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augustinia.bsky.social
Augustinia
@augustinia.bsky.social
1.1K followers 2.3K following 430 posts
Live in both New England & Texas, so a perpetual state of culture shock. 🫨
Pro-woman, pro-choice, pro-democracy. Animal lover.

“How eager they are to be slaves” ~Tiberius

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Reposted by Augustinia
jessdkant.bsky.social
A third infant has died in Kentucky, KYDPH adds:

“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”

s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
Kentucky Public Health KENTUCKY HEALTH ALERT Increase in Pertussis in Kentucky Recommendations for Identification and Prevention November 21, 2025 Kentucky health officials are alerting providers that cases of pertussis ("whooping cough") have increased steadily across the Commonwealth in recent weeks. To date, 566 cases of pertussis have been reported in Kentucky in 2025, the highest number of cases in the Commonwealth since 2012. This follows a trend that was first announced in July 2024 when pertussis cases began increasing in Kentucky to levels not seen in over a decade. Health officials anticipate that pertussis will continue to increase during the winter months based on historic trends. Many U.S. states and other countries are also experiencing elevated levels of pertussis. Many of the recent cases have occurred in young infants, and health officials also recently confirmed the third pertussis-related death in a Kentucky infant within the last year. This follows two other infant deaths that were announced in June. These are Kentucky's first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy. Health officials urge all Kentuckians to remain up to date on recommended pertussis immunizations and emphasize the importance of maternal immunization during pregnancy, and for all infants beginning promptly at two months of age. Health officials also encourage providers to consider pertussis as a diagnosis in addition to circulating seasonal respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV and COVID-19. A significant number of cases have also occurred in school-aged children, many of whom were up to date on pertussis vaccination. Immunity from vaccination or natural infection wanes over time so infections can occur in people who are fully vaccinated. However, the vaccine is known to reduce disease severity, and hospitalization among vaccinated individuals is rare. The Kentucky Dep… Kentucky Public Health regularly in Kentucky, however an increase beyond the expected background rate has been reported in recent weeks. Though pertussis vaccination (DTaP or Tdap) is available and widely implemented, B. pertussis continues to spread in the U.S. due to lack of vaccination or timely boosters, the lack of lifelong immunity from vaccination or natural infection and the long duration of infectiousness in untreated cases. Symptoms of pertussis usually begin with a runny or congested nose, a low-grade fever, and mild coughing; apnea/stopping breathing can also occur in infants. After one to two weeks, the cough can progress to rapid, violent (paroxysmal) coughing fits that can cause the "whooping" sound, vomiting or labored breathing. Young children are the most severely affected; most teens and adults will have mild symptoms. People with preexisting health conditions that may be worsened by whooping cough are at high risk for developing a severe infection. Testing for Pertussis: The preferred methods for pertussis testing include nasal pharyngeal (NP) swab or nasal wash via PCR testing or culture. PCR has optimal sensitivity during the first three weeks of cough, is widely available at commercial laboratories and has a fast turnaround time. Culture is considered the gold standard due to excellent specificity but may take longer to complete. Serology for antibodies to B. pertussis is available at many commercial laboratories, however, serologic assays are not generally recommended for primary diagnosis of pertussis due to variability and unknown clinical accuracy. The most promising serologic assays are those that measure IgG antibodies against pertussis toxin only and are collected two to eight weeks following cough onset. Prevention of Pertussis: Prevention of pertussis is primarily achieved through routine vaccination with DTaP (ages two months to six years) and Tdap (ages seven years and older), followed by appropriate booster doses. Vaccination of pr… Bordetella parapertussis B. parapertussis is a bacterium that is similar to B. pertussis and can cause pertussis-like illness but does not produce pertussis toxin. Symptoms of parapertussis are typically milder and infection may be asymptomatic. There is no vaccine for B. parapertussis and post-exposure prophylaxis is not recommended, however treatment recommendations for symptomatic patients are the same as those for B. pertussis. B. parapertussis is not reportable in Kentucky. Thank you for your attention to this alert and guidance. The KDPH pertussis website includes supplemental resources, including a pertussis quicksheet with additional information that providers may find useful. If you have questions regarding reporting, testing, or prevention of pertussis or other infectious diseases, please contact the Kentucky Immunization Branch at (502) 564-4478 or after hours by calling the KDPH Epidemiology on-call line at 888-9-REPORT (888-973-7678). Our Mission: To improve the health and safety of people in Kentucky through Prevention, Promotion, and Protection
November 25, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Reposted by Augustinia
jessdkant.bsky.social
Pertussis outbreaks have been predictably happening everywhere there are low vaccination rates, and infant deaths have happened in multiple states. In many places they’re the highest in a decade or more.
jessdkant.bsky.social Jesspooka Kant 🎃 @jessdkant.bsky.social · 19d
This may not sound like a lot compared to Texas but WV is roughly 5-6% the size of TX. This is a big deal.

www.hancockcountyhealthdepartment.com/news/health-...
November 25, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Reposted by Augustinia
jessdkant.bsky.social
The CDC has not addressed this and is largely pretending it isn’t happening. Meanwhile they’re taking steps to actively reduce vaccination rates.
jessdkant.bsky.social Jesspooka Kant 🎃 @jessdkant.bsky.social · 20d
Pertussis cases in Texas are 10x higher than all of 2023, and 2x as high as last year — 4x for the same period. The official count is higher by a 1k than it has been in more than a decade. Last time it was over 2k was 2014 with 2,576. It’s past 3,500 for 2025.

www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/...
Texas reported 340 cases in 2023. Last year, according to provisional data, that increased to 1,907 cases with more than half of them occurring in November and December. So far this year, more than 3,500 cases have been reported. Preliminary data indicate that approximately 85 percent of pertussis cases in Texas this year have occurred among children. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is reporting a significant increase in cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, in 2025. According to provisional data, Texas has had more than 3,500 reported pertussis cases through October this year, roughly four times the number reported for the same period last year.
November 25, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Reposted by Augustinia
muellershewrote.com
Here's the info from behind the CNN paywall: 3/
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Reposted by Augustinia
muellershewrote.com
The grand jury is looking into whether she conspired with Ed Martin and Pulte as a non-deputized citizen, which could be a crime. She thought she was going in to testify in the case against Adam Schiff, but they asked her questions about her role. 2/
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM