The hottest Infectious Disease Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways

Goodbye flu season, hello Spring bugs, like norovirus, polio travel headlines, and breakthrough measles cases.

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1147 implied HN points • 24 Mar 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu season is winding down, but spring brings other bugs like common colds, RSV, and norovirus, so expect more sniffles and stomach bugs; wash hands with soap and water (hand sanitizer may not stop norovirus) and isolate if you’re sick.
Polio headlines were overstated — the CDC’s global polio notice is informational, not a travel ban, and most travelers don’t need a booster; consider one only if you’ll have prolonged close contact in a place with recent detections and check with your doctor.
MMR vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe measles, but breakthrough infections can occur with high exposure and are usually milder; also watch for safety alerts and recalls, including specific lots of children’s ibuprofen and Raw Farm raw cheddar linked to E. coli.

Viruses we don't test for

Force of Infection • 139 implied HN points • 23 Mar 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Many different respiratory viruses besides flu and COVID cause what people call “a cold,” but they are rarely tested for and so much illness goes unnoticed even though these viruses shape seasonal outbreaks.
Common under-recognized viruses—like adenoviruses, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza, seasonal coronaviruses, and rhinoviruses/enteroviruses—usually cause mild cold-like symptoms but can cause serious illness in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised people, and some have distinctive complications (e.g., adenovirus conjunctivitis or parainfluenza croup).
Prevention is similar across these pathogens: good ventilation, staying home when sick, hand hygiene, and high-quality masks (like KN95) reduce spread, while vaccines or specific treatments are limited and broader therapies are still under development.

Cue the allergies and time change, the flu vaccine process is starting, WH's impact on Tylenol, and good news

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1056 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Winter respiratory season is finally easing, but spring viruses like HMPV and RSV are on the rise and allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer, so expect more colds and cranky kids this spring.
The flu vaccine planning for next season is underway, but political interference and leadership turnover could block or delay an updated formula, meaning Americans might receive last year’s vaccine instead of one matched to current strains.
A White House briefing that falsely linked acetaminophen to autism caused a measurable drop in acetaminophen orders for pregnant patients and a big rise in leucovorin prescriptions, showing how misinformation changes clinical care; acetaminophen remains the safest choice for fever and pain in pregnancy, so talk to your clinician if you’re pregnant and sick.

Outbreak Outlook - National - March 22

Force of Infection • 76 implied HN points • 22 Mar 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu activity is falling quickly and should drop below the seasonal baseline next week, with all age groups reporting fewer outpatient visits and Flu B making up most late-season cases.
Covid-19 is quiet and mostly declining nationwide, with low ED visits and hospitalizations, though Washington, Pennsylvania, and DC show stable activity.
RSV has peaked in most regions but remains high with infant hospitalizations still elevated despite recent improvements; norovirus is very active and rising, and several foodborne outbreaks/recalls (including an E. coli–linked raw cheese), plus ongoing measles spread and a UK meningitis cluster, are current concerns.

Hep B vaccine rates declining, RSV is having a late surge, more disease=more economic cost, AI and triage, and the U.S. surgeon general

Your Local Epidemiologist • 956 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Newborn hepatitis B vaccination rates are falling substantially, and declining childhood immunization (like MMR) threatens more cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and large economic costs.
The respiratory season is unusual: flu activity is plateauing while RSV infections and hospitalizations are surging very late, putting infants at higher risk; vaccines and long-acting monoclonal antibodies can still provide protection.
Consumer AI health tools can help with simple questions but are not yet reliable for triage; they often over-refer low-risk people and can miss early signs of serious emergencies, so don’t rely on them in urgent situations.

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New Study Shows Negative COVID Vaccine Efficacy For Kids, Elevated Risk Of Myocarditis

Unmasked • 37 implied HN points • 21 Mar 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Public health officials and media pushed strong messaging that encouraged parents to vaccinate children by emphasizing COVID risks and downplaying natural immunity.
A new study is said to show negative COVID vaccine efficacy for kids and an increased risk of myocarditis, suggesting the shots may have underperformed in that age group.
Officials largely maintained the same pandemic policies even after vaccines underperformed in adults, which likely led to unnecessary child vaccinations and potential harms.

