![\"\"](\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!f_E3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab71fda5-b2f5-45e4-a45c-44997d89a512_537x468.png\")
<\/a>Covid-19 wastewater levels, by region. Source: Biobot![\"\"](\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!O5CG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F42dbb213-4fb5-432d-9bfa-94b996726ba3_1040x840.png\")
<\/a>Emergency department visits that are increasing, decreasing, or staying the same. Source: CDC<\/a><\/p>\nWhat this means for you: We are in the middle of a Covid-19 wave and it\u2019s still worth getting vaccinated, especially if you\u2019re high risk.<\/p>\n
Norovirus\u2014think puking, diarrhea, and misery\u2014is starting to increase again, and right on schedule. Norovirus season is pretty long, so we should expect illness to peak in early spring. <\/p>\n
This pathogen is a booger: it is very contagious, primarily spreads through contaminated surfaces, such as doorknobs and toys, and it\u2019s also really hard to kill with cleaning products because it has a protective membrane. <\/p>\n
What this means for you: If you have the stomach bug, use a separate bathroom in your house and wear a mask if possible. Hand sanitizer doesn\u2019t kill it\u2014soap and water are your best bet.<\/p>\n In pretty astounding and depressing news, Pennsylvania reported its fourth measles-associated death in its outbreak. This marks the most measles deaths in the U.S. since 1992. (No, the CDC still hasn\u2019t acknowledged a single death on its website, which is astounding in and of itself.) <\/p>\n The state has reported nearly 800 cases, but measles typically causes 1 to 3 deaths per 1,000 unvaccinated cases. So\u2026 how does that math make sense?<\/p>\n It comes down to the denominator. Confirmed cases are the cases we know about; there are a whole lot of cases that are never recorded. In fact, for every reported case, there are about 10 cases not reported. This is especially true when community members are hesitant to engage with public health and health care systems, making case investigation and testing difficult.<\/p>\n So, the \u201ctrue\u201d PA outbreak is likely 1,300-4,000 cases.<\/p>\n Of course, there\u2019s another possibility: this could simply be a statistical anomaly. Three deaths among a few hundred cases isn\u2019t impossible\u2014it\u2019s just extremely rare. We\u2019ve seen similar situations before. In 1991, for example, an outbreak in Philadelphia caused 1,400 cases<\/a> and 9 pediatric deaths. In that case, religious leaders discouraged medical care, relying on prayer instead.<\/p>\n What this means for you: Whether this is an undercount or an outlier, one thing is clear: we are in new, unsettling territory. Here is a YLE deep dive on 10 FAQs on MMR and Measles Protection. <\/a>No, you likely don\u2019t need an MMR booster. <\/p>\n Respiratory vaccines\u2014for flu, RSV, and Covid-19\u2014should be available at no cost this fall. But the federal government has created snags, so you may not be able to access them yet. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s what\u2019s going on. <\/p>\n RSV is a big deal for kiddos; just ask any mom who has had to sit with their baby in the hospital. In fact, it\u2019s the leading cause of hospitalizations for kiddos (see graph below).<\/p>\n But this year, clinics and hospitals are ordering fewer doses of monoclonal antibodies\u2014shots that protect babies under 8 months from RSV\u2014than needed. They\u2019re worried they\u2019ll get stuck with the bill if insurance doesn\u2019t cover it. <\/p>\n Why? CDC\u2019s vaccine advisory group (ACIP) normally updates its recommendations as medical evidence evolves, but under RFK Jr., that process has completely stalled. Meanwhile, new science shows more high-risk babies should get this shot, so AAP updated its recommendation, but CDC recommendations are still stuck in last year. Since insurance follows the CDC, not the AAP, physicians aren\u2019t sure whether insurance will cover the extra babies. <\/p>\n Two things are happening on the Covid-19 front:<\/p>\n Adults in a handful of states will have trouble getting them at pharmacies. Most states have decoupled from federal guidance, so most Americans can get a Covid-19 vaccine at a pharmacy. However, this isn\u2019t the case in a handful of states, like Louisiana. (Sorry I don\u2019t have a full state list because it\u2019s changing every day; many are trying to actively fix this). More than 80% of people get their Covid-19 vaccines at pharmacies. <\/p>\n Pediatric vaccine delays everywhere: The Vaccines for Children, a federal program that purchases more than half of childhood vaccines in the U.S., requires sign-off before they can actually ship them to states. This approval is being held up at the CDC Director level for reasons that are very unclear (and potentially concerning if delivery is stopped for political reasons). This means it\u2019s unlikely your kid can get a Covid-19 vaccine at this time. <\/p>\n People are getting vaccinated (including my kids!), and insurance coverage (private and public) is fine, including for the new mRNA vaccine.<\/p>\n There is still time to iron out these snags, but if things don\u2019t get sorted by October, I will really start worrying about those at high risk, family disruptions (like missing school), and hospital capacity this fall and winter. <\/p>\n What this means for you: Don\u2019t give up finding protection for you and your family. Have patience with your physician and pharmacy office; these snags are above their pay grade. <\/p>\n That said, bottom-up advocacy helps. If you have trouble, voice your concerns to your physician\u2019s office, insurance company, pharmacy manager, or whoever is in charge to ensure they are aware of the problem. Eventually, the systems will hear it.<\/p>\n Silver lining in the PA measles outbreak: more families are getting protected. The number of people getting vaccinated has nearly doubled<\/a>. In August 2026 alone, more than 46,000 MMR vaccines were administered, double the typical monthly rate of about 25,000. While I wish we didn\u2019t live in a reactive society, it\u2019s the reality, and I will take this as a win! <\/p>\n Malaria vaccines are working at scale. After decades of failed attempts, two vaccines are now part of routine childhood immunization in 25 African countries<\/a>. Malaria kills ~600,000 people a year, mostly kids under five, so it\u2019s great to hear that Burkina Faso saw a 32% drop in total cases after rollout and Cameroon reported a 17% drop. The one worry: funding cuts are already causing spikes in cases in a few countries, even as the vaccine expands elsewhere.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/981b9fb7-f421-4e5a-905f-5bd126771f82_1190.png\")
<\/a>Number of norovirus tests coming back positive. Source: CDC.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/64f3f225-65ae-4ab3-9106-302a4c464f5f_951x.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/0b8c2c7c-f145-4c63-bb32-042bb00c25fc_865x.jpeg\")
<\/a>Source: CDC ACIP slide from 2024.<\/p>\n