Nsikan Akpan
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
The Council on Foreign Relations,
MSN,
Goats & Soda,
National Geographic,
National Geographic Traveler,
Newsweek,
NPR,
PBS,
PBS NewsHour,
MDPI,
Scientific American
and
Covers:
mental health, public health, environment, nature, pediatrics, outbreaks, stroke, neuroscience, infectious disease
Highly melanated. Managing Editor, @ThinkGlobalHlth/@CFR_org. BSky: monscience.bsky.social Past: WNYC, NatGeo, PBS NewsHour | PhD pathobiologist | YNWA
Articles by Nsikan Akpan
Feeding Dignity: A 2026 Blueprint for Food Aid in a Divided World
From Sudan to San Francisco, food aid is under siege, and children are set to experience unprecedented, preventable hunger. Nearly 58 million people globally are at imminent risk of losing food assistance due to massive international aid cuts. In the United States, families are seeing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits shrink as food banks struggle to meet demand.
Former Head of Gavi on the U.S. Retreat from Vaccines
On January 5, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the country's childhood vaccine schedule to cover 11 diseases instead of 17, no longer recommending routine protections for flu, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and rotavirus. The new schedule more closely resembles Denmark's, despite broad differences in the two countries' populations and health systems.
U.S. Egg Prices See Largest Jump Since 1980 as Bird Flu Outbreaks Continue
Originally published on February 12, 2025; Updated on March 12, 2025 On Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shared its latest update on consumer prices, showing that the average cost of a dozen large grade A eggs increased nearly $1 in a single month—to $5.89. February's price jump is the largest since 1980–even after adjusting for inflation and beats the record set by January's price data.
U.S. Egg Prices Reach 45-Year High as Bird Flu Intensifies
On Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly price data, showing that the average cost of large grade A eggs is the highest in 45 years. The price is the second highest—falling $0.15 of a record set in January 2023—after adjusting for seasonal inflation. The egg-price surge stems from H5N1 avian influenza—or bird flu—hitting poultry producers hard this winter.
U.S. Egg Prices Near 45-Year High as Bird Flu Intensifies
On Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly price data, showing that the average cost of large grade A eggs is the highest in 45 years. The price is the second highest—falling $0.15 of a record set in January 2023—after adjusting for seasonal inflation. The egg-price surge stems from H5N1 avian influenza—or bird flu—hitting poultry producers hard this winter.
Concerns Over Animal Health and EU Food Security
As the European Union (EU) wrestles with the future of farm subsidies and support under its existing Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is set to expire in 2027, disruptions across the agrifood sector threaten the continent's food security. Dating to 1962, the CAP is intended to protect farmers' livelihoods through bloc-wide income support and market measures, but it has not evolved with economic circumstances and is undergoing reform.
Giant rat border agents could help put a stop to wildlife poaching
agent: A person or thing (it can be a chemical or even a form of energy) that plays some role in getting something done. agile: Able to move quickly (and pivot as needed) with skill and little apparent effort. Sometimes the term is applied to thinking and project management as well as to athletic pursuits. behavioral ecologist: A scientist who studies how animal behavior relates to where animals live.
The New U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule Creates Legal Risks
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rang in 2026 by revising the vaccine schedule recommendations for children and teens.
Why Pandemic Agreement Negotiations Failed to Land
After more than two years of discussion and negotiations, the representatives for 194 nations failed to finalize a draft of the Pandemic Agreement, an international accord meant to fix the weaknesses and global inequities in pandemic preparedness that COVID-19 revealed.
A look at NASA’s new images of Io, Jupiter’s ‘tortured moon’
New research is revealing the secrets of Io, the mysterious volcanic moon of Jupiter. Four centuries after Galileo discovered Io in 1610, NASA sent a spacecraft called Juno on a five-year mission to Jupiter and its moons. Last week, NASA released animated artists’ conceptions of Io based on data Juno collected during two flybys. John Yang reports. Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.