A new home for Force of Infection

Force of Infection • 154 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

The newsletter is moving off Substack to a standalone website, and subscriptions (including paid and regional choices) will transfer automatically; only readers who use the Substack app need to switch to email notifications.
The move is intended to create a more permanent, independent, and stable home so the publication stays reliable despite changes to platform algorithms.
The new site will let the newsletter expand beyond weekly reports into evergreen reference pages, seasonal summaries, and practical tools, with paid subscribers enabling that growth.

Halting vaccine innovation, younger colorectal cancer deaths, lingering flu, and good news

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1472 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

The FDA initially refused to file Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine application, highlighting how shifting regulatory decisions could slow or deter long-term vaccine innovation and investment.
Colorectal cancer rates are rising in younger adults, so screening now starts at 45 and people should watch symptoms at any age while focusing on healthier diets, more fiber, and regular activity to lower risk.
Winter respiratory illnesses are lingering (flu B, RSV, colds) and measles cases have surged past 1,000, plus a small outbreak of drug-resistant Salmonella linked to moringa capsules—stay current on vaccines, heed outbreak warnings, and check supplement lot codes if you own the product.

Endangerment Finding, bird flu, what counts as professional degrees, and more

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1029 implied HN points • 24 Feb 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

A proposed Education Department rule would narrow which graduate programs count as “professional,” risking lower federal loan limits for public health, nursing, social work, physician assistant, and similar students and making these careers harder to afford.
Repealing the Endangerment Finding weakens the EPA’s legal authority to limit greenhouse gases, which will likely increase air pollution and related health harms like asthma, heart and lung disease, and premature deaths, even as courts and states push back.
A major H5N1 bird flu outbreak has infected millions of birds (mostly in commercial flocks), so the virus is circulating in poultry and wild birds; the risk to most people remains low, but poultry owners should follow testing and biosecurity guidance.

Consumptive Capitalism

Thinking about... • 675 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Before antibiotics, diseases like tuberculosis spawned an expensive wellness industry that sold hope, routines, and costly treatments instead of cures.
Nostalgia-driven and consumerist health movements promote distrust of medical science and steer money toward private wellness businesses rather than public health solutions.
Protecting population health needs strong public health systems, vaccines, and affordable medicines—prioritizing profit over science risks renewed epidemics and worse access to care.

The Rabies Vaccine Edition

Why is this interesting? • 1689 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Sri Lanka treats rabies as a national priority with widespread post‑exposure vaccination, and that access has driven annual deaths down from around 400 in the 1970s to about 10 today.
In many Western places people have grown complacent about vaccines because deadly diseases became rare and vaccines were politicized, and that complacency has been linked to falling vaccination rates and resurgences of illnesses like whooping cough, measles, and local polio cases.
Cultural attitudes toward nature shape risk tolerance: societies that live closely with animals accept coexistence and take practical steps like readily available rabies shots, seeing medicine as a necessary protection rather than an optional lifestyle choice.

TrumpRx, Super Bowl commercials, flu B is here, and more

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1548 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Respiratory illnesses are ticking up again — late-winter coughs, sore throats, and fevers are rising due to colds, RSV, and a second wave of flu B, while measles outbreaks (notably in South Carolina) are growing. Flu B often follows flu A and overall season severity is moderate so far, but local impacts vary.
TrumpRx is mostly branding with limited impact — it mainly helps people who pay cash, often won’t count toward insurance deductibles, and can ignore cheaper generics; real, widespread price relief will require stronger policy changes.
Be skeptical of flashy wellness ads — blood-based cancer screening tests can miss cancers and cause false alarms with unclear survival benefits, and shame-based diet messaging backfires; consumers deserve clear tradeoffs and empowering, realistic advice.

Nipah in India, measles is the first building block to fall, flu increasing again, and US out but CA in on WHO

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1697 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Measles protection is breaking down as falling vaccination and rising misinformation have already cost several countries (and possibly soon the U.S.) their elimination status, fueling large outbreaks that mostly affect unvaccinated people.
The Nipah outbreak in India is serious but currently small and controlled; the virus doesn’t spread easily between people, lives mainly in bats, and poses a very low risk of becoming a global pandemic.
The U.S. has left the WHO, which reduces U.S. influence and support for global outbreak response, while states like California are linking into WHO networks to try to stay informed and protect their populations.

