Whitney K, MPH, PhD

When you invert a food pyramid retired 15yrs ago and the food itself looks concerned...
#USDA #PublicHealth

Image source: The New Yorker

The ABCs of Influenza Viruses: Our Most Predictable Pandemic Threat Influenza's Evolution, Transmission, and Pandemic Potential

#Influenza viruses persist because their biology is built for constant change. But they aren’t dangerous because we don’t understand them. They’re dangerous because as the old proverb goes, 'Opportunity makes the thief'. The real risk is complacency. Learn the flu basics here 👇. #EpiSky #IDSky

What an H3 Flu Season Really Means I have zero tolerance for fear-mongering, but it is worth calling attention to the seasonal flu surge we’re seeing in the US.

No tolerance for fear-mongering, but the US is in a #seasonalflu surge. H3N2 subclade K is expected antigenic drift, but H3 seasons do tend to be harder. Flu shots still help, esp against severe disease. Now’s the time to layer protections against exposure, not "immune-boosting" hacks #EpiSky #IDSky

Flu-like illnesses are rising in the US. In 1 week, CDC's ILINet shows many states jumping into high/very high activity. These care-seeking patterns are the earliest warning we have for potential strains on our healthcare system. #FluSeason is here. This is when small choices start to matter #EpiSky

Seasonal #flu activity is increasing. But nat'l surveillance is less timely and less granular than before. With H5N1 tracking gone, a limited One Health view across the human–animal interface puts us at an unnecessary disadvantage to add to (waves hands around) everything else. #episky

Let's Talk about that Gunk in your Water Bottle Microbiology didn’t prepare me for my own water bottle. Biofilm: 5 Me: 0

Are you like me and terrible at cleaning your emotional support water bottle?? 💦
#EpiSky #IDSky

San Francisco Will Sue Ultraprocessed Food Companies

Very perplexed by this move. If we don't even have a concensus on WHAT #ultraprocessed foods are, how are they going to go after companies? How about making fresh foods more affordable??? #PublicHealth

Thanksgiving Science Poll! 😊

What makes you the most sleepy on Thanksgiving?

A) Tryptophan in turkey 🦃
B) Booze 🍷
C) Carb + fat meal overload that triggers “rest-and-digest” mode 🍽
D) Passive exposure to football 🏈
E) Other ❓️

(This isn't a quiz with a right answer. It's your lived experience!)

Inspecting claims Campbell's Soup uses 'bioengineered meat' and '3-D printed chicken' Campbell's called the claims about its ingredients "false" and "absurd."

Before the internet ruins your #Thanksgiving side dishes: no, your canned soup does not contain #labgrown or #3D-printed meat. There's no 𝐔𝐒𝐃𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 or 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧 for such products. And the cost would be insane. Ignore racist, ignorant rants from a Cybersecurity exec.
#Campbells #EpiSky

Whitney K, MPH, PhD (@factcontagion) If you’ve been busy prepping your turkey and sides for Thanksgiving and missed the latest "WTF" news cycle... or maybe you saw it and are now questioning your menu... earlier this week, an exec at Cam...

Spoiler: this claim skips several inconvenient things called laws and approvals
#Campbells #3DMeat #EpiSky

From Clickbait to Credibility A Guide to Smarter Information Choices

If today’s #health and #science news feels more like reality TV than a source of actionable, data-driven insight, this #Substack is for you!
#ScienceLiteracy #MediaLiteracy #EpiSky

Embarking on our journey toward Science Savviness What can you do to improve your science literacy?

Decided to embark on a #Substack journey. Follow along!
#EpiSky #IDSky

Tatiana Schlossberg, Daughter of Caroline Kennedy, Shares Terminal Cancer Diagnosis Tatiana Schlossberg took shots at cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a poignant essay about her terminal cancer diagnosis.