What Bronx bodegas are saying about trash pickup times and bacon, egg and cheese prices
Bronx bodega owners say the Adams administration’s move to limit how long trash sits on the curb is a step in the right direction, but the city needs to do more to curb rampant rat and rodent infestations. The third edition of WNYC and Gothamist’s community survey of Bronx bodegas dove into how the shops and their customers were adjusting to new trash pickup times and this year’s slate of environmental disasters — including the wildfire smoke crisis in June and the large rainstorms this autumn.
She felt ‘like a human septic tank.’ Do loopholes let doctors go unreported after allegations?
Imminent Danger This is the fourth in a five-part investigative series on how an OB-GYN named Thomas J. Byrne managed to gain medical licenses in multiple states after health officials in New York declared him to be an “imminent danger” to the public decades earlier. Hear this story on “NYC Now,” with new episodes every Saturday. Part one of the series examined Byrne’s recent history at Harlem Hospital.
‘No idea what he had done to me’: After OB-GYN lost his NY license, allegations continued in other states
This is the third in a five-part investigative series on how an OB-GYN named Thomas J. Byrne managed to get medical licenses in multiple states after health officials in New York declared him to be an “imminent danger” to the public decades earlier. Part one of the series examined Byrne’s recent history at Harlem Hospital. Part two dug deeper into what led New York to revoke his license in the early 1990s and how he was able to obtain a new medical license in New Mexico shortly after.
Patients were injured, died under care of NY doctor. He moved to New Mexico and kept practicing.
This is the second in a five-part investigative series on how an OB-GYN named Thomas J. Byrne managed to get medical licenses in multiple states after health officials in New York declared him to be an “imminent danger” to the public decades earlier. Part one of the series examined Byrne’s recent history at Harlem Hospital. This second edition digs deeper into what led New York to revoke his license in the early 1990s and how he was able to obtain a new medical license in New Mexico shortly after.
One doctor’s decadeslong trail of injured women, babies began in New York
This is the first in a five-part investigative series on how an OB/GYN named Thomas J. Byrne managed to regain his medical license in multiple states after health officials in New York declared him to be an “imminent danger” to the public and revoked his license decades earlier. Hear this story on NYC Now, with new episodes every Saturday. This reporting was produced with support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. It was a rare injury during what is typically a routine medical procedure.
Why it rained so hard Friday: Ophelia returned to hit NYC with an Ida-level storm
New Yorkers and New Jersyans thought they had seen the last of Tropical Storm Ophelia, but the remainder of the weather event that soaked the tristate region last weekend had other plans. The remnants of Ophelia returned in force on Friday, triggering a state of emergency that shut down the New York City subway, roads and airport terminals. At a press briefing, city officials described the situation as the wettest day since Hurricane Ida.
Tropical Storm Ophelia on track to hit NYC, NJ - like a hurricane but ‘cooler’
A subtropical storm that’s been quietly strengthening off the East Coast most of the week reached tropical storm status Friday afternoon, just in time to ruin New York and New Jersey weekends with a steady rain and hazardous gusty winds. Tropical Storm Ophelia’s most hazardous conditions will make landfall on North Carolina and Virginia, but the storm is big — about 380 miles across east to west and 296 miles north to south in terms of the extent of its winds.
When should NYC worry about Lee’s path? Making sense of hurricane forecasts.
Hurricane Lee rapidly intensified last week — growing from tropical storm to Category 5 in a matter of hours — as it crept westward across the Atlantic. Weather buffs know that rapid intensification is nothing new for major hurricanes. It’s a natural part of their progression, and four of every five major hurricanes do it. What’s changing is the pace.
No swimming at some NY beaches due to hurricane rip tides, high surf. Will they open by Labor Day?
Gov. Kathy Hochul suspended swimming at three Long Island state beaches as rough surf and rip tides and flooding as the effects of faraway storms continue to hit the region. New York City officials also issued a coastal flood advisory and warned that life-threatening rip currents could be present through Thursday. They advised against swimming in areas without lifeguards. But weather officials said they were hopeful the waters will calm in time for Labor Day weekend.
Why your Con Ed bill rose this month - and how it’s only the beginning
Residents of New York City and Westchester County may have noticed a recent jump in their gas and electricity bills — one that had nothing to do with running air conditioners on hot summer days. This month, Con Edison increased electricity billing rates by more than 9% and gas rates by more than 8%. The move represents the first of three hikes set to occur between now and 2025.