Immune Imprinting, Immunosenescence, and the Limits of Universal Seasonal Influenza Vaccination

Who is Robert Malone • 8 implied HN points • 21 Mar 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Childhood immune imprinting and repeated annual vaccination can bias and weaken vaccine-induced protection, especially against influenza A(H3N2). Prior exposures tend to recall outdated immune memory and can suppress the generation of new, strain-specific neutralizing responses.
Age-related immune decline makes standard-dose vaccines less effective in adults aged 65 and older, and while enhanced formulations (high-dose, adjuvanted, recombinant) improve responses, randomized trial evidence on reducing severe outcomes is mixed.
A one-size-fits-all annual vaccination policy is misaligned with this immune heterogeneity, so risk- and platform-stratified strategies, evaluation of next-generation vaccines and immunomodulatory approaches, and clearer public communication about conditional vaccine benefits are warranted.

Measles is off to an ugly start, EPA removes lives lost, ICE and hospitals, and lots of good news

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1639 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Measles is surging unusually early, with large outbreaks in low-vaccination pockets causing many cases, quarantines, and spread to other states. If you’re fully vaccinated you’re very well protected, and parents of babies under 12 months should talk to their pediatrician about early vaccination.
The EPA will stop counting the dollar value of lives saved in cost-benefit analyses for major air pollutants, a change that makes pollution rules look more costly and makes it easier to weaken protections. This will likely harm communities near highways and industrial sites, especially low-income and marginalized groups.
Increased ICE enforcement is creating fear that keeps people from seeking medical care, which can worsen health for families and communities. Schools and clinical teams can play key roles in supporting affected families and connecting them to local resources.

Outbreak Outlook - National - March 15

Force of Infection • 62 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

RSV season came on much later than usual and now appears to be reaching or passing its peak, with test positivity easing and hospitalizations — especially in babies — starting to fall.
Flu activity is declining and more areas have moved out of high activity, but overall visits remain above baseline and this season has been unusually severe for children.
Norovirus has hit a new seasonal peak with very high test positivity and spreads easily, so careful handwashing and staying home for a few days after symptoms end are important to prevent onward transmission.

Flu is up, up, and away. SNAP restrictions, measles milestone, and good news!

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1679 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Flu is surging across the U.S., with influenza‑like illness at its highest level in six years; a mutated H3N2 strain plus falling vaccination rates are driving many hospitalizations and deaths, and vaccination plus early antivirals still help reduce severe outcomes.
Eighteen states are piloting SNAP purchase restrictions, but the research is limited and mixed — restrictions can cut purchases of targeted items yet may not improve overall diet or health, and they raise concerns about cost, autonomy, and stigma; pairing restrictions with incentives looks more promising.
Measles cases topped 2,000 in 2025, mostly in unvaccinated people, which risks the U.S. losing its WHO measles elimination status and could allow measles to become endemic.

Flu antivirals: What to know and when to use them

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1378 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Antivirals like Tamiflu and Xofluza can shorten the flu by about one to two days, reduce symptom severity and some complications, and work best when started within 48 hours; they can also be used to prevent illness after a known exposure.
Not everyone needs antivirals—many healthy people recover with rest, fluids, and fever reducers—but treatment is recommended for people who are hospitalized or have severe illness and for high-risk groups (young children, people 65+, pregnant people, immunocompromised individuals, and those with chronic conditions).
Side effects are usually mild (mainly nausea) and serious harms are rare, and many scary online claims are misleading—Tamiflu has not been shown to routinely cause hallucinations and star anise tea is not a substitute; Xofluza is a one‑dose option that may reduce contagiousness but is more expensive and has less data in some populations.

We dodged a vaccine disaster (for now). And a quick virus weather report before the break.

