Your Local Epidemiologist
@ylepidemiologist.bsky.social
👩🏻🔬 Simplifying public health with data-driven insights
💡 Helping you make informed health decisions
🎓 MPH, PhD
👇🏻 Get weekly science-backed updates
https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/
💡 Helping you make informed health decisions
🎓 MPH, PhD
👇🏻 Get weekly science-backed updates
https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/
Pinned
1/ 🚨 Big changes are coming. We’re entering a new era in America, and it’s messy out there. But I’m here to help you navigate the chaos with evidence-based, clear health information. If you’re tired of the noise, you’re in the right place. 👇
1/ Last week, you probably heard about RFK Jr.'s sudden plan to move the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule to Denmark’s. He was supposed to have a press conference on Friday, but it was canceled for legal and political concerns. For now, that move is off the table, but this idea isn’t going away...👇
December 23, 2025 at 9:20 PM
1/ Last week, you probably heard about RFK Jr.'s sudden plan to move the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule to Denmark’s. He was supposed to have a press conference on Friday, but it was canceled for legal and political concerns. For now, that move is off the table, but this idea isn’t going away...👇
1/ It's a holiday week, and you know what that means: Lots of travel, gatherings, and shared air. So here’s a quick infectious disease “weather report” to help you navigate the next couple of weeks of travel.
December 22, 2025 at 10:49 PM
1/ It's a holiday week, and you know what that means: Lots of travel, gatherings, and shared air. So here’s a quick infectious disease “weather report” to help you navigate the next couple of weeks of travel.
1/ This week, California took a major step toward rebuilding public health for the future. A new statewide initiative, called PHNIX, is bringing together some of the strongest leaders in the field. Here’s what PHNIX is and why it matters, along with the rest of your weekly #publichealth update 👇
December 19, 2025 at 3:34 PM
1/ This week, California took a major step toward rebuilding public health for the future. A new statewide initiative, called PHNIX, is bringing together some of the strongest leaders in the field. Here’s what PHNIX is and why it matters, along with the rest of your weekly #publichealth update 👇
1/ Medspas are everywhere right now, but a recent NYC investigation found serious health and safety violations at multiple locations. As we head into the holidays, here’s what to know about medspas along with the rest of this week’s New York #publichealth news 👇
December 18, 2025 at 6:14 PM
1/ Medspas are everywhere right now, but a recent NYC investigation found serious health and safety violations at multiple locations. As we head into the holidays, here’s what to know about medspas along with the rest of this week’s New York #publichealth news 👇
1/ Happy Tuesday! #Respiratoryseason is in full swing, and today we're talking all things infectious disease. Here’s what you need to know about flu, Covid-19, and measles as winter ramps up 👇
December 16, 2025 at 7:42 PM
1/ Happy Tuesday! #Respiratoryseason is in full swing, and today we're talking all things infectious disease. Here’s what you need to know about flu, Covid-19, and measles as winter ramps up 👇
Last night, I tried to write about evidence-based solutions. I was originally trained as a violence epidemiologist, am married to a police officer, and am a mom. I know there are things we can do.
I wrote it.
Deleted it.
Rewrote it.
I wrote it.
Deleted it.
Rewrote it.
December 15, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Last night, I tried to write about evidence-based solutions. I was originally trained as a violence epidemiologist, am married to a police officer, and am a mom. I know there are things we can do.
I wrote it.
Deleted it.
Rewrote it.
I wrote it.
Deleted it.
Rewrote it.
1/ California is seeing two major public health stories this week: a deadly mushroom poisoning outbreak linked to foraging, and the first real test of our #WestCoastHealthAlliance due to ACIP’s hepatitis B birth-dose vote. Here’s what you need to know 👇
December 12, 2025 at 5:23 PM
1/ California is seeing two major public health stories this week: a deadly mushroom poisoning outbreak linked to foraging, and the first real test of our #WestCoastHealthAlliance due to ACIP’s hepatitis B birth-dose vote. Here’s what you need to know 👇
1/ New York City is seeing an unsettling trend: after years of progress, new #HIV infections are rising again. In 2024, NYC saw a 5.4% increase on top of the 6.9% rise the year before. So why is this happening now? And how do we protect decades of hard-won progress?