Bronx bodega survey: Bacon, egg and cheese prices remained high
This year, WNYC/Gothamist has been partnering with bodegas in the Bronx to launch a community survey about inflation (via prices for bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches), the mental toll of crime and feelings about marijuana legalization. These corner stores often serve as hubs of conversation and community, as well as places where people can buy essential goods.
Got COVID? NYC health commish on what’s behind the sneaky midsummer bump.
COVID-19 is rebounding in New York City, a few weeks ahead of the usual autumn and winter schedule of respiratory disease. But New Yorkers will find that tracking outbreaks has dramatically changed since the last time the coronavirus was thriving. Federal regulators ended the public health emergency for COVID-19 in May, ushering in a slew of changes in how the disease is reported to the public.
Safe to swim? Play outside? How to keep NYC kids (and adults) healthy during this heat wave.
It's about to get hot in New York City. The region is preparing for its first official heat wave this year — meaning three or more days of Fahrenheit temperatures in the nineties. The heat index, an official measure of how conditions feel to the human body, will be closer 105 degrees. City-run cooling centers will be open starting on Thursday, and temperatures are expected to peak then and on Friday. This heat wave comes at the end of an already sweltering July.
Modest smoke plumes expected to sweep NYC Friday night, potentially Sunday morning
Air quality is improving across New York City, but officials and meteorologists are tracking a modest plume of Canadian wildfire smoke that’s expected to sweep across the tristate region Friday night. Another could potentially arrive Sunday morning if the current forecasts hold. They do not predict that the air quality index (AQI) will return to hazardous levels so New Yorkers can still enjoy outdoor activities this weekend.
How to protect your lungs as NYC’s air quality suffers from wildfires
Canadian wildfires are spreading smoke across parts of the Northeast for a second straight week. By midday Tuesday, the worst air quality measured nationwide belonged to parts of New York and Connecticut, while New Jersey also carried a heavy burden. The primary pollutant was particulate matter — microscopic solids or liquids that can be breathed deep inside the lungs.
The air is bad and 'very unhealthy.' But relief is coming for NY and NJ.
Catching a breath probably felt harder Friday afternoon than it has all year, as air quality levels stretching from New York City to Washington D.C. vaulted into danger zones. It capped a recent spell of unhealthy air – driven first by wildfires but then by ozone, a hazardous air pollutant that is produced in hot, humid weather. “Smoke particles in the air — that does degrade the air quality. And that's how we had air quality issues earlier in the week,” said meteorologist Garett Argianas.
Is COVID back in NYC? Wastewater surveillance shows coronavirus is rising.
New Yorkers who've noticed more sniffles and coughs during their subway commutes aren’t imagining things. Wastewater monitoring is showing early signs of a coronavirus rebound in New York City and some surrounding suburbs. All 14 wastewater treatment plants across NYC are reporting high concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, according to the dashboard run by NYS Wastewater Surveillance Network. A “high” ranking translates to at least 50 or more COVID cases per 100,000 people.
Goodbye, federal COVID emergency: What its end means for NYC
New York City was the COVID-19 pandemic's first major epicenter in the U.S. The city confirmed its first case on March 1, 2020, sparking a path to , lengthy lockdowns and a societal recovery that remains ongoing. More than 1,100 days later, the federal government ended the public health emergency tied to COVID-19 on Thursday. It marks the close of a long wind-down for many services related to the pandemic.
Does AI in NYC need restrictions? Officials hold closed-door meeting to discuss
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine assembled a group of New York legislators, academics, advocates and tech policymakers — including a representative from Google — a week ago to discuss how people use artificial intelligence, and whether government regulation is keeping up with the explosive new technology.
Articles by Jena Barchas-Lichtenstein
Articles by Jena Barchas-Lichtenstein En una nueva encuesta comunitaria de salud, preguntamos a los dueños y clientes de bodegas sobre el costo de alimentos, la carga mental del delito y sus opiniones sobre la legalización de la marihuana. In a new health community survey, we asked bodega owners and customers about food costs, the mental toll of crime and their views on weed legalization.