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1894 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

A last-minute plan to adopt Denmark's childhood vaccine schedule in the U.S. was proposed and then canceled, but the option remains legally possible and could reappear.
Denmark’s leaner schedule only works because of universal healthcare, long parental leave, near-universal prenatal screening, centralized records, and reliable follow-up, and those supports are missing in the U.S., so copying the schedule here could increase disease risk and disrupt vaccine access.
Respiratory viruses are rising now—flu is driving much of the increase, Covid is slowly climbing, and RSV is up but milder—so stay home if sick, consider masking in crowded indoor spaces, and get a flu or Covid vaccine if you haven’t yet.

H5N1: Much More Than You Wanted To Know

Astral Codex Ten • 27324 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

H5N1 bird flu started in birds but can spread to other animals and possibly humans. There are concerns about it becoming a bigger threat as it mutates.
Currently, experts estimate a 5% chance of H5N1 causing a human pandemic in the next year, but it could rise to 50% over the next 20 years.
If H5N1 does become a pandemic, most forecasts suggest it won't be as deadly as the Spanish flu, with risks ranging from normal flu severity to several times worse.

Mass shootings outnumber annual days in U.S., children are missing school due to measles, Covid-19 is peeping around the corner, and some hope

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1633 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Mass shootings in the U.S. are happening more than once per day and represent a widespread, preventable public‑health crisis that evidence shows can be reduced with stricter firearm policies.
Respiratory illnesses are surging: flu is rising among children (with low vaccination rates and early pediatric deaths reported) and Covid‑19 is increasing in parts of the country, so masking in crowded indoor spaces, testing when appropriate, staying home while sick, and staying up to date on vaccines can help protect others.
Measles outbreaks are growing, causing many cases and hundreds of children to miss school, and vaccination plus following local public‑health guidance is the key way to stop these outbreaks.

Who are you?

Your Local Epidemiologist • 810 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

A long-running public health newsletter has a big, engaged audience and is asking readers to take an annual survey to help shape future coverage.
Survey respondents are mostly from North America and Australia, skew 45–64 years old, are highly educated, and many act as trusted messengers who share information with family, colleagues, and communities.
Readers still want infectious disease coverage but are increasingly interested in public health communication and misinformation, news analysis, climate-related health, and issues like mental health, opioids, and reproductive health, and the newsletter aims to broaden topics and reach younger and more politically diverse readers.

Fall vaccination rates are down, flu takes off, the U.S. is not Denmark, ICE’s negative impact on health, and more.

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1454 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Vaccination rates in the U.S. are dropping, with fewer people getting both COVID-19 and flu shots compared to last year. This could lead to more severe health issues this winter, so getting vaccinated is still important.
Fear of immigration enforcement is keeping immigrant families from accessing necessary healthcare. Many are avoiding medical visits and putting off surgeries, which is harmful to their health and well-being.
The U.S. healthcare system is very different from Denmark's, so copying their vaccination schedule might not work here. Health outcomes depend on many factors, not just vaccines, and many of those factors are not as strong in the U.S.

Flu still hanging on

Force of Infection • 61 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Influenza activity remains stubbornly high across much of the country, driven by the South and Midwest. Young children have the highest outpatient ILI rates, and Flu B is rising as Flu A wanes.
Norovirus test positivity has reached season highs, especially in the Midwest and Northeast, while RSV activity is holding steady. COVID-19 activity and hospitalizations are relatively low and declining.
Numerous food recalls affect many products and stores, so check your pantry, and public health concerns include a large measles resurgence tied to low vaccination and an avian flu outbreak in Pennsylvania poultry.

Flu goes on and on

Force of Infection • 80 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu activity remains high and isn’t declining yet; young children and people aged 5–24 are seeing the most clinic visits, and hospitalizations are elevated though slowly improving.
RSV and norovirus activity are elevated — RSV hospitalizations are very high among infants and toddlers, and norovirus is circulating widely and spreads quickly in close quarters.
Multiple food recalls and outbreaks are ongoing, including a Salmonella outbreak tied to moringa capsules that involves an extensively drug‑resistant strain; throw out affected products and clean anything that touched them.

