Perhaps, but they are also literally getting sick more? Skipping over an obvious driver in favor of scolding bothers me.

So much discussion around student absenteeism blames students and families for not caring enough to show up. But the actual data shows that illness is the leading cause of absenteeism. I'd be very curious to see how these numbers looked before Covid-19 was added to the virus pile.

My big idea: No more parking lot roads. You should only be able to enter from the back of the lot. Spaces should go right up to the entrance. That way pedestrians don’t have to play frogger with their kids and groceries and walkers just to get their flour and milk.

The mega-bill includes a significant endowment tax on private universities

When your job is to recommend books, and actually reading the books is not even in your top 3 ideas...

Delighted to discover that my latest op-ed made the Sunday paper. Recent talking points have H5N1 down as mild. I'm not so sure. If there is one thing I've learned in my time as an epidemiologist, it's that viruses love to surprise.

Influenza is back up *again*. I’m (unpleasantly) surprised! Full report coming on Monday. caitlinrivers.substack.com

Tis the season -- peak flu season, that is. Half the country now reporting very high levels of activity.

Influenza-like illness coming in hot

Today, the WHO reported 30 deaths associated with the unidentified outbreak in DRC. Yday, the Africa CDC put it at 79. On Tuesday, Reuters estimated it was 143. How can the number of deaths go down? I explain the ins and outs of outbreak accounting caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/how-can-th...

One highlight: there's talk of "getting politics out of" public health or science right now. Not only is that unrealistic, it implies that scientists shouldn't contribute to policymaking. I disagree. Who else will contribute evidence for sound policy and make the case for our work, if not us? 🧪

What's going around: Influenza-like illness is picking up, especially in children ages 0-4 (sorry parents). Activity is highest in the South. RSV is beginning to circulate more as well. On the bright side, Covid-19 is pretty quiet. caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/outbreak-o...

Public health has changed the course of history. There are so many horrors we no longer contend with -- smallpox, polio, yaws, guinea worm -- all thanks to science and technology (vaccines), boots on the ground effort, and sheer persistence. It would be foolish to go back.

Flu, Covid-19 and RSV activity are low in most areas of the country, but norovirus is fairly high, especially in the South. I continue to hear tons of reports of M pneumo, a cause of "walking pneumonia." caitlinrivers.substack.com/p/outbreak-o...