Ed Belongia MD
@belongia.bsky.social
Vaccines & viruses | Epidemiology & public health | Former CDC & ACIP | Climate advocate | Dog walker & e-biker
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X2F2it0AAAAJ&hl=en
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X2F2it0AAAAJ&hl=en
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
Canada has just lost measles elimination status. The U.S. will undoubtedly follow shortly.
Elimination means that there is no continuous spreading of measles within the country for a year or longer.
Canada and the U.S. have blown it, and it’s largely the fault of the anti-vaccination movement.
Elimination means that there is no continuous spreading of measles within the country for a year or longer.
Canada and the U.S. have blown it, and it’s largely the fault of the anti-vaccination movement.
Canada loses measles elimination status after three decades, health agency says
Canada has lost its measles elimination status after nearly three decades due to its failure to curb a year-long outbreak, the country's public health agency said on Monday.
www.reuters.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Canada has just lost measles elimination status. The U.S. will undoubtedly follow shortly.
Elimination means that there is no continuous spreading of measles within the country for a year or longer.
Canada and the U.S. have blown it, and it’s largely the fault of the anti-vaccination movement.
Elimination means that there is no continuous spreading of measles within the country for a year or longer.
Canada and the U.S. have blown it, and it’s largely the fault of the anti-vaccination movement.
We are in a polycrisis👇
"self-reinforcing events like melting of the polar ice caps & [Amazon] destruction..propel us toward higher [temps]. This triggers more droughts, floods, wildfires, crop failures & sea-level rise, [unleashing] economic shocks, mass migration.."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/o...
"self-reinforcing events like melting of the polar ice caps & [Amazon] destruction..propel us toward higher [temps]. This triggers more droughts, floods, wildfires, crop failures & sea-level rise, [unleashing] economic shocks, mass migration.."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/o...
Opinion | The Post-Cold War Era Is Over. What Should We Call This New One?
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:36 PM
We are in a polycrisis👇
"self-reinforcing events like melting of the polar ice caps & [Amazon] destruction..propel us toward higher [temps]. This triggers more droughts, floods, wildfires, crop failures & sea-level rise, [unleashing] economic shocks, mass migration.."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/o...
"self-reinforcing events like melting of the polar ice caps & [Amazon] destruction..propel us toward higher [temps]. This triggers more droughts, floods, wildfires, crop failures & sea-level rise, [unleashing] economic shocks, mass migration.."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/o...
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/h...
October 27, 2025 at 11:29 PM
gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/h...
“There’s nothing [we can] do at this moment to resist the breaking of CDC. But what we can do is turn to local jurisdictions, states, & other professional organizations outside the federal government. They’re going to…be the renaissance that will follow after the dark ages”
@drdemetre.bsky.social
@drdemetre.bsky.social
Kennedy never meant what he said about gold standard science and radical transparency, and never tried to seriously understand or follow science. Or to engage in reasoned decision making. As described by @drdemetre.bsky.social via @gizmodo.com
gizmodo.com/irreparably-...
gizmodo.com/irreparably-...
'Irreparably Damaged': Former Senior Official Details the Darkest Days of the CDC Under RFK Jr.
Demetre Daskalakis, the former director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, argues the public health agency has been weaponized into a political tool.
gizmodo.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:00 AM
“There’s nothing [we can] do at this moment to resist the breaking of CDC. But what we can do is turn to local jurisdictions, states, & other professional organizations outside the federal government. They’re going to…be the renaissance that will follow after the dark ages”
@drdemetre.bsky.social
@drdemetre.bsky.social
Helpful tips from @cmyeaton.bsky.social and @andrewpaviamd.bsky.social on how (and when) to get the latest flu and COVID vaccines 👇
Gift link:
wapo.st/4ndf3nK
Gift link:
wapo.st/4ndf3nK
These two vaccine experts say this is when you should get covid, flu shots
Flu season is here and a covid uptick is around the corner. Two infectious diseases experts offer their tips on how to plan for vaccination against those viruses.
wapo.st
October 19, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Helpful tips from @cmyeaton.bsky.social and @andrewpaviamd.bsky.social on how (and when) to get the latest flu and COVID vaccines 👇
Gift link:
wapo.st/4ndf3nK
Gift link:
wapo.st/4ndf3nK
CDC has been a global leader in public health & played a key role in smallpox eradication. Health depts in red states & blue states rely on CDC expertise & support. The CDC EIS program trains the next generation of public health leaders & disease detectives.