Coming at 3 p.m.: I talk live to Jim Haslam, who has investigated Covid's origins for years, about Ralph Baric, Tony Fauci, and the Rocky Mountain National Lab

Unreported Truths • 11 implied HN points • 13 Mar 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

There’s a live interview with investigator Jim Haslam about COVID origins that will discuss Ralph Baric, Tony Fauci, and the Rocky Mountain National Lab.
Haslam is presenting a theory that relies on previously unseen evidence about Baric, and that theory is being aired so it can be examined and scrutinized.
This session is part of an effort to run more live podcasts after a recent successful episode, and viewers are invited to join at 3 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. Central, noon Pacific).

The failures of 2020: why didn’t the UK ‘Act Fast and Isolate’?

Independent SAGE continues • 979 implied HN points • 04 Apr 24

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

The UK did not act quickly enough during the early stages of the pandemic, leading to a high number of avoidable deaths. Other countries, especially in East Asia, took swift actions that resulted in much lower death rates.
Public health measures, like efficient testing and isolation support, were not properly implemented in the UK. This failure caused prolonged lockdowns and significant economic damage.
Learning from the successes of East Asian countries is crucial for future pandemic responses. The UK needs to adapt its public health strategies to be more proactive and supportive.

Covid-19, mosquitos, hand foot and mouth surging, kinder vaccination rates, Vaccine Injury program at risk and more

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1414 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Covid-19 cases are going up, especially among infants. We might see more hospital visits as many haven't been infected in a while.
There's a rise in hand, foot, and mouth disease, particularly affecting young children. Parents should be aware of the symptoms and how it spreads.
Vaccination rates for kindergartners are down in 20 states, possibly leading to more outbreaks of diseases like measles. It's important to stay up to date on vaccinations.

Outbreak Outlook - National - February 1

Force of Infection • 94 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu has started to rebound after weeks of decline, driven mainly by increases in school-age children and a rise in influenza B, though overall activity and hospitalizations remain well below the recent peak and influenza A still makes up most cases.
COVID-19 indicators are generally declining — wastewater and ED visits are down and hospitalizations are low — but the Midwest is seeing very high wastewater levels and regional differences persist.
RSV is at quite elevated levels and growing in parts of the country while norovirus trends are mixed regionally, and public health attention is also on multiple food recalls and a Nipah outbreak in India; a partial U.S. government shutdown could disrupt CDC surveillance reporting.

Outbreak Outlook - National - February 8

Force of Infection • 71 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Influenza is widespread across most states and remains especially high in young children, though emergency visits and hospitalizations have been falling recently.
COVID-19 activity is roughly steady overall, with wastewater signals and regional trends rising in the Midwest and Northeast while hospitalizations continue to decline.
RSV and several other respiratory viruses are elevated and climbing. Norovirus activity is high nationwide and a measles outbreak in Jalisco raises travel-related risks for the upcoming World Cup.

World Health Organization Now Disingenuously Walking Back Their Support For Masks, Lockdowns

Unmasked • 67 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

The WHO backed China’s strict COVID measures early on, appearing to put funding and relationships ahead of independent assessment.
Despite pre-pandemic WHO documents that warned against or questioned harsh mandates, the organization abandoned that guidance and supported panic-driven policies like lockdowns and widespread masking.
As funding wanes and scrutiny grows, the WHO is now distancing itself and denying responsibility for those earlier recommendations.

Flu rebound watch

Force of Infection • 83 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu activity is falling nationwide, but school-age children are showing a small rebound that could either be a brief bump or the start of a larger spike, so this needs close watch over the next week or two.
COVID-19 is improving overall with lower ED visits and wastewater signals, but the Midwest remains relatively higher and a similar small rebound among school-age kids is being monitored.
Measles outbreaks are growing rapidly across states and could cause the US to lose its elimination status, underscoring serious gaps in vaccination and public health risk.