December 11, 2025 at 3:57 PM
1/ New York City is seeing an unsettling trend: after years of progress, new #HIV infections are rising again. In 2024, NYC saw a 5.4% increase on top of the 6.9% rise the year before. So why is this happening now? And how do we protect decades of hard-won progress?
1/ Fall vax rates are slipping, flu is taking off, and when it comes to vaccination schedules (or anything, really) the U.S. isn't Denmark. Plus, a gut-punch report on how ICE policies are shaping health behaviors and hurting kids’ health. Here’s your quick #publichealth briefing for the week!
December 10, 2025 at 12:00 AM
1/ Fall vax rates are slipping, flu is taking off, and when it comes to vaccination schedules (or anything, really) the U.S. isn't Denmark. Plus, a gut-punch report on how ICE policies are shaping health behaviors and hurting kids’ health. Here’s your quick #publichealth briefing for the week!
1/ ACIP’s meeting last week was disgraceful, unprepared, & chaotic. They voted to roll back the universal #HepB birth dose despite no evidence of harm, and pushed an antibody test that doesn’t reliably guide decisions. This shift will have real consequences—with babies and families paying the price.
December 8, 2025 at 6:43 PM
1/ ACIP’s meeting last week was disgraceful, unprepared, & chaotic. They voted to roll back the universal #HepB birth dose despite no evidence of harm, and pushed an antibody test that doesn’t reliably guide decisions. This shift will have real consequences—with babies and families paying the price.
1/ RFK Jr’s federal vaccine advisory committee, ACIP, meets today to review childhood vaccines. It’s the first test of our West Coast Health Alliance—the four-state buffer designed to protect science-based policy. Plus, I have a few other California #publichealth updates to cover. Let's get into it👇
December 5, 2025 at 8:52 PM
1/ RFK Jr’s federal vaccine advisory committee, ACIP, meets today to review childhood vaccines. It’s the first test of our West Coast Health Alliance—the four-state buffer designed to protect science-based policy. Plus, I have a few other California #publichealth updates to cover. Let's get into it👇
For anyone who missed yesterday, our colleague Ed has been doing amazing coverage of the ACIP meeting.
Alright, time for me to get started (apologies for the delay).
Here is the link to the livestream:
www.youtube.com/live/kUgXRUp...
Here is the latest agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
Here are the slides (not all are posted yet):
www.cdc.gov/acip/meeting...
Here is the link to the livestream:
www.youtube.com/live/kUgXRUp...
Here is the latest agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
Here are the slides (not all are posted yet):
www.cdc.gov/acip/meeting...
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) - December 5, 2025 - Day 2 of 2
YouTube video by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.youtube.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:49 PM
For anyone who missed yesterday, our colleague Ed has been doing amazing coverage of the ACIP meeting.
Final ACIP coverage for the day from Ed.
We are back from the break. Malone states that work group proceedings are confidential per the Federal Advisory Committees Act.
Malone announces the formation of multiple new work groups including one for vaccination in pregnancy. It will undoubtedly exclude subject matter experts as has been...
Malone announces the formation of multiple new work groups including one for vaccination in pregnancy. It will undoubtedly exclude subject matter experts as has been...
Alright it continues. We begin with a comment from Griffin.
Griffin talks about risk-benefit balance and how we expose everyone to risk through the universal birth dose (I suppose the risk of HBV infection is a picayune triviality in this calculus in her mind). She notes an "explosion" in...
Griffin talks about risk-benefit balance and how we expose everyone to risk through the universal birth dose (I suppose the risk of HBV infection is a picayune triviality in this calculus in her mind). She notes an "explosion" in...
