Your Local Epidemiologist

Depending on which corner of the internet you’re in, the shingles vaccine is either the biggest accidental breakthrough in dementia prevention or a too-good-to-be-true clickbait headline that deserves zero credence. Jenn Dowd (an Oxford researcher and a ride-or-die sci-commer who’s been with me since the earliest days of the pandemic) has kept a close eye on this. I asked her for an update. Jenn, take it away. Imagine a burning, stabbing pain along one side of your ribs or face.

Is it time for pumpkin spice candles? I feel like it’s time. Happy September. Odds are, if you’re sick right now, it’s Covid-19 or the common cold. More illness will come as the weather cools and schools start back up. Thankfully, fall vaccines will be available soon, but there is another option for the immunocompromised that very few doctors and members of the public know about. Also, the political theater of measles marches on, now calling into question CDC data and who and what to trust.

Last year, I got a text from a friend in public health. They were checking into a hotel in West Texas to help contain a measles outbreak that would eventually balloon to more than 900 known cases—in reality, likely 10 times that number. This 20th century disease, which we had once eliminated as a country, had already killed one child. The local health department was small and chronically underfunded, so it quickly got overwhelmed by the most contagious virus on earth.

Respiratory vaccines—for flu, RSV, and Covid-19—will be available at no cost this fall. This may be surprising to hear, given the eerie silence. (There will be no fall federal vaccine campaign.) But it’s happening, and keeping track of them isn’t easy. So here are the what, who, and when for each, informed by the most up-to-date science and policy. Bottom line upfront: There are nuances to consider for those seeking maximum protection, but ultimately, the best vaccine is the one you receive.

School is coming into session, and with it come the cute photos (my youngest is now a kindergartener!) and the transformation into walking petri dishes. We are already seeing the common cold start to increase. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 wave and the season of foodborne illnesses continue to march on. Are we having an unusual year for foodborne outbreaks? I dig into the data. Also, there may soon be an incredibly cool mRNA treatment for skin cancer, and other good news.

Wildfires have been all over the news, not just in the U.S. but in Europe as well, where I (Katelyn) have been. For Matt Willis, the author of YLE California edition, it just became very personal. I’ll let him explain. Matt, take it away… The text came on July 27: Made it to Bend. Heading to the fire line tomorrow. My son just finished his wildland firefighting certification. He’s spent the summer working as an EMT and was sent to the fires burning in Oregon. He’s 22, and this was his first fire.

As summer winds down, several diseases are winding up, like Covid-19 infections and rare mosquito-borne illnesses. Unfortunately, we can expect the same for vaccine-preventable diseases, according to new CDC data. We also have some good news: the approval of a new mRNA flu vaccine. If you’re deciding whether to get it, there is some important nuance for you to consider. Here’s your disease “weather report” and what it may mean for you and your family.

While public health systems have plenty of room to become more trustworthy, I am increasingly convinced that much mistrust stems also from health systems. In a recent YLE survey, for example, more than 1 in 2 participants had difficulty finding a primary care provider.

This week started off with a bang with an executive order on routine childhood vaccinations. So much for this administration not touching childhood vaccines before the midterms. I try to break down the signal from the noise for you below (there was a lot of noise.) Plus: Michigan health officials say iceberg lettuce is now all clear, but we have a new produce item making us sick in 27 states: jalapeños. Covid-19, fire smoke, and heat risk continue to march forward. And we end with some good news.

This post discusses suicide, self-harm, homicide, and severe postpartum mental illness. Please proceed with care. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Pregnant and postpartum people can also call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for free, confidential support 24/7. Lindsay Clancy is on trial for killing her three small children.