H5N1 Update: January 7

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1940 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

H5N1, or bird flu, is still spreading among animals and has now caused its first human death in the U.S. It's a serious virus, but the general public's risk remains low for now.
Experts are worried about H5N1 because it could mutate and become more dangerous, especially if it spreads among animals that are close to humans. Keeping tabs on this virus is important.
Right now, there's not much for the average person to do except stay informed. Avoid sick animals and unpasteurized milk to stay safe, and let health officials manage the outbreak.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 18

Force of Infection • 66 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu activity is falling across most of the country but remains elevated, especially in the Northeast and among young children. It might rebound, but usually there’s a single peak and activity typically winds down by March.
COVID-19 indicators are generally declining and ED visits have dropped, yet wastewater levels remain high in parts of the country, with the Midwest currently the hardest hit. Continued monitoring is needed as regional trends differ.
Several food recalls are underway, including a large multistate Salmonella-linked supplement recall, so check and discard any affected products you may have. Wastewater surveillance is also showing value as an early warning tool for outbreaks like measles.

Updated flu report, national edition

Force of Infection • 80 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu activity is very high nationwide, with outpatient ILI visits around 8.3% and levels not seen in more than two decades, and many states appear to be at or near their peak.
This season is driven by a new H3N2 subclade (K), but early estimates show this year’s vaccine still gives moderate protection—about 30–40% against hospitalization in adults.
Children are bearing the biggest burden with the highest outpatient and emergency visits while adults 65+ have the highest hospitalization rates, and every region is seeing rising activity with the Northeast and South especially hard hit.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 4

Force of Infection • 86 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Flu activity is very high across the country, with emergency visits and hospitalizations elevated in many states and several areas near or past their seasonal peak.
COVID-19 and RSV are both rising; COVID remains generally low but has notable increases in some states, while RSV is at moderate levels and climbing with some states reaching seasonal baselines.
Norovirus activity is increasing and highly contagious, so hand washing and surface cleaning are important. Multiple food recalls and a large measles resurgence also highlight the need for food safety and vaccination.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 11

Force of Infection • 70 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

Influenza activity is very high nationwide but shows signs of declining in most regions; children improved most, yet cases, hospitalizations, and deaths remain substantial and precautions are still advisable.
COVID-19 is trending upward — wastewater levels and hospitalizations are increasing, with the Midwest hardest hit, the Northeast and South rising, and the West still low.
RSV and several other respiratory viruses are rising (with RSV test positivity and hospitalizations up), norovirus wastewater signals are high in many regions, and several food recalls mean people should check and discard affected products.

FOI Clinical: A new outbreak monitoring service

Force of Infection • 54 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26

🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Disease

The CDC reported New World screwworm cases on the Mexico side of the Texas–Mexico border; it mainly affects livestock but can infect people, and there are no U.S. cases yet though the threat is approaching.
Front-line clinicians don’t have a quick, recurring, plain-language briefing that tracks reportable diseases, emerging outbreaks, and policy changes that affect patient care.
FOI Clinical is launching a clinician-focused outbreak monitoring service to fill that gap with briefings and alerts, with a first edition expected in February 2026 and subscriptions open to clinicians and medically vulnerable people.

We Just Got More Proof That Nobody Needs To Wear Masks

Unmasked • 65 implied HN points • 26 Dec 25

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Many credentialed doctors and public health experts are still loudly calling for universal masking, especially during winter.
The piece claims data show masks did not stop viruses from spreading and points to Sweden’s avoidance of widespread masking alongside low excess mortality as evidence.
Renewed pushes for universal masking this winter are presented as unnecessary because recent data allegedly contradict the effectiveness of masks.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Dec 22

Force of Infection • 73 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25

🏥 Health Politics Infectious Disease

Influenza is surging nationwide: outpatient ILI and test positivity have climbed sharply, many states now show high activity, and hospitalizations and pediatric deaths are rising. If you haven't had a flu shot yet, it's still the best way to reduce severe illness.
COVID-19 and RSV remain at relatively low levels overall but are inching upward, with small increases seen in wastewater, ED visits, and hospitalizations in some regions. RSV is below average for the season but slowly rising and continues to hit young children hardest.
There are multiple food recalls and a recalled infant formula tied to a botulism outbreak was still found for sale in many stores, contributing to numerous infant hospitalizations. Officials are also reportedly considering changes to the childhood vaccine schedule that could alter routine recommendations.