They are burning it to the ground.
They are burning it to the ground.
October 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM
CDC has been a global leader in public health & played a key role in smallpox eradication. Health depts in red states & blue states rely on CDC expertise & support. The CDC EIS program trains the next generation of public health leaders & disease detectives.
They are burning it to the ground.
They are burning it to the ground.
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
RIFed
Civilians in Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS)-CDC’s Disease Detectives
Read about this rigorous training program 👇
"They are not household names but over the years they were first to confront the outbreaks that became known as hantavirus, Ebola & AIDS."
This decision will haunt our future
Civilians in Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS)-CDC’s Disease Detectives
Read about this rigorous training program 👇
"They are not household names but over the years they were first to confront the outbreaks that became known as hantavirus, Ebola & AIDS."
This decision will haunt our future
Beating Back the Devil
Check out Beating Back the Devil - <B>The universal human instinct is to run from an outbreak of disease like Ebola. These doctors run toward it. Their job is to stop epidemics from happening.</B><BR>...
bookshop.org
October 11, 2025 at 2:02 AM
RIFed
Civilians in Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS)-CDC’s Disease Detectives
Read about this rigorous training program 👇
"They are not household names but over the years they were first to confront the outbreaks that became known as hantavirus, Ebola & AIDS."
This decision will haunt our future
Civilians in Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS)-CDC’s Disease Detectives
Read about this rigorous training program 👇
"They are not household names but over the years they were first to confront the outbreaks that became known as hantavirus, Ebola & AIDS."
This decision will haunt our future
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
illegal and dangerous
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
October 11, 2025 at 2:16 AM
illegal and dangerous
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
Seen on LinkedIn: “Staff at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention across multiple programs being fired tonight, including all current (civilian) Epidemic Intelligence Service, and several people working on the Ebola response.”
October 11, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Seen on LinkedIn: “Staff at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention across multiple programs being fired tonight, including all current (civilian) Epidemic Intelligence Service, and several people working on the Ebola response.”
Correction: The measles monovalent vax (Attenuvax) is licensed in the US but not currently manufactured here.
Merck already makes a monovalent measles vaccine, Attenuvax®.
October 10, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Correction: The measles monovalent vax (Attenuvax) is licensed in the US but not currently manufactured here.
CDCs demand to break up MMR vax into separate monovalent shots is public health malpractice.
These vax are widely used worldwide. The 2 manufacturers (Merck & GSK) could easily decide to abandon the US market rather than take a big financial risk on clinical development & licensure of separate shots
These vax are widely used worldwide. The 2 manufacturers (Merck & GSK) could easily decide to abandon the US market rather than take a big financial risk on clinical development & licensure of separate shots
Andrew Wakefield claimed without evidence in a retracted study that there was a link between autism and the combination MMR vaccine -- but not separate shots.
Wakefield filed a patent for his own separate shots the year before the study was published.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Wakefield filed a patent for his own separate shots the year before the study was published.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Alarm as CDC calls for separate MMR vaccines despite measles outbreak
Concerns that three separate shots would be more costly and time-consuming, and keep kids from being vaccinated
www.theguardian.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:53 AM
CDCs demand to break up MMR vax into separate monovalent shots is public health malpractice.
These vax are widely used worldwide. The 2 manufacturers (Merck & GSK) could easily decide to abandon the US market rather than take a big financial risk on clinical development & licensure of separate shots
These vax are widely used worldwide. The 2 manufacturers (Merck & GSK) could easily decide to abandon the US market rather than take a big financial risk on clinical development & licensure of separate shots
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
they just slapped a surgeons general warning on RFK like he’s a pack of cigarettes
“Secretary Kennedy is entitled to his views. But he is not entitled to put people’s health at risk.”
Six former surgeons general condemn RFK Jr.
Six former surgeons general condemn RFK Jr.
Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans
It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:58 PM
they just slapped a surgeons general warning on RFK like he’s a pack of cigarettes
CDC is being run by politicians now.