Articles by Shaun Field
Why bacon, egg and cheese prices have doubled and more convos in Bronx bodegas In a new health community survey, we asked bodega owners and customers about food costs, the mental toll of crime and their views on weed legalization.
Por qué los precios del tocino, el huevo y el queso se han duplicado y otras charlas en las bodegas del Bronx
Pocos lugares captan la esencia de la ciudad de Nueva York como una bodega. Todos los neoyorquinos tienen su tienda de la esquina favorita, donde pueden agarrar un sándwich a toda prisa, conseguir un rollo de papel higiénico o ponerse al día con los chismes. Las bodegas, junto con las barberías y lavanderías, son espacios confiables donde las personas pueden conectarse con sus comunidades.
Why bacon, egg and cheese prices have doubled and more convos in Bronx bodegas
Few places capture the essence of New York City like a bodega. Every New Yorker has their favorite corner store, where they can grab a sandwich in a hurry, pick up a roll of toilet paper or catch up on gossip. Bodegas, alongside barbershops and laundromats, are trusted hubs where people can connect with their communities. But many of these lifelines and the communities they serve were strained by the pandemic.
Tick season is back in force: Why outdoorsy NYers should check themselves every 15 minutes
Health officials want outdoorsy New Yorkers to be mindful that this year’s pleasant winter and spring have ushered in a hearty tick season — and the disease bounty carried by these bugs. Moreover, age-old guidance has shifted in recent years, due to the rise of Powassan virus, a rare but serious infection that can cause brain inflammation.
How climate change is helping the Yankees and Mets hit home runs
Warming temperatures have allowed Major League Baseball players to hit more than 500 additional home runs since 2010, according to new research from Dartmouth College. While this climate juicing may not bother fans who enjoy homers, it hints at the hidden ways that global warming will influence the nation’s pastime — from batting records to health concerns related to extreme heat.
Runoff, Sediment Loss and the Attenuating Effectiveness of Vegetation Parameters in the Rainforest Zone of Southeastern Nigeria
Open AccessArticle by Moses Adah Abua 1, Anthony Inah Iwara 2, Violet Bassey Eneyo 3, Nsikan Anthony Akpan 4, Anim Obongha Ajake 1, Saad S. Alarifi 5, David Gómez-Ortiz 6 and Ahmed M.
Politicians can’t tell difference between AI chatbots like ChatGPT and human constituents
Democracy relies upon ordinary people being able to communicate with their elected representatives, so the concerns of a city, district or state can be precisely weighed and addressed. But what if politicians can’t tell the difference between their constituents and artificial intelligence-generated correspondence that’s meant to sway their positions?
What honeybees can reveal about a neighborhood’s germs - from Queens to Brooklyn to Tokyo
Urban honeybee hives may serve as tiny lighthouses, notifying people of the good and bad germs moving through their neighborhoods, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Microbiome. The research team proposes that honeybees could help humans make decisions about the health of their urban surroundings, though the concept would need to mature significantly to do that.
Human babies still show more common sense than AI … for now
A group of New York University psychologists are taking strides toward making artificial intelligence smarter, by testing whether these algorithms can learn common sense. For now, the smallest among us — infants — can still outperform the machines, but the results could help make computerized intelligence feel more human. The recent study, led by Dr. Moira Dillon, tested 11-month-old babies against three computerized neural networks on what’s known as commonsense psychology.
Articles by Joseph Capriglione
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The NYC health commissioner explains how City Hall plans to support supervised injection sites and other portions of a new initiative to reduce overdose deaths 15% by 2025. Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at NYU and Bellevue Hospital, gives advice and explains what's known about the newly arrived omicron and the ever-present delta. Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
By Caroline Lewis Verified, Sean Carlson Verified, Joseph Capriglione Verified, Nsikan Akpan Verified
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Gothamist
Verified
Overdose prevention centers save lives but remain in legal limbo, as NYC moves toward expansion
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On Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams announced an ambitious goal of reducing drug overdose deaths in New York City by 15% by 2025. It’s part of a broad plan the mayor laid out to improve mental health and addiction services across the five boroughs. This “Care, Community, Action” initiative comes at a time when overdose death rates have reached record highs, quadrupling over the last decade due mostly to fentanyl, a, dangerous synthetic opioid.