Tatiana is fighting for her life. Her cousin (RFK Jr) is fighting against the very science that could save people like her. Tatiana’s story shows exactly what’s at stake when health policy becomes anti-science.
#publichealth

5/ Want to avoid your own #waterbottle gag-worthy moment?
• Daily: hot water rinse+wipe down
• Weekly: disassemble, soak in soapy water, scrub all parts, air-dry
Your future self will thank you. If it still smells musty or looks stained? Retire it. Your emotional-support bottle deserves better. 💦 🧵

4/ For healthy people, occasional exposure = low risk. But long-term exposure to grimy bottles can trigger GI/respiratory irritations or allergic reactions, esp with long-term use or if you’re immunocompromised. If your bottle tastes weird, smells off, or has specks? Time for an intervention. 🧵

3/ The #blackmold you see in #waterbottles is usually everyday environmental molds (𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮, 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘶𝘮, 𝘈𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴)+bacteria thriving in damp, dark spots. Ignore long enough and they form 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺𝘀, a sticky matrix that resists casual rinsing. Luckily, it isn’t the scary toxigenic stuff. 🧵

2/ So it got me wondering. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲? Is my blissful ignorance a benign neurospicy trait? Or is it time I finally commit to cleaning these things properly? If you’ve wondered too, here’s the quick breakdown. 🧵 #idsky #episky

1/ I love my Owala #waterbottles. Not because I collect them. I’m terrible at keeping them clean. And I’m a germophobe w/ a microbiology degree. Irony! Once I see mold, it never feels clean again, no matter how much I scrub. Thus, it completes its transformation into a flower vase 🧵 #idsky #episky

Science is the adult in the room building 30 years of concensus: "Vaccines don’t cause autism"

RFK Jr just edits the homepage: "Lol, what if we pretend otherwise?"
#PublicHealth #IDSky

No industry is perfect. But the imbalance is hard to miss. One sector must prove its products are safe & effective. The other profits by avoiding that responsibility. If we care about transparency and accountability, scrutiny shouldn’t be one-sided. (Source: For The Greater Glory of Science) #EpiSky

Food and healthcare aren’t optional #budget lines. Pretending basic needs are negotiable engineers harm. Dividing “deserving” vs “everyone else” just keeps people fighting each other instead of seeing who’s pulling resources upward.
#publichealth #socialdeterminants
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/u...

"Fall back" hits different when you have kids/pets who don’t care about #DaylightSavingTime. Expect a few weird mornings/bedtimes. Shift routines slowly, get sunlight early, maintain consistent mealtimes, keep nights calm. Understanding circadian biology beats “biohack your sleep!” posts every time.

#Autism isn’t about one pill, one moment, or one soundbite. Risk is multifactorial. The #Tylenol headline? Too simple. The truth is messy. And that's where real science lives.
#EpiSky

HHS slashes funding for mRNA vaccine development | CNN US Health and Human Services is “winding down” its mRNA vaccine development and will instead fund other vaccine platforms through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, the agency...

BARDA cuts mRNA vaccine programs bc they’re not miracle cures. RFK Jr is torching evidence-based innovation for fringe pet projects. This not just sabotages pandemic prep. It cripples cancer & autoimmune research. He's silencing science in favor of ideology. And people will die for it #episky #idsky

E. coli outbreak in Florida linked to raw milk The E. coli outbreak comes as Trump officials face pressure to loosen regulations on raw milk

21 people incl kids sick from E coli & Campylobacter after drinking #rawmilk sold illegally in FL. 7 hospitalized, 2 severe cases. While influencers and RFK Jr glamorize milk as natural, science says otherwise. Nature gave us germs. Science gave us pasteurization. Choose wisely. #episky #idsky

US EPA cutting workforce by 23%, closing research division The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday it is cutting the size of its workforce by at least 23% and closing its scientific research office as part of President Donald Trump's broad effort to downsize the federal government.

BREAKING: Scientists trying to protect your land, air and waterways are the real threat. Not the wildfires, lead pipes, microplastics, or greenhouse gases. Obviously. The real pollutant was evidence-based policy all along.
#EPA #EpiSky #PublicHealth

Happy July 4th! Public health gave you clean water, safe meat, and emergency services. RFK Jr? He’s trying to dismantle the very systems that make this holiday safe, while blaming his worst ideas on a brain worm.

This Big Beautiful bill will drag our healthcare system backward. It will strip coverage from up to 16 million Americans by 2034. It will make it harder for working families, children, and the chronically ill to stay insured. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.

RFK Jr just fired all 17 independent experts on the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. Expect anti-science replacements. If ACIP falls, states, schools, and insurers will be on their own. Federal leadership may be gone, but the science isn’t.
🔗 www.axios.com/2025/06/09/r...
#EpiSky #IDSky #Vaccines

When science is silenced, blame finds a target elsewhere. Scapegoats get louder. Yet risk remains.

Suppressing science won't fix the problem. It shifts the blame until the consequences catch up.

Science will never stop being true because it’s politically inconvenient or difficult to understand.