"there are few experienced leaders left at the CDC; some 80% of..center leaders were laid off or terminated, or have [left]. Houry was the only permanent career official in CDC's office of the director... there were 10 political appointees remaining, she said."
"there are few experienced leaders left at the CDC; some 80% of..center leaders were laid off or terminated, or have [left]. Houry was the only permanent career official in CDC's office of the director... there were 10 political appointees remaining, she said."
a respected senior CDC official telling the public that the federal agency has undergone a hostile takeover and it barely makes the news because that’s the state of the world today
This is another damning picture of Kennedy refusing to meet with senior scientists and get advice about infections or vaccines whilst he spreads disinformation #healthpolicy
October 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
CDC is being run by politicians now.
"there are few experienced leaders left at the CDC; some 80% of..center leaders were laid off or terminated, or have [left]. Houry was the only permanent career official in CDC's office of the director... there were 10 political appointees remaining, she said."
"there are few experienced leaders left at the CDC; some 80% of..center leaders were laid off or terminated, or have [left]. Houry was the only permanent career official in CDC's office of the director... there were 10 political appointees remaining, she said."
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
October 3, 2025 at 1:52 AM
No training in stats or climate models is needed to understand this is bad news for the planet 👇
Record warm ocean temperatures continued in September across the North Pacific Ocean, with a number of consequential impacts (including on downstream weather patterns).
This graph shows the average for a band across the midlatitudes for every September from 1854-2025 using @noaa.gov ERSSTv5 data.
This graph shows the average for a band across the midlatitudes for every September from 1854-2025 using @noaa.gov ERSSTv5 data.
October 4, 2025 at 6:41 PM
No training in stats or climate models is needed to understand this is bad news for the planet 👇
“If you add the conspicuous absence of pro-vaccination messages to the glut of misleading statements from top health officials about vaccine safety and effectiveness, the federal government’s effort this year looks more like a proactive campaign to discourage vaccination.”
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Viewpoint: What we don’t see about #vaccines COULD hurt us
The Vaccine Integrity Project staff and advisors note the conspicuous absence of US health agency vaccine campaigns and annual vaccination reminders ahead of respiratory virus season.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/c...
The Vaccine Integrity Project staff and advisors note the conspicuous absence of US health agency vaccine campaigns and annual vaccination reminders ahead of respiratory virus season.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/c...
September 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
“If you add the conspicuous absence of pro-vaccination messages to the glut of misleading statements from top health officials about vaccine safety and effectiveness, the federal government’s effort this year looks more like a proactive campaign to discourage vaccination.”
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281 US children died from the flu in the 2024-25 season. Vaccination saves lives. 👇
More kids died from flu last season than in any non-pandemic season since monitored began 20 years ago. Almost 90% were unvaccinated. Parents: talk to your doctor about getting your kids vaccinated. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
September 27, 2025 at 12:38 AM
281 US children died from the flu in the 2024-25 season. Vaccination saves lives. 👇
Great 🧵 and published review on COVID and flu vax effectiveness & evidence supporting a policy of universal flu & COVID-19 vaccination. 👇👇
I'm excited to share our review "Rationalizing recommendations for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines", which we feel makes a strong case for universal influenza and COVID-19 vaccination policies. With almost 500 references & 8 supplementary tables it's a beast so let me break it down for you....1/n
Rationalizing recommendations for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines
Influenza vaccination saves lives, reduces short-term and long-term health consequences, decreases healthcare utilization, and improves pregnancy outc…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 26, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Great 🧵 and published review on COVID and flu vax effectiveness & evidence supporting a policy of universal flu & COVID-19 vaccination. 👇👇
"So ACIP will say the risk of febrile seizures [after MMR] is intolerably high, it cannot be reduced without the supposedly dangerous autism pill, & the only solution is to withhold a vaccine that has...protected America’s children..." @angierasmussen.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
The Poison Pill to End the MMR is Tylenol
If you think Tylenol is bad for babies, wait until you hear about rubella virus
open.substack.com