By Caroline Lewis Verified, Sean Carlson Verified, Joseph Capriglione Verified, Nsikan Akpan Verified
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Gothamist
Verified
NY, NJ linked to outbreak of ‘extensively’ drug-resistant bacteria in eye drops
New York and New Jersey are among 12 states implicated in a small outbreak of an “extensively” drug-resistant bacteria, according to an alert released Wednesday evening by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has linked several of the cases to EzriCare Artificial Tears, a brand of over-the-counter eye drops. The germ is a rare, mutant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria commonly found in freshwater, soil and other environmental settings.
Mpox epidemic officially over in NYC, an early epicenter of the virus
New York City officials announced Wednesday that the local outbreak of the mpox virus is officially over. The five boroughs became an early epicenter for mpox after initial cases emerged last May. The national health response was slow at first, as elected leaders and public health experts called for faster deployment of testing and vaccines. The vaccine rollout was marred by website glitches and limited supply, echoing the issues seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NYC records 400 COVID deaths in 2 weeks as PCR testing drops
In New York City, the number of people taking official COVID-19 tests — those traditional PCR tests given at hospitals and clinics – is the lowest it’s been since May 2020. Back then, the U.S. was still recovering from early setbacks with developing PCR tests, which left the country uncertain about where and how the coronavirus was spreading. The PCR testing drop affects official recordkeeping. NYC — like most jurisdictions — doesn’t collect results from at-home kits.
How the physics of a hard NFL hit could stop a heartbeat
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after getting hit on Monday night during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The play looked routine for a professional football game. Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins caught a pass while cutting across the field at full speed. He lowered his shoulders to prepare for Hamlin’s tackle, a bearhug that caught Higgins’ shoulder pads directly in the chest. The whistle blew. Both players hopped up.
What to do if you catch RSV, flu and COVID-19 - back to back to back
As the holiday season ramps up, New York City and the rest of the nation are in the throes of a three-headed hydra of infectious disease. Flu season has spiked early across the U.S., and COVID-19 is taking off post-Thanksgiving. Through the end of last week, the city was averaging about 1,100 daily emergency department visits due to flu-like illness, double the number from late October.
New documentary ‘In A Different Key’ follows first person ever diagnosed with autism
Geoff Bennett: An estimated one in 44 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the US, making it one of the most common developmental disabilities. In a new film airing tonight on PBS called In A Different Key, filmmakers Caren Zucker and John Donvan tackle the history of autism. It includes a portrait of the first person ever diagnosed with autism in the US, a man named Don Triplett, who still lives in the small town in Mississippi where he was raised.
New York City Local News, Food, Arts & Events
Home tests offer the convenience of knowing if you’re positive before you step outside, but PCR testing remains the best window for tracking how the coronavirus spreads through the community. Get the news New Yorkers need in your inbox Catch up on the most important headlines of the day with a roundup of essential NYC news, delivered to your inbox every day at 5pm. By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms.
Is NYC running out of children’s hospital beds? State officials won’t say
Last week, a viral tweet gave off the impression that New York City hospitals had run out of beds for children. After parents flagged the social media post, Gothamist dug into whether it had any merit, given a surge of three respiratory diseases — respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the flu and COVID-19 — is driving public concern this autumn. However, health officials say that there’s no clear way for New Yorkers to quickly know if their neighborhood hospital has room for their sick child.
Heads up, NYC. Tropical Storm Nicole is on the way to ruin your weekend.
Whether a blue or red wave happens on Election Day, New Yorkers and New Jerseyans will want to pack an umbrella by the time the weekend arrives. Weather models show that Tropical Storm Nicole is on track to dump rainfall all along the East Coast this week. Nicole is currently gaining strength as it moves toward the Bahamas, and the National Weather Service expects the storm to hit southeastern and central Florida as a Category 1 hurricane late Wednesday and then weaken.
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