically
  3. Continued mutations of the virus, risk of transmission, and long Covid symptoms are important factors to consider for staying vigilant

The DEATH safety signals in VAERS were obvious if anyone looked

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Public Health Health data Risk Assessment
  1. There was a significant increase in death reports after the COVID vaccine was given, over 100 times higher than normal for other vaccines. This raises questions about vaccine safety.
  2. The number of death reports linked with the COVID vaccine is way higher compared to all other vaccines combined, suggesting something might be unusual with the COVID vaccine.
  3. Healthcare providers are required to report any deaths they suspect are related to vaccines, but many have reported difficulties and frustrations with the reporting process, indicating a possible problem with the system.

Did the COVID vaccine reduce cases? Find out instantly!

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 10 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Vaccines Infectious Diseases Health Policy Health data
  1. Getting vaccinated three or more times may increase your chances of getting infected compared to not getting vaccinated at all. It's surprising to see that more vaccines do not necessarily mean better protection.
  2. The biggest difference in infection rates was seen when people went from being unvaccinated to vaccinated. That change had the most impact.
  3. The numbers showing infection rates were consistent and validated against other surveys, suggesting a trend worth noting. It’s good to examine these findings critically.

EXCLUSIVE: The CDPH is unable to explain the rise in the COVID Case Fatality Rate (CFR) after the COVID shots rolled out

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 9 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Vaccination COVID-19 Policy Analysis Health data
  1. The California Department of Public Health struggled to explain why the COVID death rate increased after the vaccines were rolled out. Their response did not make sense.
  2. With a majority of nursing home residents vaccinated, we expected the death rate to go down, but it actually stayed flat for a long time and didn't fall until a new, less deadly variant appeared over a year later.
  3. Questions about the data offered by health officials were often ignored, leading to a distrust in their claims about the effectiveness of the vaccines.

Yang paper: US data shows COVID vaccinated kids 5 - 18 die at a 5.7X higher rate than their unvaccinated peers

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 10 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Vaccination Health data Mortality Rates Health Policy
  1. Vaccinated kids aged 5-18 are reported to have a 5.7 times higher death rate compared to those who are unvaccinated. This is a significant difference that needs attention.
  2. There has been a dramatic increase in cardiac-related emergency room visits among people under 40 in New Zealand after the COVID vaccine rollout. The numbers rose nearly five times, which suggests a serious health concern.
  3. Many health authorities are not discussing these findings, which raises questions about vaccine safety. It's important for parents to be aware of the potential risks involved.

COVID case fatality rate (CFR) more than doubled after they rolled out the jabs in Santa Clara County in 2021

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Vaccination Mortality Rates COVID-19 Health data
  1. The COVID case fatality rate in Santa Clara County increased significantly after the vaccine rollout, more than doubling compared to before. This was surprising and not the expected outcome.
  2. Despite high vaccination rates, the overall mortality rates did not return to normal, suggesting that the interventions put in place did not effectively save lives.
  3. There are concerns about the vaccine's impact on health, as data shows an increase in deaths after the shots were introduced, leading to questions about their safety and effectiveness.

Axial Discovery - Marketplaces in Life Sciences

Discovery by Axial • 3 implied HN points • 18 May 23
💼 Business Marketplaces Outsourcing Talent Health data
  1. Outsourcing marketplaces in life sciences have emerged with companies like Science Exchange providing trust and confidentiality for R&D services.
  2. Talent marketplaces are growing in the field of life sciences, with platforms like Clora matching consultants with companies and projects.
  3. Marketplaces for consumables and reagents (C&R) in life sciences offer opportunities for connecting suppliers and customers, such as Quartzy and Zageno.

Amazon’s Health Ecosystem

Discharge Summary • 0 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Digital Health Health data
  1. Amazon is expanding its reach in the healthcare space by launching a new Health Conditions Program.
  2. Amazon's Health Conditions Program benefits customers by providing access to digital health products through insurance information sharing.
  3. Amazon's strategy to build a healthcare ecosystem with various services like virtual care, primary care, and pharmacy products positions them to lead the market.

It's worse (maybe)

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 30 Jul 21
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Vaccination Pandemic Management Health data
  1. The Delta variant of Covid-19 is concerning as it shows high viral load in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, longer infectious period, and a high R0 value.
  2. Superspreading events indoors may remain risky, leading to continued need to avoid crowded indoor spaces. Entry requirements might shift to requiring negative tests along with vaccinations.
  3. There is a greater importance placed on rapid antigen testing in various settings due to the spread of the virus by vaccinated individuals, emphasizing the need for more accessible and widespread testing.