September 23, 2025 at 2:24 PM
"So ACIP will say the risk of febrile seizures [after MMR] is intolerably high, it cannot be reduced without the supposedly dangerous autism pill, & the only solution is to withhold a vaccine that has...protected America’s children..." @angierasmussen.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
👇 Timely 🧵 on public health news from @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social
1/ It’s Monday, which means a brand-new edition of The Dose. This week we're looking at the messy #vaccine headlines after last week's ACIP meeting, falls among older adults, loneliness among young people, and a top question on Covid shots at pharmacies. Here’s what you need to know 👇
September 22, 2025 at 11:59 PM
👇 Timely 🧵 on public health news from @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
statement by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
ACOG reaffirms that acetaminophen is safe for managing pain and fever during pregnancy. No reputable studies support suggestions like those in HHS’s recent announcement linking acetaminophen use in pregnancy to autism; in fact, high-quality studies show no such risk. https://bit.ly/47Wxc59
September 22, 2025 at 10:42 PM
statement by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
Medical ethicist Arthur Kaplan, quoted in the NYT:
“The announcement on autism was the saddest display of a lack of evidence, rumors, recyling old myths, lousy advice, outright lies & dangerous advice I have ever witnessed by anyone in authority in the world claiming to know anything about science”
“The announcement on autism was the saddest display of a lack of evidence, rumors, recyling old myths, lousy advice, outright lies & dangerous advice I have ever witnessed by anyone in authority in the world claiming to know anything about science”
This MAGA/MAHA/Trump/RFK Jr/Dr Oz/Dr Bhattacharya press conference right now is quite possibly the worst press conference—from the viewpoints of medicine, public health, & medical ethics—that I’ve ever seen. These men are so shameless & deeply irresponsible. Wherever happened to science & evidence?
September 22, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Medical ethicist Arthur Kaplan, quoted in the NYT:
“The announcement on autism was the saddest display of a lack of evidence, rumors, recyling old myths, lousy advice, outright lies & dangerous advice I have ever witnessed by anyone in authority in the world claiming to know anything about science”
“The announcement on autism was the saddest display of a lack of evidence, rumors, recyling old myths, lousy advice, outright lies & dangerous advice I have ever witnessed by anyone in authority in the world claiming to know anything about science”
This large Swedish study found no association between acetaminophen & autism using matched sibling controls. Also no dose-response effect. Ppl who use acetaminophen while pregnant differ in many ways from those who do not, & using sibling controls was a great way to reduce unmeasured confounding
September 22, 2025 at 1:31 PM
This large Swedish study found no association between acetaminophen & autism using matched sibling controls. Also no dose-response effect. Ppl who use acetaminophen while pregnant differ in many ways from those who do not, & using sibling controls was a great way to reduce unmeasured confounding
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
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If I could just summarize 1 sentence from the new National Academy of Sciences study on climate, boldface, flashing red, it would be:
"the evidence for current and future harm to human health and welfare created by human-caused GHGs is beyond scientific dispute."
BEYOND SCIENTIFIC DISPUTE
🚨🚨
If I could just summarize 1 sentence from the new National Academy of Sciences study on climate, boldface, flashing red, it would be:
"the evidence for current and future harm to human health and welfare created by human-caused GHGs is beyond scientific dispute."
BEYOND SCIENTIFIC DISPUTE
🚨🚨
September 17, 2025 at 7:39 PM
🚨🚨
If I could just summarize 1 sentence from the new National Academy of Sciences study on climate, boldface, flashing red, it would be:
"the evidence for current and future harm to human health and welfare created by human-caused GHGs is beyond scientific dispute."
BEYOND SCIENTIFIC DISPUTE
🚨🚨
If I could just summarize 1 sentence from the new National Academy of Sciences study on climate, boldface, flashing red, it would be:
"the evidence for current and future harm to human health and welfare created by human-caused GHGs is beyond scientific dispute."
BEYOND SCIENTIFIC DISPUTE
🚨🚨
Reposted by Ed Belongia MD
4) COVID vaccine was made “shared clinical decision making” (SCDM). Which means different barriers in different states. Some will require a prescription. Some won’t… ACIP had been moving away from SCDM because of the barriers. Doublespeak jargon about individual choice means nothing.
September 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
4) COVID vaccine was made “shared clinical decision making” (SCDM). Which means different barriers in different states. Some will require a prescription. Some won’t… ACIP had been moving away from SCDM because of the barriers. Doublespeak jargon about individual choice means nothing.