December 4, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Final ACIP coverage for the day from Ed.
1/ Tomorrow, #ACIP —the committee guiding U.S. vaccine policy—will review the entire childhood vaccine schedule. This is the same committee RFK Jr. overhauled, including long-time vaccine skeptics and COVID-19 contrarians. With that in mind, we think it’s important that you know the facts👇
December 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
1/ Tomorrow, #ACIP —the committee guiding U.S. vaccine policy—will review the entire childhood vaccine schedule. This is the same committee RFK Jr. overhauled, including long-time vaccine skeptics and COVID-19 contrarians. With that in mind, we think it’s important that you know the facts👇
Reposted by Your Local Epidemiologist
We now have the "persons with lived experience" portion of the meeting. This is new, but it seems to function analogously to public comments. I won't discuss the entire segment.
We are now back. The order of presenters has been changed; we now have a presentation from CMS:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
The VFC presentation will be after the presentation on people's lived experiences and after there is agreement on voting language.
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
The VFC presentation will be after the presentation on people's lived experiences and after there is agreement on voting language.
December 4, 2025 at 8:01 PM
We now have the "persons with lived experience" portion of the meeting. This is new, but it seems to function analogously to public comments. I won't discuss the entire segment.
This is the language for ACIP’s #HBV birth dose vaccine vote tomorrow morning. It's confusing language that even some of the committee members struggled to understand. We'll see what happens tomorrow morning, but right now, I give it 50/50 not getting voted on
December 4, 2025 at 7:21 PM
This is the language for ACIP’s #HBV birth dose vaccine vote tomorrow morning. It's confusing language that even some of the committee members struggled to understand. We'll see what happens tomorrow morning, but right now, I give it 50/50 not getting voted on
The ACIP meeting for the birth dose of the HBV vaccine is continuing and our colleague Ed has been doing an amazing job covering it. If you want the facts on the vaccine as well as communication tips, this resource will help: www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-inte...
December 4, 2025 at 6:55 PM
The ACIP meeting for the birth dose of the HBV vaccine is continuing and our colleague Ed has been doing an amazing job covering it. If you want the facts on the vaccine as well as communication tips, this resource will help: www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-inte...
Reposted by Your Local Epidemiologist
This is an insane comment to make, given the secular trends in HBV incidence and the history of the policy.
![Rationale for Preferring an Individual-based
Decision-making Option (1)
• The overwhelming majority of infants born to mothers who test
negative for hepatitis B surface antigen are not at high risk of
being infected with the hepatitis B virus, especially in the first
few months of life.
[highlighted bullet] • The 1991 recommendation was made in error.
• Vaccine safety risks are not well understood and were never
assessed appropriately.
• An individualized, risk-based approach is needed, with
recommendations tailored to risk/benefit profiles and
preferences and involve informed consent](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fpwat6yypl7sjbke3orwth7f/bafkreiajmrgmmvp245xaisqfc4y5f77bomn7p4fgh6ui2zvrjhihxelyzq@jpeg)
December 4, 2025 at 5:26 PM
This is an insane comment to make, given the secular trends in HBV incidence and the history of the policy.
1/ NYC just hit a record life expectancy of 83.2 years five years ahead of its goal. Marisa here, Your Local NY Epi, and this week we’re breaking down what’s driving that progress, as well as other #publichealth news like new inhaler coverage, rising flu & RSV, and some upstate alerts 👇
December 4, 2025 at 4:55 PM
1/ NYC just hit a record life expectancy of 83.2 years five years ahead of its goal. Marisa here, Your Local NY Epi, and this week we’re breaking down what’s driving that progress, as well as other #publichealth news like new inhaler coverage, rising flu & RSV, and some upstate alerts 👇
The committee is currently breaking for lunch, but here a piece of Ed’s summary of this morning’s ACIP meeting
We now have a presentation from Cynthia Nevison, a CDC contractor. Nevison has long been a proponent of the claim that vaccines cause autism and is also a climate researcher.
Nevison begins by claiming that more targeted measures have had the biggest effect in bringing down HBV incidence.
Nevison begins by claiming that more targeted measures have had the biggest effect in bringing down HBV incidence.
Pebsworth is now presenting on the Policy Context and Schedule Comparison for the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine, concentrating on instances where mothers test negative for the virus.
She states that the evidence reviewed deals with single-antigen hepatitis B vaccines, not combination vaccines.
She states that the evidence reviewed deals with single-antigen hepatitis B vaccines, not combination vaccines.
December 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The committee is currently breaking for lunch, but here a piece of Ed’s summary of this morning’s ACIP meeting
If anyone is looking for a bit more in depth info on the HBV vaccine, you may find this helpful www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-inte...
December 4, 2025 at 3:28 PM
If anyone is looking for a bit more in depth info on the HBV vaccine, you may find this helpful www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-inte...
Hey folks! Katelyn and our colleague Ed are following the ACIP meeting live today. Ed’s narrating the whole thing on BlueSky (send him good vibes!), and we’ll be back Friday with a full debrief. We wanted to open up a space for this community to talk amongst yourselves, drop any questions, etc.
Alright, pals: ACIP meeting is beginning.
Here is the link to the livestream:
www.youtube.com/live/LpthhPB...
The updated agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
And the prebunk from TEC/Your Local Epidemiologist:
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
Anticipated votes:
www.cdc.gov/acip/meeting...
Here is the link to the livestream:
www.youtube.com/live/LpthhPB...
The updated agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
And the prebunk from TEC/Your Local Epidemiologist:
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
Anticipated votes:
www.cdc.gov/acip/meeting...
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) - December 4, 2025 - Day 1 of 2
YouTube video by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.youtube.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Hey folks! Katelyn and our colleague Ed are following the ACIP meeting live today. Ed’s narrating the whole thing on BlueSky (send him good vibes!), and we’ll be back Friday with a full debrief. We wanted to open up a space for this community to talk amongst yourselves, drop any questions, etc.
Reposted by Your Local Epidemiologist
I will be doing live coverage of the ACIP meetings tomorrow and Friday on Bluesky.
Here's the agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
And here is Your Local Epidemiologist and The Evidence Collective's prebunk:
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
Should be an interesting time
Here's the agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
And here is Your Local Epidemiologist and The Evidence Collective's prebunk:
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
Should be an interesting time
www.cdc.gov
December 3, 2025 at 10:25 PM
I will be doing live coverage of the ACIP meetings tomorrow and Friday on Bluesky.
Here's the agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
And here is Your Local Epidemiologist and The Evidence Collective's prebunk:
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
Should be an interesting time
Here's the agenda:
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
And here is Your Local Epidemiologist and The Evidence Collective's prebunk:
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
Should be an interesting time
1/ Tomorrow, #ACIP —the external advisory committee that guides U.S. vaccine policy—will meet for two days. Thursday’s agenda will focus on Hepatitis B (Hep B). We’re expecting to hear a few falsehoods to start circulating along with some unsupported safety concerns. Here’s what you should know 👇
December 3, 2025 at 9:42 PM
1/ Tomorrow, #ACIP —the external advisory committee that guides U.S. vaccine policy—will meet for two days. Thursday’s agenda will focus on Hepatitis B (Hep B). We’re expecting to hear a few falsehoods to start circulating along with some unsupported safety concerns. Here’s what you should know 👇
1/ Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with family, conversation… and all the opinions and questions we may not always feel ready for. And because public health is in everything, it often shows up at the table too. Here are a few grounded tips to help you navigate the hard stuff 👇
November 26, 2025 at 9:55 PM
1/ Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with family, conversation… and all the opinions and questions we may not always feel ready for. And because public health is in everything, it often shows up at the table too. Here are a few grounded tips to help you navigate the hard stuff 👇